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Andrew James, CEO of medical marijuana company suing the state, dies unexpectedly

http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/514849/andy-james-ceo-medical-marijuana-company-suing-state-died-unexpectedly

Andrew James, CEO of medical marijuana company suing the state, dies unexpectedly
Posted: 04/11/2015, 06:36pm | Becky Schlikerman


The CEO of a medical marijuana company fighting the state in court has died unexpectedly.

Andrew James, 51, was found unresponsive on Thursday at home in Kenilworth, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which said Friday an autopsy was inconclusive. Authorities are awaiting the results of more tests.

James headed PMRx, a company that had applied for a medical marijuana-farming permit in the Kankakee area. When the company lost out on its bid, it sued, accusing the state of failing to follow its own licensing guidelines when scoring applications for the coveted and potentially lucrative permits.

The ongoing case has been closely watched. A temporary restraining order is in place, preventing the state and Cresco Labs, the company that has been selected to grow medical marijuana in the Kankakee area, from moving forward to put marijuana seeds in the ground.

James, an attorney, “was firmly convinced the process was profoundly flawed,” said his longtime friend John Stephens, an attorney with the firm Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella who first hired James as an intern in 1988.

Stephens said James understood the complex legal issues and knew how the court system works.

“He was kind of the perfect plaintiff to pursue it,” Stephens said.

PMRx’s investors could not be reached Saturday.

A company spokesman said, “Andy’s death shocked and saddened everyone, and the investment group now plans to meet next week to discuss how best to proceed without him as the CEO.”

Before getting into the medical marijuana business, James was a partner with Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella. He had also worked in real estate.

Stephens said he was passionate about the need for medical marijuana.

“He felt strongly that there was a great need for it, and it was a really interesting opportunity, and he was really excited about it,” Stephens said.

James was born in Indianapolis.

Survivors include his wife Candace and daughters Samantha and Elizabeth.

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Donnellan Family Funeral Home in Skokie. The funeral will be in Indianapolis.