Cannabis Movers & Shakers: Plus Products, THC Farmaceuticals, Kanabo Group, Surna, Albert Labs

Plus Products’ Matt Schmidt Resigns From Board

Cannabis and hemp branded products company Plus Products Inc. PLUS PLPRF revealed Tuesday that Matt Schmidt has stepped down from the company’s board of directors.

Schmidt, who had served as a director since 2018, was also a member of the company’s audit committee.

“Matt has always brought thoughtful and robust advice to our board meetings and a high level of financial acumen in leading the Audit Committee,” Jake Heimark, the company's CEO and co-founder, said. “He was instrumental in building PLUS into the brand it is today. We are thankful for his contributions to the company over the last several years.”

THC Farmaceuticals Former CEO Senator Mike Gravel Passes Away

THC Farmaceuticals, Inc CBDG, a parent company of CBDual Biotechnology Corp, announced Monday that its CEO, chairman and former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) passed away. 

"Senator Gravel's wealth of experience with public policies, politics and private business made him the best candidate for CEO, and helped CBDG and the entire cannabis sector's efforts to overcome federal criminalization policies," the company's management said. "His stature as a noted politician demanded a response for his added bravery of heading up not one but two Cannabis-related publicly traded companies, the first being Cannabis Sativa, Inc."

Gavel, fiercely opposed to the Vietnam War, was known for his role in the release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

Kanabo Group Taps Former UK Government Health Minister Dan Poulter To Serve As Non-Executive Director

Medical cannabis company Kanabo Group Plc has appointed Dr. Dan Poulter MP as a non-executive director to the board.

Poulter brings an extensive knowledge of the drugs and medicines regulatory framework in the UK, having served as a former UK Government health minister and chairperson of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Health.

“As a doctor, I am increasingly aware of the potential of cannabis-based medicines," Poulter said Tuesday. "Cannabis products are fast becoming available that could deliver significant improvements to the lives of thousands of patients suffering from conditions ranging from chronic pain to post-traumatic stress disorder.”

R. Brian Knaley, CPA, NYSE And Nasdaq Company Veteran To Oversee Finance Departement At Surna

Surna Inc. SRNA, which operates as Surna Cultivation Technologies, has tapped R. Brian Knaley to oversee its financial department.

Knaley, who has over 25 years of financial leadership experience, agreed to serve as CFO and treasurer of the Boulder, Colorado-based company.

Prior to this, he served as CFO for Proximo Medical, a start-up that focuses on the commercialization of medical devices.

“We are confident that Brian’s previous experience as a public company CFO will strengthen our executive team and enhance our engagement with investors and the financial community as we implement the aggressive growth strategy we announced in April.” Tony McDonald, the company’s chairman and CEO, commented Tuesday.

Albert Labs Bolsters Clinical And Scientific Advisory Boards By Tapping Seasoned Experts

Psychedelic company Albert Labs has hired several renewed experts in psychology, psychiatry, palliative care and oncology to serve on its clinical advisory board chaired by Professor Jo Neill, a professor of Psychopharmacology at the University of Manchester as well as on its Scientific Advisory Board.

The multidisciplinary team of experts will assist in the company's efforts to develop psychedelics-based medicine and conduct accelerated studies on UK patients who suffer from cancer-related anxiety.

The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company, elected the following experts to serve on its clinical advisory board:

• Dr. Sara Tai, a senior lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester and consulting clinical psychologist at Cheadle Royal Hospital and Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
• Dr. Sara Tookey, a clinical psychologist, HCPC registered and BPS Chartered Psychologist.
• Professor Emeritus Sam Ahmedzai, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) National Specialty Lead for Supportive Care and Community-based Research.
• Saoirse O'Sullivan, a professor of Pharmacology in the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham.

In addition, the company's scientific board includes:

• Parminder Singh, an experienced executive with over three decades of technical, operational and international business in corporate and entrepreneurial fields.
• Dr. Naeem Khan, who holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and has more than six decades of experience in industrial pharmaceutical production.
• Denzil Phillips, who brings more than 30 years of experience in botanicals and natural productions, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

Photo by Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash