About the William C. Earhart Company

In 1951, while working for Pacific Mutual Insurance Company, Mr. Earhart sold a group health insurance medical plan to a jointly negotiated, labor – management group. A fairly new piece of legislation known as the Taft Hartley Act of 1947 was in effect, requiring that monies received by the group be held in Trust. Pacific Mutual’s position was…`You sold it, you administer it. `. Three years later, a group of Labor – Management Trusts hired Bill to become their salaried administrator.

In April 1960, Bill founded the William C. Earhart Company, an early entry into Third-Party Administration business. Recognizing the need to keep current on industry practices and legislation, Bill became active in an organization now known as the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Active in that organization for over forty years, he was a four – time member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, served on numerous committees, and spoke frequently at the New Trustees Institutes around the country. Mr. Earhart, a graduate of Princeton University, earned his Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certification in 1982.

Hannah Sutton joined the Company in 1968. A twelve year progression through all phases of the Company’s operations, from filing and mail room duties through management of the Pension Department, culminated in 1980 when she left her bargaining unit position to become Vice President. Ms. Sutton moved into the Chief Executive Officer position upon Mr. Earhart’s retirement in 1999. Ms. Sutton’s numerous accomplishments include her CEBS certification in 1982. Ms. Sutton and Mr. Earhart were the first father-daughter duo to receive this designation. Ms. Sutton served twice on the Board of Directors of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), and served as Chair in 2001. Ms. Sutton was very active in the Society of Professional Administrators (SPBA), serving on its Board of Directors and as Chair in 1997.

Alongside Ms. Sutton was her sister Catherine Gladstone, who came back to the Company in 1980, where these two women continued to expand and grow the business to what it is today. Ms. Gladstone was also very involved in the IFEBP as well as the SPBA and served as Chairperson of the Board in 2004. With Mr. Earhart’s retirement, Ms. Sutton and Ms. Gladstone worked closely to successfully manage the business and to grow its’ services, technology as well as national client “footprint”. Along with managing the day-to-day business operation, both remained actively involved with these associations as well as the Northwest Association of Administrators (NWAA), until Ms. Gladstone’s retirement in June 2014 at which time, her son, Mr. Ryan Stephens was promoted to Senior Vice President and then promoted to President in 2019. Ms. Sutton retired in October 2021 at which time Mr. Stephens was promoted into the main leadership role as the President and Chief Executive Officer for the corporation. Mr. Stephens joined the Company in 1997 and remains active in the IFEBP, SPBA as well the NWAA and is committed to continue the Earhart “legacy” that his Grandfather (Mr. Earhart), Aunt (Ms. Sutton) and Mom (Ms. Gladstone) established.