Our Team
At WPCP, our team is more family than workforce, through and through. Our tight-knit mentality helps team members bring a positive and nurturing energy into all areas of our business, but most importantly into the fragile domain of hand-crafted cultivation.
Our breedcraft specialists and greenhouse caregivers are committed to our unique growing methodology – a powerful hybrid of advanced horticulture tech and time-honoured growing traditions. By keeping our operations deeply rooted in artisanal craft as we innovate on classic strains, our team is carrying the rich legacy of cannabis craft forward, plant by plant, into the exciting new frontiers of the controlled space.
Steven Hegedus
Owner and CEO
Steve brings over fifteen years of general and operational management experience working for Dermalogica Canada and Vida Wellness Corporation, as well his own management consulting across various industries. Steve gained an appreciation for the cannabis industry through his extensive years of experience working in the health and wellness industry. He was offered a role with a Licensed Producer in British Columbia as President of Cannabis Cosmetics. He sought to create a craft producer that would bring premium quality product to the market, at affordable prices that would bring legitimacy to the market and shape the future of craft cannabis for Canadian consumers through the acquisition of the assets of an LP through CCAA. Steve holds a HBA from the University of Toronto.
Shannon Brander
Director HR & Corporate Services
Shannon has twenty years of cross-functional management experience with an emphasis on human resources, operations and corporate governance. She has provided management and HR support on a national and international basis to multiple industries including CPG, engineering, software, consulting, recruiting and cannabis. She has expertise with start-ups and mid-size organizations; she brings a positive attitude and entrepreneurial flair to everything she approaches. Shannon is responsible for building HR programs that drive relationships and partnerships across all levels of the organization. She is an active member of the HRPA and holds her CHRP and CHRL.
Fred Florence
Finance Controller
Fred worked twenty-six years at Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC), a big four professional service firm, and sixteen years as Partner responsible for Financial Advisory Services in the Winnipeg office. He provided professional services to all of the big banks and to three levels of government. He was also an Executive at a venture capital fund to bring order and control to the investment process, recruit an investment team of MBA/CFAs and formalize the investment processes, serving as a director of multiple investees. Finally, he invested in and joined as CFO a listed TSX-V start up in Ontario, Expert Custom Brokers and started a successful customs consulting practice, Blutip Power Technologies Ltd (TSX-V – BPR) as the CFO.
Roger Ferreira
Director of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance Person
Responsible for the acquisition of medicinal cannabis/oil production and sales licenses for a Licensed Producer under the former Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), as well as acquisition of licenses for Standard Cultivation, Standard Processing, and Sale for Medical Purposes under the current Cannabis Regulations. Successfully developed and implemented quality assurance program for a Licensed Producer of medicinal and adult recreational cannabis. Launched R&D program resulting in the development of novel and proprietary methods for extraction/purification of cannabinoids, and proprietary method for production of cannabis food and beverage formulations. Collaborated on the discovery and characterization of novel gene and protein markers involved in photo-synthesis and cannabinoids biogenesis, for use in marker-assisted breeding programs. Substantial experience in laboratory management (University of Toronto & Toronto University Health Network) with PhD training in the area of neuroimmunology / neurophysiology.
Michal Garbowski
Head Grower / Extractionist / Product Development
Michal has been a Cannabis MMAR grower since 2009 with international recognition. He owns and oversees operations of the The Cannabis Superstore (TCS). TCS is one of Ontario’s largest and leading suppliers of growing equipment, providing cannabis-based education and consulting for all growers and consumers. Michal is extremely diverse which lends to ability to pivot quickly when required. He holds certifications and diplomas from both Ryerson University and George Brown College in Architecture and Construction Management. He successfully created Canadian High Rise which was contracted by EHS to service luxury condominiums in Toronto as well as luxury hotels throughout the GTA.
Danny Young
National Sales Manager
Danny Young is a well-seasoned sales representative with 16 years of experience. Spending most of his career in the tech industry, he made the leap into the world of cannabis in 2018 where he has since thrived with his tenacious, positive energy approach. Relationship building, customer retention and surpassing sales targets are his second nature assets, while his zero-ego mentality makes him a true team player and an absolute joy to work with.
James Fowler
Director of Maintenance
As director of maintenance, James brings to the team over 20 years of experience gained while working on various projects around the globe. An industrial mechanic by trade, James has worked in just about every environment imaginable. From the Canadian Arctic to the deserts of the Middle East to the jungles of South East Asia. James has spent the majority of his career in the tunnelling industry as a mechanical supervisor. Some notable projects that James was involved in include the Singapore Metro extension, the Istanbul Metro extension and the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau bridge connecting Hong Kong to mainland China. More recently James worked in the amusement park industry building and maintaining roller coasters. A love of plants has taken James back to school to the University of Guelph to study Horticulture. James is excited to combine his industry experience with his passion for horticulture in this role.