Stephen Ellsworth Coit (born April 18, 1948 in Beverly, Massachusetts) is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and painter, best known for his series of portraits commissioned by Harvard University.
From 1984 to 1994, he was a general partner of Merrill, Pickard, Anderson & Eyre, a venture capital firm.
From 1989, he was a director of International Data Group, a provider of media research and conferences to the information technology industry.
[1] Coit relates that, while he always liked to draw, it was only after a friend gave him a box of pastels in 1992, while he was ill for some months, that he considered art as a career.
[4] His portraits under this commission include Dean of Students Archie Epps, professor of music and East Asian languages and civilization Rulan Chao Pian, senior admissions officer David L. Evans,[5] musicologist Eileen Jackson Southern, anthropologist Stanley Tambiah, administrator Kiyo Morimoto,[6] Dean of the College Fred Jewett,[7] Dean of Harvard College John Monro,[8] medical school professor Harold Amos,[9] 17th century native American alumnus Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, psychiatrist Chester Pierce, professor of government Martin Kilson, and Bunting Institute professor Florence Ladd.