The people behind Arkansas' future cannabis growing facilities include doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, farmers, a former attorney general, a TV news anchor, a former state lawmaker, a justice of the peace and the wife of a former college football coach.
Individuals and firms with ownership stakes in the five companies scored highest by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana commission were made public for the first time Thursday night after the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration released the applications under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
The commission identified the five highest-scoring applications at its Tuesday meeting. If those applicants pay a $100,000 licensing fee and post a $500,000 performance bond, they'll be the first businesses permitted to legally grow medical cannabis in Arkansas after voters legalized the drug for medical use in 2016.
The applications, which are heavily redacted, also offer the first look at how the first facilities will operate.
Delta Medical Cannabis Co., for instance, says it plans to cultivate indica, sativa and hybrid varieties of high-THC medical marijuana as well as various high-CBD strains, referring to the chemical compounds or cannabinoids that make up cannabis.
The company also plans to offer extracts, oils, concentrates and edibles.
Nearly all of the several dozen people with ownership interests in the five companies are Arkansans, but Warren Ross, a Tulsa contractor, owns a small stake in Natural State Wellness Enterprises LLC.
Arizona-based Harvest, which is involved in medical-marijuana industries in five other states, will operate Natural State Wellness Enterprises' cultivation facility, according to that group's application.
The state's next step toward getting medical cannabis into the hands of qualified patients will be selecting 32 dispensaries from a pool of 227 applicants. Commissioners plan to score those proposals over the next few months.
Here are the five high-scoring cultivation companies; identities, occupations and relationships of all owners could not be confirmed by late Thursday.
Natural State Medicinals Cultivation
Business mailing address: One Allied Drive, Suite 1720, Little Rock, 72202
County of Proposed Location: Jefferson
City of Proposed Location: Outside city limits (between White Hall and Redfield)
Owners and percentages of interest:
Dr. Joseph Charles Courtright (15.72 percent), former CEO of USA Drugs in Pine Bluff.
Stephen Lee LaFrance (5.66 percent), pharmacist.
Wendy Perdue LaFrance (10.07 percent).
Dr. Scott Michael Schlesinger (5.66 percent), neurologist.
Dr. Kelli D. Schlesinger (10.07 percent), neurolgist.
Dr. Clifton Bolen Peck (4.23 percent), veterinarian.
Kathryne Deane Peck (7.51 percent).
Robert DeBin (4.46 percent).
Dr. Donald Keith Mooney (4.23 percent), urologist.
Donna Mae Mooney (7.51 percent).
Dr. Alonzo Dean Williams Sr. (8.45 percent), gastroenterologist.
Susan D. Williams (15.02 percent).
Donna Terrell (1.41 percent), TV news anchor at Little Rock's Fox affiliate.
Bold Team LLC
Business mailing address: 5107 Lochridge Road, North Little Rock, 72116
County of Proposed Location: Carroll
City of proposed location: 895 Industrial Park Road, Cotton Plant
Owners and percentages of interest:
Danny W. Brown (24.0 percent), CEO; owns Willy D's restaurant and bar in Little Rock; President of RBD Construction in Pine Bluff.
Mark Drennan of Beebe, (24.5 percent), chief operating officer; owns Mark Drennan Construction of Beebe.
Kyndall Lercher (25.5 percent), medical director; registered nurse
Misty Drennan of Beebe, (25.5 percent), holds a real estate license.
Osage Creek Cultivation LLC
Business mailing address: None listed
County of Proposed Location: Woodruff
City of Proposed Location: Berryville
Owners and percentages of interest:
Mary Trulove (60 percent), president/CEO.
Jay Trulove, (40 percent), COO, owns Trulove Dirt Works LLC in Berryville.
Natural State Wellness Enterprises LLC
Business address: 1201 Fleming Ave., Jonesboro 72401
County of proposed location: Jackson or Jefferson
Owners and percentages of interest:
Henry Wilkins V (17 percent), public health professional who has worked for Phoenix Youth and Family Services and the Jefferson County sheriff's office.
William Ryan Young (34 percent).
John W. Allison (7.79 percent), president of Spirit Homes Inc. and founder and currently board chairman of Home Bancshares Inc., owns a 1,000-acre farm in Cotton Plant.
William Carwell (3.12 percent), farmer.
Christine L. Edmonson (1.04 percent).
Amy Haun Hall (1.56 percent).
Bob Dale Haun (2.08 percent).
Leo Hauser (1.56 percent).
Ryan W Heringer (1.04 percent).
David Johnston (1.04 percent).
Robert Lee Jones III (1.04 percent).
Bobbi McDaniel (2.08 percent).
Bobby McDaniel (2.60 percent), attorney.
Dustin McDaniel (1.04 percent), former Arkansas attorney general
Kristy McDaniel (1.04 percent).
Marvin Parks (1.56 percent), lobbyist, former Arkansas legislator.
Jeffery J. Ryan (1.56 percent).
Marvin Bruce Sanderson (1.56 percent), doctor.
Dr. Ladd Scriber (2.08 percent), urologist.
Dr. Thomas M Stank (5.19 percent), ophthalmologist.
Bill Stanley (1.04 percent).
Bart Calhoun (3.0 percent).
Melissa Moody (3.0 percent).
Martha Rouby (2.0 percent).
Warren E. Ross (0.31 percent), owner of The Ross Group in Tulsa.
Steven White (0.51 percent).
Daniel Johnson (0.18 percent).
Delta Medical Cannabis Co.
Business Address: 3000 Brown's Lane, Jonesboro, 72401
Facility Address: 7301 Victory Blvd., Newport, 72112
County of Proposed Location: Jackson
City of Proposed Location: Newport
Owners and percentages of interest:
Eagles, Birdies, Doubles and Triples, LLC (33.33 percent), which is owned by Doug Falls (66 percent) and Jacquelyn Falls (33.33 percent)
Valentine Holdings LLC (22.22 percent), which is owned by Dr. Jack Mckee (1 percent), Missy Mckee, (32.33 percent), Ray Osment (33.33 percent), Donald L. Parker II, and Lynn Parker, (32.33 percent).
420 Grow LLC (14.81 percent), which is owned by Bill Magnat (50 percent) and Ken Kennemore (50 percent).
Amy Fulkerson (14.81 percent), registered nurse.
Penelope A. Stanley (7.41 percent), farmer
Criss Lacewell (3.71 percent), wife of former Arkansas State University football coach Larry Lacewell.
Tracy Johnson (3.71 percent).
Information for this article was contributed by Sonny Albarado of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
NW News on 03/03/2018