Hemp/Cannabis Industry Pioneer Dwayne Hirsch is the co-founder of The Green Toad Hemp Farm in Metter, Georgia, which became the 1st Black owned Hemp Farm to obtain a license to grow in Georgia in April of 2020. Dwayne lived on the Farm daily in building the infrastructure of the properties including the indoor cultivation facility, outdoor cultivation prep and harvest execution, post harvest production facility and manufacturing operation. The entity also now includes 2 CBD dispensaries, 1 in the City of Metter that also does drying, storage and the packaging of some of our direct-to consumer product lines. The second dispensary is in Atlanta, Georgia. Dwayne also led the build out and implementation of the packaging operation for smokable hemp products including drying, trimming high volume pre-roll production, Delta 8 fortification, terpene infusion, labeling and shipping. Dwayne has also served among the leaders of the Hemp division of the Agri-unity Farming Cooperative in Georgia. The coop includes 75 Black farmers with over 6000 acres of land and hundreds of years of collective farming experience.
Using his political advocacy experience, Dwayne fostered political relationships for the industry throughout Georgia including Senator US Raphael Warnock, US Congressman Richard Allen, Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black, State Senators Lester Jackson and Tyler Harper and several Representatives and supporting entities including the Georgia Hemp Association. These relationships are also backed by relationships with Georgia Southern University and Georgia Tech.
Dwayne’s recent partnership with 8x Grammy Award Winner, multiple Emmy, Tony and Peabody Award winner, Malik Yusef works to bring together the worlds of CBD and Cannabis with Arts and Entertainment in meaningful ways that are still being conceptualized and implemented.
Still a Licensed Realtor with eXp Realty in Chicago, Illinois and a well-known networking professional, small business advocate and award winning businessman, Dwayne has hosted more than 150 events, entertaining, informing and connecting thousands of local entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners. Dwayne is also a key member of the Executive Board of Directors and Policy Committee of the Small Business Advocacy Council. The SBAC is a member based, non-partisan group that lobbies for the benefit of Small Business owners throughout the State of Illinois.
The SBAC’s 2017 Advocate of the Year played a key role in the passing of legislation for the reduction of LLC Filing Fees and Intrastate Equity Crowdfunding. Through these benefits, Dwayne is building bridges for underserved business owners in capital access, business development training, real estate investment and general awareness of opportunities and benefits of focused, meritorious advocacy.
Dwayne’s professional hallmarks include strategic networking, public speaking, Cannabis industry consulting, social media strategy, business development and the ability to establish and manage relationships that benefit the growth of any business. In media, Dwayne has been featured on:
PBS in 2021 in their Documentary on the CBD industry,
WGN: Guest on People to People with Micah Matterre in 2014 WTTW:
Interviewed on Chicago Tonight by Elizabeth Brackett in 2013.
WVON: Named Urban Business Roundtable Contributor in 2015
Currency Exchange Radio Show Host-2016
WGN Radio: Interview on Opening Bell with Host Dometi Pongo 2018
WGN TV: People to People with Cortney Hall 2018
He has also accepted:
* Appointment to eXp Realty Agent Advisory Council-2019 • SBAC Advocate of the Year 2017
• Governor Bruce Rauner’s Difference Makers Award 2018 • Chicago Association of Realtors 2016 Top Producer in Woodlawn.
• Appointment to the African American Advisory Council for the Illinois State Comptroller Leslie Munger 2016
• SIB’s Breakfast Club African American Business Leaders, Innovators and Game Changers-2018
• New Business of the Year Award from the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce-2012
• Named a Top 25 Mover and Shaker in Chicago by Rolling Out Magazine.
• Received S.P.E.A.R Award for Outstanding Business Leadership in 2010
• Appointment to 1st District Economic Development Task Force-2016
See more on Dwayne at: www.dwaynehirsch.com; https://www.facebook.com/Dwaynehirsch;
www.linked.com/Dwaynehirsch; www.twitter.com/Dwaynehirsch
Organizational Affiliations Include:
• Small Business Advocacy Council- Executive Board of Directors and Policy Committee
• Southeast Chicago Commission • Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce
• Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce • Gary, Indiana Chamber of Commerce • Chicago
Association of Realtors • Illinois Association of Realtors • National Association of
Realtors