As Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference returns (April 20-21) in Miami, gathering top CEOs, investors and leaders in the cannabis industry, let's scroll through the latest leadership changes within the space.
VerdePharmHealth Taps Dave Leverette To Serve As Board Member & Senior Advisor
Medical cannabis group purchasing organization VerdePharmHealth, coupled with a clinical education & healthcare technology solutions business - VerdePharm Solutions - announced the appointment of Dave Leverette to the VerdePharmHealth board of directors.
Leverette has over 40 years of experience as a senior pharmaceutical executive with significant expertise in commercialization, operations, and product launches.
He began his career in distinguished sales roles with Durr-Fillauer and Walker Drug until joining the Oncology Supply division of AmerisourceBergen Corporation in 1997.
Leverette also served as the president of Specialty Physician Services until his retirement in 2018, where he remained a consultant with AmerisourceBergen until this past year.
“His extensive healthcare expertise and insights will further strengthen the Board and Advisory Panel,” Jesse Hollingsworth, chairman of the board of directors, commented on the appointment. “Dave’s long and distinguished career and his significant experience will be invaluable as we continue to progress our comprehensive medical cannabis solutions in the marketplace.”
Wana Brands Appoints Finance Expert Sandy Li As CFO
Cannabis company Wana Brands has appointed Sandy Li as its new chief financial officer.
Li has deep expertise in driving significant strategic transformations through M&A, international business expansion, new business development and ERP implementations.
As Wana Brands’ CFO, Li will oversee all of the company’s financial operations, including financial strategy and finance IT operations.
“Sandy is a transformational business leader who possesses a strong strategic and business acumen backed by real-world experience in driving growth and strong profitability,” said Wana Brands CEO Nancy Whiteman, who will be delivering a keynote at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference.
Prior to joining Wana Brands, Li was VP of Finance, head of FP&A and Treasury at Parallel, one of the largest privately held multi-state cannabis operators in the United States.
Before entering the cannabis industry, Li held a variety of senior leadership positions at both public and private companies.
“As we expand our presence in new markets, Sandy’s experience in the complex financial challenges of multinational and cannabis industries will be invaluable,” Whiteman added.
TILT Holdings Names Lynn Ricci VP Of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Lynn Ricci, has joined TILT Holdings (OTC:TLLTF) as vice president of investor relations and corporate communications.
Prior to this, Ricci spent three years at Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (OTC:TCNNF) as director of investor relations and communications.
She also led the company’s ESG and national DEI efforts, culminating in the U.S. cannabis industry’s first ESG report.
She has more than two decades of experience working at biotech and technology companies in the Boston area.
I’m thrilled to be working with Gary Santo and the team he has brought together to execute on this strategy,” Ricci told Benzinga.
“TILT launched a new B2B model that is fairly unique and differentiated in the cannabis industry of helping businesses build their brands,” she added. “At the same time, TILT has opened stores here in my home state of Massachusetts and has an amazingly creative and supportive partnership with the Shinnecock nation to launch in New York.”
Flora Growth Taps Ex Amazon Executive Tim Leslie To Its Board of Directors, Names CEO Luis Merchan Chairman
Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ:FLGC) recently announced changes to its board of directors, including the appointment of CEO Luis Merchan as chairman of the board as well as the addition of industry veteran Tim Leslie to the board and audit committee.
Merchan has replaced Bernie Wilson as chairman of the board.
Wilson will remain in an advisory capacity for the remainder of 2022 and provide strategic guidance on capital markets and international expansion.
Changes to the board will further position Flora as a U.S.-based issuer and are expected to increase the company’s access to U.S-based investment.
“Our Board has been incredibly supportive to date while always ensuring business decisions are in the best interest of our shareholders – and I am looking forward to continuing to work closely with them in this role,” Merchan said.
A Yale Law graduate, Leslie has a strong pedigree of success, working with scaling companies, including his two decades at Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN).
Leslie has been chairman of the company’s advisory board since the beginning of 2022, where he has utilized his years of experience as CEO of Leafly and as an Amazon executive to help counsel Flora’s leadership team.
Trees Corporation Strengthens Its Board Of Directors
Trees Corporation (NEO: TREE) has appointed Lisa Dea to its board of directors.
Dea, CPA, CA has 25 years of experience in the finance, securities, and accounting. Dea has held the position as CFO at several TSX, TSXV, CSE, and ASX listed companies where she was responsible for corporate strategy, all aspects of finance and legal, debt and capital market activities, managing banking relationships with US, Canadian and international banks, internal and external public reporting, financial controls, processes, and corporate governance.
Prior to her time in the industry, Dea spent eleven years at Deloitte & Touche LLP, achieving a senior manager position. Dea obtained her chartered professional accountant's designation in 1997 and holds a bachelor of commerce from the University of British Columbia.
“Lisa's financial and operational background, coupled with her many years of executive experience serving Canadian public companies, will be an invaluable addition to Trees as we work towards the achievement of our growth plans," said Jeffrey Holmgren, president, and chief financial officer of Trees.
Cronos Group's Mike Gorenstein Returns As CEO
Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) has tapped Mike Gorenstein to serve as chairman, president and CEO, effective March 21, 2022, in connection with Kurt Schmidt's retirement.
Gorenstein previously served as chairman, president, and CEO of Cronos until September 2020, when he transitioned to the executive chairman role.
In addition, he is a co-founder and passive member of Gotham Green Partners.
Before joining Cronos, Gorenstein was the vice president and general counsel at Alphabet Partners, LP, a New York City-based multi-strategy investment management firm focused on identifying mispriced assets across various industries, asset classes and geographies. Prior to Alphabet Partners, LP, Gorenstein was a corporate attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions.
“Mike is a visionary leader who knows Cronos better than anyone,” said Jim Rudyk, a lead independent director of Cronos. “He is uniquely positioned to oversee the implementation of our strategic and operational realignment initiatives as we create a highly differentiated branded cannabinoid platform to drive long-term success.“
Photo: Courtesy of David Gabrić on Unsplash
