Tom Armstrong is a New Jersey native and Rutgers University graduate with nearly a decade of experience in the regulated cannabis industry. His background spans cultivation, licensing, compliance, operations, and retail across California and New Jersey, with roots in the traditional market.

In 2016, Armstrong moved to California, where he began cultivating cannabis in Humboldt County for one of the county’s first permitted farms. He later led the development of a cannabis licensing and compliance division at Sapphos Environmental in Los Angeles, overseeing entitlement efforts for the second licensed marijuana production facility in the City of San Diego. After a brief tenure at MedMen, Armstrong entered the startup space as employee number one at Sourz, helping launch and operate multiple distribution centers and licensed farms statewide. In 2021, he led the entitlement process for one of California’s three largest licensed cannabis farms, encompassing over 40 acres of permitted canopy and went on to help operate the newly permitted farm.

Armstrong returned to New Jersey to help shape the state’s emerging cannabis market, serving as Senior Operations Manager at Ayr Wellness before co-founding Fire & Oak Dispensary with his mentor and business partner, Eduard Linetskiy. Fire & Oak has operated successfully for over two years in a highly competitive market, and Armstrong is preparing to open his second retail location in Spring 2026.

He brings real-world insight into building and scaling compliant cannabis businesses.