Keegan Peterson, CEO of Denver-based marijuana human-resources tech company Wurk, has died. He was 33.

Peterson founded Wurk in 2015, growing it into a leading payroll and HR-solutions company solely for cannabis businesses with more than 60 employees and clients across 33 states.

The company did not give a cause of death.

“As a CEO, Keegan led the company with a people-first attitude, taking care of his employees and clients by staying attuned to their needs,” Scott Kenyon, executive chair of Wurk, wrote in a statement.

“He became deeply passionate about building technology solutions for the industry that could help businesses grow and stabilize in order that they could maximize their impact.”

Peterson was a frequent source for Marijuana Business Daily stories and a panelist at MJBizCon.

He was highlighted in Marijuana Venture’s 40 Under 40 and MG Magazine’s Top 50 Cannabis Employers.

In February 2019, the National Cannabis Industry Association recognized Wurk with an Innovation in Technology award in the category of Business Strategies and Innovation.

Peterson also mentored cannabis entrepreneurs at Canopy Boulder and Canopy San Diego, an early stage investment program for startups in the industry.

A memorial fund has been established, and donations will go directly to his wife, Lily Lucas, to help with end-of-life costs and future expenses.

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/keegan-peterson-founder-ceo-of-marijuana-tech-firm-wurk-dies-at-33/