PHOENIX – 4Front Holdings, LLC (“4Front”), a leading investment and management firm in the medical cannabis industry, today announced that it has appointed Leah Heise as Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of MissionTM, 4Front’s branded chain of medical marijuana dispensaries.
As CXO, Ms. Heise will oversee the Mission brand and be responsible for ensuring all patients have positive experiences when they visit Mission dispensaries and interact with its employees, products, and services. Ms. Heise is the cannabis industry’s first-known professional with the CXO title.
The CXO role has recently gained prominence in the healthcare industry as hospitals and other healthcare providers have realized that providing clients and patients with a pleasant experience along with the necessary treatment not only helps the bottom line, but pushes them closer to being able to fulfill their core mission as healthcare organizations.
Ms. Heise formerly served as CEO of Women Grow, the largest professional networking group in the cannabis industry. Her interest in the cannabis industry began in 2015 when she founded Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute, which received pre-approval of a license to dispense medical cannabis in Maryland. Prior to that, she served as an enforcement attorney with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Ms. Heise brings to her new role not only experience as a professional in the industry, but also as a patient who uses medical cannabis to treat a chronic illness.
“The paradigm in the healthcare industry has to be changed with a more individualized approach to patient care,” Ms. Heise said. “Patients deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and specialized focus on their individual conditions. I am passionate about Mission’s vision to lead the cannabis industry in patient care, and proud to serve as the industry’s first CXO.”
Ms. Heise will be hosting a webinar on April 6, 2018, at 12 p.m. EST to discuss the emerging role of the Chief Experience Officer in the cannabis industry.
“Leah exhibits the characteristics we are looking for in a CXO: leadership, compassion and a shared vision for the Mission brand,” said Kris Krane, 4Front’s co-founder and president. “We are excited to have her be part of our team and have the utmost confidence in what she will bring to 4Front and Mission.”
4Front is currently working hand-in-hand with local partners to build out Mission dispensaries in Maryland, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. 4Front supported the opening of the first Mission dispensary last summer in Chicago.
