Surterra Wellness has expanded its executive leadership team to include Chief Human Resources Officer Stevens J. Sainte-Rose. Sainte-Rose brings more than two decades of experience in international human resources at global consumer goods companies including Walgreens, Coca-Cola International, and Dawn Foods.
“Stevens’ U.S. and overseas HR senior leadership experience at large, consumer-focused companies with field teams in multiple states and countries will be mission critical as we expand rapidly. He’s particularly suited to lead Surterra’s global HR function as we enter more states, scale our operations, hire new employees at all levels, and gain a foothold outside the U.S.,” said Surterra Chief Executive Officer and Chairman William “Beau” Wrigley, Jr. “As a member of Surterra’s leadership team, Stevens brings expertise in leadership development, culture-building, change management, and scaling field talent that aligns very well with our values, and will take us to the next level.”
Analytics firm New Frontier Data has appointed Dr. Reggie Gaudino to the position of chief science advisor. Gaudino previously was employed at Steep Hill, Inc. where he played a role in developing the first commercially offered cannabis DNA-based sex test, and subsequently the first commercially offered cannabis DNA-based CBD test, GenKit.
“Dr. Gaudino is one of the most prominent science-based thought leaders in the cannabis industry,” said New Frontier Data founder and Chief Executive Officer Giadha Aguirre de Carcer. “He is an internationally recognized scientific voice in cannabis, and his expertise will raise the already-high bar of New Frontier Data’s rigorous research and analytics offerings.”
Wanderport Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of hemp-based food, beverages, and consumer products, has transitioned Miki Takeuchi to the position of interim chief executive officer. Takeuchi previously served as chief operating officer.
“Wanderport is on a growth path and I am very excited to be part of the team as the new Interim CEO,” said Takeuchi. “We have a pipeline full of exciting products to support an active and healthy lifestyle and cannot wait to introduce them throughout the remainder of this year.”
CBD product company CV Sciences, Inc. has appointed Terri Funk Graham, a former senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Jack in the Box, to its board of directors. She currently serves as an independent board director and chairperson of the nominating and corporate governance committee for two other companies: Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. and Lumber Liquidators Inc.
“Terri brings extensive Fortune 1000 experience serving on boards of directors and in senior leadership roles—we are thrilled to welcome her to our board of directors,” said Joseph Dowling, chief executive officer at CV Sciences. “Terri’s remarkable leadership has driven stellar results and she will be invaluable to CV Sciences as we continue to expand the business and execute on our global growth strategy.”
Vibe Bioscience Ltd. has added Aaron Johnson to its board of directors following the resignation of Jane Gauthier and Raj Kapoor. Johnson is a partner and member of JRG Attorneys at Law, LLP in Salinas, California, and previously served as president at Ag Land Trust, Monterey County Cattlemen and was a founding member and president at Coastal Growers Association, a cannabis business policy and trade association.
“I look forward to Aaron joining our board of directors, and all the experience that he brings with him. Aaron is in touch with all verticals in California cannabis business and we welcome his input as we grow market share and vet opportunities in California,” said Vibe Chief Executive Officer Mark Waldron. “We thank Jane and Raj for their contributions to Vibe to date. We look forward to working with them as they transition to a consultancy role with Vibe to leverage their M&A skillset and allow them to assist Vibe with its continued growth strategy in California.”
4Front Ventures has added four new members to its finance team. Brad Kotansky will assume the role of chief financial officer, Clay Crolius will transition from controller to principal accounting officer and controller, David Croom will serve as chief financial officer of Brightleaf, and as executive vice president of finance, Nicolle Dorsey will oversee the day-to-day finance team.
“Since we brought Brad in to support two early-stage special projects several months ago, I’ve received remarkably positive feedback from team members about his infectious energy, natural leadership, and overall capabilities,” said 4Front Chief Executive Officer Josh Rosen. “Appointing him as CFO and mapping Brad’s skills to where he can have the most impact for our organization was an easy choice to support our growth. I’m also excited to add Nicolle to our team. Nicolle combines strong technical and leadership capabilities with the creative problem-solving skill set we prioritize to navigate our industry’s complexity. I view these appointments as a demonstration of our commitment to be a magnet for talent.”
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