ABOUT
mike@cigmfg.com
440.336.3505 (c)
Michael C. Adams
Managing Director & Founder
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Mr. Adams founded Cornerstone Industrial Group in 1997 after 10 years in investment banking. Since its founding, Mr. Adams has acquired nine manufacturing businesses. As former Chairman of Wahl Refractory Holdings, LLC and Swiss-Tech, LLC, Mr. Adams was actively involved in key management decision-making, strategic development, and implementation as well as ongoing acquisition activities. Mr. Adams served as interim CEO of Swiss-Tech from 2011-2012.
Mike served as President of Cornerstone Industrial Holdings (Gasko Fabricated Products / Rhopac, Inc.), a converter of flexible, non-metallic materials. He was also President and CEO of Midwest Tooling Group, a company formed to acquire plastic tooling manufacturers.
During his time in investment banking with NatCity Investments, Reserve Capital Group, Prescott, Ball & Turben, and L.F. Rothschild (New York), Mr. Adams focused on sourcing, structuring, and executing mergers and acquisitions for middle-market companies. He also worked on a variety of public offerings, private placements of debt and equity securities, and valuations of privately held companies.
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Mr. Adams has been involved in over 50 transactions as a principal, manager, or in an advisory capacity.
Mr. Adams has a Computer Science degree from Colgate University and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration.
chris@cigmfg.com
216.832.5449 (c)
Christopher J. McKenna
Director
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Christopher McKenna joined Cornerstone Industrial Group as a Partner in 2021, having previously been an investor, manager and board member with a number of private companies. Chris is also a Founder and Managing Partner in Cleveland-based investment banking firm Carleton McKenna & Co. Chris formerly partnered with a private equity firm to buy Furnace Parts, LLC, a 35 person Cleveland-area manufacturing business where he was President and CEO from 2000 to 2006. Previously, Chris was the Director of Financial Analysis with the MacLean-Fogg Company in Chicago where he executed on financial transactions and acquisitions and also managed a business unit from 1995 to 2000.
Chris was an Associate with investment banking firm Rodman & Renshaw in New York, and began his career in commercial banking with Manufacturers Hanover Trust and Security Pacific Business Credit. He has also served on not-for-profit boards, including: The First Tee of Cleveland, The Center for Health Affairs, CHAMPS Healthcare and HoliMont Ski Resort.
Chris received his B.A. in Economics from Dartmouth College in 1988, his M.B.A. with High Distinction from the University of Michigan Business School in 1995.
Chris enjoys golf, is an avid skier and has passed his skiing passion on to his four children.