Press release from the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association:
The Board of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association (NCIHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Blake Butler as Executive Director. Butler, a partner in Adapt Public Relations in Asheville, will fill the duties on a part-time basis until the end of the year and then transition to full-time beginning January 1, 2019.
North Carolina finished 2017 with more growers, acres, and processors than any other state in its first year of hemp production. With possible federal legalization of hemp on the horizon, it’s critical that North Carolina positions itself in this emerging industry.
Said NCIHA President Marty Clemons, “Blake joins us at a time of great transition for the industrial hemp industry and the NCIHA. We are confident he is the voice we need as we all work together to add more value for Association members and make North Carolina the industry gold standard.”
The NCIHA is a 501(c)(6) trade organization with over 1,000 members that represents all the stakeholders helping to build a thriving hemp industry in North Carolina. It was also responsible for the lobbying effort behind the passage of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Pilot Program in 2015.
With experience in politics, media, and public relations, Butler brings a diversity of experience to this position. Additionally, he is the co-founder of HempX, which has organized hemp educational events and workshops in multiple Southern states since 2015.
“Bob Crumley, Jeff Cartonia and some of the early adopters have done an incredible job in growing this organization,” said Butler. “I plan to build on that success and continue to work with hemp farmers, entrepreneurs, and businesses across the state.”
The Association will move its offices to Asheville, with plans to open an additional office in Raleigh early next year. To learn more about the NCIHA and how to become a member, visit www.ncindhemp.org.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.