E.P. Severns, Jr.
E.P. Severns was born and raised in Kokomo, and is a 1949 graduate of Kokomo High School.
In 1935, Severns’ father and two uncles purchased the Coca-Cola franchise for Kokomo, Logansport, Peru and the surrounding area. E.P. started working at the family business in 1947 while he was still in high school. In 1950, he married his sweetheart and KHS classmate, Virginia Pierce. They both attended Indiana University Kokomo in 1950 and ’51, while classes were held in the Seiberling Mansion.
E.P.’s outgoing personality and people skills made him a natural leader. He became the President of the Company in 1959 and still serves in that capacity. He has been active in state and national soft drink associations. He has served numerous organizations in Kokomo and Howard County, including the Salvation Army, Community Foundation, Saint Joseph Hospital, Ivy Tech Community College, Union Bank, Central Bank, Kokomo Symphony, the Kokomo-Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, YMCA, the Kokomo Planning Commission, and the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance. If you ask E.P. why he’s been so involved in the community, his answer is simple, “I like people. I like working with people. And I got to know an awful lot of very good people.”
In 1995, E.P. was honored with the David Foster Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Community Foundation of Howard County. In 2002, he was elected to the Beverage World Hall of Fame. He received the 2012 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Sagamore Council of the Boy Scouts, as well as the first-ever Distinguished Service Award from the Howard County Sports Hall of Fame.
E.P. is a man of uncommon generosity. Throughout his life, that generosity was directed at youth activities. He sponsored the Coca-Cola team at UCT Little League in the mid 50’s, one of the first teams in the city, and sponsors that team to this day. He has also partnered with the schools to help fund athletic and other programs. Looking to the future, E.P. and Virginia have established two endowment funds in the Community Foundation, providing charitable funding for a wide range of community organizations.