LEADERSHIP TRANSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Association Updates,  Press Release

Leadership Transition Chamber of Cannabis

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Cultivating Change for 2025 & Beyond

[Las Vegas, Nevada] – June 14, 2024 – C of C LV d/b/a Chamber of Cannabis (“Chamber”), Nevada’s largest cannabis industry trade association, is undergoing a significant leadership transition as part of a strategic recommitment to its mission.

Four years ago, Tina Ulman and Dani Baranowski founded the Chamber of Cannabis with a vision to unite the cannabis industry in advocating for sensible cannabis policy, bringing justice to those impacted by failed drug policy, and positively impacting our community. 

Under their leadership, the Chamber of Cannabis made history with the passage of AB341 in 2021. This innovative legislation created a new line of commerce for the state of Nevada, cannabis consumption venues, and was also the first bill to define “social equity” in state statutes. During their time as President and Vice President, Tina Ulman and Dani Baranowski (respectively), played a vital role in mobilizing the community during the 2023 legislative session and these efforts directly contributed to an increase in purchase limits as well as a pathway for ex-offenders to become cannabis agent cardholders. 

In a final demonstration of their dedication to fostering lasting change and nurturing a culture of growth and leadership development, Tina Ulman and Dani Baranowski have stepped down from their roles and resigned from the Board of Directors to make room for new opportunities and fresh perspectives.

We want to express our sincere gratitude for the dedication, hard work, and countless contributions that these visionary founders have made to our association during their tenure. 

Recognizing the evolving leadership needs as associations grow, the Board of Directors has appointed Deena Vallina as interim President. Deena has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the association’s long-term success since joining the Board in 2022. Her exceptional skills and competencies, evidenced by her contributions as Treasurer and Chair of Events & Fundraising, align perfectly with the association’s needs to lead the association as we prepare to elect a new Board and appoint new Officers this fall.

Effective July 1st, Abby Kaufmann will be stepping into the full time position of Executive Director and will continue to serve as Secretary to the Board of Directors for the remainder of her term. Many of you may be familiar with Abby from her engagement with the Cannabis Compliance Board as Chair of the Commerce Committee. As Executive Director, Abby will bring this same level of engagement to our members to understand their challenges and concerns while working alongside the Board to develop solution-oriented programming and deliver continuous value. 

Over the coming weeks and months, the following leaders will be working diligently alongside the Interim President and newly appointed Executive Director to fortify and build upon the foundation that our co-founders established:

  • Chandler Cooks – Board Member, Chair of Political Action Committee 
  • Tina Schellinger – Board Member, Chair of Events & Fundraising Committee 
  • Grace Music – Board Member, Chair of Community Impact Committee
  • Peggie Shaner – Board Member, Bookkeeper 
  • Maggie Presley – Board Member 

 

In the four years since the association was founded, Nevada’s legal cannabis industry has evolved significantly and, with this, so have the interests of the members that the Chamber exists to represent.  As such, it is vital that our association evolves alongside our community. 

To accomplish this, and to guide the Association through organizational restructuring, the Chamber of Cannabis has established a Transition Task Force (TTF).  The TTF will strive for a diverse composition that reflects the Association’s membership and expertise, inclusive of non-Board Members, as nominated through committees and as approved by the Board.  

We believe that the future success of our association depends on the satisfaction of our members and remain firmly rooted in our ethos of winning together. We are committed to full transparency throughout this process and will be sharing regular updates with our members, including opportunities to provide input on the future structure of our organization. Our focus is on collaborative success, ensuring that our members are at the heart of everything we do, emphasizing collective growth and shared achievements. After all, this is YOUR city, YOUR state, YOUR cannabis, and YOUR chamber. 

Leadership Transition Chamber of Cannabis

Association Updates,  Press Release

Leadership Transition Chamber of Cannabis

Dani Baranowski Appointed Interim Executive Director of the Chamber of Cannabis 

Las Vegas, Nevada ––– The Chamber of Cannabis Board of Directors has appointed Dani Baranowski as Interim Executive Director, effective March 13, 2024.

“Our industry is facing some of the most challenging issues to date. Now, more than ever, it is critical that the cannabis industry unites to ensure survival, stability, and growth on all fronts.” said Baranowski.  “We have implemented a strategic plan for 2024 which requires specific financial responsibilities to be met and overall organizational health to sustain our industry’s success, especially during this challenging economic environment.” 

Nevada’s cannabis sales peaked at 1 billion dollars in 2021 and have been declining since. As businesses encounter intensive regulation, hefty taxation, and a turbulent economic climate, the Chamber’s mission is to advocate for sustainable business opportunities, restore justice, and positively impact the community. The Chamber of Cannabis represents a membership base of over 400 businesses and professionals and a network of 12,000 individuals who strive to build a more inclusive and thriving industry.    

“As Vice President, co-founder, and small cannabis business owner, my deep understanding of the organization’s goals, governance, and the challenges members face are my priority as I work under the direction of the Board to ensure the important work of the Chamber will continue uninterrupted.”

The Chamber has achieved notable milestones, including championing legislative reforms such as  consumption lounge legalization, cannabis DUI reform, and SB277, which increased cannabis purchase limits, and more recently taking part in regulatory workshops to reduce the cost of agent cards, increasing delivery limits, and allowing dispensaries new potential revenue streams by selling non-infused food/drinks.

Supporting its mission to advocate for sustainable business opportunities, restore justice, and positively impact the community, the Chamber has made changes in the past several months to improve its offerings to connect members. 

Going forward, association meetings are free to provide valuable information to as many industry professionals and members as possible. The Chamber will be hosting upcoming round tables with political leaders running for the offices of Mayor, City Council, State Senate, and Assembly, as well as upcoming association meetings in Reno and Las Vegas. 

As a membership driven organization, continued commitment to supporting the Chamber’s mission will proactively enable this important work to progress. To find out more about getting involved or becoming a member, visit https://cofclv.org. 

 

THE CHAMBER OF CANNABIS ANNOUNCES ITS SOCIAL USE CAMPAIGN

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 28, 2021

LAS VEGAS, NV —  The 81st Session of the Nevada Legislature convenes on February 1, 2021, and The Chamber of Cannabis will be leading advocacy efforts to legalize social use venues in Nevada through legislation sponsored by Assembly Judiciary Chairman Steve Yeager.  The organization has partnered with Minorities for Medical Marijuana and has retained Scot Rutledge with Argentum Partners as its lobbying firm for its 2021 Social Use Campaign. Their partners in this effort understand the importance of passing legislation this year and we need your help.

Founded in the fall of  2020, the Chamber’s mission is to expand opportunities for commerce, diversity, and competition in the Nevada cannabis industry. The organization’s members see social use venue licenses as a way to expand opportunities in the cannabis industry to more local businesses, including social equity applicants while creating jobs and increasing state revenue.

“With the opportunity for social use venue legislation in the state at stake, the Chamber is working hard to grow its coalition and is seeking partners for its 2021 Social Use Campaign”, said Tina Ulman, President of the Chamber. “We are proud of the diversity of our partners and members and we hope that more businesses will choose to join our efforts to create a more robust, equitable, and diverse industry.”

This is not the first time social use policy has been considered in the Silver State. In 2019 the City of Las Vegas passed an ordinance allowing for social use venues, but the Nevada Legislature put a moratorium in place until the issue could be studied by the Cannabis Compliance Board. The CCB’s report is due to the Legislature this month.

Additionally, Cannabis was deemed an essential industry in the early stages of the COVID pandemic. Despite this designation, and the almost $600 MIL of legal cannabis sold in 2020, it remains illegal to consume cannabis outside of your home, excluding most renters, and the tens of millions of annual visitors to Nevada, from legally having a place to consume.

 “As a legacy cannabis business in Nevada with a commitment to quality products for our customers and giving back to our community, we see the opportunity to own a social use venue as a way to expand our brand’s presence and provide more education for consumers. We also support the policy of social equity and want to see more opportunities for women and persons of color in the cannabis industry. We are proud to partner with the Chamber to see a smart, sensible policy passed this session.” Lisa Lawatsch, General Manager, Oasis Dispensary and Strategic Partner to The Chamber. 

“Currently we sell cannabis, but have made it illegal to consume it, which puts all consumers at risk of being penalized,”  said Vice President Dani Baranowski. “After four years of legalization, the Chamber sees an opportunity to create a sense of urgency for legislators and regulators to revisit this matter and improve it,” she said.

The Chamber of Cannabis is a non-profit organization designed to unite cannabis industry professionals who strive to build a more inclusive industry. The Chamber provides opportunities to connect, share resources, and collaborate with like-minded members—both online and off. To attend a monthly meeting or learn more about becoming a member or partner for their Social Use Campaign, visit thechamberofcannbis.org or reach out to their team at info@chamberofcannabis.org.

— END — 

Media Contact

Dani Baranowksi, Vice President

Phone: (340) 201-3467

Email: chamberofcannabis@gmail.com 

Website: www.thechamberofcannabis.org

Address: 9050 W Tropicana Ave Unit 1089

Las Vegas, NV 89147-8198

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