Awenate Cobbina Named CEO of Michigan Central, Bringing Business, Policy and Detroit Experience to Innovation Hub
Michigan Central has named Awenate Cobbina as its new Chief Executive Officer, placing a longtime Detroit business and civic leader at the helm of the 30-acre innovation and cultural district as it enters its next phase of growth.
The appointment, announced August 3, puts Cobbina in charge of an ecosystem built around technology, mobility, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. Michigan Central describes itself as a place where companies, startups, communities and creators come together to develop technologies and opportunities aimed at some of society’s most pressing challenges.
Cobbina succeeds Carolina Pluszczynski, who served as interim CEO following a 26-year career at Ford Motor Company. His appointment is effective immediately.
A Career Across Business, Policy and Detroit
Cobbina arrives at Michigan Central with experience spanning corporate leadership, economic development, sports and entertainment, public policy and venture ecosystems.
Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff to Ford Motor Company’s president and CEO. Before joining Ford’s senior leadership structure, Cobbina served as president of the Shinola Hotel joint venture and as CEO of Bedrock Manufacturing Company, the parent company and brand steward of Shinola and Filson.
His earlier career included leadership with Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons, where he served as Vice President of Public and Business Affairs and previously led the Detroit Pistons Foundation. His professional background also includes work in law and public policy.
Cobbina’s public-sector experience stretches back to Washington, where he spent nearly six years in the White House in a series of leadership roles during the Obama administration.
His experience has also kept him closely connected to Michigan’s economic-development landscape. He previously chaired the executive committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, working on issues involving economic growth, business expansion and talent retention across the state.
Taking Michigan Central Into Its Next Chapter
Michigan Central’s leadership transition comes as the district moves from its ambitious redevelopment phase toward a larger emphasis on commercialization, innovation and community impact.
The transformation began after Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford spearheaded the company’s purchase of Michigan Central Station and surrounding property in 2018. After years of restoration and redevelopment, the historic station reopened in June 2024 as the centerpiece of a broader technology and cultural district.
Today, Michigan Central says the district includes nearly 250 companies and startups working across the mobility and innovation ecosystem. Its plans also include the development of additional hospitality, retail and community-oriented offerings around the station.
The scale of the operation means Cobbina’s role extends well beyond managing a traditional corporate organization. Michigan Central sits at the intersection of private investment, public policy, technology, workforce development and Detroit’s continuing economic transformation.
An Economic Footprint That Extends Beyond Corktown
Michigan Central’s impact report provides another measure of the responsibility Cobbina is taking on.
According to figures cited by the organization, Michigan Central’s ongoing operations supported approximately $5.2 billion in cumulative economic impact to date. In 2025, its activity supported an estimated 5,820 jobs across Michigan, including direct positions and additional indirect and induced employment.
The organization projects that by 2028 it could generate $3.2 billion in annual economic impact and support more than 2,500 direct jobs.
Those numbers place Michigan Central within a broader effort to position Detroit as a destination for technology, entrepreneurship and next-generation mobility.
Building on Detroit’s Momentum
For Cobbina, the appointment represents a return to a city and ecosystem where much of his professional career has unfolded.
In welcoming the new CEO, Ford Vice Chairman John Lawler pointed to Cobbina’s combination of business, economic-development, public-policy and venture experience, as well as his connection to Detroit and Michigan.
Cobbina has similarly framed the opportunity around the district’s next stage rather than its completed transformation.
“Michigan Central is at a pivotal moment,” he said in announcing his appointment, describing the project as moving from an ambitious vision toward a fully operational hub for innovation and commercial growth.
He also highlighted the significance of the district’s connection to Detroit, saying the project is simultaneously restoring an important part of the city’s history and creating new opportunities in mobility and economic development.
As Michigan Central moves into its next chapter, Cobbina brings a career built across corporate leadership, government, sports, entrepreneurship and economic development to a project designed to connect many of those worlds in one place.
For Detroit, his appointment adds another prominent local figure to an institution increasingly positioned at the center of the city’s innovation story.
