Mitchell Burt Bainwol (born March 2, 1959) is an American lobbyist. He served as Chief Government Relations Officer ofFord Motor Company from 2019 to 2021 and president and CEO of theAlliance of Automobile Manufacturers from 2011 to 2019. Before the Alliance, Bainwol was Chairman and CEO of theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) from 2003 (when he succeededHilary Rosen) until 2011. Prior to filling that position, he worked for 25 years in politics and federal policy-making.[1]
Bainwol was born in 1959 inMunich,Germany. He spent his childhood in Germany,Thailand, thePanama Canal Zone, andMaryland, before graduating fromFrankfurt American High School.[2][3] Bainwol studied as an undergraduate atGeorgetown University and earned aMaster of Business Administration degree fromRice University.
After his studies, Bainwol became a staff member for various Republican political figures and organizations from 1977 until 2003 (Robin Beard,Connie Mack,Bill Frist, theRNC, and theNRSC). More specifically, he served as a Congressional intern to Robin Beard, aPresidential Management Fellow (formerly PMI) at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Chief of Staff to Senator Connie Mack, a Senate Leadership Staff Director, Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee, a consultant for Clark and Weinstock, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.[2] In 2003 he joined the RIAA as its CEO, succeeding Hilary Rosen. He formerly served as a Board Member of organizations including the National Fatherhood Initiative, the Leadership Music Foundation and the Bryce Harlow Foundation.[3]