LINCOLN, MO, January 21, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Damien R. Kennedy has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. Kennedy has established a distinguished career in cannabis industry operations, earning recognition for his expertise and leadership across multiple sectors. In 2024, he assumed the role of chief executive officer at the Budding Minds Foundation, where he has dedicated himself to advancing educational initiatives within the cannabis field. His tenure at the foundation is marked by a commitment to motivating others to exceed their perceived limitations, a quality he considers his most significant professional achievement.

In addition to his primary role, Mr. Kennedy serves as lead sales representative for Missouri Health & Wellness Dispensaries, a position he has held since 2024. Prior to his current roles, he was a site general manager at Amado Management LLC, where he advocated for the separation of industrial and medical cannabis cultivation in Arizona on behalf of Amado Management. Recognizing the unique requirements and potential challenges posed by cross-pollination between plant types, he worked to establish clear distinctions between the two sectors, ensuring both could thrive independently. He believes that understanding the distinction between these sectors is critical for new professionals seeking to stay abreast of fast industry changes.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Kennedy contributed as a training content creator at eegee's for one year after a series of progressive roles at Nature's Medicines from 2017 to 2020. As post production inventory manager, inventory management national plant inventory manager, strain acquisitions and genetics manger and inventory compliance manager, he oversaw critical aspects of inventory control, compliance and genetic sourcing for the organization's product lines.

Before his work in the cannabis sector, Mr. Kennedy was team leader at Domino's from 2015 to 2017, where he managed daily operations and team coordination. For the preceding two years, he served as lead photographer for Royal Automotive Group. He was also chairman of Legislative District 2 from 2016 to 2018 and second vice chair from 2015 to 2016, contributing to local governance and policy development.

Educationally, Mr. Kennedy earned a Bachelor of Arts in web and multimedia management and webmaster from Collins College in Tempe in 2001 after completing an Associate of Arts in design and visual communications at Collins College in Tempe in 1998. These credentials provided a strong foundation in technology and design that have supported his success across diverse industries. Further enhancing his qualifications are several certifications, including ganjier product specialist from Green Flower, AI prompting certificate from Ziplines Education and master certificate in cannabis from Cannabis Training University in 2021. Overall, he attributes his achievements to his ability to identify capable mentors whose positive habits and approaches he strives to emulate and embody.

Outside his professional work, Mr. Kennedy is civically involved, active with the Boy Scouts of America as Webelos den leader for many years and as scoutmaster, demonstrating a longstanding commitment to youth development and community service.

Mr. Kennedy's success has been recognized throughout his career, particularly with the Salesman Award from AFLAC Incorporated. Today, he remains focused on future endeavors through Budding Minds Foundation, aiming to develop a comprehensive education program designed to certify individuals in cannabis education on a broad scale, addressing industry challenges while raising awareness for responsible practices.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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