40 Under 40
For the past five years, the Marijuana Venture staff has compiled an annual list of some of the brightest young leaders and influencers in the cannabis industry. As in past years, we have narrowed the list from hundreds of worthy candidates to present 40 individuals from the vast and ever-changing business in the United States and Canada.
It is our honor to share their stories.
Chris DeGraff
Age: 32
Company: Nevada Made Marijuana
Title: Director
Working in the cannabis industry has been a bit of a fairytale for Chris DeGraff, having found success at every turn since he joined the industry in 2012. After working his way up to a management position for a Colorado cannabis business, DeGraff was approached by a license holder in Nevada who wanted to hire him to be the director for Nevada Made Marijuana.
“One thing led to another and we’ve been expanding ever since,” DeGraff says.
DeGraff’s role as director is more in line with the film industry than most executive positions, in that the company has entrusted him with directing packaging, marketing, digital media, the hardware for the company’s vaporizers, the company’s line of edibles, the flavor profiles for the vape pens, pricing at retail and research and development for the company’s cultivation and production facilities.
DeGraff also helped the company transition from Nevada Medical Marijuana to Nevada Made Marijuana in time for the launch of recreational sales. Today he says he’s busy putting the company’s newest license into action to open Missouri Made Marijuana and, hopefully soon, Utah Made Marijuana.