22nd Century Group has appointed John Miller, who leads the tobacco business unit, as interim CEO. James A. Mish, who has served as CEO since June 2020, will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors. 22nd Century also appointed Wall Street veteran Andrew “Andy” Arno to its board of directors as an independent director.
“I have enjoyed advancing the key initiatives of 22nd Century, building an accomplished team of dedicated individuals taking this company from an R&D organization focused on plant science to a fully commercial consumer products business,” said Mish in a statement. “I am particularly proud of the work we have done to date on tobacco harm reduction while simultaneously building a competitive array of products that serve our hemp/cannabis customers. As a result, we are at an opportune juncture to enhance John Miller’s leadership role to take our VLN business to the next level.”
“I look forward to continuing to advance our mission of innovative plant technologies tied to tobacco harm reduction and new consumer focused health and wellness products,” said Miller. “VLN represents the most unique and innovative approach to harm reduction in years, providing adult smokers with a truly unique, clinically studied solution to reducing their smoking habit. Likewise, our work in the hemp/cannabis business is bringing forward new products sought by consumers while applying the consistent standards, reliable manufacturing processes and national distribution support needed for brands to effectively scale in these growing end markets.”
“On behalf of the entire board of directors, I want to thank Jim for his numerous accomplishments and dedicated service during his tenure as CEO, leading us through our FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] authorization, GVB acquisition and the first 18 months of our commercial transformation,” said Nora Sullivan, chair of the board. “Remaining as a member of the board will allow him to continue lending his guidance and significant expertise in the hemp/cannabis business.”