Leadership Team

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  Larry Firestone

  Chief Executive Officer Read Bio

  Mr. Firestone brings over 40 years of enterprise, operations, and financial management experience in both public and private companies, including tenures as CEO, CFO and COO across multiple industry sectors. Mr. Firestone most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Oakland Manager, a privately-held purveyor of cannabis with both retail and wholesale market penetration, and as Chairman of FirePower Technology, a privately held manufacturer of ATX power supplies for the IT and instrumentation markets. In the public company sector, Mr. Firestone has served as Chief Executive Officer of Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST), Chief Executive Officer of Qualstar Corporation (NASDAQ: QBAK), Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Energy Industries (NASDAQ: AEIS), and Chief Financial Officer of Applied Films Corporation (NASDAQ: AFCO). He has served on numerous boards, including those of Eastside Distilling, Qualstar, CVD Equipment Corporation (NASDAQ: CVD), Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASYS) and HyperSpace Communications, Inc. (NYSE: HYPR). Mr. Firestone received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

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  Dan Otto

  Chief Financial Officer Read Bio

  Daniel Otto was appointed our Chief Financial Officer in April 2024. He previously served as the Company’s Corporate Controller since July 2022 where he was responsible for accounting, SEC external reporting, treasury, tax and other finance management functions. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Otto served as a Senior Manager at Deloitte & Touche LLP providing audit and accounting advisory services to public companies, ranging from small to large cap issuers, for over ten years. Mr. Otto is also a certified public accountant and received his Master’s in Business Administration and B.A. in Accounting from Niagara University.

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  Scott Marion

  Vice President of Operations Read Bio

  Scott joined 22nd Century Group in February 2023 as the VP of Operations. Prior to joining 22nd Century Group Scott was the head Manufacturing and Supply Chain Finance at Reynolds American – the United States 2nd largest tobacco company. Scott has over twenty years’ experience in the tobacco industry where he has held various management roles in finance working closely with manufacturing operations. Scott brings a unique blend of manufacturing and supply chain leadership grounded in lean manufacturing coupled with an understanding of the financial metrics driving the organization. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from High Point University and an MBA from Wake Forest University.

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  Juan Sanchez Tamburrino

  Global Vice President of Research & Innovation Read Bio

  Juan Sanchez Tamburrino was appointed Global Vice President of Research & Innovation in July 2023. He previously served as Vice President of Research and Development from December 2017. Following six years of post-doctoral research at the Rockefeller University in New York, Dr. Tamburrino served as a Director/Associate Professor of the Biotechnology Center for Arid Zones in South America before becoming the Research Manager for agronomic traits at Pioneer Hi-Bred International (now known as DuPont Pioneer). In 2009, Dr. Tamburrino was appointed the head of the Plant Biotechnology Division of British American Tobacco in Cambridge, England, where he was responsible for biotechnology strategy related to tobacco leaf, including harm reduction and trait innovation programs. Dr. Tamburrino holds a Ph.D. degree in molecular biology and genetics from the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Cornell University, a partnership program with the Sloan Kettering Cancer Research Institute, and in 2020 he received his Master of Business Administration at the University of Bradford in Bradford, U.K.

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  Jonathan Staffeldt

  General Counsel Read Bio

  Jonathan Staffeldt is a seasoned attorney with a diverse professional background well suited for his role as General Counsel. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in accounting, he decided to continue his education with a law degree from UCLA. Jonathan began his professional career as a corporate attorney working on a variety of transactional matters including mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, and debt and equity financings. Later, he practiced at a boutique litigation firm representing clients in complex civil matters. Jonathan then moved in-house as Assistant General Counsel at a medical company prior to joining GVB Biopharma as General Counsel in 2019. After 22nd Century’s acquisition of GVB Biopharma in 2022, Jonathan moved to an Associate Corporate Counsel position before coming the General Counsel of 22nd Century in early 2023.