From Backboards to Badges to Boardrooms: One Man’s Unlikely Path to Leading a Successful Cannabis Co

The cannabis industry is filling up with executives from a wide variety of industries. From Wall Street Wunderbars to Main Street Mom and Pops, the board rooms of legal marijuana companies show a diverse set of backgrounds and professional experiences.

Though few can compare with the unlikely career path of Dennis DuVal, which took him from busting drug dealers as an officer and then chief of police in Syracuse, to running a successful medical marijuana company.

But that would be starting at the middle of the story. Let’s start at the beginning.

Dennis DuVal didn’t set out to be a police officer, or a cannabis executive. His first love was basketball, and at that, he was really good.

DuVal was a star player at Syracuse. His senior year he was averaging over 20 points a game, and when he graduated, he was second in all-time points. He was drafted by the Washington Bullets, and also played for the Atlanta Hawks before hanging up his sneakers and joining the Syracuse Police Department.

DuVal served 26-years in the Syracuse police department, the last three as its chief. He was known as a man that battled to make the city “a little nicer than when he started,” and by most measures, he succeeded.

He insisted that his officers get out of their patrol cars and walk their communities and get to know the residents. Under DuVal’s leadership, officers began having their lunches in the local community centers, where they learned the names of all the kids.

By preaching empathy and understanding, DuVal raised the effectiveness of the police force, and helped create a better community.

Those same qualities of empathy and understanding led DuVal to make an interesting career turn after retirement from the police department.

With most of his adult life spent helping others through public service, DuVal looked for an opportunity in which he could contribute to the betterment of society. He found it in Terradiol, a bio-pharmaceutical company which produces, manufactures, and distributes medical cannabis pharmaceuticals.

DuVal was attracted to Terradiol because the company is focused on creating a change in society by conducting research and development on cannabinoid medicines, and collaborating with state legislators and regulators in order to share information and demonstrate how cannabinoid medicines can lessen the need for pharmaceutical products such as opiates, and provide economic advantages to states - affording improvements in infrastructure and fortification of social programs.

Most people would be thrilled to achieve success in one career. DuVal has made it to the top in two careers: Making it to the NBA, and as a police chief in a major city.

Now, as he starts making an impact in his third career, we expect we will see and hear a great deal more from this humble, unlikely leader.