World Cannabis Week 2015 Speakers
April 20-22, 2015 // Denver, CO 
Kevin Harrington, chairman and founder of TVGoods, Inc., is widely acknowledged as a pioneer and principal architect of the infomercial industry.
In 1984, Kevin produced one of the industry’s first 30 minute infomercials. Since then, he has been involved with over 500 product launches that resulted in sales of over $4 billion worldwide with 20 products that reached individual sales of over $100 million.
Kevin founded Quantum International, Ltd. in the mid 1980s, which merged into National Media Corporation in 1991. Under his leadership as President, National Media reached $500 million in annual sales, distributing in over 100 countries and 20 languages. This company’s success has been chronicled in a case study at Harvard/MIT for over a decade.
Kevin was also CEO of several other entrepreneurial companies including HSN Direct, a joint venture with Home Shopping Network, in 1994 and Reliant International Media in 1997. Reliant International Media was sold in 2007.
Throughout his career, Kevin helped to establish two of the most important and recognized global networking associations: the Entrepreneur’s Organization, or EO (formally known as the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization) and the Electronic Retailing Association, or ERA. Today, the EO has 113 chapters in 38 countries and more than 924,000 members. The ERA represents the $125 billion electronic retailing industry and is comprised of over 450 member companies and subsidiaries that use the power of electronic retailing to sell directly to consumers via television, radio, Internet and wireless media in over 100 countries worldwide.
Due to his extensive resume, Kevin was selected as an investor “Shark” on the ABC television series Shark Tank produced by Mark Burnett. The show gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their products to a panel of acclaimed judges in hopes of turning their ideas into a successful business reality. He recently released a book entitled “Act Now: How I Turn Ideas into Million-Dollar Products” that chronicles his life and experiences in the DRTV industry.
Alan Brochstein, CFA has worked in the securities industry since 1986, primarily with the responsibility for managing investments in institutional environments until he founded AB Analytical Services in 2007 in order to provide independent research and consulting to registered investment advisors. In addition to advising several different hedge funds and investment managers, including Friedberg Investment Management, where he participated as a member of its investment management committee, Alan was also a senior analyst for the independent research firm Management CV.
Key Fact: Alan has co-managed $10 billion in fixed-income investments.
In 2008, he began providing a first-of-its-kind subscription-based service for individual investors, Invest By Model, which offered two different portfolios that investors could replicate in their own accounts for $20 per month. Alan also offered The Analytical Trader at Marketfy, where he used fundamental and technical analysis in a disciplined process to offer specific trade ideas geared towards swing traders.
Alan launched 420Investor.com in late 2013 as the premier source of information for “Green Rush” investors seeking to capitalize on the proliferation of legalized medical and recreational cannabis. In March 2014, Alan, who is a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, began to focus solely on the cannabis sector and launched 420 Funders in June 2014 in order to connect cannabis companies and accredited investors who are capable of investing in private placements.
Where to see Alan: Stocks & Trading (April 21st, 9:45-10:30)
Emily spends her time analyzing the Cannabis marketplace and building relationships. With 10+ years of experience working as a brand consultant and researcher, her work has included primary and secondary marketplace research and consulting in a number of categories and industries. She consulted the rebranding of the IFC to increase viewership and revenue and to develop Emmy–nominated programming.
Key Fact: Clients include American Express, McKinsey, Time Warner, Viacom, HBO, Participant Media, and Comcast.
For over six years, Emily has had an ongoing relationship consulting with American Express, both on their business and consumer sides. Her work with them has led to the development of a lifestyle/financial mobile app, the reshaping of their brand focus and messaging, and the creation of a host of new charge and lending products and instruments.
Where to see Emily: Finding Deals (April 22nd, 10:45-11:30)
Morgan is the key navigator of the Fund, guiding Demeter Capital Group through the uncharted waters of the cannabis industry. With a degree in Applied Mathematics, Morgan uses a blend of instinct and innovation in crafting leading edge investment strategies for the portfolio he stewards. For over four years, he held a position as an Investment Counselor with a privately owned Registered Investment Adviser. During that time, he successfully managed several high profile portfolios, constantly researching and selecting the most practical and productive investments. In addition, Morgan has been critical to researching and implementing risk-adjusted investments and asset allocation strategies on his clients’ behalf.
Key Fact: Morgan grew his portfolio oversight to more than $60 million in client assets.
Earlier, Morgan was a Financial Advisor Associate at UBS Financial Services in Providence, RI. At UBS, Morgan participated in a rotational program focused on building a strong wealth management and finance skill set and knowledge base. He was responsible for consulting Senior Management in selection of a new Wealth Management Team. He also trained on the municipal bond desk at UBS in New York City.
Where to see Morgan: Finding Deals (April 21st, 9:45-10:30) and Selecting & Protecting Investors (April 21st, 3:45-4:30)
David Friedman is the CEO and publisher of Panther Media, which publishes Marijuana Investor News. David is a serial entrepreneur who easily blends conservative risk management with free-spirited risk seeking. An accounting professional and Chief Financial Officer, his experience cuts across multiple industries and ranges from start-ups to running a billion-dollar family office.
Key Fact: David has been direct investing in non-public companies for more than 25 years.
In addition to direct investing, David also has considerable experience as an angel investor, as well as being a principle in both venture capital and private equity firms. Applying the many skills he’s learned from navigating rapidly changing business environments, he has been studying the legal cannabis industry looking for investments that have the right blend of low risk and high reward.
Where to see David: Structuring the Deal: Angel? Venture? Crowdfund? (April 20th, 4:00-4:45) and Opening Remarks & State of the Industry (April 21st, 9:00-9:30)
Randy Shipley is the founder of CrowdFundConnect, the first to provide an active white label crowdfunding site to a FINRA registered broker / dealer. CFC owns and operates CannaFundr.com, the first syndication site connecting accredited investors with emerging growth companies in the marijuana industry. Additionally, Randy is a founder and board member for SocialGravity.com, with a goal of lowering costs of fundraising for non-profits and community development
Key Fact: Randy was a past officer for Carrier Access Corporation, in charge of revenue attainment from pre-IPO to a $2 Billion NASDAQ traded company.
He has experience in selling high level services as well as manufactured products through multiple distribution channels. Exceptional experience working in high growth areas, including leading sales and marketing efforts that grew a company from $6 million in quarterly revenue to over $45 million in quarterly revenues in less than 2 years with a margin growth over the same period from 45% to 60%. Randy specializes in Social Media, Hyper Marketing, Sales and Business Development, and Management Development.
Where to see Randy: Structuring the Deal: Angel? Venture? Crowdfund? (April 20th, 4:00-4:45), Opening Remarks & State of the Industry (April 21st, 9:00-9:30), and Funding Option (April 21st, 10:45-11:30)
Tom Quigley is a successful entrepreneur and business owner having built and managed several businesses from the ground up. He is also a member of The ArcView Group, a private marijuana investment and market research firm based in Colorado. After founding and growing Krush Communications into a $25 million telecom enterprise, he profitably merged the company with Australian based Aggregato Global Ltd in late 2013. Soon after he founded the Florida Cannabis Coalition in order to help Florida patients, business owners, entrepreneurs and job seekers, benefit from the passage from the coming legalization of medical marijuana.
Key Fact: Tom grew Krush Communications into a $25 million telecom enterprise
As an industry leader, brand developer and marketing guru, Tom’s experience at all levels of business has given him the foresight to plan and implement strategies, which have contributed to overall company success. This combined with a deep personal connection to Medical Cannabis lead his founding the Florida Cannabis Coalition in early 2014.
Tom is a founding member of the American Prepaid PhoneCall Association, a Washington D.C. lobby for telecom reform and business owner rights, holds several telecommunications patents, and is also the founder of Be Kind Be Nice, a non-profit organization that helps provide assistance to individuals who cannot afford medical marijuana. He attended Nova Southeastern University with a background in Communications and Psychology.
Where to see Tom: Building your plan and planning your build (April 20th, 1:00-1:45)
Fred is the investment principal of ManhattanCanna LLC. With an honors MBA degree from The Leonard School of Business at NYU, concentrating in Finance and Economics, Fred has successfully used his unique skill-set in order to generate alpha in the portfolios he has managed over the past 10 years of buy-side derivatives trading. He plans on using these same techniques, as well as his instinct for finding value, in order to generate out-sized returns in the exciting space of Cannabis.
Key Fact: Since exiting the FX hedge fund space in 2013, he’s personally invested more than $500,000 into marijuana
From 2010 to 2013, Fred was a Managing Partner and Co-Head of Investments at VS Capital Partners – a niche FX Relative Value foreign exchange volatility fund. VS Capital Partners was able to produce out-sized returns while managing approximately $180M. Fred’s focus at VS was creating alpha in the Convexity / Skew segment of the implied volatility marketplace.
From 2005 to 2009, Fred was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Elk River Trading. While at Elk River, Fred focused on developing a Relative Value convexity strategy. In 2006, the strategy produced a return of 22%. In 2007, the year of the “Japanese yen carry trade unwind”, the strategy was the major driver behind Elk River’s 300% return. In 2008, the year of the Lehman bankruptcy followed by world-wide financial turmoil, the strategy was the primary influence that netted Elk River a return of just over 75%.
Where to see Fred: Structuring the Deal: Angel? Venture? Crowdfund? (April 20th, 4:00-4:45) and Cannapitch Pitch Sessions (April 2st, 2:00-4:30)
Leslie Bocskor is an investment banker and entrepreneur focused on the emerging legal cannabis industry. He is the Founding Chairman of the Nevada Cannabis Industry Association and Managing Partner of Electrum Partners, and is working with some of the biggest players in the industry to develop strategies to quickly expand the market for legal cannabis in the U.S. and beyond.
Key Fact: Leslie has been featured in USA Today, Washington Post, Fortune, Reuters, and Fast Company
As a long time investor, he has a history of success working in early stage disruptive trends and technologies, beginning with internet and new media properties in the late ’90s. Since then he has been involved in life science, cybersecurity and internet gaming. Under Electrum, he is now developing a hedge fund that will allow for deployment of capital on a state-by-state and national basis to meet the growing demand for legal cannabis. In his role as Founding Chairman of the Nevada Cannabis Industry Association he is bringing time-tested practices from the financial markets and his entrepreneurial experience to assure Nevada’s industry is an example to be emulated worldwide.
As a member of the ArcView Angel Investor Network he has been mentoring cannabis companies for their presentations at investor meetings, is part of the selection committee, and has been a regular speaker or panelist at the ArcView events.
Where to see Leslie: Cannapitch Pitch Sessions (April 2st, 2:00-4:30)
Alan is the Executive Director and Corporate Counsel of the ARCPC. A member of the Florida Bar, Alan is a practicing business attorney representing publicly-traded and private companies in transactional, corporate finance, venture capital, and general corporate matters, and institutional and private investors in operational, corporate and tax law matters. Alan has specific experience in international venture capital financial transactions and stock transaction structure, international corporate reorganizations, and international direct investments, including joint ventures, public company transactions and due diligence for cross-border U.S., European and Latin American transactions. Hawkins is a native English speaker and has full bilingual fluency in both Portuguese and Spanish.
Where to see Alan: Public Market C-Suite (April 2st, 10:45-11:45)
Andy Joseph is the President of Apeks Supercritical, an Ohio based manufacturer of fully automated subcritical and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) botanical oil extraction systems. Apeks has been designing and manufacturing botanical oil extraction equipment since 2001 and introduced patent pending Valveless Expansion Technology in 2012.
Key Fact: Apeks has more than 200 CO2 extraction systems installed in 20 states across the United States and internationally
Andy is a US Navy veteran and earned his BS and MS degrees in Welding Engineering from the Ohio State University.
Where to see Andy: Funding Options (April 2st, 10:45-11:45)
Sara Hanks, co-founder and CEO of CrowdCheck, is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in the corporate and securities field. CrowdCheck provides due diligence and compliance services for online alternative securities offerings. Its services help entrepreneurs and project sponsors through the disclosure and due diligence process, give investors the information they need to make an informed investment decision and avoid fraud and help intermediaries avoid liability.
Key Fact: Sara serves on the SEC’s Advisory Council on Small and Emerging Companies
Sara’s prior position was General Counsel of the bipartisan Congressional Oversight Panel, the overseer of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Prior to that, Sara spent many years as a partner of Clifford Chance, one of the world’s largest law firms. While at Clifford Chance, she advised on capital markets transactions and corporate matters for companies throughout the world. Sara began her career with the London law firm Norton Rose. She later joined the Securities and Exchange Commission and as Chief of the Office of International Corporate Finance led the team drafting regulations that put into place a new generation of rules governing the capital-raising process.
Sara received her law degree from Oxford University and is a member of the New York and DC bars and a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. She holds a Series 65 securities license as a registered investment advisor. Sara is an aunt, Army wife, skier, cyclist, gardener and animal lover.
Where to see Sara: Risk Management, Best Practices, & Due Diligence (April 20th, 2:00-2:45) and Risk Management & Due Diligence (April 20th, 3:45-4:30)
Doug is co-founder and a principal partner of Dutchess Capital, a Boston-headquartered global hedge fund, which has managed an investment portfolio of over $2 billion in transactional. Doug oversees due diligence, investment selection and fund’s risk management and facilitates all of the fund’s trading on worldwide exchanges. Doug manages deal origination in North America, Europe and Australia and is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. Douglas has founded several companies and has mentored several startup and growth management teams. He has over two decades of experience in investment banking, asset management and the skill set to offer advice to startups and growth companies alike.
Key Fact: Doug sits on the Company Selection Committee of ArcView, the cannabis angel network and is a member of the NCIA
While the funds are industry agnostic, Doug has been largely focused on the legal marijuana market since 2012, initially as an observer while he conducted due diligence for several deals, and now as an active investor and board member for several companies. Doug sits on the board of the Association of Responsible Public Cannabis Companies.
Through the Fund and personally, Doug has made numerous investments in ancillary businesses to the cannabis industry, in addition to touching the plant. He is often asked to speak at conferences regarding the business side of the marijuana business. Doug has held seats on various boards of public and private companies, in addition to serving on the boards of several non-profits.
Where to see Doug: CannaPitch Pitch Sessions (April 21st, 2:00-5:30)
Spike Humer is widely recognized as a thought-leader and world-renowned expert in leading and inspiring companies, organizations, and individuals to achieve more, have more, and be more. He’s been called the “mentor’s mentor” and is highly regarded as a master marketing strategist and performance acceleration expert. Spike serves as a trusted advisor and performance consultant to entrepreneurs and individuals from virtually every walk of life and in countless industries.
Key Fact: Spike has shared the stage and program platforms with such business luminaries and thought-leaders as Jack Welch, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Stephen Covey
From Wall Street to Main Street, from boardrooms and beyond Spike Humer has been at the forefront of business and the personal growth industry for the past 25 years. His explosive growth strategies for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and multimillion dollar organizations as well as his unique and driven formulas for personal growth have made Spike one of the most important persons to know in the speaking, and consulting arena. Spike’s programs, group mentoring, and personal consultations have gained the respect of tens of thousands.
His proprietary systems for generating new profits and delivering results-proven advice have been sought after by success-seeking people in over 30 countries. Spike’s been credited with saving some clients from the brink of collapse, while helping others explode their performance to record highs with his wealth of real-world-tested success enhancement techniques, windfall profit strategies, and performance-enhancing marketing breakthroughs and concepts.
Spike’s proven business acceleration strategies have helped generate tens of millions of dollars in revenues for his clients and program attendees. He is renowned for creating quantum leaps in profitability and business performance—all in record time.
He is an acclaimed author, speaker, thought-leader, and creator of “The 10 Day Turnaround Methodologies,” “Rapid Success Technologies,” and “The Overnight Entrepreneur” seminars, book, and workshop series.
Where to see Spike: Public Market C-Suite (April 21st, 10:45-11:45)
Kristin Fox, Editor in Chief of Marijuana Investor News, is a serial entrepreneur, brand builder, networker and award-winning journalist. Kristin has built successful profit and non-profit businesses in the hedge fund industry for the last 25 years. Prior to that she was a freelance journalist and launched several small trade publications in various industries. Within the hedge fund space she has been an editor, journalist, and investment management consultant.
Key Fact: Kristin is a founding board member of 100 Women in Hedge Funds
Kristin’s last news venture was sold to Reuters in 2005. She brings her experience in providing news, research and data in nascent industries to the cannabis business with intent to replicate her prior successes.
Where to see Spike: Risk Management, Best Practice & Due Diligence (April 20th, 2:00-2:45)
Pete has over 25 years of experience in finance and operations. He was an investment banker with Bear Stearns and Citicorp, served as CFO and Division President of a PE-backed marketing service company and was most recently COO and Research Analyst at a long short equity fund. He now works with 1845 Capital Management. He is currently in the process of forming a vehicle to buy and build businesses in the cannabis and medical marijuana space.
Where to see Spike: Structuring the deal: Angel? Venture? Crowdfund? (April 20th, 4:00-4:45)
Marla ‘Molly’ Poiset is a classically trained French pastry chef from the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in Paris. She is a mother, grandmother, columnist, food designer and founder of Cheffettes® gourmet infused edibles. Her main desire is to help those who suffer from compromised immune systems, like her daughter who survived a stem-cell transplant for leukemia.
Key Fact: Molly is a High Times Edibles Award Winning chef, food creative consultant and cookbook author
As an expert in precise low dosage epicurean edibles, Chef Poiset became a visionary in 2013 when she was honored as the first person in the history of the High Times Cannabis Cup competition to submit an artisanal cannabis-infused gourmet edible containing less that 10mg of THC.
Molly’s personal and professional goal is to educate the marijuana consumer and provide sophisticated, precise, low dosage, responsibly packaged cannabis-infused edibles while continuing to “Elevate the Edible” and change perceptions of what’s possible in gourmet cannabis-infused cuisine.
Where to see Molly: Panel TBA
Barb Van Hare is the practice leader for enVision’s Leadership & Executive Coaching Practice. She is a co-active coach who is wired to connect in a meaningful way with individuals, teams, and corporations to help them clarify their vision, transform their leadership capabilities, and deliver results with a positive impact.
Key Fact: Barb’s career includes over eight years as a consultant and manager with Accenture and IBM Global Services
Barb has over twenty years experience as an organizational change consultant, organizational development leader, and executive coach with Fortune 500 organizations. Barb focuses individual, team, and organizational energy on leveraging strengths to improve performance and take action in the right direction. Barb has a contagious enthusiasm for change, and an eye for finding and promoting positive deviance.
Her background spans wide range of industry sectors including Financial Services, Manufacturing/Consumer Beverages, Logistics, Telecommunications, Utilities, and Mining. She has worked with, coached, and advised many senior leaders in top organizations including c-level executives and their direct reports in international roles across multiple functional areas including Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Procurement, Customer Service, and Sales and Marketing.
Barb brings her internal and external consulting experience as well as specialized training and certifications in leadership, coaching, and assessments to blend a results-driven coaching experience with transformative conversations about leadership that makes a difference. She applies top rated leadership assessment tools such as The Leadership Circle Profile, Hogan Leadership Assessments, Crucial Conversations, and Emotional Intelligence to give leaders insight into their strengths and development areas. She is trained by Team Coaching International to coach groups and systems to improve team dynamics. She also believes in leveraging personality profiles such as MBTI and Emergenetics to bring awareness and acceptance to diversity and teamwork.
Recently, Barb has focused her efforts on building an Executive Coaching and Leadership Practice with enVision Business Consulting. Barb is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the ICF. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Business; and Bachelor of Arts Degrees in International Studies & French from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
Where to see Barb: Panel TBA
Brandon Twine is an executive coach in enVision’s Leadership & Executive Acceleration & Development practice. Leveraging more than 20 years of broad experience, he develops and coaches executives, emerging leaders, and high potential staff. His passion is to help people grow as visionaries, inspirers, and leaders in the many roles of their lives. He does this in order to create a more fulfilling environment for the people in organizations, and to align culture with performance.
Key Fact: Brandon’s career includes over 15 years as a director with commercial real estate firms such as Cushman & Wakefield and Grubb & Ellis
In his career he has had many roles, including marketing director, team leader, coach, and clinical counselor. He has done this work in contexts including professional and consulting service organizations, corporate leadership, coaching entrepreneurship, and mental health agencies. Through this experience, he has developed a keen understanding of the motivations and behavior that exemplify strong and effective leadership presence.
His approach is co-active and mindfulness-based, which is informed by an emotional and social intelligence orientation. He coaches individuals, groups, and teams. He also designs and delivers leadership development programs. Through this, he focuses on helping leaders relate with their people, and cultivates adaptive leadership and social intelligence competencies. He has helped a wide variety of leaders and individuals achieve greater levels of measurable performance, fulfillment, and results in their organizations and their lives.
Brandon is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF). He has earned a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from Naropa University, where he served as a clinical intern at the Jefferson Center for Mental Health. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Oregon.
Where to see Brandon: Panel TBA
Dooma Wendschuh is the co-founder of ebbu, a leading Colorado-based highly disruptive startup which has received considerable attention from within its own industry, from the tech angel community and beyond. Wendschuh is the driving force behind ebbu’s use of cutting-edge chemistry and smart marketing to simplify purchasing decisions and eliminate confusion in the cannabis industry.
Key Fact: sekretagent’s games have grossed more than $2.5 billion worldwide
Previously, Wendschuh was the co-founder and co-CEO of sekretagent Productions, Inc., a film and video game production company and advertising agency with offices in Los Angeles and Montreal. sekretagent is best known for its video game work, and during his tenure, Wendschuh was the driving creative force behind the wildly popular ASSASSIN’S CREED franchise, BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS, and three games in the PRINCE OF PERSIA franchise. sekretagent’s advertising division did award winning work for the Coca-Cola Company, General Motors, Polaroid, Diamond Resorts International, Mentos Mints, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and many others. Under Wendschuh’s purview, sekretagent also sold eight motion pictures and one television series to major studios and produced THE PLAGUE for Sony Screengems.
Wendschuh graduated magna cum-laude from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and received his Masters from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema / Television Peter Stark Producing Program.
Where to see Dooma: Funding Options (April 21st, 10:45-11:45)
Jim Marty has been a CPA in the Denver Metro area of Colorado since 1984. His current firm, Bridge West LLC, has offices in Longmont and Cherry Creek. Jim not only provides his clients with exceptional tax preparation assistance, but is also accredited in Business Valuation, certified in Financial Forensics and is qualified as an expert witness in jurisdictions in Colorado and California. He has testified in numerous cases since 2003.
Key Fact: Jim serves more than 100 medical marijuana clients across the United States
In 2009, Jim’s clients asked him to research the marijuana industry for answers regarding renting property to growers and/or dispensaries, opening a dispensary, supplying marijuana to dispensaries and many other issues facing this new industry. In November of 2009, Jim traveled to San Francisco, California, to meet with attorneys and accountants involved in the Champ case and with medical marijuana clients in general. Following that trip, he decided to open his practice to the marijuana industry.
Jim has become a nationally recognized speaker on marijuana tax, accounting and banking issues. He has been on Fox Business News, CNBC and numerous other print and radio media outlets. He has assisted in numerous medical marijuana IRS audits, and continues to attend meetings to support and learn about the medical marijuana industry and the recreational marijuana law passed in Colorado.
Where to see Jim: Finance & Accounting – 280e (April 21st, 4:45-5:30)
Derek Peterson began his career in finance with Crowell, Weedon & Co, the largest independent broker-dealer on the West Coast. In his six years there, Derek became a partner and branch supervisor where he was responsible for sales of over $10 Million. Derek was offered an opportunity to build a southern Orange County presence for Wachovia Securities, where he became first Vice President and Branch Manager for its Mission Viejo location. He was instrumental in growing that office from the ground up, into the $15 million dollar office it is today.
Key Fact: While at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Derek and his team oversaw combined assets of close to $100 Million
After his term at Wachovia, Derek accepted an opportunity for a Senior Vice President position with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. In addition, he has also been involved in several public and private equity financings, where he has personally funded several projects from Angel to Mezzanine levels. Derek is a CFP® Professional and holds his Series 7, General Securities Sales Supervisor Series 9 and 10, National Commodity Futures Series 3, Series 65 and California Insurance License. Derek holds a degree in Business Management from Pepperdine University.
Where to see Derek: Public Market C-Suites (April 21st, 10:45-11:45)
Trent Woloveck has been Chief Operating Officer of American Cannabis Company, Inc., since June 2014. Mr. Woloveck’s finance and sales background working for a Fortune 19 healthcare company has allowed him to transition best practices in both distribution and business operations to the expanding cannabis industry. Coupling those four years of healthcare experience with two years of business risk consulting, Mr. Woloveck has a strong foundation of Finance, Operations, IT and Sales.
Key Fact: ACC has successfully procured licensing agreements for its clients
Mr. Woloveck’s business acumen and diverse view of end-to-end business processes has assisted him while consulting businesses on how to run as efficiently and effectively on a daily basis. Mr. Woloveck’s corporate background and industry knowledge allow him to maintain an enterprise perspective, helping move the business towards a well-defined strategic vision.
Where to see Derek: Public Market C-Suites (April 21st, 10:45-11:45)
Jordan Gerber is a CPA with over 20 years of experience as a financial consultant, business owner and turnaround specialist in a variety of industries. Mr. Gerber brings a wealth of financial and operational knowledge to all of his clients. Mr. Gerber’s expertise includes financial reporting, budgeting, projections, cost reductions, vendor negotiations, inventory analysis and collections.
Where to see Jordan: Valuation Methodologies (April 21st, 9:45-10:30) and Finance & Accounting – 280e (April 21st, 2:45-3:30)
Scott Greiper is the President and Founding Partner of Viridian Capital & Research. Viridian Capital & Research (“VCR”) was formed by experienced investment bankers and research analysts to bring capital markets expertise, institutional research coverage and strategic direction to the emerging cannabis sector. VCR is a boutique banking and strategic advisory firm that helps clients improve the value of their enterprises by providing research, investment banking, investor relations and corporate development services.
Key Fact: Scott has participated in over $150 million of capital raises and M&A transactions
VCR’s banking practice, through broker-dealer Pickwick Capital Partners, provides capital and M&A services to fund the growth of their clients, while their advisory practice helps position and build client cannabis businesses. VCR’s research and market intelligence advises investors seeking to access the cannabis sector, and are recognized for their unique value and cited by leading market observers, including Institutional Investor.
Where to see Scott: Finding & Attracting Capital (April 22nd, 10:00-10:45)
Michael McGrory is a partner in the Chicago office of SmithAmundsen. He writes and speaks frequently on legal topics related to medical cannabis, including the licensing process, regulatory compliance and banking issues, and he has counseled cannabis industry clients on a variety of legal issues. Mike also handles litigation needs for clients in many different industries. Mike was recently named a “40 Under 40 Illinois Attorney to Watch” by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and sits on the board of directors of Mental Health America of Illinois.
Where to see Michael: Key Legislation (April 22nd, 10:00-10:45)
Betty Aldworth joined the SSDP team in February 2014 as Executive Director. In 2012, Betty was the spokesperson and advocacy director for Colorado’s Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the first to make marijuana legal for adult use. She served as deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association in 2013, where she was responsible for developing NCIA’s then-nascent educational programming and framing the national conversation about the marijuana industry. In 2014, she became executive director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the international network of more than 3,000 students dedicated to ending the War on Drugs. Prior to her work in cannabis and drug policy, Betty spent a decade motivating and engaging volunteers as a nonprofit leadership professional in Denver, CO.
Ms. DeCarcer is a serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in business execution, management and strategic business development with an emphasis on emerging markets. She is the Founder and CEO of Frontier Financials Group Inc., a cutting edge firm providing authoritative and actionable intelligence in the cannabis industry. She is also the Founder of GNI International, a strategic business consulting firm focused on high-growth market opportunities, the co-founder of VentureCamp, a fully immersive accelerator and DocuSeries, and most recently the Creator of Love & Business, 90 Days to Launch, a Docuseries unveiling the unique life and career challenges faced by female entrepreneurs. She also worked in investment banking for JPMorganChase in Manhattan and London, and ran Florida-based First Federal Transportation as its Co-Founder and COO.
Key Fact: Before founding GNI International Ms. DeCarcer worked as senior a consultant in the Defense, Technology, and Telecommunications sectors
Ms. DeCarcer is an avid supporter of entrepreneurship as a conduit to new job creation and innovation. She runs the Women Entrepreneurship Reinforcement (WeR) program in support of women entrepreneurs nationwide, and was the Executive Director of the Grassroots Innovation Network, a non-profit organization focused on validating and funding college students’ business ideas globally. She received an A.A. from Miami Dade Community College, a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. from Georgetown University.
Where to see Giadha: Building Your Plan and Planning Your Build (April 20th, 1:00-1:45)
Jazmin Hupp is the Executive Director & Co-founder of Women Grow, which connects, educates, and empowers the next generation of cannabis industry leaders by creating programs for aspiring and current business executives. Building upon over a decade of entrepreneurship in technology and retail, she consults women starting businesses in the legal cannabis field. Jazmin works with clients launching or pivoting new businesses at the business strategy consulting and marketing agency, MEIER. Collaboratively they’ve launched BrandingCannabis.com to further marketing conversations in the industry.
Key Fact: As Director of Digital Media for Women 2.0, the brand expanded to hold events for over 100,000 women passionate about innovation.
Previously, Jazmin served as the Director of Digital Media for Women 2.0, which helps women start high-growth ventures. She holds a Management Information Systems degree from the State University of New York
Where to see Jazmin: Panel TBA
Having co-founded 4Front Advisors in 2011, Kris Krane serves as the Managing Partner of 4Front Advisors and President of 4Front Ventures. Prior to forming 4Front, Kris served as Director of Client Services for CannBe, which was a pioneer in developing best practices within the marijuana industry. At CannBe, Kris, along with a few other on the 4Front Advisors team, worked with many of the top licensed dispensary operators in Northern California.
Key Fact: Kris has served as associate director of NORML and executive director of SSDP
Kris earned a BA degree in political science from American University in 2000. Kris currently serves on the national board of directors for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), Common Sense for Drug Policy and Marijuana Majority, as well as the national advisory council for Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Where to see Kris: Funding Options (April 21st, 10:45-11:45)
Rick is a business leader and serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in management consulting, strategic business development and execution and executive management with an emphasis on Marketing, Big Data, Financial Services, Information Technology, Higher Education, Public Sector/Government, and Outsourcing.
As COO of Frontier Financials Group Inc., a cutting edge firm providing authoritative and actionable intelligence in the Cannabis industry, Rick ensures daily operations, business development and strategic partnership initiatives. He is also the Co-Founder, board member and former COO of Addemar NV, a multi-channel marketing and market automation firm located in Hasselt Belgium, sold to Intelligent NV in January 2015, as well as a principle investor and advisory in a strategic business development firm. Before coming to Frontier, Rick worked as Managing Director of Davidsohn, managing their public sector efforts in Washington DC and Financial Services outreach on Wall Street. Rick also was the Principle of IT and Higher Ed at Kelly, Anderson & Associates / KAA Federal. His experience in consultative analysis and management in the IT and Services industries allowed him to ensure strategy, products and services exceeded the needs of his constituents, consistently providing leading edge consulting and analysis with each partnership.
Rick was the Founder and Principal for The Metropolitan Marketing Group, a Relationship Management firm, developing business development strategies, competitive analysis and procurement strategies to equip partners to compete for business opportunities in outsourcing, telecommunications, information technology, financial services, and publishing and also served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Student Services for Presidium Inc., where he was both a member of the ESM practice group, providing strategic consulting and oversight in Education Services Management, IVR/Telecommunications and Outsourcing support as well as the Line of Business owner of Presidium’s Student Service business practice, managing the sales and marketing efforts for enterprise IT solutions within Higher Education and Government, sold to Blackboard for $55M in 2010.
Prior to joining Presidium, Rick managed the business development, marketing, operations and product development for the Higher Education Solutions division of GreenwoodHall as a Managing Director and President of Education Sales and Marketing. While at G&H, Rick managed the acquisition and merger of the former Nelnet (NYSE: NNI) Financial Aid Services division and helped to expand service offerings to include touch-point management for Onboarding, Admissions Support, Retention/Persistence, Financial Services, Business Office support and various other enterprise-wide initiatives. Rick also created growth for Nelnet Inc. and Sallie Mae, vertically integrated, higher education consulting, IT solutions and student finance providers.
Gilchrist’s experience with product development and process implementation has enabled him to provide in-depth analysis and craft custom solutions for over 500 higher education institutions, a network of banks, guarantors, lenders and servicers while increasing market presence for companies such as Sallie Mae Servicing, USA Funds, Peterson’s and Chela Education Financing (acquired by Nelnet). Prior to joining the ranks within the Higher Education industry, Gilchrist was an adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Ivy Tech State College in Indiana and a seasoned IT professional. Rick completed his undergraduate studies at Purdue University and received a BS in Business Administration and Management Information Systems from Prescott, Master of Science in Business from the University College of London, University of London and a Masters in Project Management and Organizational Leadership from Villanova.
Taylor West is deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. She has spent more than a decade in communications and leadership positions in the political, policy, nonprofit, and business arenas. Taylor came to Denver after four years in Washington, D.C., where she worked first as a strategist for a variety of policy and regulatory reform efforts, and then as communications director for National Journal, a highly respected national media organization. She is also a veteran of several high-profile political campaigns and has appeared as a commentator on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNBC. Taylor first became involved in drug policy reform 16 years ago with an internship at DRCNet, now known as StoptheDrugWar.org.
Where to see Taylor: Investing in your Industry | April 22nd, 09:00 – 09:45 | Exhibit Hall
Ms. Givens splits her time between providing legal and compliance consulting services to cannabis businesses and working closely with financial institutions to bring regulatory compliant “front door” banking services to the cannabis industry. She holds a Juris Doctorate, with Honors, from Drake University Law School, is certified by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), and will soon be certified by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS). Ms. Givens joined the cannabis industry after a successful 20-year career as an attorney prosecuting violations of federal law, where she specialized in regulatory compliance and labor relations.
Ms. Givens has made significant contributions to the cannabis industry by introducing traditional banking servicing to cannabis businesses through her work with Industry Assurance and Oversight, LLC. Her Cannabis Risk Management Program of due diligence and on-going monitoring is presently used in Oregon, Washington and (soon) Illinois to provide compliant cannabis businesses with the traditional banking services they deserve. Ms. Givens provides compliance and bank readiness services in states where she has yet to secure banking services for the industry.
Where to see Paula: Issues & Opportunities in Banking | April 22nd, 11:00 – 11:45 | Exhibit Hall
Laleen “Lally” Doerrer is a managing director of Kaizen Inc. She oversees the financial services practice at Kaizen. Lally spent over 25 years working in executive positions in the Alternative Investments industry. She has experience with a variety of alternative investment programs, including hedge funds, private equity, real estate, commodities, and managed futures investments. Her experience ranges from portfolio director of fund of funds to institutional marketing and sales of alternative investments to capital introductions for a bulge bracket Prime Broker. She is highly regarded for her portfolio management background and her high level relationships with institutional investors and alternative investment managers.
Lally graduated from Claremont McKenna College in Political Science and Economics. She completed her certification for financial accounting at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She holds her series 3, 7, 63, 65, 97 licenses with First Liberties of New York.
Lally lives in Chicago with her family. She is a member of the Chicago Finance Exchange and the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Circle of Friends.
Where to see Laleen Doerrer: The Value of a Strategic Investors: Raising & Keeping the Right Money | April 20st, 14:00 – 14:45
Matthew (Matt) Karnes has over 20 years of diverse finance and accounting experience. Prior to founding GreenWave Advisors LLC, Matt worked in equity research focusing on the Radio Broadcasting and Cable Television industries for First Union Securities. Matt also covered Satellite Communication at SG Cowen and in addition, worked with the top ranked Consumer Internet analyst at Bear Stearns & Co – this team was consistently recognized by the Institutional Investor’s “All America Research Team”. As a sellside equity analyst, Matt authored and co-authored numerous industry research reports.
In his most recent role, Matt was Principal and Senior Equity Analyst at Bull Path Capital Management, a New York City based hedge fund, where he was responsible for investment strategies of emerging technologies primarily within the Technology, Media and Telecom sectors. Prior to his career on Wall Street, Matt held various finance and accounting positions including auditing roles with PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Delloitte. He graduated from Fordham University with an MBA in finance and earned a B.S. Business Administration with a double major in accounting and finance from Miami University (OH). Matt is also a Certified Public Accountant.
GreenWave Advisors, LLC is based in New York City.
Where to see Matt: MJ 101: Mapping The Market; Overview and Sectors | April 20st, 13:00 – 13:45
Hilary Blair, CEO of ARTiculate:Real&Clear is a speaking voice expert who coaches and leads workshops with a variety of businesses: Am. Express, Janus, Staples, Liberty Global, Hunter Douglas, Miller-Coors, Otterbox, Slalom Consulting and with numerous keynote speakers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, actors, teachers, writers, etc. Her years as a stage, film and voice over actor, teacher, and voice coach present a unique skill set. She sees beyond habits and learned behaviors to what is unique and authentic in each performer, speaker, and leader. She is a board member of VASTA – the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, and an active member of NSA and Toastmasters International. MFA: National Theatre Conservatory; BA:Yale University. With 35+ years of performing, teaching, training and facilitating along with her complete obsession with the speaking voice she guides fellow leaders, speakers and trainers to get “real.” She has been focusing on pitches for the last 10 years for established businesses seeking funding as well as entrepreneurs pitching their new ideas.
Kelley works with MPP’s major donors in the Northeast and Florida, and has done so since 2009. She testified before the New York City Council in favor of medical marijuana resolutions in 2011 and 2013, and has been interviewed about MPP’s work in multiple states. In addition to her work for MPP, Kelley has her own horticulture and design business based in New York City, with current and completed projects in New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
She received her BA in English from the Pennsylvania State University and is also a graduate of the world renowned School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. The main emphasis of her horticulture degree and her current practice is lowimpact, sustainable design and the use of native plants. She was an instrumental part of the installation team for the 3.5-acre, $15 million Native Plant Garden at the NYBG.
Where to see Kelley: Investing In Your Industry | April 22nd, 09:00-09:45 | Exhibit Hall
With 30 years of hands-on early stage technology investing experience, Sam Znaimer is a pioneer of the Canadian venture capital industry. As a general partner of Vancouver-based Ventures West Capital, Sam invested in and helped to build 2 dozen companies that became leaders in the enterprise software, electronics, and telecommunications equipment sectors. In early 2014 Sam established Locarno Capital dedicated to investment in the emerging legal cannabis industry in the US and Canada.
Where to see Sam: Cannapitch Pitch Sessions | April 21st, 14:00-15:30 | Exhibit Hall
Frank has been involved in various capacities with innumerable high-growth start-up companies across a broad range of industries, largely focused on technology, and has decades of experience in venture finance. He also has extensive experience in sourcing capital for both private and public companies. From 1996-2004 Frank was CEO and CIO of Namaste, Ltd., a highly successful private investment fund administered in Geneva, Switzerland, and focused on venture finance and pre-IPO finance. He was President and co-founder of i-Bankers Securities, Inc., managing Initial Public Offerings and private placements in which hundreds of millions of dollars in capital was raised from investors worldwide. Frank has been licensed with FINRA since 1987, when he began his career as a Financial Planner for IDS American Express. He headed the investment banking division and served as the Executive Representative and Chief Compliance Officer of Marv Capital, Inc. (FKA Marino Capital Partners, Inc.), a New York-based investment bank focused on facilitating corporate debt trading in the secondary market.
Frank graduated with honors from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business Entrepreneurial Studies program and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts and Sciences from the same University. He obtained a CIB from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Business, and graduated with honors from the European Studies program at Franklin College in Switzerland, with a focus on Italian language and culture. He grew up in Newport Beach, California, where he resides and has four beautiful children.
Since 2012, Mr. Cohen has devoted his career to legal cannabis as a co-founder of MJardin and has developed a recognized expertise in the industry. Mr. Cohen has more than 10 years of management and legal expertise with specialization in private equity and international business.
Prior to founding MJardin, Mr. Cohen co-founded and served as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Brilla Group, an alternative asset private equity firm focused on the luxury hotel and resort asset class in South Florida, the Caribbean, México, and Colombia. In his role at Brilla Group, Mr. Cohen oversaw all aspects of the company’s business and legal affairs while working closely with the Chief Executive Officer to manage the long-term development of the company and its private and institutional investors. Mr. Cohen took a lead role in onshore and offshore acquisitions, corporate structuring, private and institutional fund development and management, negotiation and structuring of strategic partnerships, investment approvals, project development, and the management of outside legal representation.
Prior to co-founding Brilla Group in 2007, Mr. Cohen served as General Counsel of Islandia Resorts Ltd., a real estate investment and development company focused on The Bahamas. He also served as General Counsel of Nationwide Land Holdings Group, LLC, a real estate investment and development company focused on residential and hospitality assets in Florida. Mr. Cohen is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder (B.A. 1997; magna cum laude) and the University of Colorado School of Law (J.D., 2003).
About MJardin Management, LLC
MJardin Management is a Colorado-based operating company that provides select cannabis businesses across the United States with turnkey cultivation and processing management services, including facility design, licensing support, and the operational management required to produce premium cannabis and related products in large-scale and professional-managed facilities. MJardin Management currently services clients in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York and Florida.
About MJAR Holdings, LLC
MJAR Holdings is a Florida-based company dedicated to acquiring, developing and licensing industry-leading intellectual property related to the cultivation of premium cannabis, including proprietary processes, technologies, designs, formulas, systems, software, genetics, nutrient formulations, and other materials associated with large-scale premium cannabis production, as well as connoisseur consumer products.
As one of two original founders of the Dixie Elixirs and Edibles company, Colorado’s premiere licensed marijuana infused products manufacturer (MIPS), Tripp Keber now serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Dixie Brands, Inc. Widely hailed as one of this nascent industry’s indispensable leaders, when Tripp isn’t thinking about the future vision of Dixie and the industry, he is supporting the efforts of the National Cannabis Industry Association, where he is a founding member and current Board Director. Additionally since 2013, he has served as a Board Member of the Marijuana Policy Project as well as an Advisory Board member of the Medical Marijuana Industry Group in Colorado.
In his current role as CEO of Dixie Brands, Inc., Tripp gets to work on the really “fun” stuff and is responsible for the overall strategy, licensing, marketing, branding and expansion efforts related to the Dixie brand both domestically and internationally. Prior to building Dixie into a cannabis leader, Tripp served as Chief Operating Officer for Bella Terra Resort Development Company, and EVP of Business Development for Sagebrush Realty Development. He has a BS in Political Science from Villanova University and currently resides in both Aspen and Denver, CO with his family. He is involved in several charitable organizations located within his community, but his greatest philanthropic passion is assisting in the research and development of cannabis support for veterans suffering from PTSD.
Where to see Tripp: Marketing Saturation & Pricing | April 21st, 4:45pm-5:30pm | Exhibit Hall
Mr. Walker commercializes products and services for start-up companies in the ag 2.0 sector. Chris is typically involved in company ownership, the raise of initial funding and tactical management of passion projects. Currently working on his fifth start-up, Chris performs the role of tactical operator during early stages. With a deep passion for sustainable business models and a BA in Agriculture Economics from the University of Arizona, Chris has performed varied roles through out his 21 year career: owner, principal, boots-on-the-ground, consultant and employee. Chris is the General Manager USA with Heliospectra AB, an industry-disrupting, Swedish plant sciences company. Focusing on Controlled Environment Agriculture, Chris and his team will further the drive to replace inefficient, archaic lighting sources found in most commercial horticultural grow operations.
At Heliospectra, Chris has driven sector critical data in the US back to HQ in Sweden, by managing the build-out of sales, partnerships, joint ventures, hiring, marketing, logistics and beta-testing – resulting in country and sector appropriate products and most importantly, opening new revenue opportunities for the company. To further promote products and services in the Controlled Environments Agriculture sector, Chris created the Alternative Fiber Group and Seed To Sale Investments. Products like veneer from the banana herb and algae based fertilizers / fungicides are further commercialized, replacing toxic or inefficient products in well-established sectors.
In 2009, Chris was recruited as an initial hire at PetroAlgae Inc., due to his experience with the biofuel and petroleum industry, where he successfully managed a $300mil+ USD contract via Chevron – his primary account. Previous experience includes building a biodiesel refinery where he raised 12mil USD (Arizona Biofuels), leading the construction of the largest biodiesel storage facility in NA (CalJet), managing a large fuel transport fleet & successfully lobbying the AZ government for deeper ethanol mandates (PinalJet), developing commercial real estate (VantagePoint) and brokering commercial real estate (Pacific Union, SF / Long Realty, AZ).
At 42 years of age, Chris has traveled the world and taken residency in various countries (Mexico, Sweden). He prefers a bike to a car, spends his time exploring new communities, camping, hiking and is a regular practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga. Chris was raised in a Texas “oil family,” he lives in San Francisco and has called Tucson, AZ home for half of his life.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1975, Mr. Williams was an Enforcement Attorney with the SEC for five years. Leaving the SEC in 1980, Mr. Williams has focused his practice on smaller business matters, principally going public, financing and similar transactions. His firm, Williams Securities Law Firm, currently represents or has represented over 50 clients and their representatives in the process of going public direct through the filing of registration statements with the SEC on Form S-1 or Form 10 and related FINRA Form 211 filings, as well as public shell reverse mergers when appropriate.
Recently, his firm cleared SEC review on a Go Public Direct offering filed with the SEC on Form S-1 for Indoor Harvest, Corp. [OTC: INQD].
His firm analyzes which going public method public is right for a client, either Direct or Public Shell Reverse Merger, and represents clients throughout the entire transaction. As with INQD, his firm continues to help public companies meet their on-going SEC reporting and compliance obligations after they go public.
For the past 17 years, Jeff Foster has worked with some of the world’s largest retailers and financial institutions to define, design and implement e-commerce and retail payment processing and risk management solutions. In 1998, Jeff Foster co-founded Reston, VA-based Paymentplus, Inc., a payment gateway software company targeting large card-not-present retailers. Paymentplus’ customers included Wal-Mart, Prudential Insurance, Verizon Wireless, Netflix, XO Communications and over 80 others.
In 2002, Mr. Foster and his co-founder, Matt Wixson, sold the company to Retail Decisions (ReD), a London-based, publicly held company specializing in e-commerce solutions for large retailers, telecommunications companies and financial institutions such as Google, the Royal Bank of Canada, JP Morgan Chase and FedEx.
After leaving ReD in 2006, Mr. Foster founded Payventures, which specializes in the implementation of acquiring and foreign exchange solutions for online merchants globally. Payventures currently processes over $100 million per month in 39 countries on behalf of its customers, who include Ramada Plaza Resorts, Caribbean Cruise Lines, wine.com, Tracfone Wireless and over 200 others.
In 2010, Mr. Foster founded Cardplatforms, which specializes and in the design, launch, marketing, and ongoing support for pre-paid reloadable (Visa and MasterCard) debit card programs. Cardplatforms issues cards in the US, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Southeast Asia. In 2012, Mr. Foster co-founded Payteller, a leader in the self-service financial services kiosk business, offering products and services to maximize revenue, profit and loyalty with prepaid cellular top up, international long Distance, bill payment, card issuing, prepaid card loads, money transfer, virtual gift cards and more.
Jeff co-founded Janefour20 in 2014 in response to numerous requests for cash management in a fast growing and highly unregulated industry- Marijuana. Jeff’s research and exposure to the variety of problems currently facing dispensary owners prompted him to act as a spokesperson to educate the public on the perils of non-compliance. Jeff is considered a subject matter expert, and eloquently addresses the current issues and mounting regulatory requirements, showing a need for cash management and compliance. Jeff clearly expresses the need for compliance and how it will pave the way for future banking relationships that can solve many, if not all of the problems dealt with by dispensaries on a regular basis.
Mr. Foster has been quoted, referenced and featured in various publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Business Journal, Internet Retailer, The Neilson Report, and Credit Card Management in addition to being a sought after speaker within the payments industry. Mr. Foster has appeared as a keynote or featured speaker at more than 50 events around the world and has appeared on Bloomberg Television and ABC News.
Michael is grounded and dedicated insights professional who has been involved in the primary research industry for 25+ years. During his career has held a variety of research leadership positions with vendors, ad agencies, and client side companies. Michael founded Praxi in 2003 as a means of offering enhanced levels of Actionability and Practicality to our primary research clients.
Praxi offers quantitative and qualitative project design and management, with a focus on CUSTOM solutions and the highest possible levels of SERVICE to our clients. A formally trained qualitative moderator, Michael moderates more than 100 groups per year and has completed more than 1,500 groups over the past 15 years.
Tae Darnell is Vice President and General Counsel for Surna, Inc. (SRNA), one of the most exciting public companies in the cannabis market.
Prior to Surna Tae co-founded the Cannabis Law Center where he was one of Colorado’s, and therefore the nation’s, first full time Cannabis lawyers. His firm has represented over 500 dispensaries, cultivation premises and infused product manufacturing companies in addition to playing a pivotal role in Colorado’s rise from operating under a Constitutional Amendment to outright regulated legalization.Tae’s clients represent the definitive leaders in the Cannabis industry and include companies and individuals considered to be the future of the industry.
In addition to his experience as a Cannabis attorney, Tae has significant C-level experience and comprehensive expertise in the sports and entertainment industry. Tae has worked or partnered in business with Grammy winners, Emmy winners, Indie winners, NFL and NBA athletes. He is a licensed NFL Agent with active clients in the NFL and also once headed one of the largest independent record labels in the country, releasing over 65 recording projects in a 6 year period, winning 14 Album of the Year awards and securing nomination for over 40. He has facilitated licensing for film and television to companies including: ABC, CBS, PBS, TNT, Time/Life, Hallmark Entertainment, and MTV, and created successful relationships for retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, Tower Records, Virgin Megastores, Wal Mart, Whole Foods, Discovery Channel Stores and many more.
With 18 years of experience in corporate conference and private event production Jane West’s extensive skill set includes directing event operations, branding and marketing, media relations and employee media training, and strategic community outreach and education campaigns. She founded the brand Jane West, LLC and Edible Events Co., LLC in November 2013 pinpointing a need in the cannabis industry for large-scale events that rebrand cannabis consumption, build new consumer demographics through education, and offer experiential marketing. Prior to undertaking her mission to mainstream responsible, adult-use cannabis consumption events, Jane produced events for nonprofit organizations (UNICEF, UNDP, NetAid, JDRF) and corporations (GE Medical, Cisco Systems, Presidential Inaugural Conference). Most recently, she spent the past 7 years managing experiential learning conferences spanning 10 days for up to 440 participants in 13 cities nationwide with over 200 program staff and 8,000 attendees each summer. As the Director of the Western Division, Jane expanded conference offerings into new markets and has a knack for identifying and onboarding green talent. She holds Master’s Degree in Social Work & Community Outreach from the University of Denver.
Jennifer Beck is the CEO and co-founder of Cannabase, a fully responsive platform that serves as a wholesale marketplace for licensed colorado marijuana dispensaries, as well as an online community for cannabis consumers 21+ to connect with cannabusinesses and one another. Previously working as the director of marketing at Zerista and an online marketing manager for TrackVia, Beck is an expert at social media marketing, content creation, SEO, and all things marketing strategy. She currently acts as the Vice Chair of the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce and graduated the University of Colorado Boulder in 2010 with a BA in Psychology.
Adam Fayne is a partner at the law firm of Arnstein & Lehr LLP, and has been recognized as a Rising Star by the publication Super Lawyers. Adam frequently advises investors (Individuals, Family Offices, and Private Equity Funds) seeking an investment in the cannabis industry. Adam also advises owner-operators of cannabis businesses across the country with their going forward legal needs; including securing investment, debt needs, employment issues, vendor contracts, regulatory compliance, and tax planning (Section 280E et al.). Prior to joining Arnstein & Lehr LLP, Adam was an attorney with the Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service.
With 18 years of experience in corporate conference and private event production Jane West’s extensive skill set includes directing event operations, branding and experiential marketing, media relations and employee media training, and strategic community outreach and education campaigns. She founded the brand Jane West, LLC and Edible Events Co., LLC in November 2013 pinpointing a need in the cannabis industry for large-scale events that rebrand cannabis consumption, build new consumer demographics through education, and offer experiential marketing.
Prior to undertaking her mission to mainstream responsible, adult-use cannabis consumption events, Jane produced large scale for nonprofit organizations (UNICEF, UNDP, NetAid, JDRF) and corporations (GE Medical, Cisco Systems, Presidential Inaugural Conference). She holds Master’s Degree in Social Work & Community Outreach from the University of Denver.
Inspired by her predecessors and passionate about the cause, Jane has quickly immersed herself in the cannabis industry. The pioneering cannabis event series she created and directs garnered international attention and has been featured on CNBC’s 2014 “Marijuana in America”, Nightline, The London Telegraph, 4 separate 2014 New York Times articles and over 150 unique media articles and media pieces. Jane can pull anything off, there is no project too big or too ambitious. In May of 2014, she converted her event series to a collaborative fundraising effort with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, further emboldening the evolution of cannabis events and leading to a finale at Red Rocks. Her additional consulting work is tailored to her clients’ needs and has included cannabis industry educational events, booth design and marketing, and branding and experiential marketing strategies.
She is the National Events Director and Co-Founder of Women Grow. Launching in July of 2014, Women Grow is a professional networking organization empowering women to succeed in the cannabis industry. Through nationwide monthly networking events held in over 16 states, Women Grow is designed to inspire the next generation of cannabis industry professionals while promoting the pioneers who have made legalization a reality.
Where to see Laleen Doerrer: The Value of a Strategic Investors: Raising & Keeping the Right Money | April 20st, 14:00 – 14:45
