Jesse Mauck
Mr. Mauck is a dynamic, multidisciplinary professional with over a decade of experience in construction, project management, finance, and operations. He has been responsible for executing more than $200 million in government contracts as both prime and subcontractor through Phoenix Group of Virginia Inc. and other past experience prior to defense.
He currently serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships, Mergers, and Acquisitions for Phoenix Group of Virginia Inc., a defense contractor specializing in professional services, engineering, technical support, integrated logistics, inventory management, and foreign military sales. Mr. Mauck acquired the company in July 2023 via a leveraged buyout (LBO) structured with an SBA 7(a) loan, for a cumulative transaction value of $7 Million, where he sourced the target, negotiated and structured the transaction, and raised 100% of the required equity, and debt by preparing the financing package.
Under his strategic leadership; including the recruitment of key executives such as the CEO; the company has achieved substantial post-acquisition growth.
Employee headcount has more than doubled from 45 to over 100 FTEs. Annual
Gross revenue now exceeds $15 million, and the investment has delivered an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) greater than 28% to investors, including full return of principal within 24 months.
At the time of acquisition, the company held over $100 million in past performance across its core service areas. Mr. Mauck brings a unique dual perspective as both a defense contractor and finance professional, enabling him to effectively align operational execution with financial strategy. His ability to navigate and integrate the priorities of industry and banking extends beyond traditional relationship management, allowing him to structure solutions that are both operationally viable and financially sound.
Through his involvement with ZIGR, Jesse enables clients to access resources and capabilities not typically available through traditional firms. He applies an operator’s mindset, grounded in hands-on experience, to support and sustain mission-critical solutions that deliver measurable impact, aligning capability with capital to drive long-term success.
Brian Miller
Mr. Miller is a seasoned professional with 21 years of distinguished service in the U.S. Coast Guard, culminating as Deputy Director of Internal Controls at USCG Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a finance concentration from William & Mary and a Bachelor of Science in Crisis, Emergency, and Disaster Management. Brian is also a Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) and a Project Management Professional (PMP), showcasing his expertise in financial oversight and project leadership.
Outside of his career in defense, Brian has built extensive experience across venture capital, private equity, and business ownership. During his transition from government service, he spent time at First In Venture Capital, where he participated in multiple successful primary and secondary capital raises and supported the growth and transition of businesses into prominent market positions. Brian has also served as an independent sponsor, acquiring and scaling several companies, including self-funding multiple ventures.
As Director of Finance at ZIGR, he oversees all financial operations, including transaction execution, risk assessments, underwriting, and the development of sophisticated financial models to support investors and lenders. As a seasoned business owner, Brian brings a hands-on, operator-driven perspective informed by experience in venture capital, private equity, and direct ownership, enabling disciplined risk-adverse capital deployment.
Kenneth Lea-Wilson
Mr. Lea-Wilson currently serves as the Information Technology Coordinator for the Office of the Attorney General of Iowa. He brings over eight years of experience managing large-scale IT projects and contracts within the U.S. Department of State including but not limited to the continued support of vital information systems for U.S. diplomatic operations congruently across CONUS (Continental United States) and OCONUS (Outside CONUS) including a network of 276+ posts, such as embassies and consulates, used to advance foreign policy, protect national security, and manage international relations. Under these positions he led teams exceeding engagement with 50+ contractors and oversight of contracts valued at more than $1 Billion in aggregate contractual value through his various past positions as a civil servant and then later as a government contractor. During his tenure at the Department of State, Mr. Lea-Wilson served in multiple critical roles, including Technical Advisor, Customer Success Liaison, and Release Train Engineer (RTE) across several release trains implementing a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) as a Certified SAFe Agilist. RTEs facilitate program-level planning, execution, and continuous improvement, managing risks, dependencies, and impediments for multiple Agile teams to ensure smooth, synchronized delivery of value. In these capacities, he collaborated closely with diverse development and security teams to communicate organizational priorities, assess security vulnerabilities, identify remediation strategies, and support compliance with executive orders and federal IT mandates through structured reviews, planning, and delivery of work packages. His responsibilities also included managing stakeholder engagement sessions and leading the development and enforcement of governance policies, procedures, frameworks, and standards addressing data accuracy, accessibility, and security throughout the data lifecycle.
In addition to his government service, Mr. Lea-Wilson serves as Director of Cyber Security, Digital Infrastructure, and Systems Integration at ZIGR, where he supports all facets related to evaluation, selection, design, and implementation, of secure digital platforms, infrastructure initiatives, and integrated technology systems across the firm’s investment, operating, and portfolio of assets. His responsibilities encompass enterprise architecture, cyber risk management, data integrity, regulatory compliance, and the integration of advanced software and hardware systems to ensure resilience, scalability, and operational continuity across complex, capital-intensive programs. Mr. Lea-Wilson holds a Master of Science (M.S.) in Cybersecurity Technology and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Management of Information Systems from the University of Maryland. He is committed to driving innovation and leveraging advanced technologies to enhance security, operational efficiency, and mission outcomes across the technology landscape. His professional certifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Security+, Network+, and Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+).
Company Timeline
Start