Cannabis Movers & Shakers: Union Cannabis Group, Common Citizen, Neptune, The Arcview Group, Santa Fe Farms, Avicanna, Field Trip Health

Union Cannabis Group Names Adam Siskin New CFO

Cannabis-focused product manufacturing and brand licensing company Union Cannabis Group has appointed Adam Siskin to oversee its financial department.

Siskin has been serving as an advisor to the San Francisco-based company since late 2019.

During his career, he collaborated with more than 25 food and beverage brands as finance, strategy and business advisor.

Siskin brings experience in equity lending, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, healthcare & technology as well as start-up/acquisition integration.

“By having a licensing model, UCG is able to expand its brand and presence fast without incurring the CapEx and OpEx costs, which I find to be an attractive way to approach the industry at this time,” Siskin said Wednesday.

Amanda McCrary Joins Common Citizen

Common Citizen confirmed Wednesday that Amanda McCrary opted to join its team as chief citizen officer.

McCrary agreed to assist in “identifying qualified job candidates to help serve the unique, individual needs of Common Citizen’s patients and adult-use customers.”

With over two decades of experience in human resources, McCrary is poised to help take the Michigan-based company to the next level.

She previously served as senior human resource partner at Dow Inc and held several leadership positions at McKesson Corp.

“Amanda has a proven track record of identifying talented candidates to help take companies and organizations to the next level, and she will play a key role in our continued expansion across Michigan and beyond,” said Common Citizen CEO Michael Elias.

Neptune Names Steve West As VP Of investor Relations

Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. NEPT NEPT has tapped Steve West to serve as its vice president of investor relations.

At his new position, West - who was named the best Wall Street analyst by The Wall Street Journal - will build an investor relations outreach program for the company, covering retail and institutional investors.

West has nearly two decades of experience in capital markets, having worked as a sell-side analyst and investor relations professional.

Prior to this, West headed investor relations for Acreage Holdings ACRGF, Dick's Sporting Goods and Panera Bread Company.

"Steve's extensive experience at a leading Multi-State Operator in the U.S. cannabis industry on the cusp of federal reform makes him the perfect fit at the perfect time for Neptune," Neptune's CEO and president Michael Cammarata said Thursday.

Arcview Group Taps Jeffrey Finkle As New CEO, Kimberly Kovacs Named Santa Fe Farms CSO

The Arcview Group said Thursday it has appointed Jeffrey Finkle as its CEO, replacing Kimberly Kovacs.

Having previously served as CEO of Arcview Ventures and co-founding the Arcview Collective Fund in 2018, Finkle has extensive knowledge in business operations, investment management and fundraising, from seed to growth capital.

Kovacs, the departing CEO of the Los Angeles-based company, will remain on The Arcview Group Board of Directors.

Kovacs will join Santa Fe Farms, a hemp production, manufacturing, and distribution company, as chief strategy officer and plans to "keep close ties" with Arcview.

"Thanks to the efforts of Kim Kovacs and the entire team at The Arcview Group, our company has evolved its business to lead the emerging cannabis, industrial hemp, and psychedelics markets as a turnkey services firm. I look forward to working with our industry-leading team to build on the great foundation that has been created over the last decade through events, investor memberships, consulting, research, and industry advocacy," Finkle said.

Avicanna Announces Board Shake-Ups

Avicanna Inc. AVCN revealed Thursday that David Allan White and Benjamin Leavenworth will not be standing for re-election to its board of directors.

The Toronto-based company disclosed that its shareholders will be asked to re-elect Aras Azadian, Dr. Chandrakant Panchal, Setu Purohit, and Giancarlo Davila Char to the board at its annual general meeting of shareholders, which is scheduled for Thursday, June 24.

Shareholders will also elect the following experts to serve as members of the board:

• Flavio Jose Zaclis, private equity and venture capital expert;
• Dr. Assad J. Kazeminy, founder and former president and CEO of Irvine Pharmaceutical Services Inc. and ‎Avrio Biopharmaceutical LLC; and
• John McVicar, a finance executive with over three decades of Canadian and ‎international experience in both industry and professional services.

Aras Azadian, Avicanna CEO, welcomes the "expertise and experience of the new nominees and their anticipated contributions in the next stage of our growth as a now commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company."

Field Trip Health Bolsters Board Of Directors Ahead Of Debut On TSX

Psychedelic-focused Field Trip Health Ltd. FTRP FTRPF has strengthened its board of directors by welcoming Barry Fishman and Ellen Lubman to its board of directors.

Simultaneously, the Toronto-based company said it will debut on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "FTRP," with its warrants trading under the symbol "FTRP.WT" - on Monday, June 7.

Fishman brings nearly 25 years of experience, having worked as an entrepreneurial business leader. Previously, he served as CEO of VIVO Cannabis Inc VIVO, after leading Merus Labs, an international specialty pharmaceutical company, through its 2017 acquisition by Norgine B.V.

Lubman, currently chief business officer of Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc., served as chief business officer at Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. Prior to Impel, she was vice president of External Science & Innovation at Forest Labs in addition to numerous other executive business, investment and strategic leadership roles.

"We are proud to bring such highly experienced business professionals onto our Board and look forward to leveraging their backgrounds and expertise as we advance our scientific research into the positive impact that psychedelics can have on people's lives," Joseph del Moral, Field Trip's CEO said Thursday.

Photo by David Gabrić on Unsplash