KushCo Holdings has appointed Steve Hwang as president for Koleto Packaging Solutions and its team of project managers and engineers.
Image: Koleto Packaging Solutions president Steve Hwang. Photo: courtesy of KushCo Holdings Inc.
Koleto, a division of KushCo that launched earlier this year, is focused on building valuable proprietary intellectual property and designing unique FDA-compliant products that will be licensed for both cannabis and non-cannabis industries.
Establishing itself as the cornerstone of research and development for the KushCo Holdings brands, Koleto will both create and acquire intellectual property and work towards building a portfolio of products and brands that will be leaders in child resistance packaging in and outside the cannabis industry.
Additionally, as more companies enter the fast-paced cannabis industry there is an ever-increasing need for compelling packaging that can meet strict state and national regulations while still upholding the companies’ brand integrity and driving customer loyalty at retail.
Due to the strict advertising and regulatory parameters around cannabis products, point of sale retail boxes and packaging are critical to drive sales and create brand equity in the highly fragmented space. Koleto intends to drive that innovation and bring unique products to market through the Kush Supply Co. sales network and distribution platform.
Previously, Mr. Hwang was Director, Innovation Technology at Samsung Electronics America, Inc. where he oversaw the Product Innovation Team, an incubator group within Samsung.
Prior to that, he was the Director; Creative Design at OpenPeak Inc. and Principal Designer at Kaleidoscope/Stanford Research Institute. He also worked as an independent design consultant for several years where he collaborated on various programs establishing recognizable brand identities through product development and implementing creative design solutions.
Mr. Hwang holds over 30 unique design patents in his portfolio. His core background experience ranges from a variety of premier agencies such as Frog, Lunar Design, and Praxis. He attended The University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program, majoring in Industrial Design.
KushCo Holdings CEO Nick Kovacevich said: “Since transitioning to a holding company and diversifying our business model to offer a broad range of products to the cannabis industry, it has been a priority to recruit dedicated executives that can lead each business unit, but more importantly, be the driving force to push the boundaries for what people in this industry think of when product innovation comes to mind.
“Koleto is focused on building out its portfolio of proprietary intellectual property and designing unique products that can then in turn, be sold through our Kush Supply Co. distribution platform. Steve’s background in design and innovation, as well as his extensive leadership experience, uniquely positions him to drive forward Koleto’s strategy. We look forward to his future contributions.”
Steve Hwang commented, “KushCo is at the forefront of the cannabis industry, creating some of the most innovative products and solutions through design, for the market. Its branding and packaging solutions build long-term value for its customers by enabling them to create and sustain brand recognition and a strong reputation. I am excited to join this fast-growing company to help drive this strategic growth plan.”
Source: Company Press Release