ANN ARBOR, Mich. — C3 Industries, a leading multistate cannabis company, expanded its retail leadership team with four strategic executive appointments. The addition of these retail veterans signals C3’s intensified focus on retail operations and positions its High Profile brand for accelerated growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
The newly appointed retail leadership team includes:
Chris Melillo, Chief Retail Officer – Former senior executive with extensive experience scaling national MSO & retail operations in both Cannabis and traditional retail sectors
Rob Jones, Vice President of Buying & Planning – Recognized buying and planning industry leader supporting innovative pricing, analytics and inventory management
Dinesh Penugonda, Vice President of Retail Operations – Experienced operations leader specializing in data-driven retail solutions for omnichannel customer engagement
Louis Cohen, Regional Vice President of Retail – Veteran cannabis retail operations leader known to transform retail performance
“In the past, we’ve been focused on growth with a lean team; by bringing in this team we’re signaling our intention of providing a best-in-class cannabis retail experience,” said Vishal Rungta, president and cofounder of C3 Industries. “With the addition of these accomplished retail leaders, we’re doubling down on our retail strategy and building infrastructure that will allow High Profile to be leaders in the industry as we expand. We now have a team who can support the business in terms of growing our current portfolio as well as making strategic decisions and identifying market opportunities that align with our vision of becoming a best-in-class scaled operator.”
The expanded leadership team will oversee C3’s growing retail network, which currently includes locations across Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut and soon to be Kentucky with multiple additional High Profile scheduled to open throughout 2025.
“This strategic investment in retail leadership reflects our commitment to elevating the High Profile experience while preparing for our next phase of growth,” said Melillo. “We’re moving forward with a store concept that leverages data-driven insights to enhance customer experiences across all markets. This approach not only strengthens our current operations but positions C3 as an attractive platform for M&A opportunities.”
The new retail leadership team will be instrumental in executing C3’s retail strategy, which emphasizes product assortment, customer service, and retail technologies that enhance the customer experience while driving operational efficiencies.
About C3 Industries
C3 Industries is a multistate vertically integrated cannabis company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with multiple product brands including the award-winning Cloud Cover Cannabis and Galactic Cannabis, and a retail network, High Profile Cannabis Shop. The company, through its subsidiaries, retails cannabis products at its High Profile locations in Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Additional High Profile retail locations are scheduled to open throughout 2025, with another 4 Kentucky locations then slated to open in early 2026. C3 currently operates 275,000 sq. ft. of total cultivation and processing facilities, with approximately 125,000 sq. ft in Michigan, 40,000 sq. ft. in Massachusetts and 110,000 sq. ft. in Missouri.
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