Corporate Governance

Darren Lampert has been our CEO, a Director, and the Chairperson of the Board since our inception in 2014. Mr. Lampert began his career in 1986 as a founding member of the law firm of Lampert and Lampert (1986-1999), where he concentrated on securities litigation, NASD (now FINRA) compliance, and arbitration and corporate finance matters. Mr. Lampert has represented clients in actions and investigations brought before government agencies and self-regulatory bodies. From 1999 to 2014, Mr. Lampert worked as a portfolio manager and proprietary trader at a number of broker-dealer firms. From 2010 to 2014, Mr. Lampert was a private investor. Mr. Lampert graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Ithaca College. Mr. Lampert received a J.D. from Bridgeport University School of Law in 1985. Mr. Lampert was admitted to practice law in New York in 1986 and is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Mr. Lampert has extensive experience in our industry and knows our operations from top to bottom, having led the Company for 10 years as its CEO and Chairperson of the Board. In addition, his experience in the finance and legal fields make him an excellent asset for GrowGeneration as a rapidly-growing public company, navigating the capital markets, making acquisitions, and leading the Company through other critical business matters and initiatives.

Michael Salaman has been our President and a Director since our inception in 2014. Mr. Salaman began his business career as Vice President of Business Development for National Media Corp., an infomercial marketing company in the United States, from 1985 to 1993. From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Salaman worked as a consultant. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Salaman started a digital media company called American Interactive Media, Inc., a developer of Web TV set-top boxes and ISP services. In 2002, Mr. Salaman became the principal officer of that entity, directing its operations as a marketing and distribution company, and in 2005 focused its efforts in the enhanced water business. Mr. Salaman served as the Chairperson of Skinny Nutritional Corp. from 2002 to 2014 and as Chief Executive Officer and President of Skinny Nutritional Corp. from 2010 to 2014. Mr. Salaman received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in business from Temple University in 1986.

Mr. Salaman has been with the Company from the beginning as its President and a Director, providing him with deep knowledge of our business, people, and industry. In addition, his experience as an innovator and leader in sales and marketing is particularly beneficial to GrowGeneration as a company with thousands of products, including both established and new proprietary brands, which are sold through multiple channels, including retail, e-commerce, and distribution.

Eula Adams has been a Director of the Company since September 2021. Mr. Adams began his career as an auditor at Touche Ross in 1972, eventually becoming an audit partner there (which became Deloitte & Touche following a merger in 1989) until 1991. From 1991 to 2003, Mr. Adams worked at First Data Corporation (now Fiserv), holding positions as President of Merchant Services, President of Card Issuer Services and President of Teleservices. From 2004 to 2006, he served as Senior Vice President of StorageTek, which was acquired in 2006 by Sun Microsystems. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Senior Vice President of Sun Microsystems Storage Division. From 2008 to 2013, Mr. Adams was Chief Operating Officer of Xcore Corporation. Most recently, Mr. Adams was Chief Executive Officer and director at Neuromonics, Inc. from 2013 to 2019. Mr. Adams currently serves on the boards of the White House Historical Association and the Transportation Commission of Colorado and is a former director of Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. and Your Way Cannabis Brands Inc. Mr. Adams is a graduate of Morris Brown College with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, has a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mr. Adams contributes tremendous accounting and finance expertise to the Company as a certified public accountant and former audit partner, as well as broad operational experience as a former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, among other roles. Mr. Adams serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee, as well as a member of the Compensation Committee.

Stephen Aiello has been a Director of the Company since 2014. From 1986 to 2001, Mr. Aiello was a partner at Montgomery Securities, where he managed the sales and trading institutional desk. From 2001 to 2003, he worked at 033 Asset Management, a long/short equity fund where he was responsible for day-to-day trading of the portfolio. Mr. Aiello was a partner at Jones and Company from 2004 to 2008. Mr. Aiello has been a private investor focusing on cannabis and real estate since 2008. Mr. Aiello received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ithaca College and a Master of Business Administration from Fordham University.

Mr. Aiello brings deep knowledge of finance and capital markets to the Board, as well as general business and management expertise as an MBA. In addition, Mr. Aiello has prior experience in the cannabis industry, and his real estate expertise is well-suited to help the Company manage its large real estate portfolio. Mr. Aiello serves as the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee and the Governance Committee, as well as a member of the Audit Committee.

Star Carter joined the Board in 2024. Ms. Carter began her career as an attorney at large, internationally recognized law firms, including Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP from 2006 to 2014 and Sidley Austin LLP from 2014 to 2017, where she became Counsel. She also worked as Senior Associate Counsel for Hudson Advisors, the advisory arm of Lone Star Funds, from 2017 to 2018. From 2018 to 2022, Ms. Carter co-founded and served as a director, Chief Operations Officer, and General Counsel of Kanarys, Inc., a technology platform focused on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Ms. Carter also served on the board of directors for Legal Aid of Northwest Texas from 2013 to 2022, including as Chairperson and a member of the Nomination Committee and Audit and Finance Committee. She is currently a leadership advisor at a global firm specializing in leadership development. Ms. Carter holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Business Administration with honors from the University of Texas at Austin.

Ms. Carter brings nearly two decades of expertise in corporate strategy and law. She has led complex legal matters, facilitated corporate transactions, and provided strategic guidance on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and other matters. Ms. Carter also contributes her experience in operational strategy and execution, corporate leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ms. Carter serves as a member of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Governance Committee.