Speaker
Edmund DeVeaux
Past President, New Jersey CannaBusiness Association
Burton Trent
When the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (“NJCBA”) formed as the state’s first and largest cannabis trade organization, Edmund was immediately named as a policy advisor to help advance the association’s mission of forming a responsible and sustainable New Jersey cannabis industry. In December 2020 following overwhelming voter approval of the state’s cannabis legalization referendum, the NJCBA Board of Directors elected Edmund president. With a wealth of experience in matters of public policy, diversity, and economic development, Edmund adopted the tag-line “The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce” and the NJCBA’s new mission statement of forming a “responsible, sustainable, diverse, and profitable cannabis industry”. His sphere of influence has since grown in the cannabis industry. Often recognized as New Jersey’s lead professional African American lobbyist in the cannabis space, Edmund has made public and podcast appearances on the topics of medical and adult-use cannabis, and business opportunities in cannabis with several patient, social justice, and social equity advocacy organizations. Named a “420 Trailblazer in Cannabis” by mjnewsnetwork.com, he has also been listed as an Insider NJ “Top 100 Cannabis Insider” and was most recently recognized by the Bluntness as one of their “100 Amazing People Across the Cannabis Industry”. An accomplished executive, Edmund's corporate career includes leadership roles with the country's largest multinational water-related service and environmental companies. Utilizing his skills in the areas of government affairs and business development, Edmund has been part of the external growth, internal development, and public policy and reputation management strategies for these companies. Edmund was involved with the successful development of some of the nation's largest public-private partnerships for water and wastewater services. Providing numerous television and other media appearances, Edmund established himself as an industry expert on matters involving infrastructure finance and renewal. In other aspects of Edmund's professional life, he attained the rank of captain in the United States Army where he graduated from the US Army Airborne School. He currently serves on the not-for-profit boards of the Civic League of Greater New Brunswick and Elijah’s Promise Community Kitchen.
Sessions