Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
James Shih
CEO and Co-Founder
James is a real-estate broker and experienced attorney specializing in cannabis, real estate, investment, compliance, and business law and has advised high-net worth individuals, private equity firms, developers, and executives in investments for Fortune 500 companies such as Hyatt. A shareholder of Golden Barn, his experience in cannabis licensing and operations for manufacturing and distribution is key. He is on the board of directors for the Orange County Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, an advocate for equal access, compliance, and cultural cannabis to develop a more diverse, robust globally attractive market. In addition to his current role at MyGN, James is a partner at SMS Law, a law firm specializing in investment immigration and international business development. He holds undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Spanish from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Ken Hwang
Chairman, Chief Legal Officer (CLO), and Co-Founder
Ken is a seasoned entertainment and cannabis lawyer with a plethora of experience working at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), NBC Universal, Global Digital Creations, and Golden Barn. He negotiated talent deals for The Voice, Parenthood, and The Office. His cannabis experience spans across licensing and operations for manufacturing, distribution, cultivation, and retail. He is an expert educator on cannabis industry trends, finances, and licensing. In addition to his role at MyGN, Ken also serves as General Counsel at GDC Technology Ltd. He holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Southwestern Law School.
Edwin Chu
COO and Co-Founder
Ed is a 16-year veteran specialist in culinary innovation and hospitality. He is known for his expertise in logistics, distribution, and innovative culinary achievements. He was a pivotal leader in the success for Michelin restaurants like Melisse, Il Buco Alimentari, and Upland working alongside Josiah Citrin and Nicolas Boutin. He opened 5-star hotels like Mandarin Oriental and notably opened The Standard in New York with Michelin starred chef, Dan Silverman. He is experienced in cannabis formulations and infusions while bringing a plethora of real-world logistics experience in commercial kitchens and focused heavily on cannabis operational compliance. In addition to his current role at MyGN, Edwin also is an operations manager at Manuela Restaurant in Los Angeles. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
Maria Cordeiro
Fractional CMO and Co-Founder
Maria is the owner, CEO, creative director, and curator of Studio Goesto, a specialized branding firm working with cannabis brands, beauty, food, public figures, and global companies. Through innovation and adaptability, she creates solutions for companies to transform their brands and maximize revenue, and has worked with companies such as Bushnell, Log, Filterfeed, Frutos de Goiás, and more. Her cannabis experience is focused on developing brands to make an impact, such as Bela’s Formula. She is a cannabis educator well-known in the Brazilian community speaking on cannabis branding, investment, industry trends, and entrepreneurism. She holds an undergraduate degree from Universidade Federal Fluminense and a postgraduate degree from Estácio de Sá.
Kenton Wong
Director of Sales
Kenton is a seasoned music industry veteran of over 20 years. He established himself through operating an international marketing and promotion company working with top talent and iconic brands such as: Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Def Jam Records, Interscope, Universal Music, Red Bull, Rockstar Games, and Nintendo. His InterFM Hip Hop show was one of Tokyo’s top rated and longest running program with about 37.5 million people in the broadcasting area.xxvi His talent in communications, relationships, and collaborative efforts make him invaluable force in sales. Kenton is a trained cannabis operator in both distribution, manufacturing, and compliance with ability to train efficient operators and maximizing production. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Irvine.
Ben Schwab
Director of Distribution
Ben has over 20 years of experience in cannabis distribution, sales, and cultivation. He has worked in both the medical and recreational market and is quickly able to adapt and focus on maintaining compliance at all times. He provides an extensive amount of knowledge of the plant, efficient cannabis operations, and understanding the needs of every step of the supply chain. Ben is the one of the driving founders of Golden Barn’s distribution business. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dominykas Kalvelis
Director of Technology and Security
Dominykas is a seasoned technology and security professional who has experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies on optimizing processes, security, and leading infrastructure technology developments. He led the technology deployment for JPMorgan Chase, prototyping mobile applications for the NFL Superbowl, and has built out entire cybersecurity departments with Safra National Bank. He has acquired HITRUST certifications, SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and NIST priming statuses to meet contractual obligations and prepare medical companies for global scalability. He is a long-time cultivator and experienced in cannabis operations, primarily focusing on operational security and standardizing onboarding processes for cannabis companies. He holds an undergraduate degree from St. Peters University.