Acreage Further Streamlines Leadership and Oversight in Preparation for Expected Acquisition by Canopy USA
NEW YORK, June 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acreage Holdings, Inc. (“Acreage” or the “Company”) (CSE: ACRG.A.U, ACRG.B.U) (OTCQX: ACRHF, ACRDF), a vertically integrated, multi-state operator of cannabis cultivation and retailing facilities in the U.S., announced today that it has implemented further changes to its leadership and oversight in preparation for the completion of its previously announced strategic arrangement (the “Floating Share Arrangement”) with Canopy Growth Corporation (“Canopy”) and Canopy USA, LLC (“Canopy USA”). In connection with this, Acreage’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has elected to implement a streamlined governance structure that is appropriately sized for the Company’s near-term priorities.
Katie J. Bayne, Patricia Lopez, Douglas L. Maine, and Steven Strom have elected to resign from the Board, effective immediately. Acreage’s Board will now be comprised of: Kevin P. Murphy, Founder and Chair of the Board; Bill Van Faasen, who will now chair the Audit Committee; John A. Boehner, who will now chair the Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee; Brian Mulroney; and Peter Caldini, who will step down from the role of Chief Executive Officer on June 30, 2023, as previously announced on June 2, 2023, and will resign from the Board on the same date. Dennis Curran, current Chief Operating Officer of Acreage, will assume the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Board member on July 1, 2023.
“I am pleased with Acreage’s momentum as it approaches its next chapter as part of Canopy USA,” said Dennis Curran, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Acreage. “Our streamlined Board, robust leadership, and continued operational enhancements will enable Acreage to play an integral part in the cannabis powerhouse that Canopy USA is poised to become. On behalf of the leadership team, I thank the Board for both their support and strategic guidance that has brought Acreage to this exciting moment, and I wish each of them the best in their future endeavors.”
David Klein, Chief Executive Officer of Canopy, added, “We applaud Acreage for taking these proactive steps as we work toward completing our transaction. We look forward to bringing Acreage, Wana, and Jetty together under Canopy USA to begin capitalizing on a once-in-a-generation U.S. market opportunity and position Canopy for a fast start upon U.S. federal permissibility.”
About Acreage Holdings, Inc.
Acreage is a multi-state operator of cannabis cultivation and retailing facilities in the U.S., including the Company’s national retail store brand, The Botanist. With its principal address in New York City, Acreage’s wide range of national and regionally available cannabis products include the award-winning brands The Botanist and Superflux, the Tweed brand, the Prime medical brand in Pennsylvania, the Innocent brand in Illinois, and others. Since its founding in 2011, Acreage has focused on building and scaling operations to create a seamless, consumer-focused, branded experience. Learn more at www.acreageholdings.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release and each of the documents referred to herein contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, respectively. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information, including statements relating to Acreage’s continued operational enhancements, Canopy USA becoming a cannabis powerhouse and Acreage’s integral role therein and completion of the Floating Share Arrangement. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Acreage or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release.
Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to: the occurrence of changes in U.S. federal Laws regarding the cultivation, distribution or possession of marijuana; the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary regulatory, court and Floating Shareholder approvals; the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a timely manner, the other conditions to the completion of the Floating Share Arrangement Agreement; the ability of Canopy, Canopy USA and Acreage to satisfy, in a timely manner, the closing conditions to the Floating Share Arrangement; risks relating to the value and liquidity of the Floating Shares and the common shares of Canopy; Canopy maintaining compliance with the Nasdaq Global Stock Market (the “Nasdaq”) and Toronto Stock Exchange listing requirements; the rights of the Floating Shareholders may differ materially from those of shareholders in Canopy; expectations regarding future investment, growth and expansion of Acreage’s operations; the possibility of adverse U.S. or Canadian tax consequences upon completion of the Floating Share Arrangement; if Canopy USA acquires the Fixed Shares pursuant to the Existing Arrangement Agreement without structural amendments to Canopy’s interest in Canopy USA, the listing of the Canopy Shares on the Nasdaq may be jeopardized; the risk of a change of control of either Canopy or Canopy USA; restrictions on Acreage’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities and other restrictions on Acreage’s business; the impact of material non-recurring expenses in connection with the Floating Share Arrangement on Acreage’s future results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; the possibility of securities class action or derivatives lawsuits; in the event that the Floating Share Arrangement is not completed, but the acquisition by Canopy of the Fixed Shares (the “Acquisition”) is completed pursuant to Existing Arrangement Agreement and Canopy becomes the majority shareholder in Acreage, the likelihood that the Floating Shareholders will have little or no influence on the conduct of Acreage’s business and affairs; risk of situations in which the interests of Canopy USA and the interests of Acreage or shareholders of Canopy may differ; Acreage’s compliance with Acreage’s business plan for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2029 pursuant to the Existing Arrangement Agreement; in the event that the Floating Share Arrangement is completed, the likelihood of Canopy completing the Acquisition in accordance with the Existing Arrangement Agreement; risks relating to certain directors and executive officers of Acreage having interests in the transactions contemplated by the Floating Share Arrangement Agreement and the connected transactions that are different from those of the Floating Shareholders; risks relating to the possibility that holders of more than
Although Acreage believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Acreage does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider, nor any securities regulatory authority in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction, has reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.
For more information, contact:
Steve Goertz
Chief Financial Officer
investors@acreageholdings.com
646 600 9181
Courtney Van Alstyne
MATTIO Communications
acreage@mattio.com
