Sean Whelan is a proud 1989 Marquette Senior High School graduate. While at MSHS, Sean participated in extracurricular activities including the Golf Team, German Club and Business Professionals of America. Sean was especially motivated, and encouraged to pursue a career in business, by his BPA mentor and business and accounting teacher Paula McCormick while attending high school. He moved to attend the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and received both Bachelor of business administration and Master of Accounting degrees. Sean received his CPA license shortly after college, and has since served in several senior finance positions, including Chief Financial Officer of two high growth public healthcare firms. the pinnacle of his career to date was ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, as he took his company Diplomat (NYSE: DPLO) public in October 2014. Throughout his career in business, Sean Whelan has demonstrated strong financial, strategic and operational expertise as he has successfully lead complex corporate transactions including acquisitions and capital markets transactions.

On Success, Sean Whelan believes that, “Success is at least as much about attitude as it is about aptitude. if you think you can do it, you probably can; and vise versa.” he urges us to “take action, often. Don’t wait for others to voice their opinion or make a decision.” Sean Whelan also believes that when success is attained, and along the path to achievement, we cannot forget about giving back; coaching his children’s baseball and soccer teams and contributing to where he came from are vastly important. In order to continue to give back and supporting the success of others, Sean established the Whelan University of Michigan business Scholarship, awarded for the first time in 2016.