Blair Street Advisors Invests in Kerno and Thomas McKinney Joins as Chairman

The strategic investment adds experienced board leadership as Kerno expands its free Beta for businesses that make physical products.

WINCHESTER, VA, UNITED STATES, August 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Blair Street Advisors has invested in Kerno, Inc., and Thomas McKinney, Blair Street’s Managing Member, has joined Kerno’s Board of Directors as Chairman. The investment and board appointment bring additional strategic experience to Kerno as the company expands its free Beta for businesses that make physical products.

Kerno is building inventory and operations software that helps makers manage formulas, ingredients, packaging, inventory, production records, quality-control requirements, and product costs in one organized system. The platform is designed for businesses that have outgrown scattered spreadsheets and notebooks but do not want the cost or complexity of oversized enterprise software.

“There are millions of people who know exactly how to make something and have no good system for running the business around it,” McKinney said. “Kerno turns individual knowledge into a repeatable process and gives makers real visibility into what their products actually cost to produce.”

Blair Street Advisors works with business owners, boards, family offices, and funds navigating pivotal decisions. The firm provides strategic advice related to growth, operations, technology, marketing, ownership, governance, and business structure. Blair Street also selectively invests alongside clients, aligning its capital with the companies it supports.

McKinney is a lawyer, entrepreneur, and advisor with more than 25 years of experience across manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and other industries. As Chairman, he will support Kerno’s long-term strategy, governance, and development as the company works with Beta users and prepares for broader growth.

“Tom brings the kind of operating and board experience that is difficult to find at our stage,” said Michael D. Savino, CEO and co-founder of Kerno. “We are building Kerno for the long run. His investment and leadership reinforce our commitment to creating a durable company around a problem that product businesses face every day.”

Kerno grew from a firsthand operational challenge. Allison Savino was running Plumera Essentials, a candle and personal-care product business, while relying on a spreadsheet to manage the growing complexity of materials, formulas, production, and costs. When that spreadsheet became difficult to trust, Michael saw a broader problem: makers were running serious production businesses with tools that did not reflect the way they actually worked.

Kerno began as an answer to that gap. The platform brings together information that often lives across spreadsheets, notebooks, disconnected applications, and the founder’s memory. By keeping materials, formulas, production records, quality requirements, and costs connected, Kerno is intended to help makers protect the quality of their craft while building more resilient businesses.

The Kerno team includes Michael D. Savino, Ina Alvarez, Emilio Sosa, and Sam Umaretiya, with Thomas McKinney serving as Chairman. The team combines product, technology, operations, and business experience around a shared goal: giving makers practical tools that respect the complexity of producing physical goods.
The strategic relationship with Blair Street will support Kerno as it continues refining the platform with feedback from real product businesses. During the Beta, users can explore Kerno in their own operations, identify where workflows need to be clearer, and help the team understand which production details matter most across different industries.

The Beta is intended for makers and growing product companies working in categories such as candles, soap, skincare, cosmetics, food and beverages, specialty goods, and other physical products made through repeatable production runs.
The Kerno Beta is currently available free of charge to Beta users for as long as the system remains in Beta. No fixed Beta end date is being announced. Businesses interested in participating can learn more and join through Kerno’s website.

About Kerno
Kerno is inventory and operations software for businesses that make physical products. It helps users manage materials, formulas, inventory, production, quality control, and costs in one place, bringing greater clarity and control to the work behind every product. Learn more at www.buildwithkerno.com.
About Blair Street Advisors
Blair Street Advisors is a strategic advisory firm that partners with business owners, boards, family offices, and funds. The firm provides guidance on growth strategy, operations, technology, marketing, ownership, governance, and other consequential business decisions. Blair Street also selectively co-invests alongside clients. Learn more at blairstreetadvisors.com.

Ina Alvarez
Kerno, Inc.
+1 540-324-8322
email us here

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