1906 – Vice President of Operations

client success story

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COMPANY OVERVIEW

  • Established 2016
  • Headquartered in Denver, CO
  • Facilities in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan
  • 36+ Employees Globally
  • Top-ranked brand for non-gummy edibles

1906 (Nuka Foods) is on a mission to bring cannabis back to its pre-prohibition status as a mainstream, widely-used medicine for the greater good — and the greater fun. The name comes from the last year cannabis was accepted and available nationally as a beneficial medicine. The passage of the Wiley Act (also known as the Pure Food and Drug Act) the following year, effectively started a period of prohibition that has lasted more than a century.

1906’s current product offering spans six distinct formulations: GO for energy, LOVE for arousal, MIDNIGHT for sleep, CHILL for relaxation, BLISS for euphoria, and GENIUS for cognitive focus. All 1906 products employ a rapid-onset delivery technology that eliminates the long wait typical of traditional edibles, ensuring safe, predictable, and enjoyable experiences every time.

THE CHALLENGE

In order to keep up with a sustained period of organic growth, 1906 identified the need for a hands-on Vice President of Operations to help solve problems and identify opportunities. This Vice President of Operations needed to have 5+ years of management experience within a nutraceutical or pharmaceutical environment. This management experience would also include having a deep knowledge of manufacturing procedures, systems, and a familiarity with regulatory and standard operating procedures.

THE SOLUTION
Through the execution of Ropella’s SMART Search System, Ropella conducted a search to uncover, engage, recruit, and assess a group of best-in-class Vice President of Operations candidates who had experience and a working knowledge of production equipment, scheduling, and inventory control. These candidates exhibited the characteristics of a team player with the ability to work in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment along with a willingness and ability to resolve problems and jump right in to help. Ropella expertly sourced a well-qualified candidate who checked all the boxes for 1906.

DELIVERABLES
OPPORTUNITY MARKETING PIECE
Custom created for 1906, the Opportunity Marketing Piece was used to attract passive (employed and not looking) candidates from a select group of highly-targeted companies. The Opportunity Marketing Piece enabled Ropella’s Executive Search Consultants to present a world-class overview of 1906 (Nuka Foods), the unique challenges facing the new Vice President of Operations, and the incredible opportunity to join a rapidly growing manufacturer.

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DELIVERABLES
SKILL SURVEY
This custom-created Skill Survey equipped Ropella’s Executive Search Consultants to effectively gather information from a large pool of candidates. This step was critical to identify and select the most qualified A-players for final submission.

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DELIVERABLES
SCORECARD
Ropella thoughtfully scored all candidates during the screening and interview process, using a custom-created Scorecard. These scores determined each candidate’s skills and experience, cultural dynamic, management style, compensation, relocation fit, and other attributes.

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DELIVERABLES
COMPENSATION COMPARISON CALCULATOR
Ropella’s proprietary Compensation Comparison Calculator compiles a variety of complex compensation factors into a concise Offer Strategy Summary, thereby ensuring that clients don’t lose the perfect candidate to ineffective “negotiations” and/or a current employer counteroffer or other “competing” offers.

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Results Delivered

Ropella identified and engaged with 270+ prospects on behalf of 1906. From there, Ropella submitted 26 candidates, 18 of whom were interviewed.

11 Business Days
To Qualified Candidates
77 Business Days
Speed to Placement

After assessing and identifying the finalist candidates, 1906 chose an expertly matched candidate from Ropella to be their Vice President of Operations. The company utilized Ropella’s Compensation Comparison Calculator and supporting Offer Strategy Summary to create an appealing executive compensation package, which the candidate accepted. Reporting directly to Senior Management personnel, this Vice President of Operations has been actively organizing and managing all day-to-day operational production activities.

Ropella handled the entire search from end to end, in the most thorough way. I have been recruiting candidates for 20-plus years and the experience was far better than with any recruiting firm I have used in the past.”

Peter Barsoom
Founder and CEO
Nuka Foods and 1906