HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Adam & Eve founder Phil Harvey reportedly passed away late last night, Dec. 2.
News of the adult industry pioneer’s death was disclosed via an email from Harvey’s family planning organization DKT International, which provides sexual health products and services to over 90 countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East.
This year, Adam & Eve celebrated its 50th anniversary as “the nation’s preeminent provider of pleasure products.” In an announcement in honor of the retail chain’s latest milestone, the company paid tribute to its founder.
“Phil Harvey never intended to create America’s largest adult toy empire,” the company said. “What began as his master’s thesis at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1969 — the selling of condoms by mail — quickly evolved into the nation’s No. 1 adult products company that is known today as Adam & Eve. Today, Adam & Eve is the nation’s preeminent provider of pleasure products, with a broad range of sex-positive items, including sex toys, vibrators, lingerie, and, yes, condoms.
“In addition, Adam & Eve Founder and President Phil Harvey uses his share of the company’s profits to help fund DKT International,” the company said. “Rated as one of the best international family planning and AIDS prevention organizations in the world, DKT’s family planning programs provide accessible, affordable birth control products and services to millions of couples, making it possible to prevent HIV infections and assist with family planning. The efforts made by DKT in Africa, Asia and Latin America help improve family health, lower infant and maternal mortality and improve prosperity.”
Earlier this year, Harvey sat down for a rare career-spanning interview by Ernest Greene for XBIZ Premiere magazine; click here to read it.
XBIZ will continue to update this story.
