Draper Bender is a seasoned cannabis industry executive with over a decade of experience driving operational excellence and multi-state expansion in both adult-use and medical markets. He currently serves as President of Grön Edibles, a majority woman-led cannabis edibles company with operations in Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Canada.
Previously, Draper was Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Operations, and a Co-Founder of Stem Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded, vertically integrated cannabis company. There, he led cultivation, processing, and retail operations across five states and spearheaded national growth strategies through M&A, infrastructure development, compliance, and sustainable business growth in complex regulatory environments.
Before entering the cannabis industry, Draper worked with Ascot Acquisitions to reposition distressed land assets throughout Florida post-recession.