The executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), Michele Roberts, has been appointed to the board of Cresco Labs.
Roberts joins eight other white men on the board of Cresco Labs, the owner of seven Sunnyside-branded dispensaries in Illinois, Chicago Tribune reports.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on Cresco Labs’ Board and work alongside the senior leadership and management teams in their efforts to elevate the company to the next level of excellence,” Roberts said.
For years there have been concerns about the lack of diversity in the cannabis industry and Cresco Labs’ introduction of Roberts on its board is seen as a huge transformation in the industry.
“Ms. Roberts is an outstanding addition to our board,” Tom Manning, Cresco Labs’ Executive Chairman, and former Chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet said, adding: “Drawing on her experience in leading one of the most important player organizations in the sports world and her expertise in law and litigation as a highly-accomplished trial attorney and educator, Michele will provide a unique perspective at a critical time of continued growth and expansion in the industry.”
