Wana Brands CEO Nancy Whiteman is stepping down from the helm of the Colorado edibles company she co-founded 14 years ago.

Whiteman, who announced the move in a LinkedIn post, noted Joe Hodas, chief marketing officer, will succeed her as CEO.

The transition coincides with the formation of Canopy USA, which will allow Canopy Growth Corporation to exercise the option to purchase Wana Brands and bring its three U.S. entities – Wana, Jetty and Acreage – under one umbrella. Canopy Growth announced plans to acquire Wana Brands in October 2021.

“When we completed our transaction with Canopy almost 2 ½ years ago, we never suspected that it would take this long to get to the point but we are finally here and are looking forward to unlocking the power of bringing these three companies together,” Whiteman wrote.

Whiteman said she will maintain an advisory at Wana Brands and serve on Canopy USA’s board. She will also dedicate more time to the Wana Foundation, which the company founded in 2022. The foundation has made nearly $5 million in donations to more than 150 organizations.

“I’m excited to learn more about the issues that the foundation supports so we can increase our impact and effectiveness,” Whiteman wrote. “But lest anyone think I’m going to completely re-fill my time with different kinds of work and busy-ness, I will also share that I’m also looking forward to spending more relaxed time with my friends and family, traveling the world, and exploring new interests and opportunities.”

Hodas joined Wana Brands in March 2020 as chief marketing officer, a newly created position at the time. Hodas' past cannabis experience includes serving at Dixie Elixirs and General Cannabis Corporation.

"The past four years have been nothing short of amazing — packed with the best and brightest of people and a mission that I can get behind," Hodas wrote on LinkedIn. "But most importantly, it has been an opportunity to learn from and work with one of the greatest minds in our nascent industry. An amazing and generous leader who built a company that I now get to inherit. Its equal parts exhilarating and daunting. Nancy has been a friend, mentor and colleague for over a decade. I've watched her build Wana into the powerhouse it is today, both from the outside and then from the inside. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity but I’d be foolish to think I can emulate Nancy or carry leadership the way she does. Its now on me to find my own voice, while staying true to the vision, the culture and mission that Nancy set forth."