Grand Rapids, MI. -- An independent investment firm has made several business acquisitions in Grand Rapids recently to help keep ownership and capital in West Michigan.
Sleeping Giant Capital says it is focused on investing in the region, which the company considers to be any area west of U.S. 127.
"So, that means preserving the service-provider relationships in the companies that we're acquiring," said Dr. Doug Lepisto, co-founder and managing partner at Sleeping Giant. "And that means the banks, the lawyers, the accountants - we strive to keep that business local."
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Sleeping Giant also engages 40 students at a time through Western Michigan University's Leadership & Business Strategy Program.
"And we spend 16 weeks really examining this question of new products, new markets, new services," Lepisto told WOOD Radio News. "We at Sleeping Giant, as the investors, work alongside the students. And so, it's a really impactful way to drive value for the portfolio companies, but also for the students."
Here is some additional information extracted from a Seyferth P.R. news release:
Drs. Doug Lepisto and Derrick McIver, co-directors of the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy, received Crain’s top honor of Newsmaker of the Year among 48 finalists in 16 industry categories for their leadership of investment firm Sleeping Giant Capital. They were also honored as Newsmaker of the Year in banking and finance.
Founded in 2022 by Lepisto and McIver as a private, independent investment firm, Sleeping Giant Capital is pioneering an alternative to private equity by training aspiring owner-operators and acquiring closely held West Michigan businesses. In 2025, the company reached a new milestone with $100 million in commitment capital to back aspiring entrepreneurs.
Through its affiliation with the Leadership and Business Strategy (LBS) program at WMU, undergraduate students across the university engage in growth strategy work inside Sleeping Giant’s operating companies. This work is supported by the firm’s Accelerator space in downtown Kalamazoo.
“Sleeping Giant Capital aspires to be the place-based succession solution of choice for West Michigan business owners and aspiring CEOs,” said Lepisto. “We believe we can enhance the growth of our operating companies and supply them with exceptional talent, while also providing an unrivaled learning experience for students at Western Michigan University. If we can achieve this, we have created a virtuous cycle of mutual benefit across investors, entrepreneurs, students, Western Michigan University, and our region as a whole.”
Additionally, Tim Rayman, WMU alumnus and CEO of Greenleaf Hospitality Group, was recognized as Crain’s Grand Rapids Business Newsmaker of the Year in sports and recreation for creating greater community accessibility to high-level local sports with the construction of the Kalamazoo Event Center and Athletic Performance Center. When it opens in the fall of 2027, the 453,000-square-foot sports and entertainment center, will host over 100 athletic events annually, and be the home to the WMU’s National Championship men’s hockey team, WMU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, and the Kalamazoo Wings professional hockey team.
“By moving WMU’s hockey team and basketball teams to the Kalamazoo Event Center, it brings more opportunities for the community to see highly competitive college athletics at a reasonable cost,” said Rayman. “The Kalamazoo Event Center also serves as a cultural and economic catalyst for the region, highlighting the University’s role in driving downtown revitalization and attracting investment, visitors and national attention to Kalamazoo.”
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business also named WMU President and alumnus Russ Kavalhuna as Newsmaker of the Year in education, and WMU alumnus Thomas Cronkright II, co-founder and executive chairman of fraud prevention firm CertifID, in technology.
“Western Michigan University is playing a transformative role in the region by not only providing Experience-Driven Learning opportunities to its students through Sleeping Giant Capital, but also through a collaborative partnership with Greenleaf Hospitality Group to bring WMU athletics to the heart of Kalamazoo,” said Kavalhuna. “The University’s commitment to connect academic instruction with real-world application gives students a deeper knowledge to lead high-growth industries, while strengthening West Michigan and fueling regional growth.”
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Photo: From: Seyferth P.R. via WMU.