Derek Deprey
Derek’s passion in life is to help you become the leader you’d want to follow. Much of his day is spent turning managers into leaders as an author, keynote speaker, and leadership coach.
Derek spent three years as the head of employee success and director of leadership development for ETE REMAN, the nation’s largest remanufacturer of transmissions and a USA Top Workplace. At ETE, he taught over one hundred managers the core principles of leadership, management, and personal development.
Before ETE, Derek spent twelve years at the Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC) as the director of people and service, director of training and development, and general manager. He became a certified speaker and coach with the John Maxwell Team during his tenure.
Shortly after joining the WAC, Derek couldn’t get enough of what he was studying, learning, and applying, so much so that he created his business, Fit to Lead. Through keynotes, workshops, and coaching, Fit to Lead gives your people-leaders a roadmap with the tools to create or refresh their leadership skills.
In 2017, Derek published the book SHIFT: Move from Frustrated to Fulfilled. In 2024, he published Everyday Leaders: Small Actions, Big Results. While writing, he spent eight years as an adjunct professor of leadership at Wisconsin Lutheran College, a top-ranked college by Forbes, Money Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal.
His diverse career endeavors included four years as a video scout in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks, two years as the coordinator of basketball operations in the NCAA with Marquette University, and one year as the director of player development with the University of Utah.
