Key Cannabis Exec Changes You Need To Know About: Turning Point's New CEO, Ayr Wellness' New Pres & More

Turning Point Brand Names New CEO

Turning Point Brands, Inc. TPB has tapped a long-tenured company executive Graham Purdy as CEO and board director following Yavor Efremov's resignation, less than a year following his appointment.

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Purdy served as the company's chief operating officer since 2019. Since joining TPB in 2004, he held various leadership positions, including president of New Ventures Division and senior vice president of sales. Purdy oversaw two of the company's brand extensions during his tenure, rolling out Zig-Zag Cigar Wraps and Stoker's MST.

Additionally, David Glazek agreed to transition from non-executive to executive board chairman, effective January 2023, the Louisville, Kentucky-based company said on Monday.

"Graham is a highly experienced operator who has been integral to Turning Point's success," Glazek said. "His deep knowledge of the company's operations and industry make him ideally suited to lead TPB today. We are confident in his ability to oversee Turning Point's brand strategy and sharpen the company's operational focus."

Fire & Flower's CFO Resigns

Cannabis retailer Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. FAF FFLWF revealed last week that its CFO Judy Adam stepped down from her position at the company.

The Toronto-based cannabis retailer said that its board of directors has already commenced a search for a new chief of its financial department, with Adam being engaged in supporting this transition.

"Judy has made a significant contribution to Fire & Flower during her tenure at the organization and has been instrumental in the evolution of our business and establishing a strong finance function to support our growth," Stéphane Trudel, the company's CEO said. "On behalf of the Board of Directors and our entire team, I want to thank Judy for her leadership as our CFO and wish her well on her next venture."

Separately, the Toronto-based Adam Boat Rocker Media Inc. BRMI announced that Adam agreed to lead the company's financial department.

Ayr Wellness Names New President

Ayr Wellness Inc. AYR AYRWF announced last week that consumer packaged goods and retail industry veteran David Goubert agreed to serve as the company's president.

Goubert joins Ayr's leadership team from Neiman Marcus Group to oversee the company's operational and commercial functions, including production, supply chain, retail, wholesale and marketing.

Prior to joining Neiman Marcus, Goubert spent two decades at LVMH LVMUY, the world's leading luxury consumer-products company.

"As the Board and I engaged with David over the last several months, it became clear that he was a natural leader with a track record of driving positive organizational change and operational excellence," Jonathan Sandelman, the company's CEO said. "His experience at other vertically integrated, consumer-facing businesses makes him the ideal choice to help support our Company as we enter our next phase of growth and optimization of our footprint."

Schwazze Shakes Up Management Team

Medicine Man Technologies operating as Schwazze SHWZ SHWZ, recently reported leadership changes.

Nirup Krishnamurthy, COO, agreed to serve as the company's president. He joined Schwazze in 2020, bringing over 25 years of experience in innovation, technology, retail operations and M&A at Fortune 500 companies.

CFO Nancy Huber has announced that she will retire from Schwazze for personal reasons. She agreed to remain with the company as CFO for an indefinite period of time while an active search for her replacement is being conducted.

"Nirup has delivered results and been a strong leader for the Company," Justin Dye, the company's chairman, said. "On behalf of Schwazze's board of directors, we look forward to his expanded leadership role within the company supporting our continued development into the most admired cannabis companies in the industry."

Cansortium CFO Steps Down

Cansortium Inc. TIUM CNTMF, a cannabis company behind the Fluent brand announced that Patricia Fonseca agreed to resign as CFO.

The Miami-based company has retained a leading executive search firm to find its next CFO.

"It's been a privilege to have been a part of Cansortium's turnaround over the past couple of years," Fonseca said. "I am proud of the work we accomplished and believe the company is well-positioned to continue driving growth and profitability. I look forward to watching Cansortium's leadership and success in the years to come."

urban-gro Announces New Appointment

urban-gro, Inc. UGRO reported on Monday that it appointed Bruys Henderson as senior business and project development manager.

Henderson joins the Colorado-based company with a wealth of cannabis industry experience, architectural and construction knowledge and an eye for innovative design.

In his new role, he will focus on marketing and business development, programming and project planning to facilitate the execution of new buildings and renovations of CEA facilities.

"Our team is thrilled to welcome such a seasoned professional into the urban-gro community," Bradley Nattrass, the company's chairman and CEO said. "Bruys has proven his skill throughout his ten years in the cannabis industry, gleaning valuable insight on the challenges of the evolving landscape and helping clients find success with thoughtful design solutions."

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