New York City, NY – PRESS RELEASE – Acreage Holdings, one of the United States’ largest vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operators, strengthened its operations team with the hires of Nick Etten, Howard Schacter, and Jess Hanson to lead government affairs, communications, and data analytics for the company, respectively.
As VP of government affairs, Nick Etten will drive Acreage’s relationships with federal, state and local regulators and develop initiatives that support Acreage’s mission of establishing access to medical cannabis for U.S. veterans. Before joining Acreage, Nick was the executive director of the Veterans Cannabis Project, a Veteran Service Organization (VSO) dedicated to improving the quality of life for veterans through the opportunity of legal cannabis. Nick, who served the country as an active duty U.S. Navy SEAL, also brings over 20 years of operations, private equity, and non-profit management experience.
As head of communications, Howard Schacter will drive internal and external communications for Acreage, its retail locations, and products. He brings over 30 years of experience from both agency and in-house public relations, marketing, and communications roles, having supported consumer and business-to-business organizations across several major industries, including cannabis, retail and entertainment. Most recently, Schacter served as chief communications officer for the National Association of Cannabis Businesses, the cannabis industry’s first and only self-regulatory organization. Earlier in his career, he led corporate communications for Live Nation (then SFX/Clear Channel Entertainment).
As the director of data and insights, Jess Henson will work cross-functionally to ensure brand and portfolio success, while focusing on the strategic alignment of the highest-level company priorities and data-driven insights. Previously, Henson was the Director of Data Strategy at Headset Inc., the first real-time business intelligence and analytics service for the cannabis industry. Prior to that, she led purchasing and market research at Higher Leaf, one of the largest cannabis retailers in Washington State.
Acreage Founder and CEO Kevin Murphy said, “As Acreage continues to grow, so does our commitment to communicating to key stakeholders, to advocating for change, and to supporting the cannabis industry. Nick, Howard, and Jess bring ideal skill sets to each of their respective roles as we expand our vertically-integrated operations and work towards achieving our strategic goals. Their experience as leaders in their fields will ensure that Acreage continues to be one of the most recognized names in the cannabis industry.”
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