Faculty and Staff
We select faculty members to teach in our program who are “the best of the best,” handpicked to teach in this program. Our faculty of experienced educators and executives bring years of business knowledge and outstanding credentials into the classroom. They all have earned doctorates in their field, have met publication requirements, and have consulted with major corporations and smaller entrepreneurial ventures. Their knowledge and experience combined with the enthusiasm and energy of our students create a life-defining educational dynamic.
Marian C. Crawford
Professor of Management; Ph.D. M.B.E. University of Mississippi University for Women; postdoctoral study, Florida State University
Dr. Crawford teaches several management courses, including organizational behavior, international organizational behavior, leadership, human resources management, and team development. She has received the College of Business Excellence Award for Public Service and the Outstanding MBA Faculty Distance Education Award. In 2001, Dr. Crawford Participated in the UALR/University of Graz (Austria) faculty exchange program.
Susan Elsworth
Program Director; M.A., Boston University, B.A. Kingston College
Mrs. Elsworth joined the UALR College of Business in 2004. She oversees the Executive MBA program and presents business etiquette classes in the College of Business. Susan is the founder of First Impressions, Ltd., which specializes in developing training programs for hotels, country inns, and restaurants. These programs are designed to create high standards of service with particular emphasis on social skills. Trained in London, England and Montreux, Switzerland, she holds a Masters Degree in Educational Counseling and has developed a program for children called “Where Are Your Manners?” which is currently being used in several schools in Warrenton, Virginia and surrounding counties.
Joe T. Felan
Associate Professor, Department of Management; Ph.D. University of South Carolina, M.B.A., B.B.A. Baylor University
Dr. Felan recently joined the UALR College of Business. He previously taught at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is a member of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) and APICS (the Educational Society of Resource Management). Dr. Felan’s research interests include family businesses and operations, service operations management, and labor flexibility issues in production systems.
Mark Funk
Associate Professor of Economics and Department Chair; Ph.D., University of California Davis; B.A, Trinity Univeristy
Dr. Funk joined the UALR Economics and Finance Department in 2003. He previously taught at Saint Louis University, teaching microeconomics, international economics, and managerial economics, and received the MBA Teaching Award in 2002, and the Outstanding Executive MBA Teaching Award in 2005. Dr. Funk’s research on innovation and international trade has been published in a variety of academic journals.
Larry C. Holland
Professor of Finance; Ph.D., Oklahoma State University
Dr. Holland worked for 21 years in the oil industry before earning his Ph.D. in Finance. He began his professional career as a chemical engineer and has extensive experience in strategic and operational planning, economic forecasting, productivity improvement, and environmental compliance. Dr. Holland brought his experience to UALR when he joined the faculty in 1995. He received the Outstanding Executive MBA Teaching Award in 1999 and 2001, and the MBA Distinguished Graduate Teaching Award in 1997.
Robert Mitchell
Professor of Management and Department Chair; D.B.A., M.B.A., B.S., Louisiana Tech University
Dr. Mitchell coordinates the information technology component in the Executive MBA program, and teaches local area network design and administration, specialized applications, and corporate information systems management courses. He has extensive consulting experience in organization management in the nonprofit sector and has served as the National Executive Director of Delta Pi Epsilon and Delta Pi Epsilon Research Foundation, Inc.
Erick M. Elder
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance; Ph.D., M.S. University of Pittsburgh; B.A. Allegheny College
Dr. Elder joined UALR in 1996. His areas of specialization are macroeconomics and international economics. He has published articles in a variety of high quality economics and finance journals and has refereed for several others. Dr. Elder’s current research topics include the use of options in compensation agreements and issues surrounding states’ use of budget stabilization funds (rainy-day funds). He has judged for several local and regional economic competitions.
Rhonda A. Syler
Assistant Professor of Management; Ph.D., Auburn University; M.B.A, Columbus State University; M.S., Kansas State University; B.S., Middle Tennessee State University
Dr. Syler brings 14 years of professional experience to the UALR College of Business. Prior to beginning her Ph.D., Dr. Syler server as a marketing executive in the financial industry. Her professional experiences also include serving as an Information Manager for the 1996 Olympic Games and gaining international experiences as a Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army. Dr. Syler’s primary research interests focus on the interrelationships of organizations and information systems.
Andy Terry
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance; Ph.D., M.A. University of Michigan; B.A. Hendrix
Prior to attending graduate school, Dr. Terry was a CPA with a major accounting firm where he specializes in bank and investment bank audits. Dr. Terry enjoys the classroom and has won teaching awards at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Terry is a consultant to the business community primarily in the area of business valuation and economic damage calculation, and has served as an expert witness in federal and state courts. Dr. Terry’s primary areas of interest are corporate finance and corporate financial planning.
Thomas R. Tudor
Associate Professor of Management; Ph.D., M.B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University; B.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Dr. Tudor brings extensive private and public sector work experience to the classroom with employment ranging from IBM to the Department of the Navy. His academic specialties include human resource management and organizational behavior. Dr. Tudor is an avid researcher and consultant with projects involving recruitment and retention, labor planning and forecasting, conflict resolution, and work team development. He has received over $29,000 in research grants. Internationally. Dr. Tudor has been a faculty guest at Providence University in Taiwan, Assumption University in Thailand, National University of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and the University of the Philippines.
Jane P. Wayland
Professor of Marketing and Interim Dean to the College of Business; Ph.D., University of North Texas
Dr. Wayland received her Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of North Texas in 1989. She has spent sixteen years at Eastern Illinois University serving in a variety of capacities before joining UALR’s College of Business in 2007. Most recently, Dr. Wayland served as the Chair of the School of Business. Her major focus was in the development of a Student Center for Academic and Professional Development, curriculum revision, and strategic planning. Dr. Wayland’s primary research interest are in marketing education, technology in education, and philanthropy.
Jimie Kusel
Professor Accounting; Ph.D., Michigan State University; MBA, Michigan State University; AB, Princeton