Cannabis Movers & Shakers: One World Products, Leafly, TerrAscend, Rapid Dose Therapeutics, HEXO, Harborside

One World Products Announces Minyon Moore As Chairperson Advisory Board

One World Products OWPC announced on Thursday that it is welcoming Minyon Moore to its advisory board.

Moore agreed to serve as chairperson of the board.

The Las Vegas-based company said that Moore would be instrumental in expanding into multiple industries and markets.

In addition, she will also lead One World’s s efforts evaluating various global supplier diversity initiatives like the recent Stellantis National Black Supplier Development Program.

Named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Washington by Washingtonian Magazine, Moore is currently a principal at the Dewey Square Group where she leads DSG’s State and Local Affairs and Multicultural Strategies practices.

"Minyon is considered one of the nation’s top strategic thinkers, with extensive experience in political and corporate affairs,” Isiah Thomas, executive chairman and CEO of One World said. “Her extensive background in providing counsel and developing strategies that address emerging consumer markets and public policy goals will be invaluable as we seek to become a leading international supplier of cannabis and industrial hemp.”

Leafly Reveals Post-Combination Board Of Directors

Cannabis-focused Leafly Holdings Inc., an information resource and technology company, reported the names of its board of directors to be appointed effective as of the closing of its business combination with Merida Merger Corp. I MCMJ.

Leafly announced that it has inked a definitive agreement for the business combination in August, through which Merida will take Leafly's name and that its common stock will list on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol 'LFLY.' The combined company is projected to have a fully diluted business value of around $385 million and an equity value of approximately $532 million.

The latest move brings extensive expertise across strategy, finance, technology, operations, legal and regulatory, public company governance and cannabis.

The following experts will be appointed directors:

• Michael Blue - co-founder of Privateer Holdings, Inc., a cannabis-focused private equity firm that founded a number of cannabis businesses such as Tilray, Inc. TLRY, Left Coast Ventures Inc. (NEO: GRAM.U), and Docklight Brands, Inc. The company acquired and owned Leafly from 2011 to 2019, during which time Blue was an officer and director at Leafly.
• Cassandra "Cassi" Chandler,  a president and CEO of Vigeo Alliance, who previously served as an independent federal monitor with the New York Police Department. She was also senior vice president for business operations at Bank of America. Chandler spent nearly 24 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Blaise Judja-Sato – an expert with global professional experience ranging from startups to large multinationals, to governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as the United Nations, social ventures and philanthropic institutions. Judja-Sato serves on the supervisory board of Jumia Technology AG JMIA and is a member of the risk and audit, nomination and governance and compensation committees.
• Peter Lee - an expert with over two decades of investment experience. He served as president, CFO, secretary and a member of the board of directors of Media Merger Corp. since 2019.
• Yoko Miyashita - CEO of Leafly since August 2020, after serving as the company's general counsel since 2019. Previously, she spent 14 years at Getty Images, leading the global legal team as senior vice president and general counsel.
• Alan Pickerill – a finance and accounting expert with over three decades in the field. He currently serves as a board member and audit committee chair for Porch Group PRCH and sits on the YMCA of Greater Seattle board.

"This is the right group to guide Leafly through the next phase of our growth roadmap. We look forward to benefiting from their valuable insights as we accelerate our leadership in the legal cannabis market and create even more value for consumers, partners, and shareholders," Miyashita said.

TerrAscend Names Ziad Ghanem President & COO

Cannabis operator TerrAscend Corp. TER TRSSF announced Wednesday that it has named Ziad Ghanem as president and COO.

Ghanem has nearly two decades of experience in large-scale healthcare services, cannabis, pharmacy and retail operations.

In his new position, he will manage and oversee all operations.

Most recently, Mr. Ghanem served as president of all markets at Parallel, a privately held, vertically integrated, cannabis MSO in the U.S. Prior to that, he spent 15 years sharpening his skills in senior leadership roles at Walgreens Boots Alliance.

"Ziad's cannabis industry expertise and experience, together with his significant healthcare and pharmacy background, is a rare find and makes him the ideal person for this role," Jason Wild, executive chairman of TerrAscend said.

Rapid Dose Therapeutics Taps Dr. Michael Glogaue To Serve On Advisory Board

Canadian biotechnology company Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp. DOSE announced Wednesday that it has welcomed Dr. Michael Glogauer to its board of directors.

Glogauer is the dentist in chief at the University Health Network and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a full professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto.

"The addition of Dr. Glogauer to the RDT Advisory Board provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with one of Canada's preeminent leaders in oral and dental care where he will be looked upon to guide ongoing innovation of our sublingual technology," Mark Upsdell, the company's CEO stated.

The Burlington, Ontario-based company also announced that it's granting incentive stock options to Glogauer to purchase, in total, 200,000 common shares at 51 cents per share.

Harborside's Board Member Resigns

California-focused, vertically-integrated cannabis company Harborside Inc. HBOR HBORF recently announced that Michael Dacks opted to resign from the company's board of directors.

Based in Oakland and Toronto, the company said that Dacks is leaving to pursue other opportunities as it prepares to reconstitute its board in 2022, following the closing of the acquisitions of LPF JV Corporation - Loudpack, UL Holdings Inc. and Urbn Leaf to create StateHouse Holdings.

"Since joining the Board in November 2020, Mike has played a crucial role in strengthening Harborside's competitive position," said Matthew Hawkins, chair of the board and interim CEO of Harborside. "This has culminated in agreements to acquire Loudpack and Urbn Leaf to create StateHouse Holdings upon closing of the Transactions, which we expect will be a leading California cannabis company. We wish Mike the best in his future endeavors as we work to complete these transformational acquisitions."

HEXO Announces Changes To Its Management Team

HEXO Corp HEXO HEXO announced Tuesday that it has tapped William Todd Montour to serve on its board of directors, following Jason Ewart's resignation.

Will Montour co-founded cannabis producer Redecan and played a critical role in transforming the company from a medical supplier to a recreational cannabis powerhouse.

Prior to that Montour spent thirteen years supporting his family's tobacco company.

"I am pleased to welcome Will to the Board, and I am confident that his experience in cannabis operations and commercialization will be invaluable to the Company as we enter our next stage of growth," John K. Bell, chair of the board of directors at HEXO said.

The Quebec-based company also announced the appointment of Curtis Solsvig as acting CFO.

Solsvig brings vast knowledge in improving operations, reducing costs, making efficient use of working capital and implementing balance sheet solutions.

Scott Cooper, CEO of HEXO, said that he looks forward to "leveraging Curt's many years of financial leadership, particularly his experience with complex restructuring situations."

Photo: Courtesy of David Gabrić on Unsplash