Financial services firm adds cannabis industry veteran as CEO of Commercial Agriculture Division
With more than a decade of operational experience, Jason Nelson brings a wealth of institutional knowledge across all aspects of cannabis to new Avail Ag Division clients
Avail Professional Services, a leading service provider in accounting, finance and capital sourcing to a variety of industries, announced today it has named Jason Nelson as Chief Executive Officer of its Avail Ag Division. This new division delivers industry-specific support to new and existing businesses in multiple cannabis markets across the country. A seasoned veteran of the regulated cannabis industry, Nelson is based in St. Louis and will work alongside Chris Dussold, Managing Partner of Avail Professional Services.
According to industry research group New Frontier Data, the U.S. cannabis market could be worth $72 billion annually by 2030. The industry’s rapid growth will be driven primarily by small- to medium-sized businesses, with many employing just a handful of workers to manage all aspects of the business. Increasingly, these short-staffed cannabis operators seek professional service firms to fill mission-critical roles surrounding accounting, financing, executive leadership and capital sourcing. Nelson views his new position with Avail Ag as an opportunity to leverage his extensive experience in service of the expanding industry, especially as it continues to progress through ongoing evolution in the regulatory landscape at the state and federal levels.
“The cannabis industry remains complicated and challenging for even the most experienced business professionals, and it is changing daily,” Nelson said. “At a time when the industry is both expanding and facing a myriad of persistent challenges, it is more critical than ever for cannabis operators to leverage an experienced footing in the ever-changing maze of regulations, legislative prospects, new product development and evolving consumer preferences. It’s very difficult for any management team to stay abreast of everything a cannabis business needs to do to succeed. That’s where the holistic value of the Avail Professional Services platform comes into play, we are positioned as a ‘one-stop-shop’ with access to a wide range of financial services alongside industry-leading operational expertise to fully maximize revenue growth for our clients.”
Nelson brings more than a decade of operational knowledge to the Avail Ag Division. As CEO of Avail Ag, Nelson will leverage his breadth of industry experience in executive operational and cultural leadership roles to support operators in both existing and forthcoming state-level cannabis programs. Most recently, he served as CEO of Missouri’s BeLeaf Medical, where he oversaw the company’s expansion to the adult-use market as well as its support of the campaign that secured passage of Amendment 3 in 2022. Prior to his work at BeLeaf, Nelson worked for six years with Cresco Labs, where he implemented and refined the national production model that established Cresco as the largest manufacturer of branded cannabis products in the United States. He began his career working three years at Denver’s The Green Solution at the time of Colorado’s first-in-the-nation transition from a medical to a recreational marketplace.
“Jason brings a level of industry knowledge, experience and success to Avail Ag that will provide enormous benefits to Avail’s clients in the cannabis space,” Dussold said. “He not only knows what these companies need to do, he has already done it – and most likely more than once in more than one market. Quite simply, there are not many individuals in the burgeoning cannabis industry who possess the range of background Jason brings to the table.”
Avail Professional Services was launched in 2011 with a mission to bring industry experience to assist clients with some of the most challenging aspects of their business models. The firm’s growing team of professionals includes accounting, finance and capital-sourcing experts with backgrounds in a variety of industries. The Avail Ag Division brings industry-proven skills and experience to assist with the stand-up, reconciliation and ongoing management of these critical functional areas for firms in the cannabis industry.
About Avail Ag
A division of Avail Professional Services, Avail Ag provides executive support services to the CBD, cannabis and psychedelic industries. Avail Ag’s specialties include managing all revenue-generating functions, production automation implementation, supply and operations planning with brand suite alignment, wholesale and retail sales/marketing strategies and cultural support via human resource services. Offering both operational and financial services, the Avail Ag/Avail Pro network is strongly positioned as an uncommonly holistic provider, aiding cannabis operators navigate the ever-evolving state and federal regulatory landscapes.
About Avail Professional Services
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Avail Professional Services is a leading firm dedicated to empowering businesses with comprehensive financial and accounting support. The firm excels in delivering robust services that ensure rigorous practices and transparency across all client engagements. Avail specializes in meticulous financial due diligence, seamless integration of financial and accounting functions following mergers and acquisitions, and offers innovative financing options, including traditional, alternative, and energy-based methods. Additionally, Avail provides expert tax advisory and planning services, ensuring clients benefit from optimized tax strategies and compliance. Avail’s division, Avail Ag Services, provides specialized services to the CBD, cannabis and psychedelic industries, enhancing their growth and sustainability. Furthermore, Avail offers strategic consulting and capital-sourcing strategies that drive business success, underpinned by extensive expertise in financial and accounting disciplines. For more information, visit availproserve.com.
