Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Steven Hoffman, a veteran corporate executive and consultant, was named the chair of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, the newly created agency that will usher in an era of legal marijuana use.
The appointment Thursday by state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg makes Hoffman, a 63-year-old Lincoln resident, the state's top marijuana regulator. He will hire the commission's executive director and other staff, and oversee the writing of new rules to govern marijuana cultivators, processors, and both medical and recreational dispensaries.
"I am honored to be appointed Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission by Treasurer Goldberg," Hoffman said in a statement. "I hope to guide this Commission thoughtfully and responsibly as we implement the legalization of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts. We have a lot to do, I am excited to get to work."
Hoffman has no experience with the cannabis industry. He worked from 1980 to 1992 at Bain & Company, the powerhouse consulting firm where he eventually became a partner and the head of its large Boston office.
Hoffman later worked in senior leadership positions at Sapient, ThinkFire, and most recently, Exchange Solutions, a Lincoln firm that manages customer loyalty programs for retailers.
"Steven brings a wealth of invaluable experience from a long and distinguished career in business development, corporate strategy and senior management," Goldberg said in a statement. "I am confident that he will serve the Commonwealth well and steer this brand-new industry in the right direction."
Under language in the new marijuana law that was copied from the Massachusetts casino gaming statute, Goldberg was required to appoint a chair with experience in "corporate management, finance or securities." She had previously complained of difficulty finding candidates with that background who were willing to take on the commission's difficult work for the $160,000 salary set by the Legislature.
"The unnecessarily restrictive qualification language for the chair posed a hurdle for Treasurer Goldberg, but she seems to have selected a chair with impressive credentials," said Jim Borghesani, who handled communications for last year's successful marijuana legalization campaign. "We hope that the remaining appointments are made on time and that the CCC receives the funding necessary to achieve its regulatory and timeline objectives."
Sept. 1 is the deadline for the appointment of the agency's other commissioners. Attorney General Maura Healey is expected to announce her pick Friday. Healey, Goldberg, and Governor Charlie Baker must also announce two jointly appointed commissioners Friday.
Baker previously announced the appointment of longtime state Senator Jen Flanagan as commissioner.
Hoffman faces an excruciatingly tight timeline. A package of revisions to the voter-approved marijuana law enacted by legislators in July sets a July 1, 2018, target date for dispensaries to open.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Former Bain consultant named top marijuana regulator - The Boston Globe
Author: Dan Adams
Contact: Support Home Page
Photo Credit: ThinkFire
Website: The Boston Globe
The appointment Thursday by state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg makes Hoffman, a 63-year-old Lincoln resident, the state's top marijuana regulator. He will hire the commission's executive director and other staff, and oversee the writing of new rules to govern marijuana cultivators, processors, and both medical and recreational dispensaries.
"I am honored to be appointed Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission by Treasurer Goldberg," Hoffman said in a statement. "I hope to guide this Commission thoughtfully and responsibly as we implement the legalization of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts. We have a lot to do, I am excited to get to work."
Hoffman has no experience with the cannabis industry. He worked from 1980 to 1992 at Bain & Company, the powerhouse consulting firm where he eventually became a partner and the head of its large Boston office.
Hoffman later worked in senior leadership positions at Sapient, ThinkFire, and most recently, Exchange Solutions, a Lincoln firm that manages customer loyalty programs for retailers.
"Steven brings a wealth of invaluable experience from a long and distinguished career in business development, corporate strategy and senior management," Goldberg said in a statement. "I am confident that he will serve the Commonwealth well and steer this brand-new industry in the right direction."
Under language in the new marijuana law that was copied from the Massachusetts casino gaming statute, Goldberg was required to appoint a chair with experience in "corporate management, finance or securities." She had previously complained of difficulty finding candidates with that background who were willing to take on the commission's difficult work for the $160,000 salary set by the Legislature.
"The unnecessarily restrictive qualification language for the chair posed a hurdle for Treasurer Goldberg, but she seems to have selected a chair with impressive credentials," said Jim Borghesani, who handled communications for last year's successful marijuana legalization campaign. "We hope that the remaining appointments are made on time and that the CCC receives the funding necessary to achieve its regulatory and timeline objectives."
Sept. 1 is the deadline for the appointment of the agency's other commissioners. Attorney General Maura Healey is expected to announce her pick Friday. Healey, Goldberg, and Governor Charlie Baker must also announce two jointly appointed commissioners Friday.
Baker previously announced the appointment of longtime state Senator Jen Flanagan as commissioner.
Hoffman faces an excruciatingly tight timeline. A package of revisions to the voter-approved marijuana law enacted by legislators in July sets a July 1, 2018, target date for dispensaries to open.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Former Bain consultant named top marijuana regulator - The Boston Globe
Author: Dan Adams
Contact: Support Home Page
Photo Credit: ThinkFire
Website: The Boston Globe
