The seventh annual national Cannabis Business Awards were announced Thursday, December 7, at a ceremony at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Hosted by Clover Leaf University founder Chloe Villano, the awards have seen a rise in prominence that parallels legal pot's increased relevance across the United States.
Industry executives and advocates from across the country came to the birthplace of retail cannabis to see who'd be recognized, and Colorado was well-represented. Twelve of the businesses that took trophies are based in this state, while a handful of individual winners live here, too.
Denver's own Wanda James won a lifetime achievement award for her extensive work in the industry and for advocating for legal cannabis opportunities for women and minorities, while Aurora's Gladys Solis won Budtender of the Year for her work at Diego Pellicer. But the biggest winner might've been Alex Bortell, a twelve-year-old girl from Larkspur, Colorado, who won Most Influential Individual. Bortell, a medical marijuana refugee and published author, is currently suing United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions over the federal scheduling of cannabis.
Find a full list of winners below:
Most Influential Individual
Alexis Bortell
Hope Award
American Medical Refugee Foundation
Cannabis Executive of the Year
Neil Demers
Industry Organization of the Year
Athletes for Care
Most Valuable Brand
Mary’s Medicinals
Activist of the Year
Nurse Heather
Advocate of the Year
Eugene Monroe
Political Industry Representative of the Year
Vicente Sederberg
Nonprofit of the Year
NORML
Cannabis Business of the Year
The Clinic
Best Medical Center
Kind Love
Best Retail Center
Diego Pellicer
Most Innovative Product
AeroInhaler
Budtender of the Year
Gladys Solis
Manager of the Year
Nick Jack
Best Flower in a Dispensary
Mandarin Cookies
Best Edibles
Coda Signature
Best Extract
Harmony Extracts
Best Infused Product
Evolab's Angel Salve
Best Hemp Product
Nature's Root
Publication of the Year
Sensi Magazine
Most Influential Media Source
Leafly
Educational Achievement of the Year
Dr. Uma Dhanabalan
Cultivation Achievement Award
Green Dot Labs
Cannabis Woman of the Year
Nichole West
Lifetime Achievement Award
Wanda James
Best CBD Product
Haleigh’s Hope
2017 Honorary Awards
Mickey Martin
Dr. William Eidelman
2017 MVPs
Jair Velleman
Ted Daniels
Josh Crosney
Ashley Smither
Shawn Honaker