Bedrock Manufacturing Company (BMC) the parent of Shinola and Filson, has named Awenate Cobbina as CEO effective January 1, 2022. The appointment represents an expanded leadership role for Cobbina at BMC, where he currently serves as a member of its Board and runs investing and philanthropic activities for the company’s largest investor.
As CEO, Cobbina will drive business operations when Shinola and Filson are focused on growth and developing new opportunities that are additive to the core businesses.
“Awenate has become an active member of the BMC, Shinola and Filson leadership teams during the course of this year,” Tom Kartsotis, BMC’s founder, said. “In recent months, Cobbina has joined BMC’s board of directors and worked closely with leadership to begin developing a blueprint for future growth.”
“The dynamic nature of our brands and businesses, combined with realities we have faced due to the pandemic, has brought us to a very exciting moment,” Kartsotis said. “The overall premise behind each of our brands has become stronger as we have repositioned everything about our Company during recent quarters. I believe the relevance of each of our businesses is stronger than ever.”
“Awenate’s capabilities are exactly what we need to make the most of the investments that have been made over time. Even more exciting is the fact that we have assembled a management team that is well prepared to drive both shareholder and community value in unison.”
Kartsotis will continue to guide BMC as founder, working closely with Cobbina and his team to fuel growth and new business avenues.
Before joining Bedrock Group LP, the leading investor in BMC, earlier this year, Cobbina led operations as a member of the Biden-Harris Transition’s executive leadership team. He joined the Transition from Pistons Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons, where he served as vice president, Public and Business Affairs, and executive director for the Detroit Pistons Foundation. He was a leadership team member that moved the Pistons from Auburn Hills to Detroit in 2017.
Cobbina serves as Chairman of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Executive Committee, Michigan’s public-private partnership for job creation and economic development. He was appointed to this role by Governor Whitmer in 2019.
Prior to working at the Pistons, he served almost six years in the Obama White House as a political appointee, including roles in legislative affairs, management and budget, and the chief of staff’s office where Cobbina served as special assistant to the President and policy advisor to the Office of the Chief of Staff. In 2018, he was the deputy director of the Whitmer-Gilchrist Transition.
“I am very honored to be offered the BMC CEO position and am excited to play a role in the company’s journey. I see a bright future for all of the BMC companies and look forward to embracing the challenges and opportunities ahead as our businesses evolve, grow, and create impact on the communities in which we operate,” Awenate said. “The senior leaders at BMC, Shinola and Filson, including our newly hired BMC CFO, Michele Santana, Shannon Washburn in Detroit, Paolo Corinaldesi in Seattle, and their teams, have knowledge specific to the industries that we operate in, experience both growing companies and managing large companies, and the determination to build businesses that make our employees, customers and the communities that we are a part of proud.”
Founded in 2005 by Tom Kartsotis, Bedrock Manufacturing Company is a Texas-based investment firm whose brands include Shinola and Filson. Shinola, based in Detroit, MI, assembles watches in the U.S. and sells lifestyle goods. Seattle-based Filson is known for a 124-year history of makingoutdoor clothing and accessories.
