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MoCannBizCon + Expo will feature female-led industry and entrepreneurship panel

Press release 

Three top female leaders in the medical marijuana industry will headline the “Women in Cannabusiness” event at the March conference

ST. LOUIS – On Thursday, the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade) announced a special event, “Women In Cannabusiness: Industry Leaders Who Broke The Glass Ceiling”, will kickoff the second day of the MoCannBizCon + Expo, the largest medical marijuana trade industry event to ever take place in Missouri. “Women In Cannabusiness” will feature three prominent industry leaders: Mitch Meyers, CEO of BeLeaf, Dina Rollman, President of the Illinois Women In Cannabis non-profit and Chief Counsel for Green Thumb Industries, and Sally Vander Veer, CEO of Medicine Man.

“We are thrilled three of the most distinguished leaders in the field will be joining us to talk specifically about how Missouri can develop an inclusive community and strong representation of women in this growing industry. I look forward to hearing their personal stories and what they’ve learned from their industry experience throughout the country,” said Andrew Mullins, Executive Director of MoCannTrade.

“I am honored and excited to participate in this capacity at the MoCannBizCon + Expo. Medical marijuana is going to greatly benefit patients and veterans throughout the state, but it also offers unparalleled opportunities for entrepreneurial and creative-minded individuals to flourish and succeed in a new industry. I know women will be a huge part of that and am looking forward to sharing my story,” said Mitch Meyers, CEO of BeLeaf, one of only two firms in Missouri that was approved for a license to grow and sell a limited form of medical marijuana before Amendment 2 passed in November.

MoCannBizCon + Expo will take place on March 11 and 12 at Union Station in St. Louis. It is the the largest medical marijuana industry-related event in Missouri to date and will feature keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops. The conference will also feature a service provider expo hall where industry vendors will showcase banking, legal, security, greenhouse, lighting, license application, IT systems, operations, insurance, marketing and other services to help prepare attendees to participate in Missouri expected $500M+ market.

Vendor booths, conference sponsorships and attendee tickets are all available now and going fast. For ticketing information visit: www.mocannbizcon.com.

For more information about the speakers at the “Women In Cannabusiness” event on March 12, please see below bios.

Mitch Meyers, CEO BeLeaf, CMO C3, Owner Nature’s Care

Backed by an impressive resume of achievements in the marketing field, Mitch Meyers brings a fresh perspective to the cannabis and hemp industry. After spending several years in the accounting and audit field, Mitch realized that marketing and product development was her true calling. She was hired to introduce Bud Light for Anheuser-Busch, which is now the largest selling beer in the world. AB subsequently put her in charge of leading their new products group for 6 years. She was named AdWeek’s Advertising Woman of the Year in 1996.

After leaving there, she formed a marketing and brand development agency, The Zipatoni Company, that worked with many Fortune 100 companies delivering strategic insights and business development programs. She and her partners built the agency to 350 employees, offices in 5 states and $42 MM in revenue annually. They were acquired by IPG, the Interpublic Group in 2003.

Since that time she has entered the cannabis industry receiving a dispensary license in the highly competitive Illinois medical market in 2014.

The following year, she received a cultivation, production and dispensing license in Missouri for CBD to treat Epilepsy. She continues to consult with companies around the country on cannabis business.

Mitch’s seasoned marketing expertise, coupled with her passion for the plant, products and the ultimate patients, makes her one of the leading faces of the cannabis industry.

Dina Rollman, Chief Compliance Counsel, Green Thumb Industries

DINA ROLLMAN is GTI’s Chief Compliance Counsel. In this role, she monitors and ensures full compliance with state and federal laws pertaining to GTI’s multi-state cultivation and dispensary operations. She also provides counsel on regulatory issues and a wide spectrum of legal matters, and oversees GTI’s competitive license application submissions.
Dina is an experienced attorney who, prior to joining GTI and specializing in cannabis law, was a commercial litigation partner, representing plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes throughout the country.

Dina is the founder and President of Illinois Women in Cannabis, a not for profit group that promotes women’s role in Illinois’ medical cannabis industry. She recently taught Illinois’ first Cannabis Law & Policy course as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Dina has lectured widely on cannabis topics, addressing national trade conferences, national legal conferences and presenting at legal seminars. The Chicago Sun-Times named Dina to its list of the top 10 most influential people in the Illinois cannabis industry.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law.

Sally Vander Veer
Co-Owner and CEO, Medicine Man

Considered a cannabis industry pioneer, Vander Veer is at the helm of Colorado’s most recognized and successful brand, Medicine Man. The operation includes a 40,000 square foot cultivation and five dispensaries. Under her leadership, Medicine Man has expanded their retail footprint by adopting mainstream retail strategies to expand both customer experience, customer base, and profit. Her successful navigation of the rapidly changing compliance landscape has been one of the keys to the company’s longevity.

Cited in 2016 and 2017 by Cannabis Business Executive Magazine as one of the most important woman in marijuana, Sally is active in shaping cannabis policy at both the local and national level. Passionate about science, data and changing the perceptions regarding the power and safety of cannabis as a medicine, she believes that educating the public is key to achieving Federal legalization.

Sally holds degrees in Chemistry and Business from the University of Colorado and spent over 20 years in various executive positions in the pharmaceutical industry and medical education space. She began as a research and development chemist and later moved to sales for Parke-Davis and eventually as a medical liaison for Pfizer, prior to entering the marijuana industry.

Sally serves as the Chairperson for the Aurora Business Advisory Board, is a commissioner on the Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission and contributes as a speaker and participant in several other marijuana advisory boards and committees. She recently joined the Board of Directors for Anami Blockchain. She also acts as executive director of the Medicine Man Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization started by her family with the mission to elevate the lives of families and individuals through projects which target hunger and family safety.

She has been featured in articles in Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, The Economist, Inc. Magazine and the London Times. She and her family were also featured on the MSNBC Series “Pot Barons.”

In 2018, Medicine Man was voted one of the Top 50 Companies to Work for in Cannabis by MG Retailer Magazine.