Who’s Who In Cannabis: Latest Executive Changes You Should Know About
As the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference gets underway in Florida, gathering top CEOs, investors and leaders in the cannabis industry, let’s scroll through the latest leadership changes in space, starting with companies that named new CEOs over the past period.
Decibel Cannabis Company Inc. (TSXV:DB) (OTCQB:DBCCF) tapped Benjamin Sze to serve as its CEO a week ago, succeeding Paul Wilson. Sze rejoined the company after previously serving as CEO before resigning in late 2020 to focus on his family.
Denver-based Medicine Man Technologies, Inc., operating as Schwazze, (OTCQX:SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) appointed its CFO Forrest Hoffmaster to the additional role of interim CEO in late February, following Nirup Krishnamurthy’s resignation as CEO and as a member of the board of directors.
Cannabis packaging and logistics company DIZPOT named Laura Sidney as its interim CEO in March.
Online cannabis seed bank I Love Growing Marijuana, wrapped up last month by welcoming Ernst Rustenhoven as its new CEO.
Interestingly, chief executive officers leading U.S.-based multi-state cannabis operators have surpassed the $500,000 base salary threshold in 2024 with annual median salaries topping $511,600 and representing a nearly 8% year-over-year increase. That’s roughly seven times what mid-level managers in the industry make, according to CannabizTeam Worldwide‘s 2024 Cannabis Industry Salary Guide.
See also: International Cannabis Executives To Watch In 2024
Multiple Appointments
District Cannabis, the premier cannabis cultivator in Maryland and the District of Columbia appointed Bethany Frick as CEO and Bryce Freeman as COO recently, in an attempt to “position the company well as it forges ahead …