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Who Owns Dispensaries? Documents Show Who’ll Sell Medical Cannabis

9 min read

(Update, Jan. 23, 2019: Since the original publication of this article, the state has started officially awarding licenses in each of Arkansas’ eight zones, causing changes in which companies operate in each zone. We have published an updated list of licensed dispensaries, by zone, right here.)

So who owns the companies in line to get licenses to operate the 32 medical marijuana dispensary sites that the state approved preliminarily last week?

An examination of the hundreds of pages of applications for the dispensing side of the state’s new medical cannabis regime, approved by voters in November 2016, reveals the owners and in some cases the officers of the top-scoring applications in each of eight zones around the state. (See below.)

The top four scorers will receive dispensary licenses if they meet other legal requirements, but the application documents also offer details on the fifth- and sixth-place scorers in each zone, companies that could move up and gain dispensary licenses as higher-ranked companies that finished at the top in several zones choose where they intend to operate.

The Public Consulting Group of Boston scored some 200 dispensary applications as the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission outsourced the grading work, something it had not done with the 97 applications for five cultivation sites. The state approved those companies — in Pine Bluff, Newport (two sites), Cotton Plant and Berryville — last spring. The Cotton Plant cultivation center, Bold Team LLC, has begun growing plants and expects cannabis products to be available to the state’s 6,700 qualified patients by April.

Randall Bynum, an attorney representing Acanza Health Group LLC, noted that his clients submitted the top two grades among all applications and were No. 1 in both Zone 1 (northwest Arkansas) and Zone 7 (southeast Arkansas).

“We’re waiting on our award letter from the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which is the enforcement agency, but the expectation is that we’ll have to decide between our sites in Pine Bluff and Fayetteville,” Bynum told Arkansas Business Monday afternoon in his office on the 37th Floor of the Simmons Bank Tower.

Should Acanza choose Fayetteville, for instance, the fifth scorer in Zone 7, Pine Bluff Agriceuticals, would have a path to move up and claim a license.

Since companies with top-scoring applications must make selections in several zones, this listing includes the top six-scoring applicants in each zone. State law requires for each dispensary and cultivation site to have at least 60 percent ownership by Arkansans. “Applicants with award letters were also given seven days to pay a $15,000 license fee and post a $100,000 performance bond,” Bynum said.

That seven-day period ends Thursday.  Here are the top-scoring groups in each zone, but note: Because all decisions on the zones where companies will operate have not yet been reported, not all of the following companies will receive dispensary licenses.

Update: This list has been updated right here.

Zone 1

  1. Acanza Health Group LLC is owned by Randi Brazer with 39.81 percent, Jancey Hutcherson with 15 percent; Matthew Jansen with 0.19 percent; Joseph Jansen with 18.81 percent; Grady Harvell with 2 percent; Darlene Hampton with 3 percent; Janinne Riggs with 17.19 percent; and Richard Hutson with 4 percent. Matthew Jansen will be CEO, Joseph Jansen will be chief medical officer, Brazer will be COO, Kimberlin Meador will be CFO, and Emily Cohen will be chief regulatory officer. Acanza’s Zone 1 site is in Fayetteville.

  2. Valentine Holdings LLC, dba Northwest Arkansas Medical Cannabis, is owned by Lynn Parker, 32.3 percent; Donald L. Parker II, 1 percent; T. Michelle McKee, 32.3 percent; John McKee, 1 percent; Ray Osment, 33.3 percent. The Valentine site in Zone 1 is in Fayetteville.

  3. Arkansas Medicinal Source Patient Center is owned by Jeff Starling, 28.5 percent; David Starling, 1.5 percent; Aaron Crawley, 12.5 percent; Mitchell Massey, 12.5 percent; Mike Tullis, 25 percent; Conor Filter, 5 percent; Robert McLarty, 5 percent; and Erik Danielson, 10 percent. Tullis will be CEO and Danielson general counsel. Other officers include Nicole Hart, COO; and Ashley Russell, CFO. The AMSPC site will be in Bentonville.

  4. The Releaf Center is owned by Roger Song, 60 percent; Kevin Frazier, 20 percent; Matt Shansky, 10 percent; and Laura Frazier, 10 percent. The Releaf Center site will be in unincorporated Benton County.

  5. Eureka Green is owned by John Dellacroce, 5.735 percent; Kathleen Dellacroce, 5.735 percent; George Egan Jr., 0.57 percent; Gregory Kresse, 4.3 percent; Julie Kresse, 4.3 percent; Kimberly Parks, 0.57 percent; Patrick Risch, 5.735 percent; Whitney Risch, 5.735 percent; Bruce Schratz, 3.44 percent; Danny Smith, 3.44 percent; Charles Steger, 3.44 percent; Penelope Walker, 3.61 percent; Kelli Zumwalt, 11.47 percent; John Hutchcroft, 1.145 percent; Larita Hutchcroft, 1.145 percent; Andy Langston, 2.3 percent; Deborah Langston, 2.3 percent; Serrhel Adams Jr., 5.735 percent; Patty Adams, 5.735 percent; Michelle Barnes, 0.57 percent; Danny Bell, 5.735 percent; Carmen Bell, 5.735 percent; Julie Brents, 0.6 percent; Brenda Brooks, 5.73 percent; and John Cheairs, 5.73 percent. The Eureka Green site will be in Eureka Springs

  6. Ozark Mountain Dispensary is owned by Lindsley Smith, 60 percent; and Jeff Davis, 40 percent. Smith will be president and CEO and Davis will be vice president. Their selected site is in Fayetteville.

Zone 2

  1. Fiddler’s Green is owned by Lisa Murphy, 59 percent; Thomas Asewiez, 25 percent; Kent Thomas, 11 percent; James Booth, 2.5 percent; and Amanda Woods, 2.5 percent. Murphy and Thomas are listed as managing members, Asewiez as a member, and Booth and Woods as consultants. The dispensary site will be in Stone County.

  2. Big Fish of North Central Arkansas is owned by Dr. Regina Thurmon, 55 percent; Joshua Landers, 25 percent; Marshall Wright, 19 percent, and Eddie Garcia, 1 percent. The site will be in Heber Springs.

  3. Plant Family Therapeutics is owned by James Compton, 40 percent; Clint Mickle, 30 percent, Keith Schluterman, 5 percent; Adam Schluterman, 5 percent; Jeff McAnally, 5 percent; and Linda McAnally, 15 percent. Mickle will be CEO and Compton CFO of the dispensary, which will be in unincorporated Baxter County.

  4. Arkansas Natural Products is owned by Louis Wig, 51 percent; Ezechiel Nehus, 24.5 percent; and Stephen Shrum, 24.5 percent. All three are listed as “members” of the dispensary, which will be in Clinton.

  5. Arkansas Green Cross Cannabis Dispensary is owned by Renee Clay-Circle, 50 percent; and Kathryn Cooper, 50 percent. Clay-Circle is listed as incorporator/organizer, and Cooper as a member. The dispensary would be in Salem.

  6. River Valley Releaf is owned by Tina Joyce Shepard, 60 percent; Allan Kaburick Krygowski, 10 percent; Diana Krygowski Logan, 10 percent; Emily Laine Krygowski, 10 percent; Kristopher Scott Fowlkes, 6 percent; and William Robert Logan, 4 percent. Shepard is listed as CEO, Allan Krygowski is COO and Logan is president. The site selected is in Marion County.

Zone 3

  1. Valentine Holdings LLC (see Zone 1, No. 2, above)

  2. Grassroots OpCo is owned by Lindsey Lovett Estes,70.2 percent; Lesley Claire Darnal, 20.1 percent; Dr. Horace Greer, 0.05 percent; Steven Weisman, 4.075 percent; PCCW Investment LLC, owned by Mitchell Kahn and Matthew Darin, 4.075 percent; and GB Portfolio Investments LLC, owned by Marc Gordon and David Brown, 1.5 percent. Weisman is listed as CEO, Kahn as COO and Darin as CFO. The dispensary site is in Hardy.

  3. THC Rx Inc. is owned by Todd Sears, 100 percent. His dispensary site is in West Memphis.

  4. Delta Cannabis Co. is owned by Doub Falls, 32.5 percent; Amy Fulkerson, 32.5 percent; Larry Johnson, 15 percent; Criss Lacewell, 10 percent; and Penelope Stanley, 10 percent. The site is in West Memphis.

  5. Natural State Wellness Dispensary is owned by Henry Wilkins V, 51 percent; Leo Hauser, 6 percent; Marvin Parks, 6 percent; David Dunn, 6 percent (Dunn died in October 2017); Melissa Moody, 6 percent; Dustin McDaniel, 6 percent; Bart Calhoun, 6 percent; Amy Haun Hall, 6 percent; Ladd Scribner, 6 percent; Warren Ross, 0.49 percent; and Steve White, 0.51 percent.

  6. Comprehensive Care Group is owned by Donald J. Marshall, 40 percent; Dr. Garry Glasco, 50 percent; and Valecia Ootsey-Walker, 10 percent. The group’s dispensary would be in West Memphis.

Zone 4

  1. Valentine Holdings LLC (see above). The dispensary site is in Fort Smith.

  2. Natural State Wellness Dispensary (see Zone 3, No. 5 above)

  3. JPS Management LLC, dba as Fort Cannabis Co., is owned by Sheri L. Neely, 51 percent; and Jeffrey Paul Scholtes, 49 percent. Both are listed as owner/members and as board members of JPS Management. The dispensary site will be in Fort Smith.

  4. River Valley Dispensary is owned by Jennifer Paige Fisher, 51 percent; Richard Scott Pace, 40 percent; Rick Angel, 4 percent; Ron Smith, 4 percent; and Bryan Fisher, 1 percent. The dispensary will be in unincorporated Yell County.

  5. Johnson County Dispensary is owned by Lee Hatcher, 60 percent; Billy Tranum, 25 percent; and Ben Butler, 15 percent. The dispensary site is in unincorporated Johnson County.

  6. 420RX is owned by Adam Harrison, 100 percent. His dispensary site is in Russellville.

Zone 5

  1. Rock City Harvest LLC is owned by Elizabeth Barnett, 41 percent; Rebecca Nickerson, 20 percent; Mizan Rahman, 34 percent; and John Arthur Hunt, 5 percent.

  2. Grassroots OpCo (see Zone 3, No. 2 above). The dispensary site is in Texarkana.

  3. Natural State Wellness Dispensary (see above)

  4. Natural Relief Dispensary is owned by Michael Faught, 65 percent; and Scott Snyder, 35 percent. Faught would be CEO and Snyder COO of the dispensary, which will be in Sherwood.

  5. Native Green Wellness Center is owned by Kattie Hansen, 48 percent; Walter Koon, 45 percent; Leslie Duncan, 5 percent; and Chris Olsen, 2 percent. The dispensary site is in unincorporated Pulaski County.

  6. Green Thumb Industries of Arkansas LLC is owned by Core Southwest Arkansas MMJ LLC, 60 percent; and GTI Core LLC, 40 percent. The dispensary site is in unincorporated Woodruff County.

Zone 6

  1. Green Springs Medical is owned by Dragan Vicentic, 60 percent; and Bruce Simpson, 40 percent. Vicentic is CEO and board chairman, Simpson is security manager and vice chairman, Keith Stafford is COO and Larry Stidman is CFO.

  2. Native Green Wellness Center (see Zone 5, No. 5 above); the dispensary site is in unincorporated Saline County.

  3. Doctors Orders RX is owned by Donald Sears, 100 percent. The dispensary site is in unincorporated Garland County.

  4. Natural State Medical Group LLC is owned by James Adametz, 15 percent; Zada Adametz, 15 percent; Mary C. Caroom, 30 percent; Julia Hart, 5 percent; Mel Collozo, 3 percent; Susan Melton, 2 percent; and Tammy Ives, 30 percent. James Adametz, Ives is vice president, and Caroom is secretary of the dispensary, sited in unincorporated Garland County.

  5. Green Remedies Group is owned by Don Brewington, 13.98 percent; Brad Fausett, 13.98 percent; Steve Johnson, 13.98 percent; Dugan King, 13.98 percent; Monique Yarnell, 3.18 percent; Dr. Michael Butler, 3.08 percent; Dr. Rich Helfrey, 2.91 percent; Robin Uzick, 2.33 percent; Noel Uzick, 2.33 percent; Cyndi Fisher, 2.33 percent; Neil Fisher, 2.33 percent; Cathy Puckett, 2.33 percent; Jason Puckett, 2.33 percent; Vince Helfrey, 2.01 percent; Brian Schultz, 2.01 percent; Patricia Sanfelippo, 2.01 percent; Jim Wachter, 2.01 percent; Dr. Tim Graven, 1.51 percent; Curt Miller, 1.16 percent; Mike Graven, 1.16 percent; Dezette Maxwell, 1.16 percent; Eric Heidtke, 1.16 percent; Dr. Andy Gelven, 1.16 percent; Dr. Justin Bintliff, 1.16 percent; Reggie Clow, 0.87 percent; Teresa Clow, 0.87 percent; Adolph Jacobsmeyers, 0.60 percent; Jamie Huett, 0.60 percent; Brandon Weathers, 0.50 percent; Janina Cambiano, 0.40 percent; Fergus Finnell, 0.20 percent; Gene Remely, 0.20 percent; and Sheri Green, 0.20 percent. The dispensary site is in unincorporated Garland County.

  6. Bloom Medicinals of AR LLC is owned by Sharon Vire, 60 percent; Steven Sandler, 20 percent; Nicole Van Rensburg, 10 percent; and William Hollander, 10 percent. Van Rensburg is CEO, Hollander is COO, Sandler is chief strategy officer and Vire is chief compliance officer. The dispensary site is in Malvern.

Zone 7

  1. Acanza Health Group (see Zone 1, No. 1 above). The dispensary site is in Pine Bluff.

  2. Natural State Wellness Dispensary (see above). The dispensary site is in Pine Bluff.

  3. PainFree RX is owned by Mary F. Sears. The dispensary site is in Pine Bluff.

  4. Delta Cultivators is owned by John Mueller, 26.32 percent; Bart Christine, 19.65 percent; Ed Pat and Elizabeth Wright, 13.07 percent; Barry Lawrence, 13.07 percent; Gordon Cunningham, 7.63 percent; Lance Gray, 6.58 percent; Phillip Allen, 7.61 percent; Arnell Willis Sr., 3.29 percent; and Arnell Willis Jr., 3.28 percent. The site is in unincorporated Phillips County.

  5. Pine Bluff Agriceuticals is owned by Teresa Ann Wilkins, 51 percent; Michael Eugene Wilkins, 49 percent. The dispensary site is in Pine Bluff.

Zone 8

  1. Grassroots OpCo (see above). The dispensary site is in Texarkana.

  2. Noah’s Ark LLC is owned by Katie Crimmins, 82 percent; and Marla Dorf, 18 percent. The site is in unincorporated Union County.

  3. Bloom Medicinals (see Zone 6, No. 6 above). The dispensary site is in Texarkana.

  4. RX MED is owned by Carol Moore, 35 percent; Jeff Hunter, 19 percent; Jan Hunter 19 percent; Nicholas Covington, 15 percent; Demaris Hart, 5 percent; George Mills, 5 percent; and Anders Peterson, 2 percent. The dispensary site is in Prescott.

  5. Arkadelphia Dispensary LLC is owned by DeWayne Goldman, 51 percent; Percy Malone, 24.5 percent; and Mark McGrew, 24.5 percent. The dispensary site is in Arkadelphia.

  6. T&C Management is owned by Susan Oliver, 60 percent; Cash Oliver, 20 percent; and Terry Larey, 20 percent. Their selected dispensary site is in Texarkana.

    (Correction, Jan. 18, 2019: Green Thumb Industries Arkansas is owned by Core Southwest Arkansas MMJ LLC and GTI Core LLC. Incorrect owner names were associated with that company in the original article.)

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