Ariane Kirkpatrick is the founder and majority owner of the vertically integrated cannabis companies, Harvest of Ohio, Harvest Grows and Harvest Processing, LLC; all provisionally licensed in 2018. In 2021 operations began in Ironton, Columbus, Athens and Beavercreek, Ohio. In 2014, Ariane started researching partnership opportunities to add to her already successful business portfolio in the construction industry. In 2017, she met Steve White, an Arizona-based lawyer and CEO of Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc., a then, medical-only cannabis company. Her business savvy prompted her to partner with a burgeoning leader in the constantly evolving cannabis industry; one that also had the capital to invest. Women in cannabis, especially women of color, often lack access and find it difficult to secure funding from institutions that provide resources in the highly regulated cannabis space. One in five cannabis businesses nationwide are minority-owned, according to a 2017 Marijuana Business Daily report, and the numbers have not shifted much since. People of color continue to face barriers in joining the legal cannabis industry, despite bearing the brunt of marijuana arrests and convictions, as a direct result of laws and policies associated with the United States’ War on Drugs. We bring our mission to life by creating unrivaled experiences for our patients and customers in the communities we serve. We are dedicated to shaping the future of cannabis by giving people real control over their health and wellness through access to quality products, education, resources, and support. As a team that connects, enlightens, and empowers, Harvest of OH (Harvest of Ohio [dispensaries], Harvest Grows, Harvest Processing) takes pride in breaking glass ceilings by creating wealth and ownership opportunities within the equity community. Our team not only believes in diversity and inclusion, but lives it, having a female, minority, majority owner of Harvest of OH.