THE HIGH TIMES 1OO

JIM BELUSHI

BELUSHI’S FARM

Actor, comedian and singer Jim Belushi lost his older brother John to an overdose in 1982 and he often remarks that John would be alive today if he’d only stuck with cannabis. A true believer in the medicinal properties of pot, Jim started Belushi’s Farm in Eagle Point, OR, to grow craft-quality marijuana. With beautiful views of the Rogue River, Belushi’s 22,000-square-foot state-licensed growing facility produces pristine healing flowers with wellness in mind.

VICENTE FOX

FORMER PRESIDENT OF MEXICO

Having served as president of Mexico for six years, Vicente Fox knows the failure, futility and costs of the War on Drugs better than anyone. As a businessman, he sees the tremendous opportunity presented by a legal landscape. Having grown up on a ranch, Fox knows what the industry can do to help farmers who suffered under cannabis and hemp prohibition. In 2018, he joined the High Times board to help advise and guide the renowned brand into the future.

KRISTI KNOBLICH PALMER

KIVA CONFECTIONS

Kristi Knoblich Palmer cofounded Kiva Confections in 2010 with the mission to consistently produce safe and delicious edibles. Knoblich Palmer makes our list of influential people for the second straight year thanks to her guidance of Kiva Confections’ excellent customer service, employee development and best practices in manufacturing, business and marketing. In addition to her work with Kiva, Knoblich Palmer is a board member of the California Cannabis Industry Association.

MONTEL WILLIAMS

LENITIV SCIENTIFIC

Some may know of Montel Williams as the longtime Emmy Award–winning TV talk-show personality, but he’s also one of the highest-profile early advocates of medical and adult-use cannabis in the United States, and he’s been using cannabis to treat symptoms of his multiple sclerosis since 1999. He created Lenitiv Scientific in 2017, a purveyor of high-end hemp and cannabis products, and he’s even used his status as a former Marine and Navy officer to help veterans access cannabis without losing their benefits.

BERNER

COOKIES

Berner is both a devoted family man and a busy entrepreneur with a seemingly endless parade of work achieved in the cannabis realm—he’s even been called “the Emperor of Cannabis.” Berner’s Cookies boutique has partnered with CannaCraft, Absolute Extracts, Care by Design, and more and created two new locations in LA that are now hotspots. Berner also manages multiple other projects, both in his cannabis-sector pursuits as well as in his flourishing music career. See our interview with Berner on page 44.

MIKE TYSON

RANCH COMPANIES

When he was just 20 years old, Mike Tyson became the world’s youngest heavyweight boxing champion. He remains one of the most formidable fighters the sport has ever known. Since retiring, Tyson has had a successful career as an entertainer, motivational speaker, author and philanthropist. In 2017, he and partner Robert Hickman teamed up to launch the Ranch Companies, a world-class branding organization with a diversified cannabis product and entertainment portfolio that includes Tyson Ranch.

ELIZABETH HOGAN

GCH INC.

GCH Inc. was established in 2014 with the legendary singer, songwriter and longtime cannabis advocate Willie Nelson, and the company’s product lines include the flagship brands Willie’s Reserve and Willie’s Remedy. As a co-founder and vice president of brands, Elizabeth Hogan employs her development expertise to lead and elevate the marketing strategy for the cannabis and hemp-derived product lines. Expect GCH’s portfolio of clients and partners to continue growing under Hogan’s skilled tutelage.

BRENDAN KENNEDY

PRIVATEER HOLDINGS

Brendan Kennedy left a successful career in investment banking to explore the greener pastures of the emerging cannabis industry. Since his co-founding of Privateer Holdings with Christian Groh and Michael Blue in 2010, the company has grown into the biggest American-owned cannabis private-equity firm in the world—acquiring and developing properties such as Leafly, Tilray, Marley Natural, Goodship, High Park Company and more. Learn more in our Privateer Holdings profile on page 52.

BIGMIKE STRAUMIETIS

ADVANCED NUTRIENTS

Michael “BigMike” Straumietis is the founder of Advanced Nutrients, the powerhouse cannabis nutrient company that does over $110 million in sales annually worldwide. BigMike boasts four decades of cultivation experience and innovation, and now he’s channeling that expertise into cannabis consumables. Straumietis recently launched BigMike’s Blends, an ultra-premium line of pre-rolls, as the initial offering from Lacturnus Labs—a $30 million state-of-the-art cannabis research laboratory in Los Angeles, the first facility of its kind in the United States.

BILLY LEVY & PETER MILLER

SLANG WORLDWIDE

Before launching SLANG Worldwide, Billy Levy and Peter Miller cofounded Mettrum Health Corp., a Canadian licensed producer that was acquired by Canopy Growth. With backgrounds in