SANTA FE, NM (August 20, 2019)—PRESS RELEASE—First Crop, a public benefit company dedicated to improving the health and wellness of people and the planet through the regenerative power of hemp, has announced the appointment of seasoned consumer product development and marketing strategist, David Sorley, as head of sales and marketing, as well as three additional full-time hires: Erica Armstrong, director of product management; Dr. Jeff Snell, director of First Crop Community Foundation; and Jeff Harris, general manager of First Crop Commons. The new staff will help fuel growth for the company, which is currently working with farming partners and community leaders throughout Colorado and New Mexico to revitalize the local economy through the cultivation of more than 140 acres of hemp.
“We’re proud to continue bolstering our team with the industry’s most skilled and passionate professionals,” said David Weir, CEO and co-founder of First Crop. “We are building our team to fuel strategic growth in 2020 and beyond. Having the right people in place will help us to achieve our long-term vision to become the leading fully integrated hemp company and the partner of choice for hemp farmers nationally, as well as to achieve our goal of making a positive impact on the health and wellness of rural communities."
The new appointments include:
- David Sorley, head of sales and marketing—A highly persuasive and seasoned marketer with a winning track record, Sorley brings nearly two decades of experience driving strategic growth and product visibility for leading consumer packaged goods brands to First Crop. He is skilled in product development and management, domestic and international sales, and marketing/branding. Most recently, Sorley served as marketing and sales director at Goddess Green Organics and previously he worked in product development, marketing and international sales for LARABAR. In his new position, Sorley will be responsible for developing and implementing the marketing and sales strategies for First Crop’s wholesale and retail products.
- Dr. Jeff Snell, director of First Crop Community Foundation—Snell will serve as a director of the First Crop Community Foundation, a tax-exempt organization dedicated to supporting First Crop’s mission to help create lasting social, economic and environmental change. First Crop has committed to donate 10 percent of its annual profits to the foundation and, as a director, Snell will direct the Foundation’s charitable giving activities turning First Crop into an even greater force for positive change. Snell currently serves as special advisor to the dean of continuing studies and vice provost for lifelong learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to UW-Madison, he served as chief executive officer at the International Folk Art Alliance, a Santa Fe-based non-profit organization.
- Erica Armstrong, director of product management—Armstrong brings nearly a decade of experience in visual merchandising, brand strategy, product development and project management for retail and CPG companies to First Crop. Her passion is enhancing brand identities through unique product assortment, interactive merchandising and cohesive storytelling.
- Jeff Harris, general manager of First Crop Commons—As the general manager of First Crop Commons, Harris will oversee the company’s processing facility in Colorado, where hemp purchased from First Crop’s farming partners will be processed and the extracted CBD will be used to manufacture CBD products. Prior to joining First Crop, Harris was the technical operations supervisor at Folium-Biosciences, where he led and helped build the company’s processing operations.
As a fully integrated hemp business, First Crop empowers rural farmers by providing them with unique economic opportunities while reinvesting a significant share of its profits into local communities through a unique profit-sharing arrangement and the First Crop Community Foundation. From seed and site selection to planting, growing and harvesting, the company works with each farmer to ensure that their crop is not only successful but also optimized for its ultimate use in First Crop's CBD health and wellness consumer products.
