GMR Hosts First New York Focused Summit on September 13

Green Market Report is hosting its first New York-focused Summit. The program for this event is unique in that it follows the New York state supply chain and features speakers from each level of licensing, beginning with cultivators and ending with investors.

With so many twists and turns in the New York market, stakeholders won’t want to miss the discussion of the latest developments in the state from the people who are actively involved. Be in the room where it happens at the Green Market Report New York Summit. Registration will be available register onsite.

The conference will begin with a special interview featuring Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who has been heavily involved with state cannabis legislation. She will be interviewed by Crain’s New York Editor-in-Chief Cory Schouten.

Lupardo chairs the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, where she is a champion for the state’s agricultural industry, placing a particular emphasis on new commodity crops including cannabis.

Starting in 2014, Lupardo passed all of the bills needed for the state’s Industrial Hemp and Cannabinoid Hemp Programs. The latter established a licensing framework for CBD processors and retailers, and consumer protection standards for labeling, manufacturing, packaging, and laboratory testing. Lupardo co-sponsored the Compassionate Care Act which created New York’s Medical Cannabis program, co-sponsored the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), and most recently passed the Cannabis Crop Rescue Act.

Lupardo is a vocal critic of the way cannabis farmers have been regarded during the rocky roll-out of New York’s adult-use cannabis program.

Cultivators

This great conversation is followed by New York state cultivators Brittany Carbone, the co-founder of Tricolla Farms, Will Leibee, the founder and CEO of Back Home Farm, and Sherri Kuo from Mokotoke. Moderated by GMT breaking news reporter Adam Jackson, these growers will share their experiences – good and bad – in the developing New York market and provide insights on how to navigate the challenging environment.

Brands

Next up New York brands will take the stage to talk about getting that all-important shelf space and what they’ve learned so far from New York’s consumption community. What products are big hits and what do consumers really like?

Hear what this panel has to say about the early days of launching a brand in a state with limited stores. This panel is moderated by Higher High’s DiAnA McElroy and features hometown favorites Eric Blazak, CEO of Bristol Extracts, Her Highness co-founder Laura Eisman, and Mack Hueber, president of Ayrloom.

Stores

With a freeze on new cannabis operations in the state, these early entrants will have a lot to say about the journey from getting the store open to grinding it out as the honeymoon period fades. Moderated by cannabis consultant Kristin Jordan of Jordan Parks Advisors, this group features Arana Hankin-Biggers, president of Union Square Travel Agency, Gotham founder Joanne Wilson, and Jeremy Rivera, founder of Terp Bros.

Registered Organizations

They were on the front line of legal cannabis in the state – the registered organizations or R.O.’s. These companies spent millions establishing a medical cannabis program for patients in the state. Their passion for patients in a program that was slow to unfold is a testament to their commitment to cannabis as a medical treatment.

Moderated by Marino Public Relations Senior Vice President Jordan Isenstadt, this panel features Kellie Rivera, senior counsel at Columbia Care,  Frank Tice, senior director of legal and external affairs at RIV Capital/Etain Health, and Jeremy Unruh, senior vice president, public and regulatory affairs at PharmaCann.

Investors

Finally, it takes money to make money. Our own Executive Editor Debra Borchardt will follow the money as she speaks with John Darwin, managing partner at Luminous Capital, Joe Lustberg, CEO at Upwise Capital, and Tom Zuber, managing partner of Zuber Lawler.

Hear what investors think about financing New York businesses. They will tell the audience what it will take for investors to feel comfortable with extending capital in a state with a troubled rollout.