When she came to WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed) more than eight years ago, Lori Straube, MBA, says she was looking for a challenge as she took the next step in her career and became the medical school’s associate dean for Administration and Finance.
In that time, her title changed to vice president, Finance and Business Development, and she built teams under her charge within accounting and finance, facilities, information technology, the WMed Innovation Center, and risk management that are focused intently on customer service, analytics, efficiency, and quality improvement.
“It’s very rewarding to me to lead a team of people so dedicated and passionate about what they do,” Straube said recently. “Our team is cohesive and collaborative, and we’re very intentional.”
Now, though, Straube is ready to step away from her duties at WMed as she looks forward to retirement. Her last day at the medical school will be October 2, 2025.
Straube came to WMed in February 2017 and her time at the medical school ended up being a bookend to a professional career in finance that has spanned more than 35 years. Before she and her family moved to Michigan, Straube, a native of Toledo, Ohio, worked for three years at the University of Chicago Physicians Group (UCPG) where she served as executive director of Physician Services and, prior to that, director of Physician Financial Services.
Straube is a graduate of the University of Toledo where she earned a bachelor's degree in business services in 1988. Later, in 1994, she earned a master's degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University.
During her career, she amassed experience as an academic practice and medical center executive and earned a track record of improving the operational and financial functions of complex academic organizations. Prior to her work at UCPG, she spent four years at Loyola University Medical Center where she served as finance director for the Department of Medicine and, later, as director of Physician Compensation and Financial Operations.
When she reflects on her time at WMed, Straube said she is proud of the quality talent she has helped recruit and retain within the areas she leads. One of those recruits, Carly Burkett, who serves as senior manager for Accounting and Finance, will replace Straube as interim VP of Finance and Business Development, following her departure on October 2.
In her leadership role, Straube said she has also enjoyed the opportunity to support her different teams as they’ve taken on new initiatives, including new electronic systems for accounting and finance, a new ticketing system for facilities management, and helping information technology move from being a team that operated more behind-the-scenes to one with a larger focus on customer service and analytics.
“When we do things, we do them right and I’m really proud of that, and I’m really proud of my team,’ Straube said.
As she looks ahead to retirement, Straube said her to-do list is simple. She’s looking forward to having more time to relax, sleep in, and enjoy her family’s lake house in south central Michigan. She also plans to travel more with her husband who works as a commercial photographer and she wants to give back to the community, perhaps through volunteer work and serving on local boards.
“I love to travel and to see new places,” Straube said. “I’m looking forward to being able to do more of that.”