Early Life
William “Bill” Stone was born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. He graduated from Reitz Memorial High School and later attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1977. His early life in Evansville instilled in him a strong work ethic and a passion for entrepreneurship.
Rise to Success
Stone began his career at KPMG, a financial services consultancy and accounting firm, where he eventually became a director. In 1986, at the age of 30, he founded SS&C Technologies in Hartford, Connecticut, with approximately $20,000 saved from his previous employment. The company started with just four employees, quickly growing to 17 the following year. SS&C went public in 1996, with Stone navigating the initial public offering (IPO). He took the company private in 2005, then public again in 2010. Today, SS&C Technologies has a global presence.
Key Business Strategies
Key to Stone's success has been the strategic growth of SS&C through both organic expansion and acquisitions. The company provides software and services to the financial services and healthcare industries. Under Stone's leadership, SS&C has achieved significant growth. He has been credited with consistently delivering strong financial results.
Philanthropy
Stone and his wife, Mary, have been actively involved in philanthropy, particularly in Evansville. In 2018, they donated $15 million to the Stone Family Center for Health Sciences. In December 2021, they gifted $34.2 million to establish the Mary O'Daniel Stone and Bill Stone Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the IU School of Medicine-Evansville.