PEOPLE
WE ARE WEST MICHIGAN.
Our team and advisors work alongside CEOs in Residence and owner-operators to acquire and grow businesses.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
DOUG LEPISTO
Prior to founding Sleeping Giant Capital, Doug worked in management consulting with the Monitor Group (now Monitor Deloitte) where he advised clients on pricing strategy. He also worked at Young and Rubicam in strategic planning. He holds a BA from Kalamazoo College, MA from the University of Chicago, and Ph.D. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Doug spends his free time cooking for his wife and two kids.
Founder and Managing Partner
derrick Mciver
Derrick has spent a career working and understanding small businesses. Prior to founding Sleeping Giant Capital, Derrick held technology and operations roles at small companies including a medical simulation video game startup and an operations role during the opening and first few years of Whitewater Golf Club. He has also consulted with companies around analytics. He holds a BA from Ferris State University, MBA from Texas A&M at Corpus Christi, and Ph.D. from University of Texas at San Antonio. He was a four-year letter winner and former minor league hockey player. In his free time, Derrick coaches travel hockey and spends time with his wife Stacey and two kids Harlow and Kade.
Founder and Managing Partner
JANICE OSHINSKI
Janice has spent her career driving performance in middle and lower-middle market companies. Prior to joining Sleeping Giant Capital, Janice served as Chief Financial Officer at Cascade Engineering, Viking Group, and Elston-Richards. In those roles, she led strategic M&A, restructuring, divestiture, audit, and compliance. She has also served clients as an audit manager at Ernst & Young. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Aquinas College and is a CPA. In her free time, you can find Janice traveling, enjoying Michigan summers, and taking M22 road trips.
Chief Financial Officer
KAMOLA MAKHMUDOVA
Kamola is a recent graduate of Western Michigan University with a BBA from WMU Haworth College of Business, where she is majoring in Finance and minoring in Leadership and Business Strategy. Kamola supports investment sourcing and diligence efforts. Prior to joining Sleeping Giant Capital, Kamola was a Student Alumni Ambassador at Western Michigan University, where she fundraised and professionally represented WMU. Kamola enjoys reading books in her free time.
Financial Analyst
CEOs IN RESIDENCE
CEO in Residence
Jessica joins Sleeping Giant Capital with 25 years of experience focused on driving small business success and manufacturing excellence. Recently, she served as vice president of client services for JetCo Solutions of Grand Rapids. In this role she managed the team's efforts to help other businesses sell their products and services to the United States Government, winning over $5B in sales for clients. Prior to that, Jessica helped drive manufacturing excellence by leading and supporting project teams focused on optimizing facility efficiency, quality, safety, and compliance efforts. She held roles in quality systems, trade and healthcare compliance, marketing communications, and medical education leading many projects and teams to collaboratively execute business goals at Stryker.
She received her BBA from Western Michigan University in Human Resource Management and Business. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys being on the lake with her friends and family or traveling to unique places with great architectural history and design.
Jessica Sweet
Kelly conway
CEO in Residence
Kelly joins Sleeping Giant Capital with over 25 years in executive leadership, human resources, business services, and operations. She has been the Chief Human Resource Officer for the two of the largest privately held global insurance and financial services organizations. Prior to that she was with Stryker supporting the global supply chain with 42 plants across nine countries. She worked at Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo where she developed her love to grow businesses while inspiring and engaging the workforce. Kelly has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Northern Arizona University and attended Law School in San Francisco at Golden Gate University. Kelly and her husband Brad reside in Kalamazoo, MI with their two high schoolers, Collins and Bailey while also supporting their two college young adults, Bri (GVSU) and Peyton (MSU). Kelly is an Advisory Board Member for Family & Children Services in Kalamazoo and an avid triathlete.
Interns
Aidan Cote
Aidan supports investing sourcing and diligence efforts. Aidan is pursuing a degree in Finance and in Leadership and Business Strategies from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. In his free time, he enjoys watching sports, working out, and traveling.
Financial Intern
Rachel Troszak
Rachel supports investing sourcing and diligence efforts. Rachel is currently pursuing a degree in Finance with a minor in Leadership and Business Strategy from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. She is also an active member and future president of the Financial Services Association. In her free time, she enjoys long walks outside, watching her favorite tv shows, and traveling to new destinations.
Financial Intern
LAUREN WOODSIDE
Lauren supports investment sourcing and diligence efforts. Lauren is currently pursuing a degree in Finance and in Leadership and Business Strategy from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. She is a member of the Women’s Business Network along with a Peer Mentor for WMU’s Business Externship Program. In her free time she enjoys going to the lakes, indoor cycling, and cooking.
Financial Intern