PITTSBURGH, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The National Cannabis Risk Management Association has expanded its team as part of its ongoing commitment to providing excellent service to its members as they navigate the industry.
Jennifer Zalkin
Jennifer Zalkin has been hired as Manager of Marketing and Eastern Regional Director. Cathy Anderson has been hired as the Manager of Member Services. Zalkin and Anderson will work collaboratively on NCRMA’s membership recruitment and experience initiatives. The organization currently has more than 2,000 members and will grow substantially in the coming months as more new and existing cannabis businesses discover its innovative risk management platform.
Zalkin graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and has since made Boston her home. Her most recent previous experience as marketing manager for a multi-state cannabis dispensary brand. This gave her a firm grasp over what it takes to effectively market in the industry and the importance of utilizing education and transparency.
Cathy Anderson
Anderson brings more than 15 years marketing and customer service talent to the table having experience in legal, corporate and consumer products marketing where she consistently exceeded expectations in these fast paced, high performing industries. Cathy earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.
“There is a wide variety of people within the industry who have a place in the NCRMA, it really involves communicating with them,” Zalkin said. “They have already taken the leap. They have this dream; this goal of having a cannabis business. People come with experiences from other businesses, but there is no way of really knowing what you are in for. Laws are constantly changing. Our marketing is designed to force these business owners to ask themselves questions, but to also let them know that we are there to help.”
Once individuals become members of the NCRMA, Anderson said they will find a host of offerings designed specifically to meet their needs. “Some of the services we offer our members include a camaraderie with like-minded people in the industry. You can bounce ideas off each other. We provide marketing support for them. We can provide referral sources. We can refer them to people who can help with some of the challenges that they might face. We offer discounts to some of our events, and many other things.”
Zalkin said the NCRMA membership base is designed to help foster collaboration and shared success. “We are the facilitators of those really valuable relationships,” Zalkin said.
That has required awareness and forethought in terms of anticipating what members might need and how to address those needs. “We have a solution for them already,” said Anderson.
Beyond creating a culture of support and collaboration among the membership, the NCRMA has also developed an educational platform with courses and events that address ongoing needs in the industry. The NCRM Academy has launched several courses in recent months and offered a series of webinars open to members and the industry at large.
“The hiring of Jennifer and Cathy strengthens our ability to support our growing cannabis industry membership,” said Rocco Petrilli, chairman of the NCRMA. “We believe our organization is unmatched in terms of the scope of its expertise, programs and offerings, and look forward to our continued growth and success.”
About the NCRMA
NCRMA provides a rapidly growing membership with pioneering and innovative risk management and insurance solutions through its expansive list of high-value service partners and offerings. Founded in 2018, the not-for-profit has established itself as the leader in providing cost effective and comprehensive non-traditional risk management solutions to the non-traditional cannabis market. To join, visit https://ncrma.net
