CANNABIS CONFERENCE 2019

1 april
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Registration Opens
ALL-ACCESS PASS
10:00 AM – 11:10 AM
Workshop: Lessons in Expanding and/or Franchising Your Cannabis Business
Expanding your dispensary or cultivation operation beyond a single location can grant you access to new markets and elevate your brand. But figuring out how to do that can be just as difficult as actually doing it. In this session, learn best practices and strategic insights from companies that have established themselves in multiple markets, including via franchising.
Speaker: Nello Gonfiantini, Director & Chief Strategic Officer, Diego Pellicer Worldwide (DPWW)
Speaker: Charlie Bachtell, CEO, Cresco Labs
ALL-ACCESS PASS
10:00 AM – 11:10 AM
Workshop: Bugology: What It Takes to Succeed Using Biological Control
Learn the various predatory mites commercially available for specific crop pests; and gain insights into the ways quality control, environmental conditions and interactions with plants each play a part in successfully eradicating pests via natural enemies.
Moderator / Speaker: Dr Raymond Cloyd, Professor/Extension Specialist, Kansas State University - Department of Entomology
ALL-ACCESS PASS
10:00 AM – 11:10 AM
Workshop: The Cost Analysis of In-House Processing vs. Outsourced Extraction Services
Rino FerrareseSpeaker: Rino Ferrarese, COO, Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solutions
Thomas SchultzSpeaker: Thomas Schultz, President, Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solutions
ALL-ACCESS PASS
11:20 AM – 12:30 PM
Workshop: Manage Your Supply Chain More Efficiently
Whether you are operating as a craft grower, a large-scale production operation, a medical dispensary or an adult-use store, you depend on and are part of the cannabis supply chain. With a bevy of regulations, security protocols, logistics concerns and inventory management elements to think of, creating an effective supply chain can be daunting. In this in-depth session, experts will explain the ins and outs of the supply chain and ways to streamline processes and better manage inventory and orders.
Speaker: Theresa Ekman, Director of Supply Chain, Native Roots Dispensary & Garden Variety Dispensary
ALL-ACCESS PASS
11:20 AM – 12:30 PM
Workshop: How to Identify, Treat and Prevent Cannabis's Most Troublesome Diseases
In this session, Dr. Shouhua Wang, a plant pathologist for the Nevada Department of Agriculture, reviews warning signs for cannabis and hemp plants' most stubborn pest and diseases and shares optimal treatment methods to help you avoid crop loss.
Dr. Shouhua WangSpeaker: Dr. Shouhua Wang, Plant Pathologist , Nevada Department of Agriculture
ALL-ACCESS PASS
11:20 AM – 12:30 PM
Workshop: Essential Steps to Properly Set Up Your Extraction Facility for Maximum Safety, Compliance, Efficiency and Productivity
Learn from leading industry specialists how to optimize your lab's design/layout, workflow and methods for minimum downtime and labor expense, as well as maximum yield, safety and compliance. You'll gather insights on: facility design and layout; product and solvent quality; inventory management; optimal equipment settings; workflow processes; method development essentials; equipment upkeep; and more.
Rachel Loeber, Ph.D.Speaker: Rachel Loeber, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, LeafLine Labs
ALL-ACCESS PASS
12:30 PM – 1:25 PM
Networking Lunch in Session Room
GENERAL SESSION
1:35 PM – 2:25 PM
Welcome Keynote
CULTIVATION
2:35 PM – 3:25 PM
Master Large-Scale Cultivation
This cultivator panel shares insights into what it takes to run a large-scale cultivation business. Topics will include: labor and workflow processes, equipment, automation and technologies, maximizing canopy space and yield (including vertical farming), and lessons learned. Leave with the know-how and confidence to start scaling up your operation and your career.
Sjoerd BroeksSpeaker: Sjoerd Broeks, Genetic Development and R&D Director , The PHARM LLC, The Dutch Consulting Company
Damian SolomonSpeaker: Damian Solomon, Owner, Plant Geek Consulting
Ryan DouglasSpeaker: Ryan Douglas, Owner, Ryan Douglas Cultivation, LLC.
DISPENSARY
2:35 PM – 3:25 PM
Retail Store Design and Product Merchandising Tactics That Boost Sales
Capturing the right atmosphere for your dispensary is the first key to growing your business. Learn how to create or improve your retail space for maximizing sales—from curb appeal, to in-store traffic flow, atmosphere, product displays, lighting, point-of-purchase displays, and more.
Nick JackSpeaker: Nick Jack, Chief Retail Officer , Diego Pellicer-Colorado
GENERAL SESSION
2:35 PM – 3:25 PM
Tips for Creating a Winning License Application
Brian VicenteSpeaker: Brian Vicente, Partner & Founding Member , Vicente Sederberg LLC
Michael MayesSpeaker: Michael Mayes, Chief Executive Officer, Quantum 9, Inc.
CULTIVATION
2:35 PM – 3:23 PM
Innovative Growing Techniques
Learn about alternative cultivation methods, such as dry farming, aeroponics, hugelkultur and living soil indoors, and discover if they have a place at your operation.
GENERAL SESSION
3:25 PM – 4:20 PM
Networking Break
GENERAL SESSION
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Technology & Solutions Session
Sponsored By CULTIVATION
4:25 PM – 5:30 PM
How to Launch a Profitable Cannabis Cultivation Business
Casey ConnellSpeaker: Casey Connell, President, Contender Gardens
CULTIVATION
4:25 PM – 5:30 PM
Lighting Research Intensive: How Spectrum and Intensity Influences Plant Characteristics and Development
Bruce BugbeeSpeaker: Bruce Bugbee, Professor, Utah State University, Department of Plants, Soil and Climate
Jeremy PlumbSpeaker: Jeremy Plumb, Director of Production Science, Pruf Cultivar
DISPENSARY
4:25 PM – 5:30 PM
How to Launch a Profitable Cannabis Dispensary
Debby GoldsberrySpeaker: Debby Goldsberry, Executive Director, Magnolia Wellness
Anna ShreeveSpeaker: Anna Shreeve, President, Urban Paragon, Inc.
DISPENSARY
4:25 PM – 5:30 PM
Making Cents: Tips for Banking, Cash Handling, Credit Card Processing and Cryptocurrency
Banking access and compliance continues to be an issue for the cannabis industry. Learn from this leading, veteran college business professor how to overcome challenges in banking services related to cannabis sales transactions. Explore the traditional and non-traditional options that exist and which are most viable for your business--including digital currencies and services--to help transition most successfully from a cash-only business.
Shad EwartSpeaker: Shad Ewart, Professor & Administrator, Anne Arundel Community College
GENERAL SESSION
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Networking/Cocktail Reception in Exhibit Hall

2 april
GENERAL SESSION
8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Registration Opens
GENERAL SESSION
9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Exhibit Hall Opens
GENERAL SESSION
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM
Hemp-Derived CBD: Should It Be in Your Future?
Understanding the hemp-derived CBD market and how to leverage the popularity and accessibility of hemp-derived CBD in THC markets.
Lex PelgerSpeaker: Lex Pelger
David BonvillainSpeaker: David Bonvillain, Principal/Chief Science Officer, Elite Botanicals/Elite California
GENERAL SESSION
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Keynote Panel: Global Cannabis and Your Role
With international cannabis a reality, Canada's legalization rollout, consolidation, buyouts and publicly traded companies: Are big businesses the future? How can small businesses survive? This expert panel will explore the outlook for the industry's small and big businesses—defining their role in our future.
Crystal OliverSpeaker: Crystal Oliver, Co-Owner/Founder, Washington's Finest Cannabis
John BillingsSpeaker: John Billings, Head of Cultivation, The Farm
CULTIVATION
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
Improve Your Nutrient Management Program
Nutrients fuel plant growth and health, and managing those nutrients to maximize certain plant expressions has become a science unto itself. In this session, learn how to control your nutrients and feedings to ensure a consistent, healthy and prosperous crop.
Brian WhipkerSpeaker: Brian Whipker, Professor of Floriculture, North Carolina State University
CULTIVATION
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
Facility Design I: Indoor
Indoor cultivation facility design has more facets to it than most people can imagine—from proper layout for maximizing efficiencies to designing HVAC and irrigation/fertigation systems, room setup for maximizing yield, pest-prevention and sanitary protocols, additional non-grow space you will need, and much more. Get a head start on designing your indoor facility or making adjustments as you evolve and/or expand.
Shawn FisherModerator / Speaker: Shawn Fisher, Partner, Crump Wilson Architects
Autumn KarceySpeaker: Autumn Karcey, CEO, Cultivo, Inc.
Anthony Winston IIISpeaker: Anthony Winston III, Owner & Electrical Engineer , Winston Engineering LLC
GENERAL SESSION
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
Improve Your Tax Strategy
Understanding the ins and outs of 280E while maximizing deductions and preparing for an audit.
Eric SandyModerator: Eric Sandy, Digital Editor, Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary
Dean GuskeSpeaker: Dean Guske, CPA, Guske & Company Inc.
Rachel GilletteSpeaker: Rachel Gillette, Partner & Chief, Greenspoon Marder’s Cannabis Law Practice
DISPENSARY
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
Starting and Succeeding with Cannabis Drive-Thrus, Online Ordering and Delivery Businesses
GENERAL SESSION
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Technology & Solutions Session
Sponsored By
CULTIVATION
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Facility Design II: Greenhouse
Greenhouses can be as simple as a hoophouse or nearly as complex as an indoor cultivation facility. The key is the structure harnesses the power of the sun to both light the canopy and moderate the temperature and humidity of the environment. In this session, learn from greenhouse operators and cannabis cultivation experts the tips, tricks and best practices of designing a greenhouse, ranging from ergonomics to automation and scaling workflow.
Dr. Nadia SabehSpeaker: Dr. Nadia Sabeh, President & Founder, Dr. Greenhouse Inc.
CULTIVATION
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Lower Your Cost Per Pound While Maximizing Yield
In this session, gain access to a wide range of techniques from leading experts on how to boost your production levels while minimizing costs. Top concepts that you’ll learn about include: How to maximize yields through environmental manipulation, cultivar selection, plant nutrition optimization, workflow processes and facility design. You’ll also learn ways to reduce labor with automation, workflow processes and facility design, as well as reduce input costs with automation, streamlined workflow processes, improved facility design and customized nutrient formulations.
David HolmesSpeaker: David Holmes, Founder/CEO, Clade9
Andrew LangeSpeaker: Andrew Lange, Chief Technical Officer, Agrios Global Holdings
GENERAL SESSION
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Learn to Navigate an Acquisition Deal
This year, the pressure on the market to consolidate is high. Many businesses are entering deals to be acquired (or to acquire other businesses) without proper legal counsel, and the end result can be less than ideal. It’s important to understand different partnerships (i.e., licensing, investments and options to structure these deals) and what to expect throughout the M&A process
Eric SandyModerator: Eric Sandy, Digital Editor, Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary
Dan Nicholls, CFASpeaker: Dan Nicholls, CFA, Director, Capital Markets Advisory Services, MGO | ELLO Alliance
DISPENSARY
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Foolproof SOPs and Employee Handbooks
Discover how to create standard operating procedures to ensure smooth and compliant dispensary operations throughout the supply chain, as well as consistently effective staff performance, whether you run one dispensary or 50. Learn from experts how to train your employees to utilize your SOPs and how managers can use SOPs to monitor and improve employee performance and ensure overall retail success.
Cassie NeidenModerator: Cassie Neiden, Managing Editor, Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary
Speaker: Laura Day, Director of Operations, Yerba Buena
Brad SpeidellSpeaker: Brad Speidell, Chief Dispensing Officer, The Green Solution (TGS) Colorado
GENERAL SESSION
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Networking Break in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
2:40 PM – 3:25 PM
Technology & Solutions Session
CULTIVATION
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
The Latest Data-Backed Research in Soil and Soilless Substrates
This presentation will cover the basic principles of containerized crop production in soils and soilless substrates highlighting some pros and cons of each. We will also discuss various management practices associated with growing in controlled environment production systems. Recent science-based research trial data will be presented on topics including substrate physical properties, irrigation management, and pH effect on rooting and plant growth.
Brian JacksonSpeaker: Brian Jackson, Director of Horticultural Substrates Laboratory, North Carolina State University
DISPENSARY
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Marketing That Works
From loyalty programs, to email marketing, social media best practices, advertising and more advanced techniques, find out what strategies will help you drive more traffic and build a bigger base of repeat customers.
Dan ZarraellaSpeaker: Dan Zarraella, Director of Marketing , The+Source
Chrissy HadarSpeaker: Chrissy Hadar, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, Oregrown Industries
GENERAL SESSION
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
The Biggest Legal Pitfalls Cannabis Businesses Encounter and How to Avoid Them
From product liability to state and local compliance (including risks from wrongdoing by partners/suppliers and employees (e.g., theft/diversion, serving loopers) to HR issues), ensure you are protected from seed to sale. Plus, how to prepare for “worst-case scenarios” that cannabis business owners encounter (including raids, consumer lawsuits, criminal offenses) before they arise.
Maria DenzinSpeaker: Maria Denzin, Owner, MJ HR Strategic Solutions
Matthew AbelSpeaker: Matthew Abel, Founder, Cannabis Counsel, P.L.C.
Ann GrimaldiSpeaker: Ann Grimaldi, Principal, Grimaldi Law Offices
CULTIVATION
3:30 PM – 4:05 PM
Part I: Cannabis Testing: Pesticide Compliance and Best Practices
John ScottSpeaker: John Scott, Pesticide Section Chief, Colorado Department of Agriculture
CULTIVATION
4:05 PM – 4:30 PM
Part II: Cannabis Testing: Get a Grip On Your Lab Results
Operators that follow good manufacturing practices (GMPs) are better equipped to deal with the uncertainties of the current lab situation in the cannabis industry. In this session, learn how to:
Understand and predict lab results;
Identify the root cause of unexpected testing results to know if it stems from the operator or the lab; and
Provide documented history to refute claims or lab results.
Lezli EngelkingSpeaker: Lezli Engelking, Founder & CEO, FOCUS Standard
CULTIVATION
4:40 PM – 5:30 PM
Quick-Fire Tips Session: Growing From Tissue Culture, Clones and Seeds
Learn the advantages and limitations of each of these three methods of crop production, plus tried-and-true strategies for maximizing them in your cultivation operation.
Ian DavidsonSpeaker: Ian Davidson, Chief Marketing Officer, Segra International
Mojave RichmondSpeaker: Mojave Richmond, Founding Member, BioAgronomics Group Consultants
Hope JonesSpeaker: Hope Jones, Founder & CEO, Emergent Cannabis Sciences
CULTIVATION
4:40 PM – 5:30 PM
Are Your Profit Margins Driving You to Bankruptcy?
Find out how to determine what profit margins you need to operate a profitable cultivation business over the long term, and how to establish costs in line with your profit goals.
GENERAL SESSION
4:40 PM – 5:30 PM
Science That Sells: Debunking the Sativa and Indica Myths and Instead Focusing on Terpenoids, Cannabinoids and Flavonoids
Growing or recommending cannabis varieties via their botanical names (indica, sativa, hybrid) is not an accurate way of categorizing how a person might feel when consuming cannabis. Here, experts divulge why you should not be selecting (nor promoting to customers) varieties based solely on botanical characteristics, but instead by analyzing each cultivar's secondary metabolite make-up, such as cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids--and their "entourage effect."
Speaker: Jeremy Plumb, Director of Production Science, Pruf Cultivar
Speaker: Jeremy Sackett, Founder & Chief Science Officer , Cascadia Labs
Andrea Sparr-Jaswa Speaker: Andrea Sparr-Jaswa , Director of Education, Farma
DISPENSARY
4:40 PM – 5:30 PM
Are Your Profit Margins Driving You to Bankruptcy?
How determine what profit margins you need to operate a profitable dispensary business over the long term, and how to establish costs in line with your profit goals.
GENERAL SESSION
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Networking/Cocktail Reception in Exhibit Hall

3 april
GENERAL SESSION
8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Registration Opens
GENERAL SESSION
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Opens
GENERAL SESSION
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
Technology & Solutions Session
GENERAL SESSION
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Keynote Session
Jeremy PlumbSpeaker: Jeremy Plumb, Director of Production Science, Pruf Cultivar
GENERAL SESSION
10:50 AM – 11:50 AM
Networking Break in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
10:55 AM – 11:40 AM
Technology & Solutions Session
DISPENSARY
11:50 AM – 12:30 PM
Successfully Expand Your Medical Dispensary to the Adult-Use Market
Learn the essential considerations—from establishing/maintaining your core identity, logistics (parking, waiting room, expansion/buildouts) to product selection, lessons learned, common mistakes to avoid, and best practices—to ensure a successful transition.
Claudio MirandaSpeaker: Claudio Miranda, Co-Founder, Guild Enterprises
Michael DundasSpeaker: Michael Dundas, Founder, President & CEO , Sira Naturals
GENERAL SESSION
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Networking Lunch in Exhibit Hall
GENERAL SESSION
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Technology & Solutions Session
Sponsored By
GENERAL SESSION
2:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Closes
GENERAL SESSION
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Securing Investment Capital and Managing Investor Relations
Experts will teach you how to find and appeal to the right investors for your business, negotiate equitable deals, and navigate the challenges of investor expectations and “on the ground” realities during start up and expansion phases.
GENERAL SESSION
3:00 PM
Event Concludes