meet our
GOOD PEOPLE.
Our diverse leadership team is passionate about cultivating the highest quality cannabis products by combining tribal plant knowledge with Fortune 500 business expertise and practices.
Vice-Chairman
Stephen LaFrance Jr.
Mr. LaFrance is a former owner of USA Drug. Prior to its sale to Walgreens in 2012 for over $400 million dollars, USA Drug was the largest privately owned pharmacy chain in the US with over 180 stores in 8 states. USA Drug held 1,302 licenses ranging from DEA, pharmaceutical distribution, alcohol, tobacco, underground gas, Western Union, Class VII Liquefied Petroleum, lottery to medical equipment across multiple states, with none being revoked or suspended. Prior to Good Day Farm, Mr. LaFrance was a founding owner of Natural State Medicinals, an Arkansas medical cannabis cultivator which was awarded the first license in the state of Arkansas. He is also the founder and former director of Greenwoods State Bank in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, founder and board member of CapRocq, a sponsor of real estate funds investing over $300 million across 25 office and industrial properties in eight states in the southeast and Midwest US, a founder and investment committee member of Tempus Realty Partners, a sponsor of real estate investments investing over $550 million across 75 office and industrial properties in twenty-three states primarily in the southeast and Midwest regions of the United States.
CHief Executive Officer
Terry Fitch
Terry Fitch serves as Chief Executive Officer at GOOD DAY FARM, bringing decades of leadership experience and business expertise. Terry spent over 20 years at Coca-Cola Enterprises and the Coca-Cola Company leading both domestic and international marketing and sales. After transitioning out of the beverage industry, Terry dove into the world of building and leading hydroponic growing operations in both Colorado and Arkansas. He most recently served as President of Hydrofarm Holdings Group, Inc. In this role, he further established the legacy of Hydrofarm by applying his knowledge of supply chain management, operations, and market share expansion. His valuable time in hydroponics led him to the cannabis industry.
Through his wide array of experience, Terry unifies the efficiency of a Fortune 100 company with the ingenuity of the hydroponics industry. He brings these qualities, combined with his passion for innovation and excellence, to the South’s emerging cannabis industry.
Chief Operating Officer
Anthony Cieslak
As Head of Operations, Anthony is responsible for execution of the company’s operational initiatives and successful deployment of new assets. Anthony’s experience and leadership style results in data-driven operational excellence, while driving profitable revenue growth for the business. Most recently, Anthony constructed and ran Grow Ohio, a state-leading medical marijuana company consisting of 55,000 square feet of indoor cultivation, extraction and manufacturing, distribution and several award-winning products. Prior to cannabis, Anthony completed over $250 million in development transactions with a renewable energy startup commercializing new technology in the United States. Anthony began his career providing financial services and investment advice to NBA players and other professional athletes. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Finance from Baldwin Wallace University.
Chief Retail and Brand Officer
Laurie Gregory
As Chief Marketing Officer, Laurie leads all creative aspects of Good Day Farm, including the strategy, implementation and performance of the company’s marketing, branding and image. She is an accomplished brand and retail executive responsible for successfully creating and marketing thousands of legendary products and brands in the CPG, Wellness, Beauty and Cannabis Space. As one of the founding executives of Bath and Body Works, Laurie originated the design, branding, product and in-store experience which led to the growth of 1,600 stores and $2 billion in sales. Post L-Brands, Laurie co-founded Sunrise Beauty, a turn-key product development agency and led the successful commercialization of many consumer goods brands and products for diverse clients such as Abercrombie, Ulta, Sephora, Aeropostale, American Eagle and Aerie. With a deep passion for natural health and wellness, Laurie transitioned into the cannabis space and most recently was Chief Brand and Product Officer at Skymint Brands, pioneering the retailization of the recreational cannabis industry in Michigan. Laurie built a compelling portfolio of brands and products and led a fully integrated omni-channel marketing strategy which resulted in rapid retail revenue and growth.
Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer
Alex Gray
As Chief Strategy Officer of Good Day Farm, Alex leads the strategy and sourcing of mergers and acquisitions as well as the strategic expansion of its brand portfolio. He is a seasoned attorney with a focus on highly regulated industries including cannabis, administrative law and gaming. Prior to Good Day Farm, Alex co-founded Steel Wright Gray, PLLC, a commercial litigation, government relations, and administrative law firm located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Alex has represented over a dozen dispensaries and cultivation facilities in complying with state cannabis rules and regulations, and has been successful in obtaining several applications for medical marijuana dispensary licenses for his Arkansas clients. In 2018, Alex drafted Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution, creating casino gaming in Arkansas. Following that, he prepared the winning application for the first free-standing casino gaming resort in Arkansas. A Tennessee native, Alex is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he was managing editor of the Law Review.
Executive Vice President, Chief Compliance & State Government Affairs Officer
Nate Steel
As Chief Compliance and State Governmental Affairs Officer of Good Day Farm, Nate leads the company’s responsibilities regarding regulatory compliance and matters regarding governmental relations. A licensed attorney and former Arkansas legislator, prior to Good Day Farm Nate was a co-founder and managing partner of Steel Wright Gray, PLLC, a commercial litigation, government relations, and administrative law firm located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nate’s law practice focused on licensing and advocacy before state boards and commissions, with a focus on medical marijuana and casino gaming licensees. He has represented some of the Southeast’s largest public companies in regulated industries including banking, energy, health care, and pharmacy. Nate served three terms in the Arkansas General Assembly (2010-2015) where he co-chaired the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee and sat on the Judiciary, State Agencies, Joint Budget, and Energy Committees.
Chief Revenue Officer
Andrew Salini
As Chief Investment Officer, Andy is responsible for driving the company’s investment strategy, analytics, and financial modeling. He also works on mergers and acquisitions for the organization. Earlier in his career, Andy worked in the New York offices of Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, and EMF Financial Products (a hedge fund), before leaving to join a Colorado based cannabis startup in 2014 as Chief Operations Officer. As a seasoned investment banker and experienced cannabis entrepreneur, Andy offers a unique perspective that combines his deep industry knowledge with strong financial acumen, making him a cross-functional leader in the organization. Andy has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Princeton University, where he also minored in Finance and French. He was a four-year letterman on Princeton’s baseball team, winning three Ivy League Championship titles. He still holds the all-time career hits record at Princeton, dating back to 1864.
President, Good Day Farm Louisiana
John Davis
As President of Good Day Farm Louisiana, John is responsible for the cultivation, extraction, processing and production of medical marijuana for qualifying patients in Louisiana under an Agreement for Services with the LSU AgCenter. John has over 25 years of experience working with C-Suite executives in a variety of highly regulated industries and has developed a reputation for providing creative legal, regulatory and legislative solutions to challenging business matters. Since 2018, John has used his background and skills at Good Day Farm Louisiana to implement corporate vision, make sound business decisions, ensure legal compliance, and advocate for responsible regulatory and legislative action. Prior to entering the highly regulated cannabis industry, John was a shareholder and registered lobbyist at the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, one of the nation’s largest law firms representing clients both nationally and internationally. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from LSU. John is a graduate of the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) Leadership Program and the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program – Graduate. Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, he has been an honoree of the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report "Top 40 Under 40", and has been recognized by Baker Donelson Baton Rouge as its Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, and Adam & Reese H.U.G.S. Volunteer of the Year. He is also a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Manship Theatre and Young Leader’s Academy of Baton Rouge.
VP of Compliance
Mary Claire McLaurin
As Director of Compliance, Mary Claire provides regulatory oversight and guidance to cultivation and dispensary operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri. From 2015 to 2021, she served as regulatory counsel and Legislative Liaison for the Arkansas State Police, where she gained experience in professional and concealed carry licensing, administrative law, government affairs, and the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. She acted as an internal advisor to the Colonel of the Arkansas State Police and Division Majors, developed best practices and procedures, and represented the Division in administrative proceedings, state court, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Arkansas State Claims Commission, as well as before the Arkansas General Assembly. Formerly an attorney at the law firm of Hilburn & Harper, LTD for five years, her practice focused on family law and domestic relations. Mary Claire received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and is licensed to practice law in the states of Arkansas and Mississippi.
Ph.D. - Vice President of Operations, Good Day Farm Missouri
Diana Coats
As Vice President of Operations for Good Day Farm Missouri, Dr. Coats is responsible for the day to day operation of Good Day Farm’s cultivation facility in Columbia, Missouri. She received her BS in Environmental and Plant Biology from Ohio University and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri. During her graduate and postdoctoral training, Dr. Coats received several competitive fellowships including a USDA-NIFA postdoctoral research grant. In 2019, she was named a "Woman to Watch" by MJBiz magazine. She has consulted for several cannabis startups and given presentations on using data to improve cannabis operations. Dr. Coats crossed over to the cannabis industry from traditional agriculture, where she received formal training in plant physiology, genetics, breeding, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Following her postdoctoral training, in 2017, Dr. Coats joined a Medical Marijuana cultivation and processing startup on the east coast. While there, she found the cannabis industry had opportunities that allowed her to apply her passion for cannabis through providing clean, high-quality medical cannabis medicine to patients in need. Dr. Coats has translated 15+ years of cultivation research, teaching, and budget management experience to focus on process validation and improvement, staff training through mentoring and education, and industry partnerships with academic research institutions.
Director of Laboratory Operations
Kelby Cross
As Director of Laboratory Operations, Kelby is responsible for the effective and consistent operation of Good Day Farms’ laboratories. In addition to his years of hands-on experience in cannabis extraction and consultation, Kelby holds a B.S in Psychobiology from UCLA. His education, combined with his experience working as a Management Consultant after graduation, has made Kelby uniquely suited to not only understand the theory of cannabis extraction and formulation, but also how to implement those theories within a legal framework. In 2015, he was a co-founder of a Marijuana-Infused Products (MIP) manufacturer in Colorado and held the senior position of Chief Technical Officer. After licensing, Kelby led his team in sourcing and acquiring all necessary equipment, designing the layout of the lab, and developing a suite of product offerings. After running his own lab for several years, Kelby and his partners decided to branch out and form WL Consulting, which Kelby led. Through his consulting division, Kelby has worked with companies in municipalities across the country, and abroad, in every stage of development. Some groups were just starting out and looking for guidance on the entire process. Others were industry veterans and are primarily interested in expanding their ability to create a clean, high potency concentrate. Regardless of their state of development, Kelby found that he was able to bring something unique to each organization that contracted with him. Areas of expertise include assisting with sourcing real estate and equipment, applying for licensing, establishment of SOPs and Best Practices, and process auditing. His unique experience working within multiple legal frameworks to produce consistently exceptional results made Kelby well equipped to assist new companies with ensuring compliance and quality, no matter the product or process. After working with Good Day Farm leadership in a consulting capacity, Kelby joined the team as Director of Laboratory Operations in March 2021. Since then, he has successfully coordinated the completion and furnishing of lab spaces in Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana, building and training extraction teams in each location. As part of Good Day Farm’s market entry strategy, Kelby and his teams have been tasked with creating a wide array of products, necessitating the launch of multiple extraction mediums concurrently. To date, Kelby has overseen the development and implementation of SOPs for CO2, Ethanol, and Hydrocarbon extraction, as well as Distillation and other product refinement methods, all in Arkansas alone. Never one to stop moving forward, Kelby is currently actively researching and planning the implementation of Cold-Water extraction, and Rosin generation.
Director of Post-Harvest Operations
Emily DeYmaz
As Director of Post-Harvest Operations, Emily devotes her efforts to streamlining operations and communications, which led her to be promoted to various senior roles in her career. She has played a key role in the startup phase for five commercial cultivation facilities in four medical marijuana markets and has advanced knowledge in compliance, post-harvest, packaging, and sales operations. Emily is truly passionate about helping others succeed and building teams of highly motivated people.
VP of Sales
Chad Parnell
Serving as Director of Sales since the inception of Good Day Farm, Chad leads Good Day Farm’s sales of cannabis products efforts. In this capacity, Chad oversees overall corporate sales strategy including managing dispensary relationships, helping determine new product launches, and ensuring Good Day Farm meets market demands and variety for customers and patients. Chad and his team of territory managers work closely with dispensary and pharmacy management to meet patient needs. Prior to joining Good Day Farm, Chad served as a sales executive in the telecommunications industry for a Fortune 20 public company. Chad utilizes his 20+ years of sales experience in highly-regulated industries to navigate the varying landscapes of each state that Good Day Farm serves.
VP of Human Resources
Leesa Ferguson
Leesa Ferguson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Administration at the University of Central Arkansas and completed graduate studies in Marketing at Harvard University. Leesa currently works as the Human Resources Director at Good Seven Management, the corporate office for Good Day Farm. Leesa previously worked at DeWafelbakkers as their Human Resources Director until December 2021. She previously worked in 2016 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as the HR Manager for Faculty and Academic Services. Before that, she was at Professional Counseling Associates as their HR Director from 2013 to 2016. Leesa also worked at Heifer International, beginning in 2003 as Director of Internal Communications. At Heifer, she was appointed for two years as the Interim Vice President of Human Resources in 2006. She was then promoted to Vice President of Human Resources in 2008 and served as VP at Heifer until June 2013. Prior to working in Human Resources, Leesa had a career in sales and marketing, working at Faulkner and Associates and Connell Communications and then at Alltel Information Services and Fidelity Information Services. Leesa is proficient in Spanish.
Leesa holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Central Arkansas Human Resource Association.