Executives
Ryan Stump
Chief Operating Officer and Director
Mr. Stump was appointed as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer on April 26, 2019 in connection with the Share Exchange. Mr. Stump has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Charlie’s since 2014, during which time he has been responsible for all global operations of Charlie’s. Prior to joining Charlie’s, Mr. Stump worked as an Associate Territory Manager and then as a Territory Manager for ConMed, a medical sales device company, from 2010 to 2013. Mr. Stump also co-founded and continues to be engaged with multiple companies, including The Ohio House since 2011, the Buckeye Recovery Network since 2017, and The Mend California since 2018. Mr. Stump earned a B.S. and B.A. in Sports Marketing and Marketing from Duquesne University.
The Board of Directors believes that Mr. Stump’s experience operating high growth companies, as well as entrepreneurial experience, will be valuable to the Board as it manages the Company’s anticipated continued growth.
Henry Sicignano, III
President
Mr. Sicignano, was appointed as the Company’s President on April 1, 2021. Mr. Sicignano brings more than 20 years experience as a senior executive of various consumer products companies. He served as Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American: XXII), a plant-based biotechnology company that is focused on tobacco harm reduction, very low nicotine content tobacco, and hemp/cannabis research, from March 3, 2015 through July 26, 2019; as President from January 25, 2011 through July 26, 2019; and as a Director from January 25, 2011 through July 26, 2019. Mr. Sicignano served on the Board of Directors of Anandia Laboratories, Inc., a cannabis-focused science company, from December 2014 through August 2018 when the company was sold to Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB). From August 2005 to April 2009, Mr. Sicignano served as a General Manager and as the Director of Corporate Marketing for NOCO Energy Corp., a petroleum products company; and from March 2003 to July 2005, as Vice President of Kittinger Furniture Company, a fine furniture manufacturer. From February 1997 through July 2002, he served as Vice President and Marketing Director of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, a specialty tobacco company and parent to the Natural American Spirit cigarette brand, prior to the sale of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 2002. Mr. Sicignano holds a B.A. Degree in Government from Harvard College and an M.B.A. Degree from Harvard University.
Matt Montesano
Chief Financial Officer
Since 2014, Mr. Montesano served as Chief Financial Officer of Charlie’s Chalk Dust, LLC, the Company’s largest and most profitable operating division. Beginning in 2019, he also began serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Don Polly, LLC, the Company’s hemp-derived products division. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Montesano worked for L’Oreal USA in a variety of corporate finance positions for the company’s Professional Products and Salon Centric divisions. Prior to L’Oreal USA, Mr. Montesano worked for KeyBanc Capital Markets as an investment banker where he focused on debt, equity and merger and acquisitions transactions in the industrials space. Throughout his career, Mr. Montesano has invested in and consulted with businesses on a variety of matters including financial systems and reporting, as well as capital raising and other strategic alternatives. Mr. Montesano holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Ohio University.
Board Of Directors
Edward Carmines, PhD
Independent Director
Dr. Carmines was appointed to the Board in March 2022 and is currently Chief Scientific Officer of Chemular, Inc., where he designs and directs scientific and regulatory programs for PMTAs for a host of contract clients across a wide range of tobacco product categories. Dr. Carmines also currently serves as an Advisory Board Member of Sparq Life, Inc, focusing on the science of inhalation of non-tobacco products, and Principal for Carmines Consulting, LLC, where Dr. Carmines consults to the regulated tobacco industry in the field of toxicology and regulatory affairs. Previously, Dr. Carmines managed the safety of novel and oral tobacco products as a scientist with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. From 1996-2009, Dr. Carmines served as a principal scientist for Philip Morris USA (Altria Client Services, Inc.), where he developed guidelines for safely testing cigarette ingredients and components based on the FDA Red Book. Dr. Carmines received a B.S. degree in Chemistry and a Ph.D. degree in Toxicology from the Medical College of Virginia (Virginia Commonwealth University).
The Board of Directors believes that Dr. Carmines extensive experience within the nicotine industry and navigating the regulatory process relating to the nicotine industry is significantly valuable to the Company due to the ongoing and evolving nature of the Company’s industry.
Scot Cohen
Independent Director
Mr. Cohen was appointed to the Board in March 2013 and is the Founder and Managing Partner of V3 Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on early-stage companies primarily in the consumer products industry, and Co-Manager of Red Fortune Fund, aprivate equity fund based in Hong Kong. Mr. Cohen also is the Founder of Petro River Oil, LLC and Chairman of Petro River Oil Corp. (OTCBB: PTRC), a publicly traded oil and gas producer with assets in Kansas and Oklahoma, and Petro Spring, a global oil and gas technology solutions provider. Prior to creating V3 Capital Partners, Mr. Cohen was the Founder and Managing Partner at Iroquois Capital Opportunity Fund, a special situations private equity investment fund, and a Co-Founder of Iroquois Capital, a hedge fund with investments in small and micro-cap private and public companies. Mr. Cohen currently serves as a director on the Board of Directors of Wrap Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WRTC), and is active in philanthropic activities with numerous charities including the Jewish Enrichment Council. Mr. Cohen received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in 1991.
The Board of Directors believes Mr. Cohen’s success with multiple private investment firms, his extensive contacts within the investment community, and his financial expertise will assist the Company’s efforts to expand and to implement its business plan.
Jeffrey Fox
Independent Director
Mr. Fox was appointed to the Board effective July 16, 2019. He has been a leading business strategist, brand marketing authority, and general management executive for some of the world's largest restaurant and consumer companies including roles as Chief Brand & Concept Officer for Pizza Hut, Co-founder of Collider LLC, a cultural marketing strategy firm, Managing Director of the California office of advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB), various positions with the Yum! Brands and within Sony's interactive and PlayStation video game divisions, and Hill & Knowlton Public Relations. He is currently a member of the board of directors of Cici’s Pizza and Flix Brewhouse. Mr. Fox holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism from San Diego State University and received a master's degree in Mass Communications from California State University, Northridge.
The Board of Directors believes that Mr. Fox’s strong experience in brand building across several diverse Fortune 100 consumer product companies will be significantly valuable to the Company as it continues to grow its product offerings and to launch new brands and products around the world.
Michael D. King
Independent Director
Mr. King is the Founder and current Chief Executive Officer of OEM Solutions, a private company that has developed a supply network in Asia with world-class manufacturing companies that offer a wide variety of custom-made medical products, scientific instruments, consumer products, and food service devices. Operating OEM Solutions has been Mr. King’s sole occupation and employment for the past 22 years. From 1998 until 2001, Mr. King worked as a Sales Representative at Allied Enterprises in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1991 through 1998, Mr. King worked for the Ford Motor Company in the Finance Department as an analyst and eventually supervisor. Mr. King graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1991.
The Board of Directors believes that Mr. King’s experience (i) sourcing, purchasing, and shipping products in China and other Asian countries; (ii) reducing costs of goods and improving quality; and (iii) operating a high growth company is valuable to the Board as it manages the Company’s anticipated continued growth.
Ryan Stump
Chief Operating Officer and Director
Mr. Stump was appointed as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer on April 26, 2019 in connection with the Share Exchange. Mr. Stump has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Charlie’s since 2014, during which time he has been responsible for all global operations of Charlie’s. Prior to joining Charlie’s, Mr. Stump worked as an Associate Territory Manager and then as a Territory Manager for ConMed, a medical sales device company, from 2010 to 2013. Mr. Stump also co-founded and continues to be engaged with multiple companies, including The Ohio House since 2011, the Buckeye Recovery Network since 2017, and The Mend California since 2018. Mr. Stump earned a B.S. and B.A. in Sports Marketing and Marketing from Duquesne University.
The Board of Directors believes that Mr. Stump’s experience operating high growth companies, as well as entrepreneurial experience, will be valuable to the Board as it manages the Company’s anticipated continued growth.