- Goodson to oversee and expand Verano’s multi-state operations
- Rapid growth underway with 45+ cannabis licenses under active development across US and internationally
CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verano Holdings (Verano™), a rapidly expanding, vertically integrated operator of licensed cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail facilities, has hired Ron Goodson, a seasoned senior executive in the food, beverage and consumer goods industry, as President and Chief Operating Officer to lead development and operations. Goodson, most recently served as Vice President & General Manager of the Southwest Market in North America for PepsiCo and has expertise in next generation advanced cannabis extraction technologies.
“Ron’s knowledge of organizational structure, and vision for monetizing new product launches and driving aggressive revenue and profit growth that fueled his 39 years of success in the food, beverage and consumer goods industry is exactly what Verano needs as we scale from 10 operational facilities to a dominant position in the legal cannabis industry,” stated George Archos, CEO of Verano. “Goodson has the rare combination of senior management operations expertise in the food and beverage industry as well as the cannabis industry. This means he will hit the ground running with a solid understanding of Verano’s mission to create a brighter way forward in the cannabis industry for consumers, employees, communities and investors.”
"A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/806076f3-3753-4283-ac27-83d2dd77e7b6"
Sam Dorf, Verano Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer stated, “We welcome Ron wholeheartedly to our team. As we rapidly build out dozens of facilities in the U.S. and lay the groundwork for global expansion to become one of the world’s pre-eminent cannabis brands and enterprises, Ron’s Fortune 100 corporate operations experience and vision will be invaluable.”
“Developing Sales and Operations teams to be their very best is my passion, so it has been thrilling to go behind the scenes in our cultivation, manufacturing and retail locations at Verano and see how meticulous the Company has been in establishing a firm foundation of best practices and procedures that will serve it well as it scales,” noted Goodson. “I am very excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity to join Verano while both the company and the cannabis industry are still in their early stages. By merging our collective talents, I look forward to helping create the best and most forward-thinking cannabis company that will exemplify best practices and deliver flawless execution across all areas, while still retaining that personal touch and service of a small company that truly knows and understands its customers and products.”
Goodson has consistently driven aggressive revenue and profit growth for one of the largest Food & Beverage companies in the world. Ron’s areas of expertise include sales, operations, P&L management, key account and product development, legislative/lobbyist work, employee recruitment & retainment, competitive analysis, senior board work, marketing, compensation structures, acquisitions and forecasting. Goodson was with North America Pepsi Beverages Company since 1979, rising from a series of leadership roles with increasing responsibility to nine years as VP & General Manager for the Southwest Market. Goodson successfully led one of the largest PepsiCo markets in the country, integrating several independent bottlers through acquisitions. Goodson also spearheaded new product development/brand extensions while aggressively driving operating profits with organic volume/revenue growth and through improving costs and productivity. He previously led operations in New Mexico and Texas where he grew volume, share and profit at double digit rates for three years in a row. Goodson was responsible for completing and transitioning a $360 million bottler acquisition into a highly successful PepsiCo venture and has developed a reputation for his savvy ability to find, develop, retain and promote talent worldwide.
Goodson studied Business Management at Wright State University and was a consultant and speaker with the University of Phoenix Masters’ program and a speaker at the Arizona State University Marketing and Business School. Goodson values community service, demonstrated through his executive board involvement with City of Hope, National Hispanic Scholarship Fund, YMCA and United Way.
For more information, visit http://verano.holdings/ and follow us on social media:
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Verano Holdings
Verano Holdings is a national, vertically integrated operator of licensed cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail facilities dedicated to improving lives by providing safe access to effective pesticide-free cannabis products that profoundly impact the communities it serves. Verano develops and produces a well-rounded suite of limited edition, fashion-forward cannabis products, which offer superior medicinal therapies and inspirational product options. It designs, builds and operates unique Zen Leaf™ branded dispensary environments that ensure an exceptional shopping experience with unparalleled customer service and satisfaction in both medical and adult-use markets. Verano Holdings distributes cannabis concentrates, edibles, extracts, flower and topicals, many in precision-dosed THC and CBD formulations, under its trusted premium brands: GoldLeaf™, Menta™, Sweet Sins™, Encore Company™, Avexia™ and verano™.
CONTACTS
For Verano Holdings
Corporate Office
833-483-7266
Media
julie@verano.holdings
847-275-3643
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