Meet Joe Nicholson, Our Head of Sales & Compliance

May 7, 2021

Written by Allison Lotzkar

Hi Joe! Tell us about your role and journey with Plymouth Armor Group:

I am currently the Director of Sales and Compliance for Plymouth Armor Group. I am also one of the original founders and have been with the company since day one. It has been a tremendous journey for me. I have been fortunate enough to have had extremely professional and knowledgeable partners. We have faced many, many obstacles since our inception, but our diverse backgrounds and experiences have allowed us to “roll with the punches” and continue to expand and scale our operations.

What did you do prior to joining Plymouth Armor Group?:

Prior to Plymouth Armor Group, I was the Director of Compliance for the Medical Use of Marijuana Program in Massachusetts. Prior to that, I worked for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for 21+ years as a special agent.

What about your past experiences makes you uniquely valuable to your clients at PAG?

I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Medical Marijuana Program during the early days of operation. I gained valuable experience on the compliance and regulatory structure of the department. When I interact with potential clients, I offer complimentary inspections of their facilities. Having insight into what inspectors may focus on during a routine inspection allows the client to prepare for and improve any potential areas of deficiency. During the final inspection, most marijuana establishments have committed substantial financial resources into their project. If deficiencies are levied by the CCC inspectors, the entire licensing process is stalled, which equates to lost revenue by the establishment.

What services does PAG offer that go above and beyond other transportation providers? Where do you come in?

In addition to complimentary inspections, we also assist retail establishments with securing a source of supply for their retail business. Having worked in the industry for quite some time, I have developed trusted relationships in the following fields: physical security companies, alarm companies, insurance companies and experienced cannabis construction contractors.

What do you find is the biggest challenge for cannabis companies when considering their transportation needs? 

Most companies understand that transportation and logistics are vastly different from operating a cultivation, product manufacturing or retail establishment. Experienced marijuana establishments would rather focus their time, effort and money on building and marketing their brand. Plymouth Armor Group is driven by compliance in both our cash and product transportation programs. The trust that is placed in us by our customers is evidenced by the continuous referrals that we receive from existing customers.

In your opinion, why should prospective clients choose Plymouth Armor Group?

We offer professionalism, compliance, trust and reliability to our clients. If you call PAG, you will most likely talk directly with a senior member of the management team. We try to be more than just a “transporter”. I am constantly fielding calls and questions that have nothing to do with transportation. They may want a referral for a security company, a certified lab, a wholesale connection or they may have a general compliance question.

Where do you see Plymouth Armor Group in the next 5-10 years? How about the cannabis industry as a whole?

Great question. I believe we will continue to grow and expand with the market place in New England and beyond. I always tell people that we are still in the infancy stages of a brand new industry. We have developed a proven compliant model that can be replicated and scaled in an efficient manner. As far as the industry as a whole— more and more states are developing and implementing cannabis programs. The tax revenue that the industry creates cannot be overlooked by the individual states. On a federal level, you will continue to see more favorable decisions when it comes to the marijuana industry. It will be a slow process, but as they say, the train left the station.

Tell us an interesting or funny fact about yourself!

During my tenure with the federal government, I became a certified polygraph examiner. Needless to say, both of my children had a tough time lying to me. I also worked at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA.