Meredith Mann

CEO & Cofounder

Meredith Mann, Founder of Magic Mann Chemistry and Craft Premium Cannabis Products, is a compassionate, motivated cannabis educator, advocate, and an instinctual leader. She prides herself on building relationships and strong successful teams that contribute to our local community, and global society.

Her extensive cannabis industry experience and knowledge stems from her time as a Supervisor at the dispensary, being a VT medical patient, and years of cultivation experience. Her creative expression and passion shows in her vision and process from seed to sale. 

Her understanding of compliance, testing, attention to detail and transparency is vital in the industry. Meredith has a very strong knowledge of Medical Cannabis, she has a personable approach, that exemplifies her dedication to sharing cannabis education by 

illustrating her knowledge of cannabis science, evolving technology, systems, processing, and extensive cultivation experience speak to her ability to create quality CBD products with strong testimonials. 

As the former manager of Frog Hollow the Vermont State Craft Center, and artist herself she hosted and curated many community events, through the gallery that gained both local and national attention., representing 180 artist members. 

Meredith is the mother of two smart, kind, boys 17 and 21, and is grateful to have their Chief Cultivation Officer as her husband and partner of 21 years. Couples that grow cannabis together stay together.

Special thank you to my Grandmother Irene, who taught me how to cook just about anything for just about any amount of people. 

Our Team was carefully chosen with dynamic skill sets, connections, and the ability to create successful business models. We are passionate about quality cannabis products, using only quality local CBD “There is no CAN’T in CANnabis”. 

Brian Armstrong

Chief Operating Officer

Brian Armstrong is demonstrated and determined entrepreneur who prides himself in his ability to find, select, obtain, grow, and lead talent. He is an avid learner and reader who is committed to personal and professional growth. That growth has allowed him to launch, co-found, and or rebuild numerous businesses and assist hundreds in reaching the goals of themselves and their families.

Professionally:

Brian currently leads or assists in leading Keller Williams Vermont, The Strong Will Real Estate Team at Keller Williams Vermont, Strong Will Property Management and BTVLocal420.

Brian is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Principal Broker of KW Vermont. As Co-Founder and CEO of Vermont’s only Keller Williams, Brian helped assemble a team of over 160 agents in less than ten years. Launching in the mortgage melt-down of the early 2000s, KW Vermont now ranks amongst the top firms in Vermont both for closed volume and units.  Kw Vermont currently has 7 of the top 13 real estate teams in the state, almost double the national average in retention, and profit shared in excess of $1,000,000.00 to it associates. Prior to co-founding KW Vermont, Brian lead a 10 office Century 21 franchise where he hired over two thirds of the agents and half their top producers. Under Brian’s leadership, the company consistently ranked among the top companies in the state and among the top three Century 21s in all New England. Brian started his real estate career over twenty years ago. Brian launched his real estate career as mortgage loan officer closing just under 200 loans in his record year.

Brian and his wife Lora Wilson (rest her soul) founded the Strong Will Real Estate team at KW Vermont ranks. SWRE is one of the top real estate teams in Vermont and for Keller Williams Realty in all New England. Brian and the Strong Will Real Estate team represent several large national lenders including the Veteran’s Administration, HUD, and more.  The Strong Will Real Estate team currently consists of Brian, three buyer specialists, two seller specialists, and two administrative team members, consistently ranking among the top 5% of REALTORS nationwide.  

Strong Will Property Management manages and operates rental properties for Brian, his stepson and business partner Jackson Applebaum, and numerous private clients.  They manage and or service more than 70 rental units and more than four million dollars in real estate. Brian and his stepson own 32 rental units in the Burlington area.

As the COO of Magic Mann, Brian has been able to further his passion for talent and leadership by assisting the amazingly talented founder Meredith Mann in her passion for all things cannabis.  Bringing to the team capital, leadership, extensive contacts, and the ability to align the strategic assets necessary to further the goals of its clients and founders.

Personally, Brian is an avid snowboarder who enjoys riding and occasionally heli-boarding.  Occasionally skydiving and now motorcycling, Brian loves pushing his personal limits in both his private and professional life.  Additionally, Brian is a passionate smoker of meat and loves serving friends and those he is honored to be in business and with and or lead.  After losing his wife and partner of almost 23 years to cancer, Brian is engaged to another entrepreneur and takes great honor in assisting in the development of his two new step-children and as well as his step son Jackson who is now 28 and entered Brian’s life when he was slightly more than two years old.  Brian regularly donates time, money, and smoked meat to numerous charity’s locally.  Brian quotes way too much, yet if he had to sum up his most salient quote it would be the old Greek proverb “A society grows great when old man plant trees under which shade, they know they will never sit.”

Kemener Whalen

Chief Financial Officer

Kemener, CFO for Magic Mann, brings a passion and energy to this exciting and emerging industry.  Kemener dedicates himself to the regulatory and financial nuances of the businesses and industries he is involved with.  He has helped grow exponentially the construction and development firm he also works for, which was recognized as one of the top 50 fastest growing companies by Inc 5000.  He is eager to bring his business experience and growth minded philosophy to the fairly new and rapidly expanding Cannabis industry.  When he is not dedicating his time to business, Kemener spends time with his wife and 2 children as well as fly fishing and kayaking in Vermont’s scenic beauty.

Austin Sachs

Operations Manager

Austin Sachs brings a wealth of cannabis extraction and processing knowledge to the Magic Mann team. He has been in the legal cannabis industry here in VT since 2017 and continues to grow his knowledge of cannabis extraction and formulation techniques. After graduating from Green Mountain College in Poultney VT in 2007, Austin decided pursue his future here in the Green Mountain State.

After 5 years distilling alcohol at Smugglers Notch Distillery in Jeffersonville VT, Austin continued to follow his passion for the Cannabis Sciences and Plant-Based Medicine eventually becoming the Extraction and Refining Department Team Lead at Champlain Valley Dispensary. After 2 years in the medical cannabis industry, Austin transitioned into large scale Hemp extraction as the Lab Manager at VT-CBD Labs in Williston VT. With his background in Distillation, Medical Cannabis Extraction and Large-Scale Hemp Extraction, Austin is just getting started.

Melissa Mitchell

Executive Assistant

Melissa brings her local community knowledge and roots into the business. Being a Vermont resident since she was a child, she has been blessed to grow up in such a beautiful and locally driven state.  She stayed local for schooling and received a Bachelors degree from Saint Michael’s College in Business with a minor in Marketing.  Melissa has been working in the music industry for over 10 years and looks forward to bringing her education and her on the job knowledge to this business.

The cannabis industry is one of the newest growing markets and she looks forward to bringing Magic Mann to the canna-users of Vermont and farther. In being a medical patient herself, Melissa is wanting to provide understanding on how both a consumer and a company need to work together to succeed.   Her real passion for this industry and its potential came through when she had the chance to meet Meredith. The canna-future looks bright and she looks forward to keeping the pep in everyone’s step.