Chicago Cannabis Leaders Launch "Green Rose Advisors" Providing Consulting Services for Cannabis Entrepreneurs in Illinois and Around the United States.
National Consulting Firm to Assist Social Equity Cannabis Entrepreneurs
CHICAGO, Aug. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Chicago cannabis leaders launched Green Rose Advisors (https://www.greenroseadvisors.com) a consulting firm offering expertise and resources to social equity cannabis entrepreneurs in Illinois and around the United States. Led by Ross Morreale, Jay Stewart and Thomas Wheeler Jr, Green Rose Advisors offers consulting services in five areas: management and operations, business financing and real estate, cannabis license transactions, competitive applications, and media and communications strategy.
The Green Rose Advisors team has extensive experience in the Illinois cannabis industry. They successfully guided a number of social equity groups through the complicated Illinois application process, winning craft grower, infuser and transporter licenses along with receiving perfect scores on all dispensary applications submitted.
Now they are offering additional consulting services and resources to help construct and operate dispensaries, craft growers and infusers as well. Green Rose Advisors launched the same week the first social equity lottery was held in Illinois for 55 dispensary licenses. Two more lottery drawings for 130 additional licenses will be held later this month. Craft grower, infuser and transporter winners were announced July 15th.
"The timing is right for what we are offering not just here in Illinois but in other states who are also considering legalizing cannabis," said Ross Morreale, chief executive officer of Green Rose Cannabis Advisors. "We want to help new, social equity, cannabis entrepreneurs maximize their opportunities and compete with the mostly white-owned, billion-dollar, multi-state operators who dominate the cannabis industry nationally. We believe our expertise and resources can level the playing field and help them be successful."
Morreale was co-founder and chief compliance officer and helped manage all aspects of the day-to-day operations of Ataraxia (now Verano) from 2014-2018 which has now become one of the most successful cannabis companies in the world. Morreale was also co-founder and the longest serving chairman of the Medical Cannabis Alliance of Illinois (now the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois). Stewart oversaw the launch and implementation of medical cannabis dispensaries in Illinois as the Director of the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation. Thomas Wheeler Jr., a former Chicago police commander has decades of experience in law enforcement at the local and state level.
"Winning a cannabis business license is extremely difficult, but turning the license into a prosperous business is an even greater challenge," said Jay Stewart, Green Rose Advisor's director of compliance and applications. "In order to operate a successful cannabis business in Illinois or elsewhere you need to excel in at least three things: operations, compliance and security. Green Rose Advisors is uniquely qualified to help cannabis entrepreneurs flourish because our team can help in all three areas."
In January 2019 the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act was passed in Illinois, both legalizing recreational cannabis and creating a new licensing process for social equity applicants that was hailed as the national model for creating diversity in the booming cannabis industry. Social equity applicants are defined as people living in areas designated as disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs, or they or their family members had been arrested or convicted of a minor cannabis offense.
The awarding of social equity licenses has been delayed repeatedly though in Illinois causing more competitive disadvantages and financial issues for social equity applicants.
"We are dedicated to providing social equity companies a pathway to success, in a complicated and arduous business that is fast moving and ever changing. Despite the challenges, there are many great opportunities for people of color in the cannabis industry," said Thomas Wheeler Jr., Director of Security. "We can guide social equity applicants every step of the way from the application process to the implementation of a successful, sustainable business and help their cannabis dreams come true."
About Green Rose Advisors ( https://www.greenroseadvisors.com) We are cannabis industry experts who can provide everything you need to succeed in the cannabis industry. Our team has a proven track record of maximizing opportunities in the cannabis industry. The Green Rose Advisors team includes former multi-state operator founders, former State of Illinois cannabis regulators, former high ranking law enforcement officials and experienced media consultants. Our staffers are veterans of highly competitive application processes and have expertise in public policy, strategic thinking, effective advocacy, media strategy and delivering winning results.
SOURCE Green Rose Advisors
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