Jesce Horton Jesce Horton is the owner of Panacea Valley Gardens, a medical cannabis cultivation center and co-founder of Panacea, an award-winning dispensary in Portland, OR. He is also the co-founder and Chairman of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), the first non-profit organization founded to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs. In 2016, Jesce began development on Saints Cannabis, a vertically-integrated cannabis campus that will house adult-use (recreational) retail, cannabis lounge, indoor and greenhouse cultivation, processing and R&D operations all on one flagship property in Portland, OR. Jesce earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. Following graduation, he pursued a career with Siemens USA. While there, Jesce had multiple roles, including Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M). Within this role, Jesce traveled the U.S. and Germany working closely with the U.S. Department of Energy and local utilities to identify and execute projects that reduced energy usage and environmental footprint. He was honored by Peter Loscher, Siemens AG CEO, with the Siemens Values Award in Munich, Germany for his team’s work at some of the nation’s largest industrial companies. During nearly seven years with Siemens, Jesce held positions in various roles, including sales, finance, field service engineering and global strategy. In 2013, soon after moving to Portland, OR, Jesce began growing medical cannabis in his home for two elderly patients who were suffering with cancer, pain and insomnia. After seeing the benefits of medical cannabis, Jesce founded Panacea Valley Gardens, an indoor and greenhouse cultivation facility in metro Portland. Jesce and his team developed proprietary methods of cultivating and processing Portland Craft Cannabis that garnered Panacea Valley Gardens a nomination for a regional CANNaward for the Best Sustainability Initiative and a Dope Cup Award for Best Savory Edible. Along with partners, Jesce founded Panacea, an adult use dispensary that gives back 10% of profits to social causes. In 2015, The Weed Blog voted Panacea as Dispensary of the Year in Portland. In October of 2015, Jesce joined with notable industry business professionals and activists to found the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), the first non-profit organization created to serve the specific needs of minority cannabis entrepreneurs, workers, and patients/ consumers by increasing diversity and creating equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs. The organization has members in over 35 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, USVI, and Canada. Most recently, Jesce was voted to join the Board of Directors for the Resource Innovation Institute (RII), an organization that is building the central platform for energy issues and collaboration in the cannabis industry. RII is developing a market-driven certification standard to propel adoption of energy-efficient grow techniques. As a result of his hard work and dedication to making positive contributions to the cannabis industry, Jesce has been recognized by numerous publications. In 2015, he was named as one of “Oregon’s Faces of Cannabis” by Willamette Weekly. The same year, Jesce was listed as a “Person to Watch in 2016” by Marijuana Business Magazine. This year he was part of the 4/20 feature in Dope Magazine. In addition to industry recognition, city and state officials have tapped Jesce to assist with the development of rules and regulations that will shape the Oregon cannabis industry. This year, Governor Kate Brown appointed Jesce to the Task Force for Cannabis Environmental Best Practice. Also, he was selected to serve on the Oregon Liquor Control Commission Recreational Marijuana Business Advisory Committee and the City of Portland Marijuana Policy Oversight Committee. Jesce sees it as his mission to leverage his resources and experience to make a positive and sustaining impact in the cannabis industry: “Cannabis has the ability to do amazing good in our society, but the industry will never reach its full potential without keeping sustainable business practices, like diversity and environmental efficiency, as core principles of development and growth.” Jesce bikes and runs with his dog Buddha in his beloved hometown of Portland, OR. NOTABLE INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT & AWARDS 2015 – Northwest CannAwards nomination for Best Sustainability Initiative (PVG) 2015 – Portland Dope Cup Award for Best Savory Edible (PV Gourmet) 2015 – Dispensary of the Year by The Weed Blog (PDX) 2015 – One of Oregon’s “Faces of Cannabis” by Willamette Weekly (Jesce Horton) 2016 –“Person to Watch in 2016” by Marijuana Business Magazine (Jesce Horton) 2016 – Appointed to Governor’s Task Force on Cannabis Environmental Best Practices 2016 – Appointed to OLCC’s Recreational Marijuana Business Committee 2015-2017 – Member of the City of Portland Marijuana Policy Task Force.