CBE’s own star security contributor, Tony Gallo, one of the funniest guys in the industry and a genuinely great human being even though he is from New Jersey (exit 12 on the Jersey Turnpike or there about), was named the 2015 Most Influential Person in the Cannabis Industry.

Southwest CannAward is givenby Cannabis Economy, a group that describes itself as “a cross-industry summit bringing together business leaders from the Cannabis Market with business leaders from complementary industries to network and discuss best practices in this burgeoning industry.”

CannAwards celebrate leadership and innovation for individuals and organizations in the Cannabis iIndustry. The six awards regions — California, Canada, Colorado, Midwest/East Coast, Northwest, and Southwest — are set to reflect the unique business environment of each region.

Members of the Cannabis Industry determine nominees and vote for the winners in 13 categories. and nominees in each category are recognized for making a significant impact in moving the Cannabis Industry forward.

Winners were determined by online voting, and Tony’s selection was announced this past weekend in Denver, Colorado. Other finalists were Ryan Hurley of the Rose Law Group, and Sarah Gullickson, the Executive Director of DispensaryPermits.com and the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MariMedAdvisors.com.

Tony’s career in the Cannabis Industry began a couple of years ago, and he has rapidly become one of the go-to guys for licensed cannabis companies seeking security solutions and advice. After 30 plus years of experience in security and loss prevention industry for a variety of well-known companies, Tony launched Sapphire Protection LLC, based in Ft. Worth, Texas, to help high risk ventures with the complex loss prevention and safety needs develop executable strategies that meet (and exceed) compliance and regulatory oversight while (most importantly) protecting their physical and human assets.

I met Tony in June of 2014 as we both were entering the Cannabis Industry and we quickly became friends. Tony has been a contributor to CBE since our formal launch last fall, and he has built a solid following of business leaders that rely on his insightful columns and sage advice.

So, congratulations to Tony Gallo and all of the clients in our industry that have benefited from knowing Ton both in business and in life. He is one of the industry good guys — and a straight shooter!