Talking about passion and dedication to hard work, networking, experience in all aspects of the business (including getting into the dirt with the farmers), commitment to continuing education and to understanding the ever changing climate of industry that describes Mary Lou Burton and Michelle Baker Grogan.

Mary Lou has been applying her 28-year small business ownership and experience in the corporate event and hospitality industry to bringing the cannabis industry together with the Cannabis Collaborative Conference and the Oregon Growers Fair. Yes, she is the one that got recreational marijuana plants into the Oregon State Fair for public viewing and enabling them to learn more about this amazing plant resource. In working closely with regulators Mary Lou also had growers, with their flower displayed in their exhibit booths, at CCC last year. Finally, a business to business event where you could actually see and smell the product.

Michelle’s 11 years in sales/merchandising and information technology at Thermo Fisher Scientific, 5 years in Microsoft’s healthcare and life sciences group, culminating as business manager/right hand, to the corporate VP of enterprise accounts and partners prepared her to apply her science knowledge and skills to cannabis. As a Manufacturing representative for a line of earth friendly cleaning products, she was instrumental in placing Ecos laundry detergent in variety of retailers including Costco Wholesale U.S., Canada and Mexico. Ultimately in 2014, as Chief Operations Officer and co-founder/owner for an indoor Tier III Producer/Processor in WA Recreational cannabis she has experienced, first hand, the cannabis industry challenges.

Bottom line: these two are a wealth of knowledge that you are welcome to tap in to. Cannabis Connex goes beyond the two days of the show and offer 24/7/365 assistance to cannabis industry professionals through their connections. They make business deals happen.