BOULDER, COLO.— Oct. 12, 2018 — PRESS RELEASE — Boulder, Colo.-based national cannabis company Terrapin Care Station has announced the hiring of Nico Pento as its government affairs director.
Pento joins Terrapin after a two-year stint serving as a policy director in the Colorado Legislature. He advised House Republicans on developing and implementing a comprehensive legislative agenda.
“I’m excited to apply the skills I learned under Colorado’s Gold Dome to the burgeoning cannabis industry,” Pento said. “With cannabis still a new industry in Colorado, and with new states and municipalities facing uncertainties as their cannabis programs are debated and come online, it is critical that we apply fair and balanced policy in governing it.
“Just as I learned to collaborate with elected officials in the legislature to develop specific legislative proposals and policy alternatives for caucus members, I look forward to applying similar skills in maintaining the success of a safe and regulated cannabis marketplace across the nation,” Pento concluded.
During his tenure with the legislature, Pento was known as a “fixer,” responsible for brokering bipartisan solutions to some of Colorado’s biggest issues, including transportation funding, data security, criminal justice reform, liquor regulation, and marijuana policy.
Pento comes on at a critical time in the evolution of cannabis legalization. More states are developing or expanding their cannabis programs, and so Terrapin Care Station has broadened its horizons along with the shift. In addition to holding six retail licenses in Colorado—for stores in Boulder, Aurora, Denver and Longmont—Terrapin also cultivates and processes cannabis as part of Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program.
Terrapin also recently applied for cultivation and retail licenses as part of New Jersey’s expanding medical marijuana program. The company is examining other national expansions, as well, including in Michigan.
“It’s critical for a growing cannabis company with national aspirations to surround itself with experienced policy advisers,” said Chris Woods, owner and chief executive of Terrapin Care Station.
“Nico’s ability to understand the intricacies and projected effects of legislation, rules and regulations is of great value not just to us, but to the cannabis industry as a whole. It’s especially important as we talk about the interplay between state, federal and local laws in a developing cannabis industry. We look forward to continued success with Nico’s guidance and assistance.”
Before relocating to Colorado in 2015, Pento worked as a government relations attorney for Jones Walker, LLP, Florida’s foremost gaming and pari-mutuel betting law firm. Pento assisted in lobbying the Florida Legislature on behalf of the firm’s premier gaming clients and he aided in the renegotiation of the Seminole Indian Gaming Compact with the State of Florida.
Pento received dual degrees from Florida State University studying political science before continuing on to law school. He holds a license to practice law in both Colorado and Florida. When he's not in the office, Pento enjoys cycling during the summer and snowboarding during the winter.
