Harris Rabin, former ABInBev & Bayer leader, joins Vireo Health as Chief Marketing Officer

NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vireo Health International, Inc. (CSE: VREO), a leading science-focused, multi-state cannabis company, today announced Harris Rabin will be joining the company's executive team in the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer. Rabin will be overseeing brand marketing, e-commerce, and sales efforts. Rabin brings two decades of experience, including senior leadership roles in the consumer healthcare and beverage alcohol industries.

Rabin is an accomplished marketing leader with a proven and consistent track record. He most recently served as Global Vice President of Marketing at Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABInBev), where he led brand building efforts for a multi-billion dollar global portfolio of core beer brands. Rabin led brand development across global markets, including the global expansion of Michelob Ultra, the $1+ billion brand pioneering the "Better-For-You" category.

Prior to ABInBev, Rabin worked for nearly a decade at Bayer HealthCare as a brand builder in the Consumer Health division, where he built brands and ultimately oversaw the Global Aspirin franchise, growing the Aspirin business to the highest on record, consistently exceeding expectations.

"I am thrilled to add a highly-skilled marketer like Harris to the Vireo Health leadership team," said Chief Executive Officer Kyle Kingsley, M.D. "Harris brings an ideal combination of brand and product marketing experience from relevant industries like consumer healthcare and the alcoholic beverage industry. He will be valuable addition to our team of experienced senior executives."

"Without a doubt, cannabis will continue to be a positive disruptive force transforming consumer wellness, and my background in consumer health care and beverage alcohol gives me a unique perspective on the potential of the fast-growing cannabis industry," said Rabin. "I look forward to helping grow Vireo Health's brands at a time when the company is uniquely positioned to leverage our medical and science expertise to provide best-in-class products and experiences."

Rabin added, "Cannabis is also a CPG industry. Brands will drive disproportionate market share by understanding and delivering against specific consumer needs, benefits, and occasions. Vireo's expansive footprint and IP will enable us to develop the most compelling brand portfolio in the industry and engage with our consumers and health care partners to continue to surprise and delight all stakeholders."

Rabin has a bachelor's degree with high honors in mathematics & economics from Northwestern University, and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management with a focus on marketing and new product development. He lives in NYC with his wife and three children.

Additional members of the sales and marketing team include: Jennie Leuzarder the VP of Sales, who brings years of experience from the highly regulated wines and spirits industry, where she held various leadership positions at global luxury brands Diageo and Pernod Ricard; and Aisha Khan the VP of eCommerce, who joined Vireo after spending over 5 years at Johnson & Johnson, where she led one of the largest Health & Beauty eCommerce businesses in the U.S.

About Vireo Health International, Inc.
Vireo Health International, Inc.'s mission is to build the cannabis company of the future by bringing the best of medicine, engineering and science to the cannabis industry. Vireo's physician-led team of more than 300 employees provides best-in-class cannabis products and customer experience. Vireo cultivates cannabis in environmentally-friendly greenhouses, manufactures pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts, and sells its products at both company-owned and third-party dispensaries. The Company is currently licensed in ten states including Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. For more information about the company, please visit www.vireohealth.com.

Contact Information

Investor Inquiries
Sam Gibbons
Vice President, Investor Relations
[email protected]
(612) 314-8995

Media Inquiries
Albe Zakes
Vice President, Corporate Communications
[email protected]   
(267) 221-4800

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclosure

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, based on current expectations. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "look forward to", "budget" "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "will continue", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved." Forward looking information may include, without limitation, statements regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, milestones, strategies and outlook of Vireo, and includes statements about, among other things, future developments, the future operations, strengths and strategy of the Company. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are based upon certain material factors, assumptions and analyses that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including Vireo's experience and perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances.

Examples of the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to those related to: the achievement of goals, the close of all acquisitions, obtaining of all necessary permits and governmental approvals, future market positioning, as well as expectations regarding availability of equipment, skilled labor and services needed for cannabis operations, intellectual property rights,  development, operating or regulatory risks, trends and developments in the cannabis industry, business strategy and outlook, expansion and growth of business and operations, the timing and amount of capital expenditures; future exchange rates; the impact of increasing competition; conditions in general economic and financial markets; access to capital; future operating costs; government regulations, including future legislative and regulatory developments involving medical and recreational marijuana and the timing thereto; receipt of appropriate and necessary licenses in a timely manner; the effects of regulation by governmental agencies; the anticipated changes to laws regarding the recreational use of cannabis; the demand for cannabis products and corresponding forecasted increase in revenues; and the size of the medical marijuana market and the recreational marijuana market.

Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that it will be completed on the terms described above and that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Vireo assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law.

By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties, and there are a variety of material factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company and that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: denial or delayed receipt of all necessary consents and approvals; need for additional capital expenditures; increased costs and timing of operations; unexpected costs associated with environmental liabilities; requirements for additional capital; reduced future prices of cannabis; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the cannabis industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; title disputes; claims limitations on insurance coverage; risks related to the integration of acquisitions; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of certain commodities (such as diesel fuel and electricity); changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries where the Company may carry on business in the future;  liabilities inherent in cannabis operations;  risks relating to medical and recreational cannabis; cultivation, extraction and distribution problems; competition for, among other things, capital, licences and skilled personnel;  risks relating to the timing of legalization of recreational cannabis; changes in laws relating to the cannabis industry; and management's success in anticipating and managing the foregoing factors.

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SOURCE Vireo Health International, Inc.