It is with considerable regret the Fraternity announces the passing of E.B. Wilson, St. Lawrence ’53, major influencer of Beta’s hallmark Men of Principle initiative. Passing on November 15 with his beloved Beta Sweetheart, Betsy, by his side, he was 94.
Born in Albany, New York, E.B. was an Eagle Scout and earned his B.A. from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, home to Beta’s storied Beta Zeta Chapter. Earning his MBA from Harvard and serving two years in the U.S. Army, he married Betsy in 1956 which resulted in a 69-year love affair.
Brother Wilson was a noted strategist, highly sought in the business world for his keen intellect and disciplined leadership. Those skills helped him rise through the executive ranks internationally for both Kimberly-Clark and Pillsbury, eventually becoming CEO of Almay Cosmetics where he oversaw development of the science known as “hypoallergenic.”
For his success in the corporate world, in 2004 the Fraternity honored E.B. with the Oxford Cup, Beta’s highest honor for professional achievement.
In retirement, E.B. devoted himself to higher education and governance. For 17 years he developed a national reputation as an authority on university and nonprofit boards, forging a two-decade-long relationship with the Association of Governing Boards. He authored numerous publications on effective trusteeship and served as chair of the board and several committees at St. Lawrence, which later awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his impact.
“E.B.’s leadership as the St. Lawrence board chair transformed that body into a model of best practices,” said St. Lawrence President Emeritus and recent Beta Trustee Bill Fox ’75.
In August 1996, E.B. wrote a letter to then-Editor Erv Johnson, Idaho ’53, challenging the nature of a new program he read about as reported in the organization’s treasured magazine. Believing Beta’s tactic was well intended but misaligned on how best to tackle the cultural issues plaguing the Fraternity, E.B. was invited by then-Administrative Secretary Bob Cottrell, Miami ’54, to consult the Fraternity’s rank and file on a better path forward.
A yearlong strategic planning process led heavily by E.B. resulted in a framework for what would become known as one of the interfraternity world’s most successful cultural change agents: the award-winning Men of Principle initiative. Beta scholars — young and old alike — have been unified in their assertion that it has been the most significant effort ever undertaken by the Fraternity, second only to the founding itself.
“I have many fond memories of E.B. as he helped guide us into a new era that would shape the Fraternity for decades to come,” said former Regional and District Chief and current two-term General Secretary John Stebbins, Emory ’92.
Upon learning of his passing, early Men of Principle staff director and former Trustee Scott Allen, Minnesota ’95, also reflected: “EB was a master facilitator — an architect of deep conversations. His ability to hold a room of disparate perspectives and chart a path forward was a true act of thoughtful leadership.”
Service was indeed a lifelong calling for E.B., as he held leadership roles with the Boston Conservatory, the Executive Service Corps of New England, the Chatham Historical Society, Eastward Ho! Country Club, San Francisco Ballet and the Central Park Conservancy. In his final decades, he found spiritual grounding in St. Christopher’s Church in Chatham.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, E.B. cultivated an extraordinary range of personal passions. He was a voracious reader of history and biography, a devoted follower of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, an enthusiastic fan of the Red Sox and Patriots, and a joyful cook who loved entertaining a crowd. He embraced the maddening challenge of golf, served on many corporate boards and remained a dedicated runner. Later in life, he embraced new creative pursuits, including the study of oil painting and the competitive intrigue of bridge.
For his lifelong commitment to challenging the status quo and his high-mindedness when it came to Beta Theta Pi, in particular, E.B. Wilson will be sorely missed — and long be remembered in the annals of Beta lore.
