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Deborah L. Stephens is Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Behavioral Health Systems, Inc., in Birmingham. She was the principal founding member of the company in 1989. Ms. Stephens has over twenty years experience in healthcare finance and administration, and formerly served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of both a 100-bed hospital and its parent holding company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ms. Stephens has achieved national recognition for her work in the areas of multi-corporate planning and reorganization, zero-base budgeting and physical rehabilitation finance. She has been included in the 2003 Birmingham Business Journal Top 100 Healthcare Professionals in Alabama, 2000 edition of Who's Who in the World, 1993-96 editions of Who's Who of American Women, the 1994-95 Who's Who of Science and Engineering, and the 1996-97 edition of Who's Who of Finance and Industry. In 1984, Ms. Stephens was cited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals as one of eleven women nationally to hold a VP or higher status in the hospital field. Awards include 1995 Small Business Person of the Year (Birmingham Chamber of Commerce), 1995 Small Business of the Year (Business Council of Alabama), 1995 Top 5 Thriving Business Women (Business to Business), 1994 Top 25 Fastest Growing Specialty PPO's in the Nation (Managed Healthcare Magazine), 1996 Top 78 National Entrepreneurs (feature profile - Entrepreneur Magazine 4/96), 1996 feature story in Birmingham Post-Herald, 1995 feature story in Birmingham News, 1995 feature profile in HealthWatch (Alabama Healthcare Council), 1995 feature profile in Open Minds Magazine. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Ms. Stephens conducted post-graduate work at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and completed the Western Institute of Healthcare Executives program at the University of California - Berkeley. Ms. Stephens has been an active director on numerous governing boards, and served on an advisory committee to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on healthcare prospective payment issues. Since establishing permanent residence in Birmingham in 1988, Ms. Stephens has been active in the Rotary Club of Birmingham, Business Council of Alabama, Venture Club, Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of the Applecross Homeowners Association. In her "off" hours, she enjoys jogging, traveling and reading. | 