Cannabis Movers & Shakers: Harborside Shakes Up Leadership Team, Pure Harvest Strengthens Advisory Board

Harborside CEO Steps Down, Matt Hawkins Named Interim CEO, Ahmer Iqbal New COO

Vertically integrated cannabis company Harborside Inc. HBOR HBORF announced Monday that Peter Bilodeau will be stepping down as interim CEO.

Matt Hawkins, chairman of the Oakland-based company, agreed to replace Bilodeau as interim CEO.

In addition, the company hired former CEO of Sublimation Inc., Ahmer Iqbal, to serve as chief operating officer.

Harborside purchased Oakland-based cannabis manufacturer Sublime for $43.8 million earlier this month.

"Since joining the Harborside team in November of 2020, I'm extremely proud of the work the entire team has done to ensure the company continues to lead the competitive California cannabis market," Hawkins told Benzinga. "In less than nine months, we've been able to expand our cultivation facility, add an iconic consumer brand to our portfolio, and build a solid balance sheet to support our continuing growth. After admiring his work building Sublime into one of California's leading brands, we're especially excited to welcome Ahmer Iqbal as chief operating officer and are confident that his wide-ranging experience will be invaluable as we scale our operations."

Pure Harvest Taps Alexis Johnson To Serve On Advisory Board

Cannabis company Pure Harvest Corporate Group, Inc. PHCG revealed Tuesday that Alexis Johnson opted to join its advisory board.

At her new position, Johnson will assist with developing the Colorado-based company's Corporate Social Responsibility program by collaborating with charities and social groups focused on education, social equity and social justice within the cannabis space.

"I am very excited to join the Pure Harvest team and look forward to working with them to build brands and product lines that benefit minority causes and communities across the country," Johnson said. "After months of getting to know the team at Pure Harvest, I am convinced that they are equally committed to building a better, more inclusive cannabis industry."

Matt Gregarek, Pure Harvest's CEO, is excited to work with Johnson, who is a serial entrepreneur.

"As we start to leave the devastating legacy of the war on drugs behind us, Pure Harvest is committed to doing its part to build a more diverse and equitable cannabis industry that helps those who were previously harmed by our nation's drug policies," Gregarek added.

Photo: Courtesy of David Gabrić on Unsplash