Sustainable cultivation in state-of-the-art greenhouses.

Responsible processing, packaging & distribution.

Working to bring new medical opportunities to Alabama.

We are friends, colleagues, and professionals. But above all, we are Alabamians.

Informed by best medical practices and a passion for smart, sustainable cultivation and distribution, the team that comprises Sustainable Alabama came together out of a strong sense of commitment to our home state and to the responsible and intelligent introduction of medical cannabis, if granted a license.

Ben Bramlett at Sustainable’s hemp growing facility.

A history of intelligent, organic, sustainable farming.

In the late 1990s, Salem attorney, Neal Pope and his wife began growing organic fruits and vegetables on 90 acres of rich farmland in Lee County, Alabama. As the farm grew they hired Auburn grad, Ben Bramlett to act as Chief Operating Officer and began distributing organic, sustainably grown produce in Alabama and Georgia. In 2018, the farm expanded its mission by adopting the Hemp Pilot Program when Congress legalized the growing of hemp. At that time, they launched a brand, Sustainable CBD, and has supplied cannabinoid derivatives on a local and national level since. We are excited about the prospect of taking our mission to the next level.

Hemp growing facility in Salem, AL. 

Our hemp farm is Sustainably powered by solar panels. 

The right cannabis medicines for Alabama.

If granted a license, we will be growing five different cannabis strains, which represent a foundational stock of proven genetics for greenhouse conditions, and include a wide range of phenotypes and cannabinoid profiles, which address all of Alabama’s qualifying medical conditions.

We have built our team around expertise needed to grow and distribute medical cannabis products responsibly.

  • As COO of Neal Pope’s Farm in Lee County since 2018, Ben has managed all aspects of the farm’s organic vegetable and hemp cultivation, harvest, and, in the case of cannabinoid products, manufacturing. Under Ben’s oversight, the farm has exceeded national average yields by 80% while keeping costs 20% below the Alabama Cooperative Extension (ALCE) average. He has partnered with ASU on a 3-year trial to research insect-pest relationships with hemp, and has collaborated with ALCE, Auburn University, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to produce multiple educational videos about the sustainability of hemp as an agricultural crop and commodity. Through the development and formulation of multiple CBD product lines, he has expanded our predecessor company, Sustainable CBD, from an Alabama-grown crop to a national brand. Ben is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • A licensed Alabama attorney specializing in insurance defense involving heavily regulated industries, Warren is our in-house general counsel. He oversees our compliance with AMCC regulations and serves as our primary point of contact between the Sustainable Alabama and the AMCC, testing labs, insurance providers, and stakeholders. Warren also owns a licensed and insured moving company with a fleet of vehicles, drivers, and route plans, and has used his experience in that vertical to develop our secured transport protocols. He sits on the Board of Life Insurance Company of Alabama, SmartBank of Dothan, and the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. Warren is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • A former CEO of Warren Averett where he worked for 38 years, Jim led Warren Averett to become the fastest growing accounting firm in the country for two consecutive years, moving from 76th largest firm to 26th largest, and from 4 to 16 offices. Jim has extensive experience with closely-held businesses in all areas of management consulting, guiding companies to implement strategic business plans, assist with M&A transactions, exit strategies and shareholder matters, and to restructure debt and raise capital. Jim also has experience in litigation support services and compensation planning. Jim is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • Licensed in Alabama as a Registered Forester since 2005 and commercial real estate broker since 2016, Michael brings significant agronomic, development, and land-use experience to our company. He is founding partner of Delaney Property Group, LLC which specializes in build-to-suit retail site selection, acquisition, and development. Previously, his work with Delaney Development, Inc. included steering his family’s 3rd-generation timber company

  • Scott worked with his family company, Delaney Development, Inc., for 10 years before starting Delaney Property Group, LLC with his brother, Michael, in 2013 to focus entirely on single and multi-tenant development. He has worked with numerous retailers, companies, brokers, and contractors in all phases of the development process. His goal has, and always will be to help great brands expand their physical footprint throughout the entire United States. Scott is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and has served in numerous volunteer roles with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

  • After a brief stint with the FBI, Mr. Dempsey is now a licensed Alabama attorney with a law practice focused on highly regulated industry and government affairs. He served as Commissioner of the State Water Resource Commission. In 1990, he was appointed and continues to serve as the chief outside legal counsel for the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board. Mr. Dempsey’s experience in enforcement and long history representing an agency that oversees state-regulated products will be invaluable to Applicant in ensuring a heightened level of compliance. Mr. Dempsey is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • A distinguished ophthalmologist and successful entrepreneur, Dr. Heersink grew a small private medical practice in southeast Alabama into Eye Center South, a preeminent regional ophthalmology practice and surgery center with headquarters in Dothan and employing more than 200 people across three states. He is certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology and the American Board of Eye Surgery. Dr. Heersink funds and participates in ongoing clinical research to advance novel treatments and FDA approvals for various eye conditions. His commitment to equitable access to developments in medicine, research, and education is evident through his business practices and philanthropy. Dr. Heersink is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • Dr. Sebastian Heersink, a Dothan Alabama native, is a cataract and laser refractive surgeon and cornea specialist with nationally distinguished research credentials. He has guided clinical research trials, career development programs, and has earned a reputation as the leader of a world-class medical practice. At Trinity Research, Dr. Heersink and his team pursue transformative clinical research. Sebstian will soon direct our cannabis medical research programs and relationship with Jacksonville State University’s research team. At Eye Center

    South, Dr. Heersink currently oversees more than 200 employees at 17 sites across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Dr. Heersink oversees our provision of quality medical services in a safe, accessible, and compliant manner, and assists in the design of our distribution and retail experiences. Dr. Heersink is an equity owner.

  • As the first African American executive of Alabama Power Company (VP of Human Resources), Robert Holmes’s career focused on equity, inclusion, and business ethics in 40 years of exclusive service to one of the state’s most regulated businesses. He retired in 2010 as Alabama Power’s Senior VP of Ethics and Corporate Concerns, as well as Chairman of the Alabama Power Foundation. Mr. Holmes is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • Growing up on a farm in Union Springs, AL, Dr. John Jernigan graduated as high school valedictorian before entering Auburn University as the university’s first African-American pre-med student. A graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine, Dr. Jernigan opened Mulberry Medical Associates in Montgomery in 1984, and has remained committed to healthcare outreach by conducting free clinics in the Black Belt. At the Mulberry Clinical Research Center, he remains active in clinical trials for new drugs, and serves on the Boards of Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and the Auburn University Foundation. He is VP of the AL State Medical Association, an Alabama resident and an equity owner.

  • An Alabama native, Joe owns and operates Mills Pharmacy, a 13-location retail pharmacy chain in Alabama. Joe brings expertise in regulated industry inventory management across multiple sites, prescription drug monitoring, HIPAA compliance, and patient counseling. Joe’s business securely transports $1M+ in pharmaceutical drug inventory between and among its retail sites. He is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • With more than 22 years of Alabama agricultural experience as an owner and operator of a vertically integrated seed distribution enterprise, Chris has a successful history in agriculture production and distribution, supply chain management, crop differentiation, sustainable business growth, genetics, and Good Agricultural Practices. He oversees 90 employees in addition to the company’s regulatory compliance, including USDA crop and seed tracking, certified pesticide applicator registrations, EPA sustainability initiatives, and secured transport of hazardous materials in compliance with DHS registrations and regulations. Chris is an Alabama resident and equity owner.

  • John is proudly carrying on the agronomic legacy of his family in the sawmill and timber industry. Since 2009, John has served on the Board of Directors of Cedar Creek Land and Timber Company, which is tasked with management and EPA compliance of more than 215,000 acres of Alabama timberland. John also owns and operates Belterra Partners, which is focused on major real estate acquisition and development projects nationwide. He is actively involved in serving his community on various local and regional boards. John is an Alabama resident and equity owner.Item description

  • A veteran Cannabis Industry CEO since 2014, with experience across 4 states in cannabis. As CEO of a startup licensee in Colorado, he built it into the largest greenhouse producer in Colorado, with more than 100,000 ft² of state-of-the-art greenhouses — producing 20,000 lbs / yr of flower, 400+ Kg of extracts across 6 brands with 7 dispensaries.

    Prior to his career in startup ventures and turnaround, he was an Accenture partner working with both Global 1000 and Medium Size Enterprises across a diverse array of industries including Financial Services, Travel, High Tech and Manufacturing/Distribution in both the Americas and Europe.

    An executive proven in uniquely challenging situations involving turnaround, transformation, startup and innovation, he completed 3 separate restructurings for Private Equity with 5X-10X returns, each in less than 2 years’ time.  Previous roles have included COO, CRO, and CEO, the last 10+ years as a CEO.