John Stewart is a Partner at MiddleGround, a private equity firm focused on  Industrials & Specialty Distribution companies. He is responsible for overall management of the firm and management of the Investment Team with Lauren Mulholland. John started his career as an hourly line worker at Toyota Motor Corporation and held numerous management and executive positions over an 18-year career. John made the move to private equity in 2007, joining Monomoy Capital as an Operating Partner. In 2010, John was named the Head of Operations and built out the Operations Group over the next six years with Scot Duncan. In 2016, John became a Partner. Throughout his career, John has worked on numerous transactions and served on the Board of Directors of nearly 20 businesses across both middle market and Fortune 100 companies.

Topics:

- Upbringing in Kentucky

- Starting as a second shift team member at Toyota putting bumpers on Camrys, to managing 7,000 people and being the first American to be promoted to run a division for Toyota Motor 

- Moving to private equity

- Co-founding MiddleGround with Lauren Mulholland and Scot Duncan

- Leadership & life lessons