Dr. Elvis Stephens, a native Texan, earned his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science degrees from the University of North Texas in three years and never looked back. After receiving his doctorate from Indiana University in 1963, Dr. Stephens returned to UNT to teach in the Management Department, specializing in Human Resource Management, Labor Law and Collective Bargaining, and Labor Arbitration. In his 32 years with the University, Dr. Stephens has served as Department Chair, editor of Business Studies (a journal published by the College of Business Administration), and chair and member of numerous committees. He has co-authored 2 books and over 22 journal articles; over 130 of his labor arbitration awards have been published in reporting services such as

BNA's Labor Arbitration Report;.

Dr. Stephen's involvement in professional associations is extensive. He helped establish the student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); sponsored the Outstanding Student in Personnel national contest in 1981; served on the SHRM committee to establish certification in personnel; served as President of the Dallas Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development; chaired the College Relations Committee of SHRM from 1979- 1981: and was a founding member both of the Denton Personnel Association and North Texas Chapter of the Industrial Relations Association.

Since 1972, Dr. Stephens increasingly has devoted his outside time to the practice of labor arbitration, where he is chosen by labor and management to hear a grievance and render a final and binding award. Most cases are in the private sector; however, the last 15 years have seen an increase in cases from the public sector, where police officers, firefighters, and teachers have turned to arhitration to settle their differences. While most cases last four to five hours, his shortest case lasted 30 minutes and the longest lasted 11 days. In 1982, Dr. Stephens was elected to the National Academy of Arbitrators, a select group of 675 leading U.S. arbitrators.

Scheduling arbitration cases around his class schedule can result in flying into a city after midnight or leaving at 4:00 AM to drive 150+ miles to the hearing site. On two different occasions, Dr. Stephens drove 256 miles to Magnolia, Arkansas to hear a case and then drove back that night to meet his class the next morning. About ten years ago, Dr. Stephens received his private pilot's license and now flies a small plane to some of these remote locations, weather permitting. The arbitration work provides an insight into emerging problems in labor relations, as well as good stories to tell in class.

While Dr. Stephen's accomplishments are many, two make him extremely proud. He has never missed a class due to illness and he has shepherded 17 candidates through the Ph.D. program in management.