Boulder | Colorado
Growth Focused Leadership
About Mark Doherty
Mark Doherty is a seasoned leader in the cannabis and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industries, recognized for combining agricultural innovation with business acumen and team-building expertise. His career began in 2010 when he designed, built, and operated Aqua Vita Farms, one of North America’s first commercial-scale aquaponic farms, a 14,000-square-foot indoor facility in Upstate New York. Since then, he has led over 300 cultivation projects across North America, primarily focusing on high-tech, tightly controlled indoor environments for cannabis and traditional crops like lettuce, basil, and tomatoes.
Mark’s expertise spans all aspects of cultivation, operations, and business development within CEA. He has partnered with leading Multi-State Operators (MSOs), Canadian Licensed Producers (LPs), and regional cultivation companies to design, build, and optimize farms from 2,000 to over 200,000 square feet of canopy. His deep knowledge in this space has made him a trusted advisor on profitable operations, advanced cultivation technologies, and investment strategies for large-scale facilities in the U.S. and internationally.
From 2016 to 2021, Mark held various roles at urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ: UGRO), an integrated architectural, engineering, and cultivation systems provider for commercial CEA facilities, ultimately serving as Executive Vice President of Operations. During his tenure, he was key in expanding the company from 11 to 80 employees, assisting in its NASDAQ listing, and contributing to a $62 million capital raise. Before joining urban-gro, he was a partner at MedCann Advisors, where he supported applicants under Canada’s M.M.P.R. licensing process and provided consulting for U.S. companies in competitive bid markets.
As Vice President of Facilities Management and Performance at Vireo Growth (OTCQX: VREOF), Mark leverages his 14 years of expertise to drive profitable operations and high-performance teams. His approach—centered on people, plants, and profits—emphasizes cultivating strong teams aligned with a shared vision. Known for identifying key talent, he creates environments where everyone thrives, ensuring that financial goals align with long-term success.
Mark is an innovator and lifelong student of plant science. He continually learns from traditional courses, hands-on cultivation work, and collaborations with hundreds of growers. He holds a BS in Business Administration from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the State University of New York. With a cross-functional background in cultivation, operations, executive leadership, and project management, Mark’s diverse expertise enables him to integrate complex requirements into actionable strategies that deliver operational success and sustainable returns on investment.