MJBizMag February 2022 - 53

INDUSTRY PLAYERS
a biotech company, and served as
an operating executive and adviser
to technology platform CheckedUp.
He also served as the COO of
medical device company Lexington
International and has been
instrumental in several launches
and exits of consumer-focused
companies.
Before joining
Highline in
late 2021, new
Chief Marketing
Officer Laura
Kendrick was
senior director
of marketing for
comprehensive
supplement
brand SmartyPants, a part of Unilever.
She also was an agent at ICM
Partners, one of the world's largest
talent and literary agencies, where
she was responsible for identifying
and monetizing client accounts.
Laura
Kendrick
Celebrity Chef Joins
Infused-Food Company
Los Angeles-based LastLeaf, a cannabis-infused
gourmet food line for
at-home chefs, tapped celebrity chef
Aaron May for its growing culinary
team. Launched in October with
celebrity chef and four-time James
Beard Award winner Todd English,
LastLeaf partners with influential
chefs to offer an array of products
representing diverse cuisines.
Aurora Expands Board
Aurora Cannabis in Edmonton,
Alberta, appointed
Chitwant Kohli to its board
of directors. The newly added
position expands Aurora's board to
nine members,
seven of whom are independent.
After 29 years of service at
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Kohli
retired as senior vice president
of enterprise operations and
payments. In his last role at RBC,
Kohli led a global team of 1,800
members and was responsible for
operating and expanding services
such as payments and trade,
cash processing, human resources
and finance. Kohli also held key
executive roles including senior vice
president of retail finance.
Oregon Fills Two Cannabis
Regulatory Vacancies
The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis
Commission added two new
members to fill longstanding
vacancies. The new commissioners
were nominated by Gov. Kate
Brown and approved by the Oregon
state Senate in November.
Commissioner Fay GyapongPorter
is a Wilsonville dentist who
has been in practice in the Portland
area for more than 30 years.
She has served on dentistry and
community boards and currently
serves on Wilsonville's diversity,
equity and inclusion committee
and on the Oregon Black Pioneers,
a historical society dedicated to the
history of Black Oregonians.
Commissioner Dennis Doherty,
now retired from professional life,
had a 25-year career in commercial
insurance as a principal with JBL&K
Risk Services. Doherty serves on the
board of The DPI Group, a national
nonprofit focused on employing
people with disabilities. The Air
Force veteran also is a former chair
and current member of De Paul
Treatment Centers for treatment of
drug and alcohol addiction.
Former Aphria President
Gets New Gig
Toronto-based Humble & Fume,
a distributor of cannabis and
cannabis accessories, appointed
Jakob Ripshtein as board chair.
Ripshtein succeeds outgoing
Executive Chair Shawn Dym,
principal at York Plains Investments,
who remains on the board.
Ripshtein is the CEO of
Perennial Brands, a brand-strategy
organization with clients such as
The Supreme Cannabis Co. and
Cannovate. Before Perennial,
Ripshtein was president of Aphria,
now Tilray.
Before entering cannabis,
Ripshtein was with beverage
company Diageo North America,
where he served as president of
Diageo Canada.
Charlie
Batch
Ex-NFL Quarterback
Joins Marijuana-minded
Investment Group
CapStone Holdings, a business incubator
and investment group, welcomed
15-year NFL veteran Charlie
Batch as its senior vice president
of strategic investments. Batch will
help CapStone grow its investment
portfolio and partnerships in the
medical marijuana and technologyfocused
industries.
A former Detroit Lions and
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback,
Batch is an investor, entrepreneur,
community leader and
philanthropist in the Pittsburgh
area. He is a vocal advocate among
former professional athletes for CBD
and medicinal-use cannabis.
Hired or promoted someone for a
senior-level position? Send a news
release or general information to
Omar Sacirbey at omar.sacirbey@
mjbizdaily.com.
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MJBizMag February 2022

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