Who Is Stark Financial?
STARK means complete and absolute and at Stark Financial Group, Inc. (SFGI), our vision is to apply our namesake to the total financial affairs of our clients with integrity and ease. Our financial professionals believe in educating and showing you how you can effectively diversify your portfolio by customizing a strategy that can address all of your life events. From the foundation up, we help our clients build their STARK house, one brick at a time!
As an Independent Firm, we work for you, not the other way around. We do not expect our clients to adapt to proprietary products like some of our competitors. We are able to bring many products and resources to the table to help fit your needs. We provide guidance, based on over 30 years combined experience with empathetic understanding.
At Stark Financial Group, we want the families and businesses we serve to understand the process and to make informed decisions. There is no “cookie cutter” approach. We not only develop growth strategies for our clients but also an exit strategy for the distribution of income, to help balance their retirement goals so that their savings may last through retirement. We do all of this while following our simple client experience process of – Appointment Setting, Fact Finding, Implementation & Maintenance. See here for more information about our process.
S
ervice Before Self
T
ransparent
A
ccountable
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esults Driven
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ind
Sean A. Stark, CPFA
Sean has dedicated over 24 years to building a successful practice in the financial services industry. Serving individuals, families, and businesses across multiple states, he takes pride in providing personalized, results-driven service tailored to his clients’ unique financial needs.
For 14 years, Sean worked with a captive agency before making the leap to become an independent advisor. This decision allowed him to fully explore the vast array of options available to his clients, offering strategies that align with their goals. Reflecting on his journey, Sean shares, “Being independent has given me a new perspective on helping others. I now have a humble confidence in what I do and the value I bring to my clients.”
Before transitioning to finance, Sean excelled in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, specializing in Orthopedics and Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery, including open-heart procedures. His 10 years in nursing instilled a deep sense of compassion and a commitment to serving others—qualities that seamlessly transferred to his work in financial health. Inspired by his personal experience managing investments, Sean shifted his focus in 2000 to helping others achieve their financial goals, starting with friends and family before expanding to business owners and state employees.
Sean is passionate about simplifying the complexities of financial planning, helping to ensure his clients feel informed and confident in their decisions no matter where they are in life.
Outside of work, Sean leads an active lifestyle that includes traveling, golfing, hiking, and spending quality time with his wife, Shannon, and step-son, Xander, at their home in Sunbury, Ohio. He also enjoys occasionally sharing a quality bourbon with great friends
OWNER
COO
Shannon Stark
As Chief Operating Officer for Stark Financial Group, Shannon leads daily business operations, optimizes resources, and drives the firm’s ongoing development. She is dedicated to ensuring seamless processes and creating an exceptional experience for both advisors and clients. Shannon joined Stark Financial Group in 2018, having previously worked alongside the firm’s founder, Sean Stark, as a financial advisor in 2014.
With over 14 years of experience in the financial industry, Shannon’s professional background includes analytics, management, business consulting, and entrepreneurship. She has held leadership roles in corporate banking, project management, and financial services. Shannon
holds certifications in Process Improvement and Organizational Leadership from Harvard University’s Manage Mentor program and earned her BA in Cultural Anthropology and Communications from Ohio University.
Shannon’s diverse experience, including founding her own business and nonprofit, has given her a unique perspective on leadership and service. Reflecting on her role, she shares, “What we have here is special—built on trust, transparency, and a servant’s heart. I love this business!”
Shannon lives in Sunbury, Ohio, with her 11-year-old son, Xander, and husband, Sean. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with family and friends, reading, gardening, sewing and being an active soccer mom.
Michael Evans, CFP®
Michael Evans brings over a decade of experience in the financial services industry, with a commitment to helping clients achieve their financial goals through education and strategic planning. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), a designation that reflects his extensive knowledge and expertise in financial planning and investment management.
Originally from Houston, Texas, Michael attended The Ohio State University on a full athletic scholarship, where he became an NCAA National Champion and earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology with a focus on Family Financial Planning. His college experience highlighted the need for practical financial education, which sparked his mission to help others make informed financial decisions.
Michael began his career at Primerica Financial Services as a Regional Vice President, serving for 10 years. He later became an Associate Director of Financial Planning at Edelman Financial and a Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors. After taking time during the COVID pandemic to be a stay-at-home dad, Michael embraced the opportunity to join Stark Financial Group, where he combines his passion for financial education with his wealth management expertise.
As a husband and proud father of three—Pierce (14), Lorelei (11), and Penelope (1)—Michael’s commitment to family, faith and community shapes his approach to financial planning.
WEALTH ADVISOR
WEALTH ADVISOR
Scott Dye, CFA, CFP®, CMFC®
With over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, Scott Dye brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Stark Financial Group. As a former Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at his previous firm, Scott was instrumental in researching, building, and monitoring portfolio models. He continues to apply that expertise at Stark Financial, managing investment strategies and guiding his personal clients toward their financial goals.
Previously, Scott served as a Regional Vice President for an investment management firm, where he worked closely with advisors across multiple states for 14 years, and as a financial advisor for nearly 12 years prior to that.
Scott holds degrees in International Economics and Japanese from The Ohio State University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), and Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor (CMFC®).
Beyond his professional pursuits, Scott enjoys landscaping, sports, woodworking, weightlifting, attending Ohio State football games, and spending time with his family. He lives on the east side of Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Soon, and their two children, Baron and Baylee. Together, they stay active through sports, school activities, gardening, and travel.
BETTER TOGETHER
Our 8+ year long journey of knowing and working with each other professionally has taken us from trusted acquaintances to business associates to what eventually has become life partners. We married in 2022 in Ormond Beach, FL and the business is now run as a family, including Shannon’s son, Xander. Our favorite hobbies include hiking, visiting various wineries around Ohio and spending time in our home away from home in Chattanooga, TN. The term ‘better together’ is our story because together is how we ROCK our family life, this business and our personal growth.
TOGETHER
BETTER TOGETHER
Our 8+ year long journey of knowing and working with each other professionally has taken us from trusted acquaintances to business associates to what eventually has become life partners. We married in 2022 in Ormond Beach, FL and the business is now run as a family, including Shannon’s son, Xander. Our favorite hobbies include hiking, visiting various wineries around Ohio and spending time in our home away from home in Chattanooga, TN. The term ‘better together’ is our story because together is how we ROCK our family life, this business and our personal growth.
