Brian Bauer

Arkansans have been under the influence of medical marijuana, legally, since 2016. In 2016, Arkansas voters approved the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment with 53 percent of the vote. The amendment to the state constitution allows patients who have a doctor’s…

For a small, rural state, Arkansas continues to punch above its weight class in many areas of industry. And technology is an area in which Arkansas has made its mark. From startup ecosystems centered around Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas…

Brian Bauer, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer and Co-FounderAbaca, North Little Rock A native Arkansan, Brian Bauer grew up near Hot Springs and received his undergraduate degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He served 11 years in the…

Brian BauerChief Revenue and Strategy OfficerAbaca, North Little Rock A native Arkansan, Bauer began his career with 11 years of service in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter aircrewman and was awarded the Air Medal seven times during his deployments…

The Venture Center has named a new managing director for its accelerator programs. The Little Rock-based entrepreneurial support organization has promoted Daniel Schutte, who was the fintech accelerator program manager, to the role. As the managing director for accelerator programs,…

Cannabis financial technology company Abaca has named Brian Bauer as its chief strategy and revenue officer. Abaca was founded in 2017 by CEO Dan Roda, John Foley, Greg Ellis and Bauer, who is now assuming a full-time role. The company is…

Fintech is making significant strides in Arkansas, and those efforts are being recognized on the international stage. The Venture Center has been nominated for the first-ever Finovate Awards in the “Best Fintech Accelerator/Incubator” category. The “Best FinTech Accelerator/Incubator category recognizes…

by Dwain Hebda There’s nothing that meets the eye that gives away Dan Roda as a leading figure in the state’s cannabis industry, except maybe his signature long beard. But even that’s a stretch. The Philadelphia-born, Villanova University-educated lawyer and…