Latino Cannabis Leader Vladimir Bautista Wins Bob Fireman Award For Entrepreneurship

At last week's Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago, Vladimir Bautista, co-founder and CEO of Happy Munkey, was named the recipient of this year's Bob Fireman Award for Entrepreneurship, an annual recognition presented by MariMed Inc. MRMD to leaders who exemplify integrity, impact, and community commitment in the cannabis space.

The award, now in its third year, honors the legacy of the late Bob Fireman, co-founder and CEO of MariMed, who passed away in December 2022. Fireman was a pioneer of the legal cannabis movement and a lifelong civil rights advocate, beginning his activism in the 1960s. The accolade is meant to recognize cannabis executives who not only succeed in business but also champion social progress.

"Bob was an entrepreneur through and through, but he was also a passionate advocate for the legalization of cannabis and righting the wrongs of the War on Drugs," said Howard Schacter, chief communications officer at MariMed, in an exclusive statement to Benzinga. "He'd be proud that we're presenting this year's award to Vlad, who has built a successful cannabis business while also using his platform to advocate for change in policies and his community."

From Harlem Legacy To Legal Leader

Bautista, a New York City native raised in Sugar Hill, Harlem, began his journey in cannabis in the legacy market well before New York's legalization framework emerged. With his team at Happy Munkey, he helped transform underground culture into above-ground opportunity, launching a lifestyle brand, hosting widely acclaimed cannabis events and eventually opening licensed dispensaries in Uptown Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.

On receiving the award, Bautista shared a powerful message on LinkedIn:

"I didn't take the traditional path to entrepreneurship. My journey started in the legacy market, in a world where people who looked like me were criminalized—not celebrated—for their connection to this plant," he wrote. "This award isn't just for me. It's for those who died, who were incarcerated, who were deported. It's for the legacy pioneers who laid the foundation and were never given the credit. It's for the culture that raised me and the communities still fighting for their seat at the table."

Bautista also praised his partners Omar, Jay and Ramon Reyes, his investor Matt, and the broader Latino community. "Y para todos los Latinos del mundo: esto también es para ustedes [For all Latinos in the world: this is also for you]. We're not just participants in this industry. We are the reason it exists."

Carrying The Torch

Previous honorees of the Bob Fireman Award include Loriel Alegrete, CEO of 40 Tons, who was recognized in 2024 for her work combining cannabis entrepreneurship with restorative justice efforts.

Bautista’s win reflects a broader shift in the industry, which increasingly acknowledges the importance of legacy voices, immigrant roots, and community-based leadership in shaping the future of legal cannabis.

MariMed executives presented the award onstage at the conference in front of hundreds of industry leaders, investors and policymakers, marking one of the event’s emotional high points.

Photo: Benzinga