A lawyer by trade, an entrepreneur by nature, Max is a Toronto based high-functioning cannabis professional. Max has taken his entrepreneurial passion and love for the plant and transformed it into a successful business dedicated to helping others. Building upon his experience as a medical cannabis patient and his love for the carefully curated cannabis experience, Max is dedicated to cultivating the highest quality, unique cannabis products for both medical and recreational purposes. When he’s not busy working with the cultivation, customer care and marketing teams to make the Emblem Experience a truly exceptional one, Max can be found spending some quality time with his wife and two boys.
Neil Price is a post-secondary education administrator, freelance writer and community advocate. Neil is currently Director of Student Life at Humber College where he oversees First Year Experience, Transition, Orientation, Residence and Peer Leadership programs. He is also responsible for Student Conduct administration. Neil is former Executive Director of LogicalOutcomes, a not-for-profit consulting firm that aims to improve the effectiveness of human services work and social policy by providing expertise and systems while building capacity and sustainability.
His writing on various topics including the legalization of marijuana has appeared in NOW Magazine, Toronto Star and THIS Magazine. A 2014 CivicAction Fellow, Neil taught in the Community Worker program at George Brown College for 10 years.
In 2011, Michael Harvey joined the ISN team and is currently Vice President of Security Services. Michael manages their entire security department including national and international security services, video surveillance, Immigration Detention services, as well as managing and recruiting security staff. Michael has also been instrumental in the collaboration and development of local grow operations from a security and risk perspective which includes coordinating the supply and installation of fully integrated video, access control, fence and alarm solutions.
Michael is a retired member of the Toronto Police Service with 28 years of experience in public sector policing. Michael brings with him a wealth of experience in Public Policing and Private Security. As a result, Michael is very familiar with all aspects of the criminal justice system within Canada and he maintains a large circle of contacts within various police services.
Following his career with the Toronto Police Michael became the Vice President of Operations at Total Security Management Services (TSM). During this time his responsibilities included the day to day oversite of up to 1300 security staff for various clients utilizing both TSM staff and contract security providers nationally and internationally. While at TSM he developed, and implemented the in-house training program and quality assurance program to an ISO standard. He was responsible for security planning for various major events, VIP security, and electronic countermeasures as well as assisting with specifications for security systems and installations. Michael was instrumental in the development and implemented antifraud procedures for various financial institutions resulting in a reduction of losses and increased safety and security for clients and staff.
Shon Williams is the Director of Business Development, Project Management, & Design at MJardin, a turnkey cultivation management operating company based in Denver, CO. Shon brings 22+ years of experience in organizational leadership, strategic planning, engineering, program management, and business development to the MJardin team. During his 20-year career in the US Air Force, he served in various capacities from space systems development, flight testing and flying aircraft following graduation from the USAF Test Pilot School, nuclear weapons effects, international policy, and managing F-22 and F-15 fighter aircraft programs, to include a $16B international sale – the largest in US history. Shon was deployed in Afghanistan in a Joint Service role prior to retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Following his military career, Shon served as Director of Business Development at Calspan, a wind tunnel and flight testing company.
Shon has two masters’ and one bachelor’s degree from the United State Military Academy at West Point (BS, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, 1994, Honor Graduate), Air Force Institute of Technology (MS, Astronautical Engineering, 1999), and Air Command and Staff College (Master of Military Operational Art and Science, 2007).
Matei Olaru is the CEO of Lift (lift.co), Canada’s most recognized cannabis media and technology company. A corporate lawyer and consultant by trade, Matei practiced law for the cannabis industry before joining Lift in 2016. Prior to that, Matei helped advise governments on business and investment policy as a consultant with the World Bank (Washington D.C.).
A 20 + year bilingual veteran of the security industry in Toronto. Geoff has experience ranging from new Product development, Project and Program management, HR, Operations management, Finance and P&L, Sales and New business development. He has worked for some of the most progressive security firms in Canada, in technical, management and sales roles. Geoff’s extensive experience allows him to tailor security solutions to fit the client needs that are both innovative and cost effective.
Maira Kuzminski-Vallejo Medical Cannabis Specialist, Cannascribe Inc. Maira is an ACMPR growing license specialist and cannabis educator at Cannascribe Inc. Maira studied four years of general medicine at the Medical Academy of Wroclaw in Poland (English Division). Her interests and studies continued in the field of alternative and natural medicine, specializing in holistic nutrition, live cell analysis and medical marijuana. Maira is also the creator of The Healthy Corner an online wellness directory and store. Other than English, Maira also speaks Spanish, Polish and French and in her spare time she is a singer and performer.
Marc Solby is the founder of Lighthouse Consulting and the Cannabis Consumer Update: Canada’s only ongoing, syndicated market research study on the cannabis consumer.
He is a regular contributor to general news and industry publications on the cannabis category in Canada and its marketing regulation and practices.
In addition to advising Licensed Producer applicants, he has extensive multinational experience consulting in the beverage alcohol category having worked with: A-B InBev, Constellation Brands, Bacardi, Absolute, Jose Cuervo, Beam, and Canada’s leading bar/restaurant company Cara Operations. The firm has worked with many of the world’s leading brands including: Toyota, Volvo, Pfizer (Viagra), New Balance, Xerox, Yellow Pages and others.
Prior to launching Lighthouse Consulting in 2001, Marc was a Director of Marketing at Labatt Breweries as well Director of Planning, Strategy and Information. His initial role at Labatt was Marketing Manager for Labatt Blue, at the time, Canada’s largest beer brand. During his stint on Blue, he successfully relaunched the brand behind the highly acclaimed and successful “Out of the Blue” campaign.
Since 2013, Marc has been an instructor in Marketing at the University of Toronto’s school of business and professional studies, Continuing Studies where he has led the curriculum development and instruction of several courses. He is a Certified Management Consultant (Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario) CMC
John A. MacKay earned a B.A. in Chemistry from St. Lawrence University (SLU), and Ph.D. from the University of Vermont (UVM), in Inorganic Chemistry focused on the synthesis of cancer fighting compounds. After positions teaching at Davidson College, Lyndon State College and University of Vermont (UVM), John joined Waters Corporation in 1983 and retired in 2017. His career has included many roles in innovative product development. While recently he is widely recognized as scientific expert in sub and supercritical fluid for extraction and chromatography in the botanical space, he is bringing the synergy from what were disparate technologies together to optimize workflow.
Synergistic Technologies Associates, LLC will be working with botanical companies to help maximize their total operations based on Six Sigma principles and practices.
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