Bedrock Welcomes Transformational California Developer, Former NFL Exec Kofi Bonner As CEO Starting Sept 21, 2020

• Bonner to continue Bedrock’s transformational development program and lead strategies for community partnerships

• Bill Emerson to continue his dual role as Vice Chairman of Bedrock and Rock Holdings

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A HIGH-RESOLUTION HEADSHOT

August 26, 2020 [DETROIT] – Bedrock is pleased to announce today that Kofi Bonner, former Cleveland Browns Chief Administrative Officer and a leader behind some of California’s most notable recent coastal developments, will become its Chief Executive Officer starting Sept. 21, 2020.

Bonner has extensive experience in leading complex development projects in metropolitan areas. In his position as Co-Chief Operating Officer at Irvine, Calif-based FivePoint Holdings (NYSE: FPH), Bonner led the entitlement and development of the San Francisco Shipyard and Candlestick Communities, as well as the communities managed on behalf of Lennar Corporation: Treasure Island and the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

“I am excited to return to the Midwest and continue Bedrock's commitment to developing world-class urban centers,” said Bonner. “I look forward to building on the accomplishments of Mr. Gilbert and the talented team at Bedrock by advancing the transformational development program, partnering with the community to deliver positive social outcomes and working with local businesses to further the incredible momentum that Detroit and Cleveland have seen over the last decade.”

Bonner has spent the last year focused on real estate development and technology ventures through his Bonner Enterprises, where he embarked on real estate ventures in the San Francisco area and Ghana, and invested in fintech companies BC Pay and Techgulf, which sources technology operations and services to West Africa.

Prior to entering the private real estate sector, Bonner spent seven years as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Cleveland Browns where he was the first African American to hold such a title within the NFL. During his time with the Browns, Bonner was responsible for overseeing the business operations and development of the team’s Cleveland Browns Stadium. He was critical bringing forward in the league’s use of the internet in sitting on the NFL’s Internet Committee and developing the Brown’s website.

Bonner began his career as the Affordable Housing Developer for Oakland Community Housing Inc., then continued his work as a public servant for the next decade. His work included roles as the Redevelopment Director for the City of Emeryville, Calif., Director of Community & Economic Development and later Interim City Manager for The City of Oakland, and Chief Economic Advisor to Willie Brown, then Mayor of San Francisco.

“With his extensive experience leading landmark projects on the West Coast and the years he spent in Cleveland with the Browns, Kofi Bonner is the right leader to build on Bedrock’s nearly 10 years of transformational development work,” said Bill Emerson, Bedrock Vice Chairman. “Bedrock has a really exciting future as momentum builds at the Hudson’s Site, Book Tower and dozens of other projects, and I look forward to partnering with Kofi to ensure they have a positive and lasting impact on the communities where we serve.”

Emerson, currently Bedrock’s acting CEO, will continue to support the company through the transition retaining his role of Vice Chairman of Bedrock as well as Vice Chairman of Rock Holdings Inc.

###

About Bedrock

Detroit-based Bedrock is a full-service real estate firm specializing in acquiring, developing, leasing, financing and managing commercial and residential buildings. Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock and its affiliates have invested and committed more than $5.6 billion to acquiring and developing more than 100 properties, including new construction of ground up developments in downtown Detroit and Cleveland totaling more than 18 million square feet.

Bedrock’s real estate portfolio consists of 210 office tenants and 125 retailers and restaurants in Detroit’s technology-centric downtown, the majority of which are new to the market. Key office tenants include Coyote Logistics, IBM, Microsoft, Quicken Loans, LinkedIn, StockX, Universal McCann, UBS, Ally Bank’s national headquarters and Fifth Third Bank’s regional headquarters. Key retail tenants include H&M, Plum Market, The Lip Bar, 6 Salon, Lululemon, Shake Shack and countless others.

Bedrock is currently developing four transformational projects including the Hudson’s Site, Monroe Blocks, Book Tower renovation and One Campus Martius expansion. Bedrock is also undergoing construction of City Modern, a community development in Detroit’s Brush Park neighborhood. Partnering with Detroit-based Shinola, Bedrock developed the world’s first Shinola Hotel on Woodward Avenue, which opened in early 2019.

Bedrock is dedicated to creating jobs for Detroiters and investing in job training. Over the last year, the company has invested in both the Randolph & Breithaupt Career and Technical Centers to build a pipeline of talent for Detroit’s growing economy.

Creating unique experiences through real estate is Bedrock’s mission. To make this a reality, Bedrock and its affiliates continuously invest in significant public art installations and placemaking initiatives throughout the city.

For more information on Bedrock’s business model, visit the For More Than Profit book. For more information on Bedrock’s projects, visit bedrockdetroit.com or engage with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Click here to view a complete timeline of Bedrock and the Rock Family of Companies’ engagement within the Detroit community.