MJBizMag April 2022 - 52

INDUSTRY PLAYERS New Hires & Promotions by Omar Sacirbey
Wana Brands Recruits Former Monster Executive
Colorado-based multistate cannabis edibles maker Wana Brands
appointed food and beverage specialist Kelly Flores as its new chief
operating officer. Flores was most recently chief operating officer at
Dosist, a Los Angeles-based vape pen and edibles company that she joined
in 2018 as vice president of supply chain.
Before breaking into cannabis with Dosist, Flores spent six years with
Monster Energy, eventually rising to vice president of strategic planning.
She also spent 11 years with Nestlé Waters, the bottled-water division of
Switzerland-based Nestlé.
" Kelly's cannabis industry expertise-combined with her consumer
packaged goods background-is exactly what is needed at this stage of Wana's growth and development, "
Wana CEO Nancy Whiteman said. " As we continue to innovate new products and expand our presence in
other markets, Kelly's ability to manage the logistical challenges of a multistate and international brand
presence will be invaluable. "
Flores will manage Wana's business functions across all markets, identifying and implementing day-to-day
operational improvements and working with other senior leaders to set and meet company objectives.
Turnaround Specialist
Joins Harborside
Harborside, the vertically
integrated California cannabis
brand founded by Steve and
Andrew DeAngelo, appointed
longtime retail executive Ed
Schmults as its CEO and director.
Schmults' appointment was
concurrent with Harborside's
acquisition of UL Holdings, which
does business as Urbn Leaf,
a leading Southern California
cannabis retailer where Schmults
had been CEO.
Schmults is a turnaround specialist
who broke into cannabis in 2018 as
the CEO of Calyx Peak Cos., an MSO
based in Massachusetts. He stepped
down as Calyx's CEO in February
2021 but stayed on as a board
member and became CEO of Urbn
Leaf that month.
Schmults began his professional
career as a financial analyst with
Goldman Sachs in the 1980s before
leaving for outdoor apparel and
gear giant Patagonia, where his roles
included chief information officer
and chief operations officer and
52 April 2022 | MJBizMagazine
Ed Schmults
where he helped the company climb
out of bankruptcy in the early 1990s.
After executive stints at
Moonstone Mountain Equipment,
Freeborders and Red Envelope,
Schmults was hired as CEO by the
board of directors of FAO Schwartz
to help the iconic toy store climb
out of bankruptcy. After four
years at FAO, Schmults was hired
by a private equity company to
lead Wild Things, a military and
consumer brand in Rhode Island.
Harborside also announced that
Will Senn, who founded Urbn
Leaf in 2017, was appointed chief
corporate development officer.
Senn's other cannabis endeavors
include founder of The Holistic
Café, a San Diego dispensary that
he ran from 2009 to 2012, founder
of the Patient Care Association
of California from 2011 to 2013
and co-founder/vice president of
cannabis-focused Floris Funds and
Floris Capital Management.
Senn also founded the United
Medicinal Marijuana Coalition
in 2016 and is a founding board
member of the U.S. Cannabis
Council and Global Alliance for
Cannabis Commerce.
Finance Pro Joins
Acreage Board
Vertically integrated MSO Acreage
Holdings in New York appointed
Steve Strom to its board of
directors. Strom is the ninth
member of Acreage's board and
will serve as chair of the audit
committee.
Strom is currently CEO and
founder of Odinbrook Global
Advisors, an independent advisory
firm focused on restructuring
distressed companies.

MJBizMag April 2022

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