Steep Hill Announces Expansion to Arkansas

BERKELEY, Calif., June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Jmîchaeĺe Keller, President and CEO of Steep Hill, the global leader in cannabis science, testing and analytics, announced today that Steep Hill has licensed its first lab in the Southeast, bringing full service medical cannabis quality assurance to the State of Arkansas.  The lab will be owned and operated by a pharmacist who is licensed in 7 states and a highly experienced executive who has also served as a director and officer at multiple public companies.

In making the announcement, Steep Hill President and CEO Jmîchaeĺe Keller said, "We are pleased to announce our expansion to the Southeast, and Arkansas in particular.  We are especially proud of the credentials our partners will bring to Arkansas medical patients in the state, and together we will deliver the best science, technology and professionalism available in cannabis testing for patients."  

"As a pharmacist, patient safety is always my primary concern. When medical cannabis was approved by Arkansas voters, I wanted to get involved. Quality and potency testing of cannabis is the best way to keep patients safe. After researching the issue, I was amazed at the complexity of the testing process and the degree of expertise and advanced technology needed to get accurate results. Patients in Arkansas need the best science-based cannabis solutions, both to ensure their safety and to give the industry credibility. For these reasons, we are excited to bring the global expertise of Steep Hill, the country's leading cannabis science and technology company, to the Natural State. As long time Arkansas residents, we are also proud to officially launch the first start-up cannabis business in the state," said Brandon Thornton, CEO of Steep Hill Arkansas.

Opening the new Steep Hill Arkansas lab will be:

• Brandon Thornton, Co-Owner & CEO of Steep Hill Arkansas, is also the Vice President of Pharmacy Operations for Custom Pharmacy Solutions in Birmingham, AL. He previously served as the Director of Pharmacy Operations for CHD Meridian Healthcare in Nashville, TN. He received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University and is licensed to practice pharmacy in seven states, including Arkansas. He is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians and resides in Little Rock, Arkansas.
• Brent Whittington, Co-Owner of Steep Hill Arkansas, is also the Owner and CEO of Moots Cycles, a premium bicycle manufacturer based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He previously worked at Windstream, an S&P 500 communications and technology solutions provider, from 2005 to 2014, serving as the Company's CFO and COO during that period. Whittington was Senior Vice President of Operations for Alltel prior to joining Windstream in December 2005. He joined Alltel in 2002 as Vice President of Finance and Accounting. He serves on the Board of Directors of Rignet, a public company based in Houston, where he also serves as Audit Committee Chair. Additionally, he is on the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas. He holds a degree in Accounting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is a long-time Arkansas native and his primary residence is in Little Rock.

"We have worked very hard to establish our global leadership in the cannabis testing space, and the strength of our new partners in Arkansas is a testament to this leadership – together we intend to be the gold standard for science, service and safety for the medical cannabis industry in Arkansas," said Keller.  

For more information about Steep Hill visit: www.steephill.com

ABOUT STEEP HILL

Steep Hill Labs, Inc. is the world's leading cannabis science and technology company with extensive expertise in lab testing, remote testing, genetics, R&D, and the licensing of our intellectual property to strategic partners across the globe. No other cannabis company brings each of these areas of expertise into one highly synergistic whole.  Steep Hill's foundation was built on testing and analyzing medical and recreational marijuana to ensure compliance with public safety standards.  In 2008, Steep Hill opened the first commercial cannabis lab in the United States and the company has been on the cutting edge since its inception. Steep Hill is expanding throughout the United States, and globally. With the goal of helping the rest of the world adopt "best practices" in cannabis testing, the company also provides expert consulting services to legislators and regulators in many countries, states and municipalities around the world.

Contact: Cathie Bennett Warner   |    Cell: +1 (415) 420-1573    |    [email protected]

SOURCE Steep Hill Labs, Inc.