Vinnie Johnson's Piston Automotive hires new president

Longtime Detroit area supplier Piston Group, the center of a controversial dispute over minority certification, has hired Jana Rosenmann to lead its automotive modules and assemblies supply business.

Rosenmann, who has more than 20 years of experience in the auto and aerospace industries, starts as president of Piston Automotive LLC on April 30, the company announced Tuesday. She will report to Bob Holloway, who had been Piston Automotive president until being promoted to Piston Group COO in December.

“Without question, Jana will be a game changer for Piston Automotive and our entire fleet of Piston Group companies,” Chairman Vinnie Johnson said in a statement.

Rosenmann comes to the position as the automotive supplier awaits a Detroit judge’s decision whether to allow the company to keep its minority certification.

The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council is attempting to strip the company of its minority business enterprise status on grounds that although Johnson, its founder, is a Black man, its business units are run by white men. The litigious dispute has dragged on for three years.

Asked whether minority status played a role in the company’s most recent hire, a spokesman responded: “Piston Group was seeking the best possible candidate with the best background to accomplish their goals.”

Rosenmann most recently served as executive vice president at ZF Group, overseeing the electronics and advanced driver assistance systems division. She also worked more than 20 years for Airbus, including as executive vice president of its unmanned aerial systems division.

Rosenmann has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. She moved to Germany in 1998 for an internship at the United Nations and earned a master’s degree in international relations theory and European studies from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom.

“Her global experience in leading multicultural commercial, operations, strategy and marketing teams, with a track record of pivoting businesses into new areas will significantly enhance our leadership team’s core competencies, reinforce our growth strategy, and strengthen our market performance and competitiveness," Johnson said.

Founded in 1995 following Johnson’s NBA playing career with the Detroit Pistons, Piston Group comprises Piston Automotive, Piston Interiors LLC, Detroit Thermal Systems LLC and A. Lava & Son LLC. It brought in $3.2 billion of revenue last year and recently landed its single largest contract, to operate an electric vehicle parts plant for General Motors Co. on the former Palace of Auburn Hills site.