School of Management Hall of Fame

Sherri Stephens

2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient

As a full-time student at the University of Michigan–Flint, Sherri also worked full-time at a local financial advisory firm, which she first joined as a high school senior. Encouraged by a mentor who recognized her potential, she pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration and minored in economics. She fell in love with the world of finance, especially the way it empowered families and transformed lives.

In 1994, Sherri took over leadership of the firm following the unexpected loss of her mentor. Today, she serves as President, CEO, and Lead Wealth Advisor of Stephens Wealth Management Group, a nationally recognized, woman-led registered investment advisory firm. Under her leadership, SWMG has quadrupled in size, built a culture rooted in integrity, and helped countless clients—from multigenerational families to business owners—navigate complex financial decisions with clarity and confidence.

Sherri has earned national recognition for her work, consistently named one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (2018–2024) and one of the Top Women Financial Advisors in Michigan by Barron’s and Forbes. She has also been listed among the Top 100 Women Financial Advisors in America.

Her impact extends far beyond the office. A longtime trustee and past chair of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Sherri helped guide the organization through the 2008 financial crisis. She also served for 15 years on the board of McLaren Hospital and remains an active member of the UM-Flint School of Management Advisory Board. A fierce advocate for women in finance, she co-founded the Women’s Leadership Alliance and launched the Advancement in Wealth Management scholarship at UM-Flint to support future generations in the field.

Sherri believes success without values is hollow—and she leads with integrity in every aspect of her life. She lives in Michigan with her husband and is the proud mother of four sons and grandmother to eleven. Whether mentoring young professionals, advising clients, or championing education, Sherri’s legacy is clear: when you lead with purpose and give generously, you leave every place better than you found it.

Dylan Straka

2024 Early Career Alumni Achievement Award Recipient

Waitlisted at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Dylan Straka spent his freshman fall semester at Mott Community College while waiting to transfer to Michigan State University in the winter. During this time, he was working at King Par, a local golf company. Despite transfer plans to Michigan State, Dylan soon realized that he preferred a smaller school environment.

Recognizing his goals, the CFO at King Par approached Dylan with an opportunity. They offered him an entry-level accounting position. The CFO, a University of Michigan-Flint graduate, knew Dylan could benefit from UM-Flint’s flexible class schedules, and gain professional work experience throughout college, which would allow him to accelerate his career aspirations by building his resume early. Dylan could earn the Michigan degree he desired while forging closer relationships with faculty.

Dylan became an active student at UM Flint, where he served as the Vice President of Financial Affairs for Student Government, Treasurer of his fraternity, Theta Chi, and a tax preparer for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, a program that processed free tax returns for students and low-income individuals. He was also a member of Beta Alpha Psi, the honors accounting society, and Treasurer of the Entrepreneur Society.

In the winter of his sophomore year, Dylan completed an internship with Plante Moran and returned to King Par afterward. Through his extracurricular involvement that he would soon find a new opportunity. Phil Hagerman, through his gift to the School of Management, had helped create the entrepreneurship major and hired the President and Vice President of the Entrepreneur Society as interns to work on small businesses in Flint through his family office, venture capital, and commercial real estate firm, SkyPoint Ventures.

As SkyPoint rapidly expanded, the accounting team needed additional help, and the interns recommended Dylan. He joined SkyPoint Ventures as a staff accountant while continuing his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan-Flint. Dylan graduated in 2017 with a bachelor’s in accounting and immediately began working toward an MBA in accounting and finance. He was promoted to accounting supervisor, then to director of finance at SkyPoint. In 2019, Dylan became CFO of both SkyPoint Ventures and the Hagerman Family Office. He played a key role in the company’s activities in Flint, including business development, supporting entrepreneurship, and contributing to philanthropic efforts across the city. He was also involved in several SkyPoint Ventures investments, and served on the board as financial adviser to Skypoint’s primary investment in Forum Health Enterprises, a network of integrative functional medicine clinics.

In 2022, Dylan was named an honoree of Flint &Genesee County’s 40 Under 40. This biannual honor celebrates regional individuals who are excelling professionally and making a significant impact within the community. In 2023, Dylan was appointed CFO of Wild Bill’s Tobacco, the second-largest tobacco retailer in the U.S., with over 200 locations across Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. That same year, Dylan founded Straka Financial Services, where he focuses primarily on succession planning, estate planning, and family office services for high-net-worth families and individuals.

As an alumni of Theta Chi fraternity, Dylan served on the local chapter’s Advisory Board for three years. He is currently the Treasurer of the Theta Chi Alumni Foundation Board, where he helps award scholarships to UM-Flint undergraduates. Dylan also serves on the board and Finance Committee of the Flint Children’s Museum and is a member of Excel Networking, a private networking group dedicated to helping professionals and entrepreneurs in Southeast Michigan.

Steve Whitener

2024 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient

Steve Whitener hasn’t forgotten the support he received as a college student at UM-Flint. He was slated to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business. He worked 32 to 40 hours a week at Kroger to help pay for school, but as a senior, he struggled to pay for college, along with basics like groceries, gasoline, and rent. But university officials helped Whitener land a series of scholarships. Several of them came from small organizations or clubs. This helped Whitener to stay in school and graduate.

Since then, Steve Whitener has carved out a long and successful business career. After graduating, Whitener purchased several real estate properties, and had a successful career at Westinghouse Electric. Co., Eaton Cutler Hammer, Pirelli International, and Anixter. Whitener founded National Systems Installers in 1993 to provide infrastructure cabling services to companies. In 1999, he founded Nuspire Networks, which offers managed IT security services to companies.

Whitener expressed his gratitude to the university by establishing two endowed scholarships: Stephen A. Whitener Scholarship for Innovators, and Whitener Merit Plus. Whitener said these are intended to leverage and support the talent on campus with 2-3 full-ride scholarships per year. Both scholarships supported more than 50 students since 2017. Whitener visits the campus on many occasions, as the chairman of the School’s business advisory board and attends many of the events, during which he talks to students about his business career and keys to entrepreneurial success.

Holly Kilburn

2023 Early Career Alumni Achievement Award Recipient

Holly earned a Bachelor Business Administration degree with a major in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management in 2016. She was recognized UM-Flint as a Maize and Blue Award winner. With her continued high academic achievement, she was also recognized as a James B. Angell Scholar. Speaking during the spring 2016 commencement ceremony, Holly offered a message of hope and inspiration, sharing challenges that students had to overcome as single mothers, first-generation college students, and English language learners. 

As the Grants and Special Initiatives Manager for CS Partners, Holly puts students at the center of every decision and plan. She expertly manages grant requests for schools across the state serving more than 11,000 students and managing over 40 million dollars in grants for the 22-23 school year.

Holly continues to deliver her message by providing practical advice to University of Michigan-Flint students. She has served as a panelist during School of Management Alumni Career Panel events; collaborated with the school to start an internship program with her company; and continues to mentor students while sharing her experience and knowledge. As a Flint native, Holly believes that the lessons learned at the university will continue to serve her well as she endeavors to contribute to the community.