The longtime leader of the Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association — which is in the process of becoming the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon — is stepping down and the group’s co-executive director is assuming the full leadership role.
Casey Houlihan, who has led ORCA for a decade, is dealing with a serious illness, the group told supporters in an email Friday. As a result, he is stepping down and handing the reins to Jesse Bontecou, whom Houlihan described as a “close friend, colleague and our longtime Co-E.D.”
“I know that (the new leadership of Cannabis Industry Alliance) will continue to carry forward with the same passion and dedication that we have all brought to this work over the past decade,” Houlihan wrote. “I will continue to be a part of this community in whatever capacity I am able and I am excited to see all of the great things that the future holds for our industry.”
The CIA was created in 2022 to bring together three cannabis industry orgs: Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association, Oregon Industry Progress Association and Farms Inc. The trio of organizations were part of a coalition of industry leaders that lobbied successfully for a two-year moratorium on new processor, wholesaler and retailer licenses.
Friends of Houlihan have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover upcoming medical costs.
Bontecou has been with ORCA since 2017. He became co-executive director at the end of 2020. He has been involved in managing electoral issues and campaigns for 13 years.
