R. Stanton Avery


R. Stanton Avery was an American inventor, most known for creating self-adhesive labels. Using a $100 loan from his then-fiancé Dorothy Durfee, and combining used machine parts with a saber saw, he created and patented the world's first self-adhesive die-cut labeling machine. In 1935, he founded what is now the Avery Dennison Corporation.
Avery served as chairman of the board of trustees of California Institute of Technology, and was a member of the board of trustees of the Huntington Library and the board of trustees of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Avery House at Caltech is named for him.

Early life

Ray Stanton Avery was born on January 13, 1907, in Oklahoma City. Avery lived in a rented chicken coop and worked at the Midnight Mission as a clerk in order to put himself through college.

Education

After dropping out for a year to live in China, Avery graduated from Pomona College with a humanities degree in 1932.

Philanthropy

Stan Avery donated generously to educational and arts institutions. He was known for philanthropy in Southern California, having supported the California Institute of Technology, the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art and the Huntington Library.
In 1996, Avery created Avery House at Caltech, a residence housing undergraduates, graduate students and faculty.