Colorado Cannabis Retailer to Speak at 2015 ABL Annual Conference
Denver dispensary operator to share marijuana licensee perspective
Bethesda, MD – May 26, 2015 – American Beverage Licensees (ABL) announced today that Stephanie Hopper, Chief Operating Officer at Ballpark Holistic Dispensary in Denver, Colorado will speak at the 2015 ABL Annual Conference on June 8. Ms. Hopper will discuss the recreational cannabis business from a retail perspective and how her store navigates the regulated sales environment in Colorado. Though alcohol and cannabis have not been comingled at the production, distribution and retail levels, there have been many public comparisons of the two products. With more states considering regulating marijuana like alcohol, beverage retailers have grown increasingly interested in learning about what the recreational cannabis marketplace looks like now, and what shape it may take in the future.
As a leading cannabis purveyor who runs a state-licensed retail business, Ms. Hopper will discuss the challenges and opportunities of pioneering the state’s nascent recreational cannabis marketplace that started from scratch just a few years ago. She will also share her experience as the Chairman of the Legislative Council for the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. “The recreational cannabis business is rapidly evolving and has drawn a great deal of attention from across the country,” said John Bodnovich, Executive Director of ABL. “We’re excited to have Stephanie join our conference line-up and provide our members with a first-hand retail account of one of the nation’s most scrutinized industries.”
For more information, visit ABL’s conference website or click here to register.
Stephanie Hopper, Chief Operating Officer at Ballpark Holistic Dispensary
Stephanie Hopper has 15 years of experience in the consulting and compliance fields. Stephanie worked for industry leaders BDO Seidman, KPMG, and Verizon prior to entering the Cannabis Industry. Stephanie has focused her career on helping companies implement solutions that improve efficiencies and controls around their businesses to meet and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
As the Chief Operating Officer at Ballpark Holistic Dispensary, Stephanie manages the operations for the medical and recreational cultivation facilities and the dispensary. Stephanie serves as the Chairman of the Legislative Council for the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce (C4). C4 actively works with lawmakers and regulators to help educate and make rules and regulations that support the growth of the Cannabis Industry.
A .pdf of this press release can be found here: Colorado Cannabis Retailer to Speak at 2015 ABL Annual Conference
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American Beverage Licensees is the preeminent national trade association for beverage alcohol retailers. Direct retail beverage alcohol sales in the United States generate as many as 1.77 million well-paying jobs. ABL’s thousands of on-premise and off-premise licensee members are independent and often family-owned establishments. The beverage retailing industry pays over $19.3 billion in federal taxes and $16.9 billion in state and local taxes. To learn more about ABL, visit www.ablusa.org.