Worcester’s Augustus Signs Up Second Medical Marijuana Facility

Thursday, March 31, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

John Glowik, Jr, President

City Manager Ed Augustus has agreed to site another medical marijuana facility — the second of a potential four in Worcester.

In the announcement on Wednesday, he said he will provide a letter of non-opposition to Prime Wellness Centers, Inc. to locate a facility on Pullman Street, Worcester. This was not there first choice of location. In July, GoLocal reported, "it was announced that John Glowik, owner of Prime Wellness of Massachusetts Inc, could not reach a lease agreement for retail space with the property owners at 358 Park Avenue in Worcester to open a medical marijuana dispensary."

Prime Wellness effort is lead by John Glowik, Jr. — his father once owned a gas station in Worcester and then served as an Insurance Examiner for the state. Glowik’s wife co-chaired the Worcester Art Museum’s Gala last summer.

Glowik served on the Board of Worcester Academy and an advisory board of Holy Cross. Professionally, he has been in a range of healthcare businesses.

Donna Barry, an officer in the medical marijuana facility

Also involved in the effort and listed in Massachusetts Corporate filings is Donna Barry - a Worcester area banker.

This is the second letter provided to a facility in Worcester. The City recently provided a letter of non-opposition to Good Chemistry of Massachusetts, Inc. to locate a dispensary at 9 Harrison Street. As part of that agreement, Augustus committed to Good Chemistry to cap the number of facilities at four.

As a condition of receiving the letter, Prime Wellness Centers has signed a community host agreement equivalent to the one signed by Good Chemistry. The agreement will pay the City $100,000, plus 1.5 percent of gross sales revenue, during the first year of operation. In the second year, they will pay $150,000, plus 2 percent of gross sales revenue. They will pay $200,000, plus 2.5 percent of gross sales revenue in the third year and all subsequent years of operation in the City. Prime Wellness Centers will also contribute $10,000 annually to public charities or causes of its choosing benefiting the neighborhood.

Prime Wellness Centers has also received a letter of non-opposition from the Town of Shrewsbury to open a dispensary at 235 Hartford Turnpike (Route 20).

Good Chemistry was the first

As GoLocal reported two weeks ago:

The officers of the Good Chemistry, who are now close to opening Worcester’s first dispensary, are a combination of marijuana dealers from Colorado, a Harvard affiliated orthopedic surgeon, a pediatrician from Florida, and a Boston Lawyer.

Matt Huron, leads Good Chemistry

The CEO of the company is an experienced marijuana dealer from Denver, Colorado. Matthew Huron who is the CEO of the company set up in Massachusetts to run the Worcester operation is described on the Denver-based company’s website as having, “15 years of experience in the marijuana industry and widely recognized as one of the most experienced cultivators of marijuana in the United States.”

Huron’s management team in Denver is also listed as the management team for the Worcester facility as well.

Duncan Cameron is the Chief Production Officer for the Denver company and is described as a “Master cultivator in the cannabis industry with experience in plant husbandry, advanced propagation techniques, grow room design, permitting, construction management, regulatory and environmental compliance, and staff training and management.”

The third member of the Denver-based company’s management team is former investment banker, Toby Nuber who is the Chief Financial Officer for Good Chemistry and reportedly, “leads all financial reporting, budgeting, capital expenditure planning, tax planning, investor relations, human resources and compliance.”

Other officers of the Massachusetts company include:

Boston Attorney, former legislator and lobbyist -- James Smith of Swampscott. He is a partner in the law firm Smith, Costello & Crawford and is a director in the corporate structure.

Harvard affiliated physician Adam Nazzal is listed as a director. He is orthopedic surgeon.

Florida pediatrician Gwen Wurm is also listed as a director.