Full Name
Cristina Aranguiz
Job Title
CEO
Company
Minnesota Cannabis Services
Speaker Bio
Cristy Aranguiz is the Co-Founder / CEO of one of the fastest-scaling, privately built cannabis companies in the United States. She has been an entrepreneur, operator, and CEO for 12 years — beginning at age 21, when she and her lifelong partner, Tate Kapple, opened their first dispensary with $10,000 they earned from a real estate side hustle.
With no outside investors, Cristy built a multi-state enterprise spanning Washington, Oregon, Iowa, and now Minnesota. Her Washington flagship is the #1 store in the state by revenue, and her Oregon location ranks #3 statewide. Customers choose her stores because she focuses on what matters most: the best prices, the best product selection, and a consistently exceptional experience. Her companies have completed millions of transactions, maintained zero compliance violations, and earned over 10,000 five-star Google reviews.
Cristy is a true operator who has done every job in the industry, including personally growing cannabis, and is one of the only cannabis CEOs at scale who is also a consumer of the product. Before entrepreneurship, she worked as a TV news reporter, licensed real estate agent, and corporate recruiter, shaping her communication style and commitment to building high-trust, high-performance teams.
Cristy entered cannabis in 2012, when the industry had no playbook and carried enormous stigma. Rather than wait for the market to mature, she helped build it — establishing systems, standards, and operational discipline that didn’t yet exist. That early courage remains the foundation of her leadership.
Minnesota is her most mission-driven chapter yet. Minnesota Cannabis Services, launched in 2024, was created not only to build her own stores but to invest in, partner with, and support operators across the supply chain. MCS provides cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and transporters with systems, training models, compliance infrastructure, and capital — reflecting Cristy’s belief that strong markets are built when experienced operators step forward as both builders and investors.
Cristy also recently secured a coveted license in Florida — her home state — with operations launching in 2026, marking a meaningful homecoming. A first-generation Cuban American, she is committed to expanding representation in leadership and serves on the Board of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council.
Cristy now stands as one of the industry’s most influential operators, building a legacy defined by access, integrity, and the belief that great entrepreneurs can change entire industries for the better.
With no outside investors, Cristy built a multi-state enterprise spanning Washington, Oregon, Iowa, and now Minnesota. Her Washington flagship is the #1 store in the state by revenue, and her Oregon location ranks #3 statewide. Customers choose her stores because she focuses on what matters most: the best prices, the best product selection, and a consistently exceptional experience. Her companies have completed millions of transactions, maintained zero compliance violations, and earned over 10,000 five-star Google reviews.
Cristy is a true operator who has done every job in the industry, including personally growing cannabis, and is one of the only cannabis CEOs at scale who is also a consumer of the product. Before entrepreneurship, she worked as a TV news reporter, licensed real estate agent, and corporate recruiter, shaping her communication style and commitment to building high-trust, high-performance teams.
Cristy entered cannabis in 2012, when the industry had no playbook and carried enormous stigma. Rather than wait for the market to mature, she helped build it — establishing systems, standards, and operational discipline that didn’t yet exist. That early courage remains the foundation of her leadership.
Minnesota is her most mission-driven chapter yet. Minnesota Cannabis Services, launched in 2024, was created not only to build her own stores but to invest in, partner with, and support operators across the supply chain. MCS provides cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and transporters with systems, training models, compliance infrastructure, and capital — reflecting Cristy’s belief that strong markets are built when experienced operators step forward as both builders and investors.
Cristy also recently secured a coveted license in Florida — her home state — with operations launching in 2026, marking a meaningful homecoming. A first-generation Cuban American, she is committed to expanding representation in leadership and serves on the Board of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council.
Cristy now stands as one of the industry’s most influential operators, building a legacy defined by access, integrity, and the belief that great entrepreneurs can change entire industries for the better.
