ST PAUL, Minn. — Help wanted, help found.
Nearly three months after Minnesota launched the search for a director for its newest agency, the Office of Cannabis Management, Governor Tim Walz says he's found the woman for the job.
On Thursday, Walz announced he's appointed Erin DuPree, a small business owner and consultant, as the state's first director of the OCM. She will lead an agency of 150 employees that will handle licensing and compliance in what's expected to be a $1 billion marijuana industry in the state.
"I'm really excited to create an industry for Minnesota that is based on craft. We want craft grows, we want micro and meso businesses to be the heart of this industry," Dupree told reporters in a virtual news conference Thursday.
As the head of Cook and Quinwood Consulting, DuPree has consulted start-up companies in a variety of industries. Her clients in recent years have included cannabis businesses in California, Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, and New Jersey. She also operates a low-dose hemp product store in Apple Valley known as Loonacy Cannabis.
DuPree acknowledged it will be a monumental task to get staffed up by January of 2025, the target date for issuing the a wide variety of licenses. But she said Minnesota's law was written to take into account common mistakes other states made.
"We don't have to re-invent the wheel here. We're lucky as the 23rd state to legalize. We can look back on the other 22 states, look and see what's been good, what's not been good, and use that to create policy and rulemaking here."
She said she doesn't expect her lack of government experience to work against her, because she's worked closely with cannabis regulators in other states.
"My experience does translate. The people I'm going to be working with are people I already know," Dupree explained. "The industry itself I'm well-versed in -- I understand what they're already working toward."
Dupree told reporters she's in the process of selling both her hemp business and her consulting company to avoid a conflict of interest.
Governor Walz expressed confidence in Dupree's ability to lead the new agency.
"With direct experience in Minnesota’s hemp and cannabis industry and over 20 years of success in launching, managing, and growing businesses and organizations, Erin DuPree is an outstanding choice to lead the Office of Cannabis Management," Walz said in a media release.
"DuPree is a proven and effective leader, who will be successful in standing up Minnesota’s new adult-use cannabis market and helping Minnesotans succeed in the industry."
DuPree officially starts in the role on Oct. 2, where she'll be tasked with building the new agency and overseeing the young adult-use cannabis market in the state.
Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis on May 30. As part of the bill signed by Gov. Walz, the law will expunge low-level cannabis offenses from the records of tens of thousands of Minnesotans.
DuPree's grandfather was Andrew Wambach, a farmer from Becker County who served in the Minnesota Legislature in the 1930s. She said she welcomes the chance follow his example as a person who left the private sector to serve the state.
Rounding out her resume, DuPree has volunteered with Business Network International since 2000 and held large-scale trainings, seminars and panel discussions on the importance of structure and strategy in business.
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