Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. Company Profile
Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. is one of the first consistently profitable, vertically-integrated cannabis companies with one of the largest footprints in the U.S. Since its founding in 2011, Harvest has grown its footprint every year and now has licenses in 11 states, with planned expansion into additional states by 2020.
As a national enterprise, Harvest Health and Recreation is represented in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Florida, Nevada, Maryland, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The company is aggressively expanding across North America and is set on gaining a big stake in the European market.
Harvest’s complete vertical solution includes industry-leading cultivation, manufacturing, and retail facilities, construction, real estate, technology, and operational expertise — leveraging in-house legal, HR and marketing teams, along with proven experts in writing and winning state-based licensing applications.
The company has built a strong team with proven experience, expertise, and knowledge of in-house best practices that are drawn upon whenever Harvest enters new markets. Harvest’s executive team is comprised of leaders in finance, compliance, real estate, consumer marketing, and operations.
Harvest is not only in the business of retailing medical marijuana; the company aims to make an impact in the lives of their customers, potential patients, the community, and the cannabis industry as a whole. Over the past 6 years, Harvest has donated $400,000 to the American Cancer Society, Bosom Buddies, and Climb to Conquer Cancer.
One of the Largest US Multi-State Operators
Harvest Health and Recreation is focused on aggressively expanding its retail and wholesale footprint in the US and acquiring, creating and expanding cannabis brands nationally. The company has proactively sought out strategic acquisitions with San Falasco, Verano, Falcon Industries, CBx and CannaPharmacy since November 2018.
In June 2019, Harvest acquired Verano Holdings LLC, one of the largest privately held multi-state, vertically integrated licensed operator of cannabis facilities. The acquisition will include licenses and operations in 11 states, including 7 cultivation licenses and 37 retail licenses, vertically integrated cash-flow positive operations, a proven executive team, game-changing ethanol extraction technology, a portfolio of premium proprietary brands with over 150 SKUs sold in 150+ retail locations. Verano is expected to add licenses throughout the Midwest and East Coast, add edibles to our brand suite and will further strengthen our senior team.
In February 2019, Harvest acquired Falcon Industries, owners of the popular CRU and High Garden cannabis Brands. Falcon is expected to serve as a foundation in California for cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution.
Harvest Health and Recreation Research
Harvest Health and Recreation is dedicated to not only educating patients of medical marijuana but is also dedicated to further research. The Medical Marijuana Research Institute was founded by Dr.s Troutt and DiDonato and dedicates itself to researching medical marijuana and contributing academic literature on the subject. Recently, the Institute was published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. This research component of Harvest allows the company to be a leader in academia as well as business.
Arizona Patient Characteristics
Researching the impact legalization has had on medical marijuana patients in Arizona, the study found there were many positive outcomes; people are more knowledgable on what products they are consuming, feel safer consuming products, and have seen greater effectiveness in the products they are consuming. As the first of the Institute's published articles, Harvest has set itself up as a leader in medical marijuana research.
Byproducts of Vaporized Cutting Agents
The second of the Institute's published work examines the byproducts produced by vaporizing cannabis-oil cutting agents. Published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the report suggests that certain byproducts showed formaldehyde levels that were comparable to cigarette smoke while others produced levels that were insignificant. This research is not only incredibly valuable to the cannabis industry as a whole but allows Harvest Inc to produce products that are safer and of better quality.
Harvest Health and Recreation Community Impact
Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. has several charitable projects running - the company aims to be an educator and a support system to the community; especially those who can benefit from the use of medical marijuana. Harvest Inc runs support groups, donates to cancer research, and veteran charities, among many other organizations. With over $400,000 in donations since 2013, Harvest is a company that really cares.
In 2014, Harvesting Hope was established, a non-profit organization that offers support to children with epilepsy. The company provides support groups to patients with a multitude of conditions and strives to create an inclusive workforce. Over 100 families have seen financial relief, patient care and treatment, and support from this incredible organization.
Many traditional forms of medication have failed hundreds of people living with epilepsy but medical marijuana has given many families hope. Harvest Hope offers many of these families financial assistance to help with their medical bills but on top of this, offer so many levels of support.
By partnering with local dispensaries, Harvesting Hope can offer patients medical cannabis strains that are grown specifically to treat pediatric epilepsy. Doctors educate families are correct dosing levels and proper care for their children in relation to cannabis consumption. Support groups are offered to families where they can partake in educational seminars, and talk to specialists. They can also connect with other families in the same situation.
If you would like to donate to Harvesting Hope please click here.
Meet the Harvest Health and Recreation Team
Steve Gutterman - President
Steve Gutterman is the President of Harvest Health and Recreation. He is responsible for the company's day-to-day operations, developing substantial revenue growth strategies and managing all investor relations. He also oversees all operational strategies and standards to ensure the company achieves its vision of becoming the more valuable cannabis company in the United States. Over the last 20 years, Steve has built and led high-growth companies, increasing their annual revenue by more than $500 million and in market cap by over $2 billion.
Steve White - Chief Executive Officer
Steve White is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Harvest Health and Recreation. He founded the company with the understanding that while cannabis can improve the lives of many, there was a lack of high-quality, trustworthy companies to offer patients access. Steve brings a passion and dedication for driving change for the better with his employees and within the industry while also focusing on Harvest’s growth and continued leadership in the cannabis market. He is a leading figure in the cannabis industry who understands how to build a large scale, national brand and navigate the complexities of regulations.
Jason Vedadi - Executive Chairman
Jason Vedadi is the Executive Chairman of Harvest Health and Recreation. He co-operates the company and leads its strategic development and expansion, including strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and key revenue initiatives. Since joining the company in 2016, he has been instrumental in its expansion and financial success, taking the company public and building a multi-billion-dollar revenue model. Jason has raised $900 million and successfully negotiated transactions valued at over a billion, including $92 million through mergers and acquisitions. He has also been monumental in scaling Harvest and setting operational practices that enable the company to obtain regulatory approvals in all municipalities.
John Cochran - Chief Operating Officer
John Cochran is the Chief Operating Officer at Harvest Health and Recreation. He has decades of experience in leading and driving revenue, profitability, and value at well-known multinational brands including Ole Smoke Distillery, Hollandia Produce, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Fiji Water Company. John spent six years at Roll International, the parent company of Fiji Water and owner of POM Wonderful. He also worked as President of General Electric Lighting in South Asia, where he led and directed more than 1,800 employees in 10 countries.
Kevin George - Chief Marketing Officer
Kevin George is the Chief Marketing Officer at Harvest Health and Recreation. He has over 30 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry with a combination of general management, global CMO, and agency experience. He has been an executive with Unilever, Seagram, Beam Suntory, and Acosta/Mosaic. He also spent six years as the global CMO with Beam Suntory and helped take the company public in 2011. Kevin holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BA in Communications from Miami University in Oxford, OH.
Leo Jaschke - Chief Financial Officer
Leo Jaschke is the Chief Financial Officer at Harvest Health and Recreation. He has a built a career leading and performing financing, accounting, and treasury functions at national companies like Celestial Seasonings. Leo also held the CFO position at a private equity firm where he promoted profitability and growth of a portfolio of companies through M&A and organic expansion. He has also helped raise almost $100 million in equity and led more than $300 million in debt financings.
Nicole Smith - Vice President of Manufacturing
Nicole Smith is the Vice President of Manufacturing at Harvest Health and Recreation. She has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years and has created solutions for hundreds of companies from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises. Nicole founded and ran Pango Marketing and co-founded Mary's Medicinals, a Colorado-based company that produced the first transdermal cannabis products there. She helped expand the company into eight states, promoted growth in its product line and developed a complete line of pet products and nutraceuticals. She also holds one of the first patents issued in the US legal cannabis market and was among the first-to-market the benefits of cannabinoids.