Connecticut officials officially started accepting applications for adult-use cannabis business licenses Feb. 3.

The State Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is taking applications for retail and social equity cultivation licenses, defined as those in disproportionately impacted areas, according to a wtnh.com report.

RELATED: Connecticut Will Begin Accepting Applications for Adult-Use Cannabis Business Licenses Next Month

The department is expected to hold a lottery to issue the licenses.

“There are several pathways in which people can apply for these licenses,” Andrea Comer, DCP Deputy Commissioner and chair of the Social Equity Council, told wtnh.com. “Some will be applied directly to the lottery. Others will be applying directly to open a cannabis establishment.”

A bill that has cleared the Utah Legislature would protect state employees who use medical cannabis from discrimination, according to a Deseret News report.

Senate Bill 46 requires state and local governments to treat medical cannabis prescriptions the same as they treat prescriptions for other controlled substances, the news outlet reported.

The legislation was inspired by Levi Coleman, an Ogden firefighter who was suspended without pay after he refused to give up his medical cannabis prescription, according to Deseret News. Coleman ultimately sued the fire department and the city last year, arguing that his suspension violated Utah’s medical cannabis law, which passed in 2018.

Rep. Joel Ferry (R-Brigham City) introduced S.B. 46 to close a “loophole” in the law that puts registered medical cannabis patients like Coleman at risk, Deseret News reported.

“What this bill does is it provides some clarity to what the legislative intent was ... in recognizing medical cannabis as a legitimate use of cannabis for treating certain ailments such as chronic pain,” Ferry told the news outlet.

An emergency rule that went into effect Jan. 13 increased the number of plants that New Mexico’s licensed cannabis producers could grow, but the rule did not apply to microbusiness licensees.

The New Mexico Cannabis Control Division’s (CCD) emergency rule allows the cannabis producers to double their plant count from 10,000 to 20,000 mature plants. The limit for microbusinesses, however, must be increased legislatively since it is set in statute, according to the Santa Fe Reporter.

RELATED: New Mexico Opens Licensing Process for Integrated Microbusinesses

Microbusinesses are authorized to grow up to 200 plants under the Cannabis Regulation Act that passed last year to legalize adult-use cannabis.

Senate Bill 100, new legislation sponsored by State Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque) and Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), would increase this production limit to 1,000 plants, according to the Santa Fe Reporter.

The Nevada Dispensary Association has renamed itself the Nevada Cannabis Association, according to a release from the organization.

The newly-named Nevada Cannabis Association says it rebranded to expand its membership representation, which now includes cultivation, production, distribution, independent testing laboratories, and more, in addition to dispensaries.

The NCA, founded in 2014, assists Nevada cannabis businesses with business, education and compliance resources, community outreach, networking events, and government affairs news and analyses.

“From the start, the association has been dedicated to developing and promoting best practices among Nevada cannabis dispensaries,” said Layke Martin, executive director of NCA. “As Nevada’s industry has grown, our dedication to representing the cannabis industry has expanded to include cultivation, production and distribution licensees, independent testing laboratories, and other cannabis businesses. For these members, a voice within the NCA amplifies our collective goal of inclusivity, opportunity and unity within the industry.”

In addition, the NCA also appointed two new board members: Jennifer Gallerani, vice president of compliance and regulatory affairs for Blackbird, and Jerry Velarde, president and founder of NV 3480 Hacienda Partners Inc., which oversees Ego Brands, Evergreen Organix and Fleur Cannabis.

Gallerani also serves as chair of the board for the Cannabis Distribution Association, as well as chair of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s State Regulations Committee, Technology and Compliance Subcommittee.

CHICAGO – February 2, 2022 — PRESS RELEASE — Cresco Labs, a vertically integrated multistate operator and wholesaler of branded cannabis products, has announced the Clio Award-winning documentary short film, “The Sentence of Michael Thompson,” will screen at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. “The Sentence of Michael Thompson” is the first documentary short film on the topic of social justice, criminal justice reform and cannabis decriminalization, and the first social justice-focused documentary produced by a cannabis brand (Cresco), to debut at the acclaimed film festival in Austin, Texas.

“It is humbling and an honor to have the opportunity to help share Michael Thompson’s story through such a prestigious film festival like SXSW,” said Chima Enyia, EVP of SEED at Cresco Labs. “Unfortunately, one of the themes central to Michael’s story is not unique; several hundred thousand Americans—predominantly Black and Latinx—continue to be incarcerated on marijuana-related charges every year. Over 40,000 people suffer in prison because of cannabis-related convictions at this very moment. Through this film, we hope to help audiences truly understand the gravity of injustice on the lives of people adversely impacted by The War on Drugs and advance the dialogue surrounding racial and social justice to help change our nation’s drug laws.”

The subject of the film, Michael Thompson, is the longest serving non-violent offender in Michigan history. In 1994, he was arrested for selling three pounds of cannabis to a close friend turned police informant. He was sentenced to 42 to 60 years and remained in prison after Michigan legalized the recreational use and sale of cannabis.

“The Sentence of Michael Thompson” follows Michael’s daughter Rashawnda and his lawyer Kim during the fight for clemency. It examines the harm the War on Drugs has caused on marginalized communities and explores paths forward as national cannabis legalization gets closer to becoming a reality. The filmmaking team includes Kyle Thrash, Haley Elizabeth Anderson, Ian Ross, Logan Triplett and Matt Schaff, who’s work have all been shown at SXSW, Sundance, Tribeca and other notable national and international film festivals. Released on Juneteenth 2021, the film’s trailer earned the Silver Clio Cannabis Award for Film & Video creative excellence.

SXSW Screenings:

Mississippi’s medical cannabis legislation was going to become law with or without Republican Gov. Tate Reeves’ signature, but the executive decided to ink his name to a bill that he fought most of the way. 

Reeves had until Feb. 2 to sign, veto or do nothing and let the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act become law without his signature. Although, a gubernatorial veto would have only delayed the inevitable—the state Senate and House passed the legislation with roughly 90% of lawmakers in support between the two bodies. 

Rather than risk another one of his vetoes from being overridden by the Republican-controlled Legislature, Reeves put pen to paper on Wednesday—456 days after Mississippi voters approved a medical cannabis legalization initiative in the 2020 election (which later was overturned by the state’s Supreme Court).

Mississippi is now the 37th state to legalize a medical cannabis program without strict restrictions. Flower will be capped at 30% THC while concentrated products will be capped at 60% THC under the new law.

Jax James, the state policies manager for advocacy group NORML, called the new law a significant step forward for Mississippi’s patient community.

“Marijuana access is long overdue for Mississippi’s patients,” James said in a news release. “The overwhelming majority of voters decided in favor of this policy change over a year ago, and for the past 14 months the will of the people has been denied.”

Port Washington, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - The Hawthorne Gardening Company, a subsidiary of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, today announced that the Hawthorne Social Justice Fund has committed to a multi-year sponsorship of the John R. Lewis Social Justice Fellows program within the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc.

The Hawthorne Social Justice Fund, part of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, is providing $600,000 over two years to support four John R. Lewis Social Justice Fellows to focus on research related to cannabis policy and social justice reforms and propose solutions to Congress. It is the largest single grant award to date of the Hawthorne Social Justice Fund, created in 2021 to support nonprofits devoted to social justice. Additionally, these are the first John R. Lewis fellows dedicated to cannabis issues.

“We’re delighted to partner with the Hawthorne Social Justice Fund in support of the John R. Lewis Social Justice Fellowship as we cultivate and equip early-career policy professionals and create a pipeline of young Black leaders,” said Paul Dumars, co-interim president and CEO, CFO and COO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

Hawthorne Gardening has sought to use its influence and resources to help shape criminal justice reform related to cannabis prohibition and create a more equitable post-prohibition cannabis industry. Since the establishment of the Hawthorne Social Justice Fund with $2.5 million, more than half has been given to worthy nonprofits around the country.

“There is no doubt that cannabis laws have led to systemic racial and social inequities, and we are grateful to be able to join with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in finding ways to address this critical issue," said Chris Hagedorn, division president of Hawthorne Gardening Company and executive vice president of Scotts Miracle-Gro. “We’re also proud to be affiliated with a program named for John Lewis, whose lifelong commitment to social justice continues to inspire millions of Americans. It is our hope the four John Lewis fellows will inform the debate related to cannabis reform and work directly with policy makers in establishing a framework for impactful and positive change in Black communities.”

Fellows funded by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation’s Hawthorne Social Justice Fund must demonstrate a commitment to creating and implementing public policy to improve living conditions for underserved and underrepresented people. Candidates must have at least five years of policy development, community activism or grassroots organizing in a leadership position, or, preferably, a graduate or professional degree completed prior to the fellowship start date. The fellows will work in Congress and as researchers in the Center for Policy Analysis and Research to analyze cannabis policy and social justice issues at large and criminal justice reform, in particular, through the lens of education, economic opportunity, incarceration, courts and law enforcement. Examples include reforms such as decriminalization, expungement, sentencing and incarceration; hurdles federal law presents for the emerging regulation of cannabis by states; and black wealth creation and solutions for supporting licensed ownership and successful operation of businesses in the emerging cannabis industry.

A Tennessee lawmaker has proposed a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis for medical purposes.

If passed, House Joint Resolution 742, filed by Rep. Jason Powell, would allow Tennesseans to access medical cannabis for approved medical conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, according to an ABC 24 report.

The proposal would levy a 4% sales tax on medical cannabis, the news outlet reported, with a portion of the revenue earmarked to support health care for military veterans.

The National Football League (NFL) announced Feb. 1 that it has chosen the recipients of $1 million in funding meant to advance research on the impact of cannabis and CBD on pain management.

The funding has been awarded to two teams of medical researchers at the University of California San Diego and the University of Regina for studies that will investigate the effects of cannabinoids on pain management and neuroprotection from concussion.

RELATED: NFL, Players Association Provide $1 Million for Cannabinoid Research on Pain Management

The NFL initially issued a request for research proposals in June and received 106 total submissions. The NFL Research and Innovation Committee used the National Institutes of Health (NIH) format for scoring the proposals and selected 10 finalists, who gave oral presentations and provided written materials to the committee.

The University of California San Diego study, titled “Effects of Cannabinoids on Pain and Recovery from Sports-Related Injuries in Elite Athletes: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” will be led by Drs. Thomas Marcotte and Mark Wallace. The clinical trial aims to assess the therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects of THC, CBD and combined THC/CBD compared to placebo for the relief of post-competition soft-tissue injury pain in elite athletes.

The University of Mississippi has long been a federally approved cannabis cultivator, providing cannabis and cannabinoids to researchers whose projects are greenlit by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Now, armed with that experience and inspired by Mississippi’s recent efforts to legalize medical cannabis, the university’s School of Pharmacy is launching the National Center for Cannabis Research and Education (NCCRE), which will conduct scientific research, data analysis, education and training on the health effects of cannabis.

“In the past, we were fairly restricted because it was a federal program, very restricted to doing what they contracted with us to do,” Larry Walker, Ph.D., the center’s interim director, told Cannabis Business Times. “Over the years, we’ve generated a number of other research projects and we felt like it was maybe time to begin something separate from our NIDA-funded project that could do some research and education that might benefit the state.”

As state-level cannabis programs continue to gain momentum across the country, Walker and his team felt that other states could also benefit from the cannabis research the university would conduct and use it to help build their regulatory structures.

“Our interest would be from the scientific and health perspective, just to give them whatever information they might need to make a decision when they’re setting policy,” Walker said. “Many times, … different state programs are having to do it with relatively little background knowledge on the science side. … So, we just want to be able to provide them seminars, white papers, things that might help them in this.”

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves told reporters at the state capitol Feb. 1 that he is undecided on whether he will sign a medical cannabis legalization bill into law, but luckily for the state’s patient base, the legislation is expected to become law no matter how Reeves responds, as it passed the Legislature with veto-proof majorities.

RELATED: Mississippi Governor’s Veto Card Trivial on Cannabis

Reeves said Tuesday that his attorneys are still reviewing the bill, according to an AP News report.

He added that he is pleased that lawmakers made some of his suggested tweaks to the legislation, including a request that legislators reduce the amount of cannabis that patients can access each month.

The bill would allow qualified patients to purchase up to 3.5 grams of cannabis per day, up to six days per week, and sets taxes on the production and sale of medical cannabis.

February 2, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is issuing a health and safety advisory due to the identification of potentially unsafe levels of total yeast and mold contamination in retail infused pre-roll marijuana produced by DJR Colorado, LLC DBA High Level Health (DJR Colorado). The CDPHE and DOR deem it a threat to public health and safety when marijuana is found to have total yeast and mold levels above the acceptable limits established in Colorado Marijuana Rule 4-115.

The DOR has identified infused pre-roll marijuana from production batches produced by DJR Colorado that were confirmed to have failed contaminant testing. Based on the investigation, the DOR has identified additional production batches of infused pre-roll marijuana that were created using the same process that led to contaminant testing failures in the production batches listed below. Out of an abundance of caution, these additional production batches are included in this advisory and listed as potentially contaminated production batches.  

Consumers who have these affected products in their possession should destroy them or return them to the retail store from which they were purchased for proper disposal. Consumers who experience adverse health effects from consuming the product should seek medical attention immediately and report the event to the Marijuana Enforcement Division by submitting a MED Reporting Form. 

All affected marijuana should have a label affixed to the container that, at a minimum, indicates the license number of the retail marijuana business that manufactured the infused pre-roll marijuana, the production batch number, and the product name assigned to the marijuana. Consumers should check the label of their infused pre-roll marijuana for the following license number, product name, and production batch number. 

Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturer License:  404R-00072 

Contaminated Production Batches:

LAS VEGAS – Feb. 1, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – The Source+, an award-winning cannabis company with dispensaries in the Las Vegas Valley and Reno, will support national nonprofit, Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), throughout the month of February to bring awareness to the organization’s commitment to cultivating a culturally inclusive cannabis environment.

Now through Monday, Feb. 28, customers may round up their purchases while shopping at The Source+ to directly support M4MM. The Source+ will also accept direct donations for the organization at each of its four locations throughout Nevada. 

“Black History Month is a wonderful time to celebrate excellence and achievement in the Black Community,” said M4MM Western Regional Director, Nicole Buffong. “We are thrilled to be acknowledged and celebrated for the successful advocacy, outreach, education and training we provide our community on a daily basis. Thank you to The Source+ for supporting our efforts in such a meaningful way.”

In addition to The Source+’s roundup initiatives, the company, in partnership with M4MM, will host a record sealing event to provide education and resources to the Las Vegas community about sealing criminal records, including recently decriminalized marijuana convictions. The Source+ will host the event at its Sahara store in Las Vegas, located at 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, as well as its Reno store, located at 5270 Longley Ln Suite 103, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 26.

“Minorities have and continue to be affected by the War on Drugs, and as the cannabis industry progresses, we have an obligation to do better,” said Simon Nankervis, CEO of The Source+. “The Source+ is proud to support Minorities for Medical Marijuana and their dedication to tackling diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry. We look forward to uniting our community to fund this important cause.”

Al Harrington, 16-year NBA veteran and co-founder and CEO of Viola Brands, is on the forefront of the fight for social equity in the cannabis industry—a fight that he doesn’t see ending any time soon.

Viola recently partnered with the Cleveland School of Cannabis to launch its own education platform, the Harrington Institute, which aims to create economic opportunities for individuals, especially those in Black communities, who are looking to enter the market.

In early 2020, the company launched a separate social equity initiative, Viola Cares, in partnership with a national non-profit organization, Root & Rebound. The initiative aims to offer education, expungement and incubation programs to help increase diversity in the industry.

“We’re just overall trying to help in any way that we can,” Harrington tells Cannabis Business Times. “There are so many holes in the boat, to try to fix them all is tough. For us, we just try to put ourselves in the position to be an asset to the industry, and especially to people of color, as we try to navigate our future in a space [where] we deserve a seat at the table.”

Here, Harrington provides an update on Viola’s social equity initiatives and discusses what’s working well, what isn’t, and how the industry can come together to support minority-owned businesses in the quest for diversity.

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 1, 2022 - NEWS RELEASE - Phylos, a modern crop science company developing advanced cannabis and hemp genetics, announces the close of its growth funding round totaling $7.6 million led by Merida Capital Holdings. Other major investors in the round include Accomplice and Entourage Effect Capital. This infusion further validates a refreshed direction and executive team. Funds will be used in part to expand sales and marketing efforts for Phylos' market-validated cannabis and hemp genetics. Mina Mishrikey, senior partner at Merida, will be joining the Phylos board of directors.

Leading towards industry growth and scalability, the new executive team will leverage proprietary research and technology to drive innovation in hemp and cannabis science and breeding. The team includes Ralph Risch (CEO), Alisha Holloway (chief scientific officer), and Dylan Anderson (chief financial officer).

"The cannabis industry, relying by and large on cloning techniques, has seen relatively little seed genetics development to date, and that is changing as we speak," Mishrikey says. "Phylos' next-generation technology will allow cultivators to grow healthier, more consistent crops with amplified, diverse cannabinoid and terpene profiles. We are confident that Phylos is at the forefront of this movement towards a healthier plant and a more sustainable industry."

During its restructuring, Phylos met several notable milestones at the 80,000-square-foot state-of-the-art breeding, genomics, and chemotype analysis facility it shares with its cultivation partner Progressive Plant Research (PPR). This includes the development of dozens of novel cultivars and discovery of genetic markers for numerous high-value cannabis and hemp traits. The company has expanded its flagship AutoCBD autoflower hempseed to four varieties and has developed ground-breaking low-touch, high-yield, and disease-resistant early maturation cannabis seed genetics for commercial-scale grows.

"The future of cannabis cultivation is in elite genetics and F1 hybrid seeds," Risch says. "Cannabis and hemp production across the U.S. is rapidly scaling to meet the needs of consumers seeking affordable, consistent, and memorable experiences. High-quality, stable genetics that increase the productivity of each square foot of licensed canopy with fewer touches of the plant are now a requirement. We are passionate to prove how stable genetics create a foundation for products across the industry."

Phylos will continue its commitment to collaborate with breeders through royalty-bearing licensing deals to ensure they're fairly compensated for their dedication to the advancement of cannabis and hemp, protecting IP to promote innovation, and support funding research to further knowledge of the cannabis genome. The company also provides no-cost technology licensing for academic institutions and non-profits, specifically for research purposes.

The infrastructure tied to awarding 26 highly sought-after social equity licenses in Arizona is still intact, at least for now.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Randall Warner dismissed a lawsuit challenging the state’s rules for issuing the adult-use cannabis retail licenses, ruling Tuesday that the rules published by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) satisfy provisions set forth by Proposition 207, the state’s 2020 voter-approved ballot measure for adult use.

Leaving leeway in the groundwork, Prop. 207 established that those licenses be awarded to applicants impacted by prohibition.

Warner said the law provided ADHS flexibility on how to write and implement rules, The Associated Press reported. As drafted, those rules “are reasonably designed to meet its objectives,” the judge concluded.

The licenses in question are tied to applicants who have recently lived in 87 qualifying ZIP codes, ADHS officials announced in October.

RELATED: Arizona Releases Qualifying Residency Requirements for 26 Social Equity Cannabis Retail Licenses

The South Dakota House rejected a bill Jan. 31 that would have allowed local governments to opt out of hosting medical cannabis businesses, according to a KELO report.

House Bill 1095, which would have authorized cities and counties to pass exemption ordinances, was narrowly shot down in a 31-33 vote, the news outlet reported.

The legislation needed at least 36 votes to advance to the South Dakota Senate.

RELATED: South Dakota Lawmakers Divided on Allowing Home Cultivation in Medical Cannabis Program

South Dakota voters approved Initiated Measure 26 in the 2020 election to legalize medical cannabis. The measure received 70% support and passed in 63 of the state’s 66 counties, KELO reported.

A new bill in the California Legislature would classify unlicensed cannabis cultivation as a felony, rolling back part of the state’s 2016 voter-approved initiative that legalized adult-use and made growing any number of plants without a license a misdemeanor, according to a Forbes report.

Under A.B. 1725, filed by Rep. Thurston Smith (R-Apple Valley), growing more than six plants without a permit would be reclassified as a felony offense, punishable by up to three years in jail.

To go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, the legislation requires a two-thirds majority in the Legislature, since it amends a voter-approved initiative.

Thurston’s bill aims to “combat illegal marijuana grows that have been proliferating throughout the rural High Desert communities,” according to a press release from his office.

“These illicit growers have been operating with impunity, knowing that the law allows them to grow with barely a hindrance,” Thurston said in a public statement. “For far too long, Sacramento has been soft on crime, and the illicit market has exploded with massive unlicensed grows popping up all around the state."

Upon consummation of the acquisition, Verano’s footprint will span 18 states, with active operations in 15, including 17 cultivation facilities totaling 1.3 million square feet of cultivation capacity and 111 active dispensariesVerano will obtain one of only 10 vertically integrated licenses in New York, which includes one cultivation license, four active dispensaries and four additional dispensaries planned in high-traffic locationsVerano will acquire one of only two vertically integrated licenses in Minnesota, which includes one cultivation license and eight active dispensariesIn New York, the company will gain delivery service across the New York City area via a dispensary on Queens Boulevard centrally located next to the Long Island Expressway, Citi Field and LaGuardia Airport; along with three high-traffic dispensaries—in a busy shopping district in White Plains; in Albany adjacent to the University of Albany campus and Colonie Center Mall; and in Johnson City across from the Oakdale MallIn Minnesota, Verano will obtain eight dispensaries, including one in the heart of downtown Minneapolis and four more across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area; in locations covering the cities of Duluth and Rochester; and in Moorehead, which is situated in the Fargo, N.D., metro areaBetween 2022 and 2026, these net new markets are expected to generate combined revenue of more than $13.8 billion, according to BDSA data

CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Verano Holdings Corp. and Goodness Growth Holdings Inc. have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the “arrangement agreement”) pursuant to which Verano will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Goodness in an all-share transaction valued at approximately $413 million on a fully diluted basis.

Under the terms of the arrangement agreement, it is expected that each holder of Goodness subordinate voting shares will receive 0.22652 of a Verano Class A subordinate voting share for each Goodness subordinate voting share held and each holder of Goodness multiple voting shares and Goodness super voting shares will receive 22.652 Verano shares for each Goodness multiple voting share and Goodness super voting share held, respectively.

Goodness’ active operations include 18 dispensaries; five cultivation and processing facilities; a research and development facility; and the Vireo, 1937, LiteBud, Kings & Queens, Hi-Color, and Amplifi product brands. The acquisition of Goodness is expected to expand Verano’s operational footprint with the addition of the New York, Minnesota and New Mexico markets, strategically increasing the company’s presence in the Northeast, Midwest and Southwest, while adding a suite of established cannabis brands to the company’s portfolio.

Management Commentary

“We have always viewed New York as a strategic market to solidify our existing East Coast presence, particularly ahead of the state’s adult-use rollout, as we further expand the Verano platform and exceed a milestone of operating more than 100 dispensaries across the country,” Verano founder and CEO George Archos said. “Adding the New York, Minnesota and New Mexico markets to our portfolio, with full vertical integration, provides Verano with a solid foundation for future growth. We’re excited to welcome new colleagues to the Verano family and look forward to serving patients and consumers in communities across these great states.”

DENVER, Feb. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Schwazze, has announced the addition of key roles to support the company's significant expansion within manufacturing, cultivation, and information technology.

As Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, David Kaufman joined the leadership team from Carlex Glass where he was responsible for global operations. Kaufman is a seasoned executive with experience identifying and yielding multimillion-dollar improvements in operations and supply chain through LEAN manufacturing, procurement, and distribution strategies. He had full P&L responsibility for the European business segment where he led a significant turnaround in operating performance and financial improvement. Kaufman holds a distinguished certificate in general management from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, MBA from the University of St. Francis, and BS in Chemistry from Purdue University.

Steven Liedtke joins Schwazze as Vice President, Information Services. Liedtke is an experienced Information Technology Executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience across industry sectors such as: CPG, Food & Beverage, Retail, and High Technology industries, including The Hain Celestial Group, The Whitewave Foods Company and Maines Group. Technology is a key pillar in Schwazze's growth strategy to help drive digital transformation, operational efficiencies, and synergies. With his M&A systems integration experience, Liedtke brings the expertise Schwazze needs in this period of significant organic and new acquisition growth. 

The third key addition to the leadership team is in cannabis cultivation. Robert Piziali joins Schwazze as Vice President, Cultivation, overseeing its grow operations. Piziali was formerly the President of FarmPerfect, a cannabis farm management company based in Mendocino County, Calif. He has 20 years of experience in operations management and, prior to cannabis, comes from the wine industry where he was involved in all aspects – from the vineyard to the cellar, to tasting rooms and retail operations. He was also the co-founder and president of FLO Wine, which he launched nationally in chains including Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Jewel-Osco, and Albertsons. Piziali has an MBA from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a BA in Psychology from Rollins College.

"We are excited about the key additions to our operational leadership team. Kaufman, Piziali and Liedtke bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in their respective areas which are both critical to Schwazze's growth strategy in manufacturing, grow operations, distribution and digital commerce," said Nirup Krishnamurthy, chief operating officer. "We continue to be proud of what we've built in Colorado since 2019 and look forward to our continued expansion."