WINTER 2018 | DECEMBER 1 | SANTA MONICA
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BEVNET & NOSH PRESENT:
CANNABIS FORUM FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE

You are viewing a past event. The inaugural Cannabis Forum took place on December 1st in Santa Monica, CA at the Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica. Stay tuned for upcoming conference dates at bevnet.com/events.

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WINTER 2018 SPEAKERS

  • Hesaam Moallem, President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Hesaam Moallem

    President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web

    Hesaam Moallem, President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Hesaam Moallem

    President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web

    Hesaam Moallem is a consumer-packaged goods industry executive and attorney with a diverse background that includes leadership and C-level positions in sales, marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, business development, international expansion/operations and legal/regulatory roles. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Moallem spent time as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. Immediately prior to joining Charlotte’s Web, Mr. Moallem served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a fast-growing dietary supplement, fitness and apparel company, where he was responsible for the company’s legal and regulatory functions as well as supply chain, quality, manufacturing and product development operations. Mr. Moallem has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte’s Web since January 2018 and a Director of Charlotte’s Web since August 2018. Mr. Moallem holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Chemistry and a Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law.

  • Errol Schweizer, Co-Founder & Partner, mood33 - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Errol Schweizer

    Co-Founder & Partner, mood33

    Errol Schweizer, Co-Founder & Partner, mood33 - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Errol Schweizer

    Co-Founder & Partner, mood33

    A partner in and co-founder of Mood 33 and Herbl Distribution, Errol Schweizer was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A longtime drug policy reformer, he co-founded a campaign to overturn the Rockefeller mandatory minimum sentencing laws in New York State. He also has over 25 years experience in retail, food service, supply chain and manufacturing, including leading the national grocery program at Whole Foods Market for close to a decade. There, he was responsible for the financial performance and product assortment for over 80 product categories, and achieved a 300 basis point margin improvement with over a dozen consecutive quarters of double digit comps. His Grocery team helped many innovative companies become household names, including Califia, Maple Hill, Suja, Justin’s, and Annie’s, and popularized food trends such as Non-GMO, Grass-fed, Biodynamic, Hemp and Fair Trade. Errol has been named one of the top 25 retail game changers in the food industry by Supermarket News. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Fairway Markets, Byrne Dairy, Nuttzo, Farmer Direct Organic Foods, Demeter USA and the Non GMO Project, as well as a partner and co-founder of Basics Market and Good Catch, and an advisor to Good Eggs, Heyday Coffee, and General Mills, among others.

  • Adam Miron, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Adam Miron

    Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO

    Adam Miron, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Adam Miron

    Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO

    Adam Miron is an entrepreneur who has launched several successful businesses at the intersection of media, brand development, and public engagement. Adam’s past ventures include iPolitics, Canada’s premier online political news site which was then sold to the Toronto Star. Adam has been dedicated to public service throughout his adult life and has contributed to political campaigns at all levels of government. Among notable roles, he is a past National Director for Federal Commissions of the Liberal Party of Canada. Adam turned his entrepreneurial talents to the medical cannabis industry and co-founded HEXO Corp. in 2013. Under his leadership as Chief Brand Officer, HEXO Corp. has emerged as one of Canada’s most innovative medical cannabis producers. Adam’s creativity continues to guide the development of the company’s industry-leading product line, including its award winning Decarb edible cannabis powder and Elixir sublingual peppermint oil cannabis spray, which won first and third place respectively in the Best New Cannabis Product category at the 2017 Canadian Cannabis Awards.

  • Jessica Lukas, VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc. - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Jessica Lukas

    VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc.

    Jessica Lukas, VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc. - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Jessica Lukas

    VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc.

    Prior to joining BDS Analytics, Jessica Lukas spent 10 years working with top global CPG and Beverage Alcohol companies at BASES (Nielsen Innovation) and on the shopper marketing team at Dr Pepper Snapple Group. After taking a short break to develop and launch an app with a business partner, Jessica returned to data analytics—but this time for cannabis. At BDS Analytics, she is the VP of Consumer Insights. BDS Analytics is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, and is the leader in data, market research, analytics, and consumer insights for the cannabis industry. She helps clients understand the evolution of the cannabis market and consumer in order to assess the opportunities and threats that drive strategic decisions. Given her many years spent working within beverages (alcohol and non), the interaction, overlap, substitutability, pairing of cannabis with beverages is a particular focus.

  • Will Kleidon, Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Will Kleidon

    Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics

    Will Kleidon, Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Will Kleidon

    Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics

    Will Kleidon founded Ojai Energetics in 2014. His goal was to provide the purest, healthiest, and most ethically produced cannabidiol (CBD) product on the market… giving people a viable supplement for living the most effective and healthiest life possible. Four years later, the small business is a leader in cutting-edge, science-driven organic nutraceutical and medical food products for achieving optimal physical and spiritual health. Will has collected one of the most interesting executive boards in the world, including famous athletes, doctors, and well-connected members of the entertainment industry. Prior to founding Ojai Energetics, Will coordinated a sustainability summit with 25 organizations and 500 attendees. He went on to study permaculture in Australia, where he apprenticed with one of the world's leading experts, Professor Robyn Francis, at Permaculture College Australia.

  • Ari Sherman, Co-founder, Evo Hemp - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Ari Sherman

    Co-founder, Evo Hemp

    Ari Sherman, Co-founder, Evo Hemp - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Ari Sherman

    Co-founder, Evo Hemp

    Ari Sherman and Jourdan Samel are Sales & Marketing executives in the natural products industry. Ari and Jourdan Co-Founded Hemp Health, and natural foods brand Evo Hemp, to facilitate the evolution of the United States family farm. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the country’s agricultural system. The Evo Hemp brand was created to bring innovative hemp based consumer products to the U.S. market. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 3,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari and Jourdan were recognized by Forbes magazine as a 30 under 30 member in the Food and Drink category. Their mission is focused on reviving rural communities out of poverty through industrial farming. Recently, they announced their partnership with Alex White Plume, a U.S. army veteran of the Lakota Tribe. This partnership will highlight how hemp can be used as a tool for economic growth and prosperity in rural areas.

  • Jourdan Samel, Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Jourdan Samel

    Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp

    Jourdan Samel, Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Jourdan Samel

    Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp

    Ari Sherman and Jourdan Samel are Sales & Marketing executives in the natural products industry. Ari and Jourdan Co-Founded Hemp Health, and natural foods brand Evo Hemp, to facilitate the evolution of the United States family farm. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the country’s agricultural system. The Evo Hemp brand was created to bring innovative hemp based consumer products to the U.S. market. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 3,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari and Jourdan were recognized by Forbes magazine as a 30 under 30 member in the Food and Drink category. Their mission is focused on reviving rural communities out of poverty through industrial farming. Recently, they announced their partnership with Alex White Plume, a U.S. army veteran of the Lakota Tribe. This partnership will highlight how hemp can be used as a tool for economic growth and prosperity in rural areas.

  • Evan Eneman, Founder, Sands Lane Capital - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Evan Eneman

    Founder, Sands Lane Capital

    Evan Eneman, Founder, Sands Lane Capital - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Evan Eneman

    Founder, Sands Lane Capital

    Evan Eneman, a serial entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, is the founder of several leading ventures steering the cannabis industry today. He is the co-founder and CEO of ELLO and National Cannabis Practice leader for MGO/ELLO, an alliance of professional services firms providing advisory, tax, assurance, staffing and outsourcing services to a few hundred clients in the cannabis industry. He is also the founder and CEO of Fiorello, a cannabis branding and marketing agency. After co-founding and running Casa Verde Capital for several years, Evan launched Sands Lane Capital, a venture capital firm focusing on opportunities in the cannabis and hemp industries.

  • J. Smoke Wallin, President, Vertical - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    J. Smoke Wallin

    President, Vertical

    J. Smoke Wallin, President, Vertical - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    J. Smoke Wallin

    President, Vertical

    Smoke Wallin is a highly accomplished CEO, Entrepreneur, thought leader and board member with more than 25 years of success across the consumer products, alcohol beverage, distribution and technology industries. His broad areas of expertise include start-ups, branding, marketing innovation, distribution, transformational leadership, sales and business growth. He has extensive experience in regulated industries at the local, state and federal level. After studying the legal medical cannabis industry and recognizing the eventual convergence between legal cannabis and the alcohol beverage industry, Smoke sought out the right company to back with the right team and best opportunity to become the market leader. He joined Vertical in January 2018 as a partner and President, overseeing Distribution, Sales and Marketing as well as the company’s Investor relations and capital formation. Throughout his entrepreneurial career, Smoke has founded and built multiple companies and brands including Taliera, a strategic brand company that advises, creates, incubates, introduces and grows brands and companies (Beach Whiskey; American Harvest Organic Vodka; Napa Smith Brewery, Sugar Skull Rum and dozens more), and eSkye Solutions, the leading provider of ecommerce solutions and national account pricing solutions to the industry handling millions of price files for Walmart, Walgreens and others for the largest suppliers in the Spirits and Wine. Early on, Smoke helped build National Wine & Spirits (now RNDC/Breakthru Beverage) into one of the largest distributors of beer, wine and spirits in the US with over $1 billion in beverage sales, 1500 employees and 350 trucks serving more than 36,000 retail accounts. Smoke’s clients and partners have included 100s of distribution, wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverage clients globally. He has raised $100s of millions in debt and equity, publicly and privately for his own and client companies. He has acquired, invested in and/or sold dozens of brands and companies and has coached numerous start-ups, CEOs and workout situations to create meaningful value for stakeholders. Smoke served as Chairman & President of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) and Chairman of the Global Beer Wine & Spirits Network for the Young President Organization and serves on the executive board for the YPO Hospitality Network with over 3,000 CEOs. He also served as Chairman of the Board for Junior Achievement of Indiana and the Experiential Learning & Entrepreneurship Foundation (ELEF). He also served as President of the Vanderbilt University Business School Alumni Board. In addition to being a seasoned Board Member of public and private companies, he has also won several awards, including the EY Entrepreneur Award in 2001, IBJ’s “Forty under 40”, and the Vanderbilt Business “Distinguished Alumni Award” in 1998. A frequent speaker, he has also spoken at Cornell, Dartmouth, USC, and Vanderbilt. Smoke holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BS in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University. Smoke is an Eagle Scout and the father of two Eagle Scout sons and two amazing daughters. He enjoys spending his free time with his four inspiring adult children and his singer songwriter wife Anitra.

  • Cassia Furman, Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Cassia Furman

    Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC

    Cassia Furman, Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Cassia Furman

    Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC

    Cassia Furman is Managing Attorney of national cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLC’s California Practice Group based in Los Angeles. In addition to supporting the firm’s policy and local government work in California and nationally, she provides clients with a wide range of transactional, regulatory and land use assistance related to the licensing and operation of their California commercial cannabis ventures under MAUCRSA. Prior to her work with Vicente Sederberg, Cassia worked for a noted public finance firm where she oversaw the organization and general operations of dozens of special districts in connection with complex public infrastructure projects, including the issuance of multi-million dollar debt issuances. Cassia also assisted in the representation of numerous Colorado municipalities, where her duties included the drafting and implementation of comprehensive medical marijuana ordinances.

  • Michael Lewis, CEO, Sprig - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Michael Lewis

    CEO, Sprig

  • Angelica Xavier, Founder, Good Bites Group - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Angelica Xavier

    Founder, Good Bites Group

    Angelica Xavier, Founder, Good Bites Group - Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage

    Angelica Xavier

    Founder, Good Bites Group

    Angelica Xavier, founder and creator of GOODBITES, has been called a “Raw Foodie Extraordinaire” and a leading innovator within the raw food movement. After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis nine years ago, Xavier turned to a predominantly raw food diet after western medicine was not able to adequately treat her ailment. Seeing a significant improvement in her health, she began to perfect raw food recipes and ultimately crafted the complete GOODBITES snack line in her own kitchen. Combining carefully-sourced, nutrient-dense ingredients, GOODBITES is now carried in major markets by Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca, and Thrive Market. During the ongoing success of GOODBITES, Xavier began researching plant-based healing and discovered the benefits of CBD. Not only did she see extraordinary results in her own health, GOODBITES became the first mainstream food company to pivot to CBD-infused products. In 2018, Xavier turned her talents toward new product offerings with both a CBD (hemp-derived) division and an Edibles (cannabis-derived) division. Prior to GOODBITES, Xavier provided consulting services for artists and entrepreneurs for over 15 years, helping their companies reach new levels of success. An entrepreneur herself, this experience naturally transitioned into coaching on health and personal issues. She has organized both group and individualized raw food detox programs which have been used to set many standards for the raw food industry.

STAY THE WEEKEND BETWEEN NOSH LIVE & BEVNET LIVE

Hundreds of food and beverage leaders will come together at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel for NOSH Live on November 29th and 30th, and BevNET Live on December 3rd and 4th. Together, the business conferences provide a one-two punch, focused individually on the business of packaged natural food and beverage. Because many will stay over the weekend, we have the opportunity to create something new, and what better topic than the fast growing cannabis industry.

ATTEND A FUTURE CONFERENCE

AGENDA

Please note: All times US Pacific Time

  • 12:30 PM
    -
    1:00 PM
    Cannabis Forum Registration & Networking
    Location: Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica @ 530 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
  • 1:00 PM
    -
    1:05 PM
    Intro and Welcome Remarks

     Watch Video

  • 1:05 PM
    -
    1:40 PM
    Panel: Building a Cooperative Industry
    • Adam Miron
      , Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO
      Adam Miron, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO -

      Adam Miron

      Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO

      Adam Miron is an entrepreneur who has launched several successful businesses at the intersection of media, brand development, and public engagement. Adam’s past ventures include iPolitics, Canada’s premier online political news site which was then sold to the Toronto Star. Adam has been dedicated to public service throughout his adult life and has contributed to political campaigns at all levels of government. Among notable roles, he is a past National Director for Federal Commissions of the Liberal Party of Canada. Adam turned his entrepreneurial talents to the medical cannabis industry and co-founded HEXO Corp. in 2013. Under his leadership as Chief Brand Officer, HEXO Corp. has emerged as one of Canada’s most innovative medical cannabis producers. Adam’s creativity continues to guide the development of the company’s industry-leading product line, including its award winning Decarb edible cannabis powder and Elixir sublingual peppermint oil cannabis spray, which won first and third place respectively in the Best New Cannabis Product category at the 2017 Canadian Cannabis Awards.

    • Hesaam Moallem
      , President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web
      Hesaam Moallem, President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web -

      Hesaam Moallem

      President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web

      Hesaam Moallem is a consumer-packaged goods industry executive and attorney with a diverse background that includes leadership and C-level positions in sales, marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, business development, international expansion/operations and legal/regulatory roles. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Moallem spent time as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. Immediately prior to joining Charlotte’s Web, Mr. Moallem served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a fast-growing dietary supplement, fitness and apparel company, where he was responsible for the company’s legal and regulatory functions as well as supply chain, quality, manufacturing and product development operations. Mr. Moallem has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte’s Web since January 2018 and a Director of Charlotte’s Web since August 2018. Mr. Moallem holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Chemistry and a Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law.

    • Errol Schweizer
      , Co-Founder & Partner, mood33
      Errol Schweizer, Co-Founder & Partner, mood33 -

      Errol Schweizer

      Co-Founder & Partner, mood33

      A partner in and co-founder of Mood 33 and Herbl Distribution, Errol Schweizer was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A longtime drug policy reformer, he co-founded a campaign to overturn the Rockefeller mandatory minimum sentencing laws in New York State. He also has over 25 years experience in retail, food service, supply chain and manufacturing, including leading the national grocery program at Whole Foods Market for close to a decade. There, he was responsible for the financial performance and product assortment for over 80 product categories, and achieved a 300 basis point margin improvement with over a dozen consecutive quarters of double digit comps. His Grocery team helped many innovative companies become household names, including Califia, Maple Hill, Suja, Justin’s, and Annie’s, and popularized food trends such as Non-GMO, Grass-fed, Biodynamic, Hemp and Fair Trade. Errol has been named one of the top 25 retail game changers in the food industry by Supermarket News. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Fairway Markets, Byrne Dairy, Nuttzo, Farmer Direct Organic Foods, Demeter USA and the Non GMO Project, as well as a partner and co-founder of Basics Market and Good Catch, and an advisor to Good Eggs, Heyday Coffee, and General Mills, among others.

    • Evan Eneman
      , Founder, Sands Lane Capital
      Evan Eneman, Founder, Sands Lane Capital -

      Evan Eneman

      Founder, Sands Lane Capital

      Evan Eneman, a serial entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, is the founder of several leading ventures steering the cannabis industry today. He is the co-founder and CEO of ELLO and National Cannabis Practice leader for MGO/ELLO, an alliance of professional services firms providing advisory, tax, assurance, staffing and outsourcing services to a few hundred clients in the cannabis industry. He is also the founder and CEO of Fiorello, a cannabis branding and marketing agency. After co-founding and running Casa Verde Capital for several years, Evan launched Sands Lane Capital, a venture capital firm focusing on opportunities in the cannabis and hemp industries.

    • Adam Miron, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, HEXO
    • Hesaam Moallem, President, CEO, Director, Charlotte’s Web
    • Errol Schweizer, Co-Founder & Partner, mood33
    • Evan Eneman, Founder, Sands Lane Capital

     Watch Video

  • 1:40 PM
    -
    2:05 PM
    The Industry Numbers
    • Jessica Lukas
      , VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc.
      Jessica Lukas, VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc. -

      Jessica Lukas

      VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc.

      Prior to joining BDS Analytics, Jessica Lukas spent 10 years working with top global CPG and Beverage Alcohol companies at BASES (Nielsen Innovation) and on the shopper marketing team at Dr Pepper Snapple Group. After taking a short break to develop and launch an app with a business partner, Jessica returned to data analytics—but this time for cannabis. At BDS Analytics, she is the VP of Consumer Insights. BDS Analytics is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, and is the leader in data, market research, analytics, and consumer insights for the cannabis industry. She helps clients understand the evolution of the cannabis market and consumer in order to assess the opportunities and threats that drive strategic decisions. Given her many years spent working within beverages (alcohol and non), the interaction, overlap, substitutability, pairing of cannabis with beverages is a particular focus.

    • Jessica Lukas, VP, Consumer Insights, BDS Analytics, Inc.

     Watch Video

  • 2:05 PM
    -
    2:30 PM
    Case Study: Evo Hemp
    • Ari Sherman
      , Co-founder, Evo Hemp
      Ari Sherman, Co-founder, Evo Hemp -

      Ari Sherman

      Co-founder, Evo Hemp

      Ari Sherman and Jourdan Samel are Sales & Marketing executives in the natural products industry. Ari and Jourdan Co-Founded Hemp Health, and natural foods brand Evo Hemp, to facilitate the evolution of the United States family farm. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the country’s agricultural system. The Evo Hemp brand was created to bring innovative hemp based consumer products to the U.S. market. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 3,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari and Jourdan were recognized by Forbes magazine as a 30 under 30 member in the Food and Drink category. Their mission is focused on reviving rural communities out of poverty through industrial farming. Recently, they announced their partnership with Alex White Plume, a U.S. army veteran of the Lakota Tribe. This partnership will highlight how hemp can be used as a tool for economic growth and prosperity in rural areas.

    • Jourdan Samel
      , Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp
      Jourdan Samel, Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp -

      Jourdan Samel

      Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp

      Ari Sherman and Jourdan Samel are Sales & Marketing executives in the natural products industry. Ari and Jourdan Co-Founded Hemp Health, and natural foods brand Evo Hemp, to facilitate the evolution of the United States family farm. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the country’s agricultural system. The Evo Hemp brand was created to bring innovative hemp based consumer products to the U.S. market. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 3,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari and Jourdan were recognized by Forbes magazine as a 30 under 30 member in the Food and Drink category. Their mission is focused on reviving rural communities out of poverty through industrial farming. Recently, they announced their partnership with Alex White Plume, a U.S. army veteran of the Lakota Tribe. This partnership will highlight how hemp can be used as a tool for economic growth and prosperity in rural areas.

    • Ari Sherman, Co-founder, Evo Hemp
    • Jourdan Samel, Co-Founder & CEO, Evo Hemp

     Watch Video

  • 2:30 PM
    -
    3:00 PM
    Regulatory Overview
    • Cassia Furman
      , Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC
      Cassia Furman, Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC -

      Cassia Furman

      Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC

      Cassia Furman is Managing Attorney of national cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLC’s California Practice Group based in Los Angeles. In addition to supporting the firm’s policy and local government work in California and nationally, she provides clients with a wide range of transactional, regulatory and land use assistance related to the licensing and operation of their California commercial cannabis ventures under MAUCRSA. Prior to her work with Vicente Sederberg, Cassia worked for a noted public finance firm where she oversaw the organization and general operations of dozens of special districts in connection with complex public infrastructure projects, including the issuance of multi-million dollar debt issuances. Cassia also assisted in the representation of numerous Colorado municipalities, where her duties included the drafting and implementation of comprehensive medical marijuana ordinances.

    • Cassia Furman, Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC

     Watch Video

  • 3:00 PM
    -
    3:30 PM
    Networking Break
  • 3:30 PM
    -
    3:55 PM
    Case Study
    • J. Smoke Wallin
      , President, Vertical
      J. Smoke Wallin, President, Vertical -

      J. Smoke Wallin

      President, Vertical

      Smoke Wallin is a highly accomplished CEO, Entrepreneur, thought leader and board member with more than 25 years of success across the consumer products, alcohol beverage, distribution and technology industries. His broad areas of expertise include start-ups, branding, marketing innovation, distribution, transformational leadership, sales and business growth. He has extensive experience in regulated industries at the local, state and federal level. After studying the legal medical cannabis industry and recognizing the eventual convergence between legal cannabis and the alcohol beverage industry, Smoke sought out the right company to back with the right team and best opportunity to become the market leader. He joined Vertical in January 2018 as a partner and President, overseeing Distribution, Sales and Marketing as well as the company’s Investor relations and capital formation. Throughout his entrepreneurial career, Smoke has founded and built multiple companies and brands including Taliera, a strategic brand company that advises, creates, incubates, introduces and grows brands and companies (Beach Whiskey; American Harvest Organic Vodka; Napa Smith Brewery, Sugar Skull Rum and dozens more), and eSkye Solutions, the leading provider of ecommerce solutions and national account pricing solutions to the industry handling millions of price files for Walmart, Walgreens and others for the largest suppliers in the Spirits and Wine. Early on, Smoke helped build National Wine & Spirits (now RNDC/Breakthru Beverage) into one of the largest distributors of beer, wine and spirits in the US with over $1 billion in beverage sales, 1500 employees and 350 trucks serving more than 36,000 retail accounts. Smoke’s clients and partners have included 100s of distribution, wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverage clients globally. He has raised $100s of millions in debt and equity, publicly and privately for his own and client companies. He has acquired, invested in and/or sold dozens of brands and companies and has coached numerous start-ups, CEOs and workout situations to create meaningful value for stakeholders. Smoke served as Chairman & President of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) and Chairman of the Global Beer Wine & Spirits Network for the Young President Organization and serves on the executive board for the YPO Hospitality Network with over 3,000 CEOs. He also served as Chairman of the Board for Junior Achievement of Indiana and the Experiential Learning & Entrepreneurship Foundation (ELEF). He also served as President of the Vanderbilt University Business School Alumni Board. In addition to being a seasoned Board Member of public and private companies, he has also won several awards, including the EY Entrepreneur Award in 2001, IBJ’s “Forty under 40”, and the Vanderbilt Business “Distinguished Alumni Award” in 1998. A frequent speaker, he has also spoken at Cornell, Dartmouth, USC, and Vanderbilt. Smoke holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BS in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University. Smoke is an Eagle Scout and the father of two Eagle Scout sons and two amazing daughters. He enjoys spending his free time with his four inspiring adult children and his singer songwriter wife Anitra.

    • J. Smoke Wallin, President, Vertical

     Watch Video

  • 3:55 PM
    -
    4:15 PM
    Case Study: Sprig
    • Michael Lewis
      , CEO, Sprig
    • Michael Lewis, CEO, Sprig

     Watch Video

  • 4:15 PM
    -
    4:40 PM
    Best Scientific Practices
    • Will Kleidon
      , Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics
      Will Kleidon, Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics -

      Will Kleidon

      Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics

      Will Kleidon founded Ojai Energetics in 2014. His goal was to provide the purest, healthiest, and most ethically produced cannabidiol (CBD) product on the market… giving people a viable supplement for living the most effective and healthiest life possible. Four years later, the small business is a leader in cutting-edge, science-driven organic nutraceutical and medical food products for achieving optimal physical and spiritual health. Will has collected one of the most interesting executive boards in the world, including famous athletes, doctors, and well-connected members of the entertainment industry. Prior to founding Ojai Energetics, Will coordinated a sustainability summit with 25 organizations and 500 attendees. He went on to study permaculture in Australia, where he apprenticed with one of the world's leading experts, Professor Robyn Francis, at Permaculture College Australia.

    • Will Kleidon, Founder & CEO, Ojai Energetics

     Watch Video

  • 4:40 PM
    -
    5:00 PM
    Case Study: Good Bites Group
    • Angelica Xavier
      , Founder, Good Bites Group
      Angelica Xavier, Founder, Good Bites Group -

      Angelica Xavier

      Founder, Good Bites Group

      Angelica Xavier, founder and creator of GOODBITES, has been called a “Raw Foodie Extraordinaire” and a leading innovator within the raw food movement. After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis nine years ago, Xavier turned to a predominantly raw food diet after western medicine was not able to adequately treat her ailment. Seeing a significant improvement in her health, she began to perfect raw food recipes and ultimately crafted the complete GOODBITES snack line in her own kitchen. Combining carefully-sourced, nutrient-dense ingredients, GOODBITES is now carried in major markets by Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca, and Thrive Market. During the ongoing success of GOODBITES, Xavier began researching plant-based healing and discovered the benefits of CBD. Not only did she see extraordinary results in her own health, GOODBITES became the first mainstream food company to pivot to CBD-infused products. In 2018, Xavier turned her talents toward new product offerings with both a CBD (hemp-derived) division and an Edibles (cannabis-derived) division. Prior to GOODBITES, Xavier provided consulting services for artists and entrepreneurs for over 15 years, helping their companies reach new levels of success. An entrepreneur herself, this experience naturally transitioned into coaching on health and personal issues. She has organized both group and individualized raw food detox programs which have been used to set many standards for the raw food industry.

    • Angelica Xavier, Founder, Good Bites Group

     Watch Video

  • 5:00 PM
    -
    6:00 PM
    Networking Reception

    Network and enjoy complimentary beer, wine and pizza on the first floor of Le Meridien Delfina at the Pool Deck.

VENUE

Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica

530 Pico Blvd

Santa Monica, CA 90405

TICKET INFORMATION

Attendee of BevNET Live & NOSH Live: Free

Attendee of BevNET Live or NOSH Live: $499

Cannabis Forum Only: $999