Drawing on more than 17-years of corporate government affairs experience in highly regulated industries, Tom Roth helps lead state and industry relations for Scott Miracle-Gro’s Hawthorne Gardening Company as their Manager of External affairs. Tom also helps lead the company’s Social Justice Fund focused on addressing the problems caused by the disproportionate number of cannabis-related arrests and incarcerations involving persons of color, job creation, entrepreneurship, and increased investment opportunities in minority communities. Tom also provides government affairs support for Scotts Miracle-Gro’s core business in twelve states across the country. Tom began his cannabis career on the tech side as Akerna’s Director of Regulatory Affairs helping lead their state cannabis track-and-trace platform, Leaf Data Systems, where he gained incredible insights into the emerging cannabis industry. Prior to that Tom applied his political strategy expertise, lobbying, and legislative and regulatory experience to support Anheuser-Busch as the Director of State Government Affairs, promoting business growth in legislative & regulatory policies at the state and local levels. Tom started his career in politics as a legislative aide in the Illinois House of Representatives. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and resides in Denver with his wife, Kate, their two children, Olivia and Carter, and their dog, Finn.