40 Under 40: Leo Gontmakher

Leo Gontmakher has been fascinated with the cannabis plant as long as he can remember. The Washington State native jumped into the legal weed industry the minute his home state legalized the plant a decade ago and hasn’t looked back since.

An OG in Washington’s cannabis scene, Gontmakher launched edible production company Northwest Cannabis Solutions, then sold it to Toronto-based Cannex in 2019. Cannex merged with Phoenix-based investor 4Front Ventures and promoted Gontmakher to CEO of the new mega-company. Gontmakher now oversees 4Front Ventures’ 600 employees and its portfolio of dispensaries, grow houses and production facilities across Washington, California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Illinois.

“The value of being a true leader in cannabis is pushing forward into the unknown, trusting your gut and allowing those around you to do the same,” Gontmakher said.

This story was originally published in the print edition of Cannabis Now.