ACG Detroit | NextGen Momentum Mentoring

Tom Alongi is a Partner in the Audit and Assurance Practice, where he has 
been advising both public and private clients regarding their finances and 
operations for over 25 years. Tom also leads the firm’s national manufacturing 
practice which advises clients on growth, cost-saving initiatives, and planning 
for various exit strategies. 
AREAS OF FOCUS:
• Audit & Assurance, Financial Statements Audits, Compilation & Review Services, Due Diligence Review, Financial Forecasts, SOC for Supply Chain, Federal Tax, Individual Tax, Research & Development Credits, Succession Planning 

INDUSTRIES:
• Manufacturing & Distribution, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive Suppliers, Distribution, Industrials, Energy, Petroleum, Transportation, Distribution, & Marketing
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS:
• Licensed CPA in Michigan
• Licensed CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
• Provisional Lead Assessor Certification from EXCEL Partnership
• Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Walsh College

Christopher Caron is Managing Director and Industrials Segment Leader at Blue River Financial Group. He brings over 20 years of finance and operational experience and is differentiated by an uncommon combination of strong business acumen, analytic rigor, and strategic vision. He has a special aptitude for discerning business on a large scale and then narrowing down complexities to develop highly practical and pragmatic solutions that bring Wall Street-like leadership to Main Street businesses.

Mr. Caron previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Full Spectrum Solutions, where he managed the company’s finances and day-to-day operations. In 2016, Mr. Caron led a highly successful turnaround of the company, which took the organization from over-leveraged and unprofitable to debt-free in less than two years, shattering historical sales and profitability records.

Prior to his role at Full Spectrum, Mr. Caron was CFO and Director of Operations for HITEC Sensor Solutions, Inc., the leading sensor development company on the east coast. Throughout his 15-year career at HITEC, where he started as an Assistant Controller, he played a key role, increasing annual revenue over 700%, through the implementation of operational processes, controls and enhanced financial reporting infrastructures. His efforts were monumental in allowing HITEC to capitalize on the growing OEM sensor market. Additionally, Christopher led the company’s successful strategic acquisition of Sensor Development.

Mr. Caron is a founding member and actively serves on the Board of the CFO Leadership Council of Detroit where he strives to empower senior financial executives to realize success in their careers, as well as for the people and companies they work for, by developing tangible and pragmatic insight on business and leadership issues that these executives face in their day-to-day lives.

Mr. Caron recently received the 2024 ACG-Detroit Investment Banker of the year award.

Maria Duey has over 20 years of experience as a financial executive in publicly traded global manufacturing companies, including Masco Corporation and Horizon Global. She has held senior roles in Corporate Development driving M&A growth, structuring over 20 deals with values ranging from $2 million to $1 billion, and in Investor Relations. Maria has extensive experience in developing and implementing strategic plans, including post-IPO.  

Maria sits on the board of Hooker Furnishings, a publicly traded (NASDAQ: HOFT) designer, manufacturer and importer of furniture for the residential, hospitality and contract markets, and is the Chair of the Compensation Committee. She also is a member of the Regional Advisory Board for Horizon Bank. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Leonine Advisory, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions for middle-market companies. Ms. Duey holds an MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA from Michigan State University. 

Stephanie Flowney serves Warner as a business development manager responsible for initiating strategic and tactical opportunities for the firm. Stephanie works closely with selected partners in the development and execution of business and lead generation for Warner’s Business and Corporate Services Practice Group and also provides business development leadership and guidance for the firm’s Cannabis industry initiatives.

She has a strong background in the corporate, private equity and health care industries, and has over 15 years of extensive experience in managing and cultivating strategic partnerships with high-level business stakeholders and decision makers. She is passionate about her impact on businesses and her community and is an integral player on the Warner team. She believes that what she does every day matters, and her work ethic, connections, trustworthy approach and integrity contribute to her performance and reputation. Throughout her career, Stephanie has participated in and presented for numerous engagements, including MI SHRM, Disrupt HR, FUELMI, Manufacturing NEXT, Lean In Michigan and the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network, in addition to ad hoc presentations for current and prospective clients.

With more than 25 years of wealth advisory experience, Jason led the formation of Famiglia Wealth as a new independent wealth management firm in 2021. He began his career at PaineWebber, now UBS, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2011. Over his career he became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and earned the designations of Family Wealth Advisor and Certified Exit Planning Advisor. In 2021 and 2025, Jason was recognized as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor, and recently has been ranked #27 on Advisor Hub’s 2024 250 Wealth Managers to Watch in the Country under $1 Billion list.

Jason grew up in the Detroit area, except for two childhood years living in Hong Kong – an impactful time that opened his appreciation for new people, experiences and challenges. Jason graduated from Brother Rice High School and Michigan State University both with Honors.

Jason and his wife have three children. He has coached their basketball and soccer teams and enjoys volunteering at their school. They live in Birmingham, Michigan. Jason has competed in over 26 Mackinac races, winning back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. Jason entered and won his first trail marathon in 2021. Jason did his first triathlon in 2022 and had a podium finish. In his spare time, Jason is an avid reader, enjoying books on leadership, business, military, survival, and psychology.

Jennifer Jennings is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch. She works closely with each of her clients to identify their needs and aspirations and devise an investment strategy to pursue those unique goals with clarity and purpose. Jennifer is adept in distilling the information that matters to a client and communicating it in a digestible fashion, making conversations that could be overwhelming more than manageable. That penchant for building bridges extends past the individual, as she also enjoys connecting clients to one each other and engaging the wider community through educational seminars and roundtables.

Jennifer began her financial services career at Merrill Lynch in 1996 as a Financial Advisor in San Jose, California. In 2010, she joined J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank in Michigan where she worked closely with high-net-worth individuals and families to address a range of investment, estate, and banking needs. In 2016, she returned to Merrill Lynch and has since received many accolades in recent years including Forbes America’s Top Woman Wealth Advisor, Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisor and Forbes Best in State Wealth Management Team.

Jennifer is also a Certified Divorced Financial Analyst who uses that expertise to equip women going through divorce with the tools and resources necessary to reach financial confidence and independence. Additionally, she co-leads the Merrill Lynch Women’s Exchange in the Detroit area, a platform bringing the women of Merrill together for networking, mentorship and access to content related to enhancing their careers in financial services.

Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She was a varsity four-year letter-winner and co-captain her senior year for Northwestern’s Field Hockey Team.

Born and raised in Northern California, Jennifer now resides in Birmingham, MI with her husband David. They have three adult children all completing their undergraduate studies. She is a currently serving board member for the Judson Center and Childsafe Michigan.

Mike is Vice President and Commercial Banker at Comerica Bank. He joined the Bank in 1990 and has spent his entire career as a commercial banker, providing financial and business solutions for Middle Market Banking customers.

He holds bachelor's degrees in Finance and Accounting from Central Michigan University (1989) and an MBA in Finance from Wayne State University (1995).

Among his business and community affiliations, Mike volunteers as a student mentor for Winning Futures, is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth, has served on the Board of Advisors for the Finance Department in the School of Business at Central Michigan University, has been a guest lecturer at Central Michigan University, has been a partner for Cornerstone Schools, has been an under graduate Mentor for Central’s School of Business, has taught classes for Junior Achievement, is a retired travel softball and high school softball coach, and is Treasurer of the Oakland Cobras Fastpitch Softball Association.

Erin McGovern is the CEO and Founder of Greenline Leadership, where she coaches business owners to unlock sustainable growth and long-term value. Drawing on deep expertise in leadership, operations, and transformation, Erin helps leaders develop a business “machine” that runs itself and gets better every day. 

Before launching Greenline, Erin earned a PhD from the University of Michigan and spent 10 years at McKinsey & Company, where she led enterprise-wide transformations with leaders at top global companies. She has worked extensively with executives and front-line team members, in the field and on the shop floor, giving her a unique ability to align strategy with execution across every level of an organization.

Since 2024, Erin has focused on serving the middle market—supporting owners who are scaling, preparing for an exit, or developing the next generation of leaders. She helps clients set a compelling vision for the future and execute with focus and structure, using a tested and proven value creation playbook. 

Erin is passionate about economic development and served as a Teach for America Corps Member in New York City between college and grad school. She currently serves on several advisory boards for nonprofit organizations in Detroit, focused on education and workforce development. She lives in Detroit with her husband and two children.

As a Tax Partner at Cohen & Co., I oversee and manage complex tax engagements for clients in the real estate and manufacturing sectors. I have experience in leading and developing tax professionals, reviewing and preparing tax returns, and serving as the main point of contact for clients on all day-to-day matters. 
 
I am also a licensed attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. I have strong legal research, public speaking, and trial skills, which enable me to provide comprehensive and strategic tax advice and solutions to clients. My mission is to deliver an optimum level of service and value to clients, while fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment for my staff. I am always eager to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and grow my expertise in the tax field. 

Kevin is the Assurance Market Leader at BDO USA, P.C. in their BDO Detroit office. Kevin has more than 19 years of public accounting experience serving both publicly traded and privately held manufacturing, distribution and insurance clients. Kevin has worked extensively with private equity firm portfolio companies from both an acquisition and divestiture perspective.

He has significant experience with supervising and managing audit engagements, researching complex accounting topics and communicating financial statement deliverables to directors, managers and owners. Kevin graduated from Grand Valley State University with honors and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Association of CPAs, the Accounting Aid Society and the Wayne State University School of Accounting. 

James' practice focuses on a broad range of corporate matters including corporate structure and governance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general commercial transactions. He advises on complex business matters for a diverse client base, which ranges from small privately held companies to large publicly traded companies. James frequently counsels clients on matters involving entity formation, limited liability company and buy-sell agreements, policies and procedures, labor and employment, and business succession planning.

James has extensive transactional experience across a variety of industries, representing buyers and sellers involving asset and stock transactions, as well as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, consolidations, and other business combinations. He guides his clients through the entire transaction process while assisting in identifying, evaluating, and understanding the many legal implications.

A significant portion of James' practice focuses on drafting and negotiating commercial contracts to meet his clients' strategic needs and goals. James frequently counsels clients within technology, automotive, aerospace, and other emerging growth industries. His experience includes representing clients in a broad range of commercial transactions relating to the manufacture, sale, and distribution of goods and the protection and licensing of intellectual property.