2019 Recipients

Since 2013, Alessandro DiNello has served as president and CEO of Flagstar Bank and Flagstar Bancorp. Prior to his current position, he was president and chief administrative officer, and for several years, he served as executive vice president of retail banking. As CEO, he has played a critical role in strengthening the bank's risk management, compliance and quality control. Under his leadership, Flagstar has produced consistent, diversified earnings.

He began his career as a bank examiner and later joined Security Savings Bank, where he ultimately served as president. In 1994, Security Savings was acquired by First Security Savings Bank, which later became Flagstar. He continued with the combined organization as an executive officer responsible for growing the bank’s funding sources.

During his career at Flagstar, he has served as head of branch banking, retail product strategy, marketing, communications, internet banking and branch expansion. He also oversaw the bank’s technology, operations and commercial units. Additionally, he led the government affairs and community relations initiatives.

His business affiliations include membership on several boards of directors, including Business Leaders of Michigan, the American Bankers Council, the Detroit Regional Chamber and its economic development CEO advisory board, the Western Michigan University Foundation, and others. He is also a founding member of the Detroit Sports Organizing Corporation and serves on the national board of trustees for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

DiNello is a recipient of the Honoree Award from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award from the Haworth College of Business, the Humanitarian Award from the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Courage in Leadership Award from the North Oakland NAACP.

In 1987, Dr. Roger Steininger formed his own consulting company to focus on exploration in geologic terrains having gold and other precious metals. His distinguished career has noted his association with, and personal discovery of, numerous mineral deposits including the 20+ million-ounce Pipeline gold deposit in Nevada. For the next 20 years, Dr. Steininger used his knowledge of geology and mineral deposits to develop and establish commercial gold deposits. In 2009, Dr. Steininger cofounded NuLegacy Gold Corporation, a leading gold exploration company, and retired in 2018 after discovering the Iceberg gold deposit in Nevada.

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in 1964, Dr. Steininger attained an M.S. in Geology from Brigham Young University in 1966. He went on to work for several national and international mineral exploration development companies, managing exploration and evaluation programs for gold, base metals, copper, and molybdenum deposits throughout Western North America. He then earned a Ph.D. in Earth Resources from Colorado State University in 1986.

Dr. Steininger has long supported the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at WMU, first serving on the initial Geologic Department Advisory Council in the 1980s. In addition, he’s made presentations for the department, and guided and hired a number of geology students. After attending the department’s 50th anniversary in 2014, Dr. Steininger has been a frequent visitor to the department.

In 2018, Dr. Steininger received the WMU College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Achievement award for the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. He is also the recipient of the 2016 Honored Alumnus Award from the Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University. As noted by Dr. Steininger, these achievements started with the solid geological base supplied by Dr. Lloyd Schmaltz, and others, in the WMU Geological and Environmental Sciences Department. 

Dr. Steininger is the past chair for the Geological Society of Nevada Foundation, past treasurer and board member for the Historic Reno Preservation Society, a member of the Dean’s Council for the Warner College of Natural Resources and chair for the Geosciences Advisory Council at Colorado State University.

Roger is now dedicating his time to writing and publishing a summary of the geologic setting for gold and molybdenum prospects and deposits in the Western Cordilleran from Mexico to Alaska.  Roger and his wife, LuAnne reside in Reno, Nevada where they have a son and daughter, their spouses and four grandchildren.