Marlon Coburn
Cannabis executive with C-suite experience across operations, compliance, restructuring, and multi-state growth in California and Nevada.
LinkedIn →Selected operating experience
Led full P&L ($25M-$50M revenue) through an ownership transition with sole decision-making authority. Restructured operations by consolidating facilities, reduced fixed costs by over 40%, cut annual labor spend from $7M+ to $4.2M, and extended operational runway by 24+ months. Managed international supply chain sourced from China and India. Led brand relaunch recognized with a Pentawards Gold. Positioned the company for strategic merger.
Led operations across 8 licensed facilities including 4 cultivation sites, 2 nurseries, manufacturing, and distribution with 20,000 sq. ft. canopy and 68,000 sq. ft. total footprint. Built leadership operating system including executive cadence and cross-functional performance discipline. Managed brand portfolio spanning 120+ genetics and 8 branded SKUs. Achieved zero compliance violations or regulatory fines across all California operations.
Over a decade of progressive leadership across DEA-regulated pharmaceuticals, clinical diagnostics, and healthcare compliance. Built compliance programs, led FDA and CDPH inspection readiness, developed SOPs for regulated environments, and supported Six Sigma process improvement initiatives. Operated in CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited, and USP-governed settings.
Background
Marlon Coburn is a cannabis executive with leadership experience spanning operations, compliance, restructuring, and multi-state growth. He has held senior executive roles including Chief Administrative Officer, President, and CEO, with direct oversight of large-scale licensed operations across California and Nevada.
His experience includes workforce restructuring, distressed-asset turnaround, operational buildout, and commercial readiness. Before cannabis, Marlon spent over a decade in DEA-regulated pharmaceuticals and life sciences at Genzyme, GE Healthcare, and Hartley.
He founded PairOps after seeing the same pattern repeatedly: companies in transition do not need more advice. They need experienced operators who can step in and carry the work.
For cross-functional, confidential, or higher-stakes situations, PairOps can scope the work, assemble the team, and manage delivery directly.
Explore PairOps Direct