The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) is again starting a negotiation process to fill its executive director position after the first person offered the job turned it down.
Travis Ahern, the administrator for the town of Holliston, emerged as the runner-up after October interviews with executive director candidates, according to the State House News Service.
Bruce Stebbins, the commission’s acting chair, and Chief People Officer Debra Hilton-Creek will negotiate with Ahern.
The CCC – which oversees Massachusetts’ regulated adult-use and medical marijuana industries – agreed to “reconvene in short order to discuss and decide on next steps” in the executive director search and hiring process if Ahern were to declines the job, the news service reported.
“In my opinion, and what I took away from our discussions, (was) that we all felt Mr. Ahern was a strong candidate,” Stebbins said when he suggested the commission extend the job offer.
The CCC turned to Ahern after David Lakeman, a former employee of the commission, turned it down earlier this month to remain in Illinois, where he leads the marijuana division at the state’s agriculture department.
The CCC hasn’t had an executive director since Shawn Collins resigned in late 2023.
Hilton-Creek has been serving as acting executive director.
Stebbins, who lives in Holliston where Ahern works, said he hasn’t had personal or professional dealings with Ahern before he applied for the CCC job.
The commission also voted unanimously to require regular updates on the negotiations and reconvene if Ahern turns down the job.
Meanwhile, Arkansas also is in the market for someone to oversee its medical marijuana industry.
Trent Minner has resigned as regulatory administrator for the Department of Finance and Administration, effective Dec. 31, according to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Minner has overseen MMJ, liquor, tobacco and racing in Arkansas since July 2023.
He resigned for a job in the private sector, the Democrat-Gazette reported.
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