Bill Stephens born 1932 in Pennsylvania and graduated from the Philadelphia Museum School of Art. He began his career with Knoll as an assistant prototype builder in 1960 for their Design and Development Group. After working up the ranks he became its director in 1971. He spear headed and worked on the creation and development of many projects and products during his time as director including several where he was the principle designer. His greatest were his part in the Petitt chair which was not only beautiful but an achievement in technology and construction; his own 1300 Series or Stephens Chair which was originally designed for the student center at the Yale School of Architecture and remained in production at Knoll until 1988; and his contribution in the first wood landscape systems created along with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to be used in their Weyerhaeuser headquarters project. Stephens passed in 2007.