Safe Harbor Financial has announced two new appointments to its leadership team: Jeffrey Kay as senior vice president of Marketing and the return of Dominic Marella as vice president of Business Development.
"Safe Harbor is entering a new phase of accelerated growth, innovation and market leadership," said Terry Mendez, CEO of Safe Harbor Financial. "The appointments of Jeff and Dom represent a strategic investment in both our brand and business development engine. Jeff's marketing acumen and Dominic's deep relationships and experience across the cannabis sector give us an unmatched edge in serving the evolving needs of cannabis operators and financial institutions."
Jeffrey Kay, a seasoned marketing executive with over 30 years of experience, most recently served as chief marketing officer at AMMA Investments, a vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator. He previously founded Brandfan, a marketing agency with a diverse client roster across cannabis, retail, technology and consumer goods. In his new role, Kay will lead integrated marketing strategy, brand development and go-to-market execution.
"I'm honored to join Safe Harbor at such a pivotal time," said Jeff Kay, senior vice president of Marketing. "The opportunity to shape the strategic evolution of the brand and drive measurable results for our clients and partners is incredibly exciting."
Dominic Marella rejoins Safe Harbor following nearly two years of entrepreneurial and fintech leadership outside the organization. A veteran of the commodities and derivatives sector, Marella brings deep experience navigating highly regulated industries. He previously led the cannabis vertical at Paro, a digital-first accounting platform, where he supported cannabis entrepreneurs navigating Illinois' adult-use dispensary licensing process. As vice president of business development at Abaca—a company acquired by Safe Harbor in 2022—Marella led national sales efforts and was instrumental in integrating cannabis financial solutions post-acquisition. Most recently, he ran CannaTech Ventures, an incubator helping launch cannabis technology startups.
"Returning to Safe Harbor feels like a homecoming," added Dominic Marella, vice president of Business Development. "Our team has a powerful mission and a clear opportunity to help lead financial innovation in the cannabis sector. I'm excited to capitalize on our strong foundation—partnering with operators, legacy businesses and newcomers to the space to deliver scalable, tech-forward financial solutions."
For more information:
Safe Harbor Financial
shfinancial.org