Meet the People Behind Our Success

Joseph Magnacca

As a member of Next Frontier’s Board of Directors, Magnacca will focus on applying his retail expertise to a global distribution strategy and implementation, as well as advising on brand acquisition and development efforts.

Bill Wafford

Shannon Soqui

Shannon has served as Next Frontier Brands’ Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our board of directors since our re-organization in April of 2020. Mr. Soqui previously was Chief Executive Officer of CMLM Holdings, Inc. from August 2018 to April 2020, which operated our U.S. operations. From January 2014 to August 2018, Mr Soqui was a cannabis investment banker, most recently the head of U.S. cannabis investment bank. While at Canaccord Genuity, Mr. Soqui advised most of the leading U.S. companies that completed a public offering in 2018. Prior to focusing his career on cannabis and hemp, Mr. Soqui was a technology investment banker in the U.S. from 1997 to 2013 with several leading global investment banking firms, including Credit Suisse, UBS, and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Prior to his career in investment banking, Mr. Soqui was a securities lawyer with Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and Gunderson Dettmer, and was a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG. Mr. Soqui has completed more than 100 financing transactions, including more than 25 initial public offerings, and more than 300 pages of cannabis investment research. Mr. Soqui received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from UC Santa Barbara in 1989, and J.D., magna cum laude, from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1994.

Jason Roth

Jason has served as Next Frontier Brands Chief Strategy Officer and as a member of our board of directors since our reorganization in August 2020. Previously, Mr. Roth spearheaded the largest Series A raised in cannabis history for an up-and-coming CBD manufacturer. Under his leadership, the company’s value grew 6x in under 12 months, making it the largest CBD manufacturer in the world. Mr. Roth’s knowledge of the hemp industry, operational and sales experience, 25 year successful track record in fast-moving consumer packaged goods, as well as Chief Executive Officer experience, makes him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Rich Turasky

Rich Turasky has spent almost 30 Years as a Founder or Managing Principal of more than a Dozen Operating Companies. His Investments and Leadership have been in the Commercial Real Estate, Commercial Finance, Aviation, Plastic Manufacturing, On Line Consumer Finance, Hospitality, and Beverage and Wellness Industries. He has been the Managing Partner of more than 100 Private and Institutional Investments, Co Invested and Procured Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Private and Institutional Investment and Finance Structures, and completed multiple 8 and 9 figure Private and Public Exits.

Rich has received numerous Individual achievement awards for his accomplishments such as the Business Ledger Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, and also finds time to have been on the Board for the United Way and regularly makes donations to the Boys and Girls Charities, Boy Scouts, The American Heart Association, and was a Member of Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation.

Rich is a Professionally trained CEO and has had Business affiliations with Vistage, NAIOP Investment Forum, has received an accreditation from SIOR, and has been a featured Speaker and interviewed on the topics of being an Entrepreneur and Commercial Real Estate Investments. He graduated from Bradley University in 1992 and has completed Post Graduate Classes at Harvard University

Rich was a Collegiate Athlete and is married to Missy and is the father to Tyler and Katie. His hobbies include Aviation, Golf, and Motor Coaching.

Art Massolo

Art is a highly accomplished Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Board Member with 25 years of success in cannabis, wine, craft beer, spirits, food & beverage, CPG, FMCG, distribution and retail. Art founded Viña Cono Sur and Viña Trivento and has sold millions of cases of products throughout his career.

Roiby Gonzalez

15+ Years of Brand Building Experience Including 8 years in the Hemp Industry.

Carrie Britton

Carrie has over 20 years of life sciences experience in global regulatory approvals and compliance, clinical development and operations, due diligence and integrations, quality systems, and organizational improvement. Mrs. Britton works with life sciences leaders leading cross-functional improvement initiatives with a focus on compliance and operational excellence across multiple divisions in global regions. Her expertise spans early product development thru commercialization of various therapeutic areas and products.

Danielle Grimley

Danielle joins our Team with a highly accomplished tenure in leading human capital strategy for Fortune 500 organizations in global consulting and in-house HR Leadership roles. Danielle will bring her experience in leading organizations through pivotal transformations, mergers, acquisitions and global expansion with a focus on talent strategy, culture cultivation and leading change management to drive Next Frontier Brands’ high performance.

Jake Black, PhD

Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry From Yale University, B.S. In Chemistry From Villanova University, wrote Multiple Papers on Both Medicinal Chemistry and New Spectroscopic Methods.

Michael Hall-Taylor

Mr. Hall-Taylor has served as Next Frontier Brand’s Head of Asia-Pacific Operations since our Reorganization in August 2020. Mr. Hall-Taylor was previously in the hemp industry in Asia Pacific. Prior to his focus in hemp-derived CBD, over the last 15 years, Mr. Hall-Taylor founded and has been the Chief Executive Officer for a number of different companies in the business development, sports agency and clothing industries. Over the years, Executive has successfully generated $100 million+ in revenue for brands such as the All Blacks, Manchester United, Emirates Team NZ (Americas Cup) and Red Bull. Mr. Hall-Taylor started his career in the early 1990’s at Gallaher Ltd, one of Europe’s leading tobacco companies, and was responsible for Benson and Hedges, a brand with annual European sales of over £4B at that time. From 1999 to 2005 he was the Marketing Director for the Jordan Formula 1 team, and was responsible for generating £150M per year in commercial revenue. Mr. Hall-Taylor has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Nottingham University and a Master in Business Administration degree from Ashridge in the United Kingdom.

Dean Draper

Dean has served as Next Frontier Brands Managing Director of EU and UK since our Reorganization in August 2020. Mr. Draper is a specialist in building fast growing businesses in new and emerging markets. For 35 years, Mr. Draper has founded and developed successful innovative businesses, built highly successful sales teams and distribution networks in a number of competitive sectors: mobile communications, alcoholic drinks, energy drinks, packaged water, water dispensing equipment and commercial property. Dean was one of the founders of the Carphone Group plc, pioneering the development of mobile phones in the United Kingdom. With offices throughout the country, the business expanded exponentially growing into a £40M+ business within five years. Carphone was acquired by Cable & Wireless in 1989 and is now part of Vodafone. Dean then went on to found Fontana Drinks and developed water dispensers, bottled flavoured spring waters, and energy drinks in the United Kingdom and Europe. Fontana was sold to Crystal drinks in 2002. Mr. Draper was then recruited by Eddie Jordan to take over his loss-making range of energy and alcoholic drinks, marketed in association with Jordan Grand Prix.

Alan Bottomley

Alan has had successful career in the process and engineering sectors for over 20 years. He has a vast experience in the Oil & Gas, heavy engineering and FMCG sectors working from site engineer to engineering manager. 

Amy Conyard

Amy started a career in the hospitality sector; focused on site management and training. After 3 years as a complex resolutions manager within the MPS sector, she formed Bottomley Distillers Ltd and launched the brands Pin Gin & Rum Cat subsequently, creating an award winning brand.