Leadership Team

  • Larry Firestone

    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.

  • John Miller

    John Miller

    President, Tobacco Operations Read Bio

    John Miller was appointed Interim CEO of 22nd Century Group in August of 2023. Mr. Miller was appointed President of 22nd Century’s Tobacco Business in September 2022. Prior to joining 22nd Century Group, Mr. Miller was the President and CEO of Swisher International, Inc., a 160-year-old leading lifestyle brands company that is the largest manufacturer and exporter of cigars and smokeless tobacco products in America. Mr. Miller joined Swisher in November of 2012 as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, was promoted to President in 2017 and named CEO in March 2021. Mr. Miller’s experience also includes more than 20 years in various management positions at US Smokeless Tobacco Co. As Regional Vice President, he had direct oversight and responsibility for all sales, planning and operations for key brands in the Western United States. US Smokeless Tobacco Co. was acquired by Altria in 2009. Mr. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from UNLV and earned an MBA from Pepperdine University, The George L. Graziadio School of Business Management.

  • R. Hugh Kinsman

    R. Hugh Kinsman

    Chief Financial Officer Read Bio

    R. Hugh Kinsman was appointed our Chief Financial Officer in June 2022. He was previously CFO of GVB, which 22nd Century acquired in May 2022. Hugh has extensive experience as a senior executive in roles ranging from acting CFO of a publicly-traded battery manufacturer with operations in the U.S., Switzerland, and Italy to the CFO of West World Media, a private data aggregation company that was acquired for $60 million. He also worked at GE Capital where he oversaw over a billion dollars in infrastructure, energy, and communications investments. He began his career at Asher & Company, CPAs (now BDO) and has held a Certified Public Accountant designation. He earned his B.S. in Finance from Penn State University and his MBA from Cornell University.

  • Juan Sanchez Tamburrino

    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.