14 minute read
Appointments
Profile® Products has hired hiring of Valerie (Val) Henshaw as the new vice president of marketing. In this role, Henshaw will lead the company’s marketing strategy for all of Profile’s businesses, including horticulture, erosion and vegetative solutions, sports fields, golf, landscape and animal health. Henshaw has more than 20 years of consumer marketing experience, including notable expertise in brand management, marketing communications and product management, particularly in the retail horticulture industry. Prior to joining the Profile team, Henshaw held leadership positions with Bayer Lawn and Garden and SBM Life Science among others. Stuart Wilcox originally joined Agrify in February 2021 as an Independent Director. Mr. Wilcox is a highly accomplished executive with more than 30 years of domestic and international experience, including multiple leadership roles in the cannabis industry. Previously, Mr. Wilcox spent three years as the Chief Operating Officer of Curaleaf, during which time the company grew into one of the industry’s largest cannabis companies. He received an undergraduate degree in Engineering from the University of Toledo and a graduate degree in Management and Operations from Central Michigan University.
Chris Benyo originally joined Agrify in January 2022 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Extraction Division. Mr. Benyo is an executive with more than 25 years of sales, marketing, and operations experience across multiple industries, including cannabis and technology. Previously, Mr. Benyo was Chief Executive Officer and a Board Member of Lift and Store, LLC, an automated overhead storage solutions company based in Minnesota. Prior to that, Mr. Benyo was Chief Revenue Officer at Conservis, a SaaS provider with a focus on farming. He received an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Florida. Max Holtzman serves as Operations Director at Ocean 14 Capital, a private equity impact fund focused on the Blue Economy. Mr. Holtzman also serves as the Investments Principal at Pontos Aqua. Pontos Aqua is a founding partner of Ocean 14 Capital. Mr. Holtzman launched the advisory business of Pontos, as well as Pontos’ direct investment in recirculated aquaculture farming (PRC). He managed Pontos’ direct investment in PRC and the private equity and leveraged buyout practice. Additionally, Mr. Holtzman is a founding officer of Stronger America through Seafood, which strives to increase the production of healthy, sustainable, and affordable seafood in the United States.
Purity- IQ announced that Dr. Henry J. Stronks, FCIC has joined the organization’s executive team as Chief Science Officer. Dr. Stronks comes to Purity-IQ with more than 35 years of experience in the field of scientific analytical instrumentation, specializing in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Dr. Stronks completed a Ph.D. at the Guelph Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry. He went on to work for Bruker Canada Ltd., a global leader in high-value life science research and diagnostic solutions, where he served in several senior roles before being appointed President in 2008. In 2016 he took on an additional role of Global Head of Sales for Bruker’s Applied, Industrial and Clinical division. Christina Lake Cannabis Corp. announced that Mark Aiken, a seasoned cannabis executive has joined CLC as Chief Executive Officer pending a mandatory security clearance by Health Canada and approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. From 2014 through 2019 Mr. Aiken served as a management consultant for the Automotive sector, across North America focusing on strategy, marketing and distribution growth in preparation for M&A activities. Most recently, Mr. Aiken was Vice President of Strategic Business Development for HEXO Corp., currently Canada’s #1 Licensed Producer by Market Share and an international player in medicinal and recreational cannabis.
Lindsay Roberts was recently appointed Senior Vice President of MCI Group where she helps manage and spearhead all Lift & Co. events and conference. Lindsay leads with event expertise and enthusiasm for the industry. Her knack for numbers is complemented by an affinity for the arts, and she’s skilled at striking a perfect balance of fun and function for Lift&Co. Expo.
COLLABORATION WITH RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION
By Andrew Kaszowski, Industry Outreach and Communication Coordinator, Fanshawe College Centre for Research and Innovation
For an industry that is constantly pushing boundaries, the cannabis sector has been slow to collaborate with applied research centres. Removing communication silos and opening up to new relationships can be the key to supporting innovation for industry players, as was heard at a recent symposium at the Cannabis Wiki Conference in London, Ontario. Organized by representatives from Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI), a centre that specializes in food product research, the industry-research symposium was an intimate and direct dialogue about roadblocks and opportunities facing the cannabis sector. Moderated by Pierre Killeen, Vice-President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at Cannabis Council of Canada, the event included leaders from Lupos Biotechnology, Indiva, JC Green, Mera Cannabis and Micellae.
CREATING A HEALTHY RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM
Several key themes emerged from the discussion at the table: first and foremost, the need to reframe the position of the cannabis sector to establish a framework for a healthy research ecosystem.
“Researchers who can help cannabis companies with their R&D challenges have typically not dialogued directly with industry leaders in a regular, sustained way,” says Colin Yates, PhD, chair of Fanshawe CRI. “Unlocking constant communication with the sector is a key to learning what the industry needs from the research community. By knowing more clearly what research institutions like ours should put our resources towards, we can build the support needed to address industry challenges. We need to know what direction we should be heading to maximize opportunities for the sector.”
As the cannabis industry has matured in the years since legalization in Canada, many companies are finding niches to focus on. “What will the focus areas of each company be as they specialize?” asks Yates. “If we hear where companies are going, we can match our research focus as well.”
There are examples from other consumer industries that illustrate a path for increased communication back-and-forth between both industry and academia. The food and beverage sector has more member associations that provide a space for dialogue and idea-sharing, as well as lobbying for the needs of those sectors. The Cannabis Council of Canada is one such association for the industry that is growing in its membership and creating a space for collaboration.
EXPANDING INDUSTRY SUPPORT
FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES
An observation made by attendees was the fact that many cannabis companies are situated in rural communities. The industry representatives identified that greater collaboration is needed with rural partners (such as economic development corporations, agriculture associations, etc.) to increase the value and spin-off economic benefit for these rural areas. Spin-off companies in areas such as waste valorization, food products (including natural products) and specialty agricultural companies are some examples of ways that greater economic value can be developed by the sector. R&D can help support the creation of those spinoff companies into the rural communities.
UNLOCKING THE OPPORTUNITY
OF RESEARCH INTO NON-
THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF CANNABIS
Another major theme discussed was Health Canada’s recent statements around research into the non-therapeutic benefits of cannabis. Until now, human studies were limited in scope to complex clinical trials on the therapeutic use of cannabis. Expanding research into human studies on non-therapeutic uses of cannabis can have a potentially dramatic impact on consumers and industry producers.
In a response from Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) to Health Canada’s statements about “Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning Cannabis Research and Testing and Cannabis Beverages, C3 identifies that further clarification is needed regarding the ability of licence holders to communicate information about the effects of cannabis to consumers.”
According to Health Canada, “(T)his proposal would allow researchers to investigate cannabis and its effects from a non-therapeutic perspective and would allow more research in the context of cannabis product development. The results from the product development studies would likely feed into licence holders’ business decisions regarding the release of new cannabis products and allow consumers to have better information about the effects of cannabis, thereby better protecting public health and safety.” This development provides an exciting new opportunity for cannabis product development – for example, if a producer wants to do tasting trials on a food product, they would no longer need to apply to perform a detailed clinical trial.
Fanshawe CRI’s symposium attendees identified this potentially expanding field of benefits research as a major opportunity for collaboration between product developers and research institutions. Greater input of the results of human studies on non-therapeutic benefits of cannabis use could unlock a wide range of improved insight in product development decisions. Health Canada goes on to state, “[We] recognize the need to fill the knowledge gaps for cannabis and the need to continue to support Canadians in making informed decisions. The evidence and data gathered would provide information to help inform consumer decision-making.” This increase in consumer information availability could potentially help expand the legal recreational cannabis industry. To facilitate this expansion of consumer information, C3 is recommending that the “Proposed Regulatory Text” be amended to provide greater clarity on the ability of licence holders to provide information to consumers, provided the information is the result of research generated pursuant to the proposed regulation.
“The potential of applied research institutions to provide support in human studies is very exciting,” adds Yates. “Traditionally, human studies on cannabis have been only in the realm of pharmaceutical-level trials which are very costly and lengthy in scope. Greater research into the benefits to consumers of recreational cannabis use is an area of study with great potential to grow.”
SHINING GREATER CLARITY ON WHERE CANNABIS RESEARCH IS HEADED IN THE COMING YEARS
The greatest consensus was that there is a high level of uncertainty among players in the cannabis industry about where the sector is heading in the next few years. Fanshawe’s researchers identified this as a limitation for applied research institutions to grow their facilities and expertise resources in directions that can match the needs of industry, and that the solution to this challenge is increasing dialogue between industry and research.
“I’d say the biggest takeaway from our symposium was that the dialogue needs to deepen,” concludes Yates. “Industry and applied research institutions need each other if the sector is to continue maturing sustainably in the future. We’re just seeing signs that the cannabis sector is stabilizing in Canada post-legalization, and there’s still lots of potential for growth.”
Andrew Kaszowski is the Industry Outreach and Communication Coordinator, Fanshawe College Centre for Research and Innovation, a centre that specializes in ultra-high purity cannabinoid extraction and cannabis related food product research.
2022 MANUFACTURER DIRECTORY
Greentank Derek Champoux, VP Brand & Marketing Email: derek@greentanktech.com Phone: 905-699-4444 Website: www.greentanktech.com 102-135 Liberty Street Toronto ON M6K1A7 Industry: Packaging/Labelling, Lab/Scientific Equipment, Storage/Containers, Cannabis Accessories, Vaporizers “Hardware MADE by hardware experts. Redefining what’s possible with the industry’s most reliable, precision-engineered vape hardware. Greentank has quickly become an industry powerhouse with a proven track record of over 200+ successful vape brand launches across the United States and Canada. Winner of multiple industry accolades and honors, including a Red Dot Design award and Cannabis Independent’s Vape Tank and Single-Use Vaporizer of the Year distinctions. It’s either Greentank MADE, or it’s not.” Greenline POS Lisa Martyn, Marketing Email: lisa@getgreenline.co Phone: 604-736-4591 Website: https://getgreenline.co #350 - 425 Carrall Street Vancouver BC V6B 6E3 Industry: Software, POS “The Greenline POS software solution is a scalable point-of-sale and inventory management retail infrastructure designed for Canadian compliance to help cannabis retailers grow. Greenline provides everything from in-store point-ofsale to online e-commerce and features a strong marketplace of app integrations.”
Highdeal Solutions Donny Rejano, Head of Sales Email: donny@highdeal.ca Phone: 604-457-3325 Website: https://highdeal.ca 119-19055 Airport Way Pitt Meadows BC V3Y 0G4 Industry: Packaging/Labeling “Highdeal Solutions is a single source solutions for cannabis producers, processors, and extractors. We are your one-stop-shop for cannabis packaging, full-service design, compliance services, and secure logistics. We have nurtured partnerships with some of the biggest names in the industry to provide competitive rates on standard CR packaging, as well as unique customization options to suit your needs. Our design team are experts in compliant packaging, helping brands achieve labelling compliance, and assisting with all aspects of your brand and marketing journey. We’re here with you every step of the way. At Highdeal Solutions, we’ve got you covered.”
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