Cannabis HR Summit Chicago Recap

On June 11, 100 cannabis HR professionals and industry partners gathered in Chicago for FlowerHire’s second Cannabis HR Leadership Summit – a full-day event designed specifically to develop, inspire, and build meaningful community among HR leaders working in cannabis.

Regional industry get-togethers bring an undeniable energy. This was more than a conference — it was a shared moment of reflection, learning, and momentum for what’s next in cannabis HR.

Reframing HR: from support to strategy

Our opening keynote, Destiny Thompson, Chief People Officer at Verano, set the tone with a bold call to action: HR must be a business driver, not just a support function. Her talk challenged leaders to reimagine HR’s potential to reduce costs, increase revenue, and partner directly with finance and operations teams to deliver measurable value.

Attendees walked away with a sharper understanding of what it means to lead HR with business fluency and urgency — something that echoed throughout the day.

Impactful Breakout Sessions

Our breakout sessions addressed topics that HR leaders are currently navigating — from AI integration to accountability and the impact of leanring and development efforts on revenue. 

The session, “AI as Your Collaborator,” sparked interest across the board, with attendees eager to explore real-world applications, create clearer policies, and present AI use cases in ways their finance teams will understand, and candidates will benefit from.

Another standout was “Accountability in Organizational Success,” where Marissa Gonzalez, Director of HR, Mint Cannabis, walked attendees through the “95/5 model” – helping HR teams shift from disciplinary action to performance coaching grounded in clarity and trust. One attendee shared, “It got us thinking about revamping our DA process entirely.”

Afternoon keynote speaker Dilan Gomih, founder of Dilagence, delivered a deeply personal and actionable session on energy management for leaders. Drawing on her experience working with Google, Pinterest, and Harvard Business School, she reminded us that how we show up matters because prioritizing our physical and mental well-being benefits not only ourselves but also our organizations.

Multiple attendees noted they’ve committed to incorporating more movement into their daily routines since her talk. One attendee shared, “I’ve made a commitment to myself to prioritize my physical and mental health. No matter how small, I’m making time for movement.”

What truly made the summit special was the sense of connection. Attendees repeatedly shared how impactful it was to hear from peers facing the same challenges — from managing turnover and compliance to building cultures rooted in retention, empathy, and growth.