The third annual brought vendors, speakers and industry leaders to the International Exposition Center in Berea in early October. About 5,700 people attended the convention as well, up from 4,500 last year, according to summit founder and CEO Lenny Berry.
With recreational use now legal in Ohio, the event also drew pro-cannabis entrepreneurs eager to harness a wide-open marketplace. One is Tom Mikulski, a Portage County landlord whose past enterprises include oil wells, car washes and mini-storage facilities.
Having spent a decade supporting recreational dispensaries in Michigan as a silent partner, Mikulski is now fully committed to the Ohio cannabis industry, he said. A long-time recreational user himself, he also worked alongside a local cannabis processor on its wholesale operationsprior to legalization.
鈥淚 see (legalization) as a good thing 鈥� it鈥檚 not like alcohol where it鈥檚 at every corner,鈥� said Mikulski. 鈥淪eventy-five percent of people are using (marijuana) wisely, they鈥檙e not just using it to get high. I use it for sleep and pain relief. I was a framer and carpenter by trade, and just beat up over the years from hard work.鈥�
Before Ohio voters approved the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2023, Mikulski toured 20 regional dispensaries and cultivation facilities, which culminated in creation of a new cannabis company with summit founder Berry. Called Tom & Berry鈥檚 Special Reserve, the startup plans to sell buds and pre-rolled joints at regional dispensaries beginning early 2025.
The newly formed company is collaborating with a to-be-named local grower, while a processing partner is still to be determined. Mikulski said that his negotiation expertise from real estate has translated nicely to a burgeoning industry.
鈥淭he negotiation skills on pricing and budget that I learned are what I use in cannabis,鈥� Mikulski said. 鈥淩esearch and my knowledge of how to make a proper business plan are the biggest things that carried over.鈥�
A bit of everything
Ohio has surpassed $87.12 million in recreational marijuana sales since the program launched on August 6, according to the state鈥檚 Division of Cannabis Control. While it鈥檚 an exciting time for Ohio鈥檚 120-plus dispensaries, some cannabis companies remain behind on the revenue side, said Berry, also co-owner and chief visionary officer of hemp producer Organic Plus Brandsin North Ridgeville.
鈥淣ext year鈥檚 summit will have more attendees interested in the cannabis industry, because we will have a full year of getting the word out that legalization is in full effect,鈥� Berry said in an email. 鈥淭he state is still operating with the medical rules that won't fully change until the beginning of 2025.鈥�
Medical marijuana has been legal in Ohio since House Bill 523 legalized the substance and created the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. Under new state laws, the status of certain cannabis-related activities went from illegal to regulated. For example, dispensaries must still abide by restrictions on underage sales, while unlicensed growers and traffickers will continue to face prosecution.
Akron resident Kathy Menditto had a booth at this year鈥檚 event, where she distributed business cards and spoke with attendees about her new cannabis-centered human resources firm. Deliberate HR is a one-woman shop for companies facing an evolving regulatory landscape along with rapid growth and ongoing social stigma.
Federal marijuana prohibition, for example, creates unique challenges in payroll, benefits and various financial transactions, noted Menditto, a 20-year HR veteran in sectors including finance, manufacturing and retail.
During her study of the cannabis industry, Menditto learned that a significant portion of businesses do not have an in-house HR department. That leaves complicated compliance and employee engagement tasks to already harried managers 鈥� a summit attendee had been sued by a former worker due to discrepancies found in an outdated employee handbook.
Menditto believes she鈥檚 well-equipped to handle similar issues, even as she鈥檚 new to cannabis herself.
鈥淚 worked for small companies where I was the only HR person, so I was always responsible for everything,鈥� Menditto said. 鈥淪o, I know what a small business needs when it comes to HR. A manager doing HR duties is not adequate, because the cannabis business is already under strict regulations. Human resources throws a whole other layer onto that when it comes to compliance. Owners and managers cannot be expected to know everything.鈥�
A deep dive into a new career
As Menditto delved deeper into cannabis, she recognized a lack of experienced HR professionals working in the field nationwide. Certain agencies specializing in marijuana focused primarily on payroll, neglecting critical areas of policy development and regulatory oversight, she said.
鈥淭he nice thing about HR is that it鈥檚 universally applied to every industry,鈥� Menditto said. 鈥淵ou have the same minimum wage laws and the same equal employment opportunity laws. But there is a lot of compliance, and there鈥檚 a lot of reporting. Having to stay up to date becomes a struggle, because there鈥檚 so much.鈥�
The emerging sector offers its own hurdles for Menditto as she builds her new business.
鈥淐annabis is still very new in Ohio, so there are a lot of unknowns,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always worked in established companies, and I鈥檓 starting my own business in an industry that people went to jail for working in just a few years ago. It is mind blowing how fast things change.鈥�
Patrick Wurzbacher came to cannabis from Just Candy, a bulk sweets distribution company near Cincinnati. Wurzbacher, now product manager for Ohio-headquartered medical and recreational marijuana distributor Backroad Wellness, said the fast-paced cannabis environment took some getting used to.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of change in regulations being in a new industry,鈥� said Wurzbacher, who moderated a branding seminar during the October cannabis summit. 鈥淭echnically, we鈥檙e still waiting on rules for adult use, so we鈥檙e going to have a whole new set of standard operating procedures. As far as the culture, these have got to be the nicest people I鈥檝e ever met. There are so many people when we see each other at a networking event, we are straight up pulling each other in for a hug.鈥�
Wurzbacher interned for Backroad Wellness while a student at University of Cincinnati, joining the company full-time still 60 credits short of a business degree. The chance to secure a good job without a diploma demonstrates the inclusive and welcoming nature of cannabis, he added.
鈥淎t 24, I was able to climb the ranks quickly and get a management position, and I don鈥檛 necessarily think that鈥檚 unheard of (in cannabis),鈥� Wurzbacher said. 鈥淚f you have the drive and the work ethic, many of these companies are willing to take a chance on you.鈥�