BMI Taps Asurion Veteran John Powenski for Chief HR Role

The corridors at BMI just got a new energy boost. John Powenski walked through the doors of the performance rights organization's Nashville headquarters this week, taking the reins as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. The move signals BMI's commitment to scaling up its workforce infrastructure as the music industry continues its digital transformation.

Powenski brings serious corporate firepower to Music Row. His resume reads like a masterclass in organizational growth: over a decade steering human resources strategy at Asurion, where he built people operations across global markets. Before that, he cut his teeth during Capital One's meteoric rise, navigating the bank through major acquisitions and expansions. His earliest days were spent in the trenches at Frito-Lay PepsiCo, working directly with plant teams in high-pressure manufacturing environments.

"What drew me to BMI is its rare blend of deep heritage, enduring leadership and distinct sense of purpose in serving its affiliated songwriters, composers and music publishers," Powenski explained. The Cornell graduate will report directly to President and COO Todd Horvath, overseeing everything from talent acquisition to employee development across the organization.

Horvath couldn't contain his enthusiasm about the hire. "John's extensive HR experience and innovative leadership style will support our continued growth and workforce development," he said. For an organization that has championed music creators for nearly a century, bringing in fresh executive talent suggests BMI is gearing up for whatever disruption comes next in the streaming age.