Alcohol Industry Veteran Mark Gorman Appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Association of Cannabis Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 26, 2020) – The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB), today announced the appointment of Mark Gorman as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The NACB is the only cannabis industry trade group dedicated to promoting national standards for responsible advertising and marketing of cannabis products, as well as other best practice guidelines for businesses in the burgeoning sector.

Gorman joins NACB from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), where he served 20years as the Senior Vice President for Government Relations overseeing the distilled spirits industry’s highly successful legislative, public policy and advocacy activities at both the federal and state levels.

“We are delighted to have Mark join our team as the leader of our governmental policy and outreach efforts,” said Gina Kranwinkel, NACB’s President and CEO. “Mark’s depth of experience with the challenges faced by highly regulated industries make him an ideal fit with our organization.”

Under Gorman’s direction, the NACB will work to broaden support among other cannabis groups, consumer protection agencies and government policy makers for its responsibility standards and best practice guidance.

“The distilled spirits industry weaves responsibility into every facet of its business from advertising and marketing practices to public policy and education initiatives. This commitment to responsibility has earned the industry respect on Capitol Hill and credibility in state capitols across the country. I look forward to applying this experience to help the NACB develop a successful legislative and regulatory path forward,” Gorman said.

Prior to joining DISCUS, Mark spent seven years leading government affairs at the National RestaurantAssociation and several years as deputy director at the Washington office of General Mills, Inc. He is also aCapitol Hill veteran having worked six years as a tax legislative assistant for Sen. John H. Chafee (R-RI).

A graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, MA, Gorman lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife Colette.They have four children.

The NACB, which was established in 2017, represents over 400 member-businesses and thousands of cannabis professionals around the country. They are the industry’s first and only self-regulatory organization, whose mission is to support the compliance, transparency and growth of legal cannabis businesses in the U.S.

For media inquiries, please contact:Adrienne Uthe
VP of Marketing and Sales, NACBAdrienne.Uthe@nacb.com