Robert Casillas is the President and Founder of Cannabis Commerce Group Consulting (CCGC).  Robert is a Nevada marijuana license holder or designee for over 10 Nevada marijuana licenses / businesses to include; Dispensary (Retail), Cultivation (Grow) and Production (Process). Robert was able to gain his vast cannabis industry experience, knowledge and expertise by his unique experience of being in a developing cannabis market from its beginnings of medical marijuana legalization and into the recreational transition. Being the US’s cannabis capitol (Las Vegas) Robert has been grossly involved from the initial licensing and fund raising for multiple groups to the rigorous and intense regulatory aspects and into operations. This rapid journey has granted / gained Casillas invaluable experience in each area / segment of the cannabis industry. Not just any cannabis market, but the benchmark of US markets; the  Las Vegas / Nevada marijuana market!  Casillas has experienced, and witnessed,

Casillas’ cannabis consultancy scope includes:

  • Cannabis / Marijuana License Applications & Regulatory Compliance
  • Cannabis / Marijuana Operations (Dispensary, Cultivation & Production)
  • Cannabis / Marijuana License / Business Assessments & Evaluations (Sales & Acquisitions)
  • Cannabis Product Development, Branding, Marketing, White-Labeling & Licensing

Robert owns numerous cannabis brands / products and continues to develop and license cannabis products / brands within the cannabis industry.

Robert is a member of the Nevada Dispensary Association (NDA) and serves on its only committee, NDA Security Committee.  This Committee has assisted in the development of the permanent regulations for the Nevada Department of Taxation.

Background

Robert has been a recognized nightlife and hospitality industry expert, consultant, educator, writer, and professional speaker for over a decade.  Robert also serves as an industry expert advisor and contributor writer to news sources such as; The Wall Street Journal, Bar Business Magazine, Nightclub & Bar Magazine, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Business Press, Las Vegas Weekly, Providence Journal, Arizona Republic, Tucson Citizen and many more news publications and magazines throughout the US.

As the founder and President of the Monsoon Group of Las Vegas; since 2005 with its multiple divisions (Monsoon Consulting, Monsoon Events, Monsoon VIP, Monsoon Media, Monsoon Models & Talent) each focusing on specialization within market segments, Monsoon has become renown with its work on specialty licensed businesses in the U.S. with emphasis on nightlife and hospitality business

Presently Robert continues to actively operate Monsoon Media Las Vegas, a full service marketing agency, Robert and his Team manage over 80 companies marketing collateral. Including Fortune 100 companies and brands throughout the world!  www.MonsoonLV.com 

Designations & Boards

  • Expert Adviser/Witness – Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial Law Firm (2011 – Present)
  • Expert Advisor / Witness – Round Table Legal Group  (2011 – Present)
  • Expert Advisor / Witness G. Dallas Horton & Associates Law Firm (2013 – Present)
  • Expert Advisor/Consultant – SPIKE TV’s BAR RESCUE, Season 1 (2011)
  • Board of Advisors – Nightclub & Bar Show, Las Vegas, NV (2009 -2011)
  • Board of Advisors – Nightclub & Bar Magazine, US Publication, (2009 -2011)
  • Board of Advisors – Club & Venue Expo, Los Angeles, CA  (2011)
  • TOP 100 Judge – Top 100, Nightclub & Bar Media’s Top100 Nightclubs & Bars of America (2009-2011) 

Nightlife & Hospitality Consultant to:

  • Spike TV / Jon Taffer & BAR RESCUE (Season 1)
  • Restaurants of America – (Chicago, IL & Scottsdale, AZ)
  • Nightclub & Bar Show / Convention  (Bankruptcy restructure 2012)
  • BSC Management Group – 13 Cabaret clubs (San Francisco, CA)
  • Questex Media / Events Group (Nightclub & Bar Convention & AVN Awards) 2011-12
  • China Grill Management – Rum Jungle Restaurant / Nightclub (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Stirling Club – (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Restaurants of America – (Chicago, IL & Scottsdale, AZ)
  • BSC Management Group – 13 clubs (San Francisco, CA)
  • Sin City Cabaret –  (Bronx, NY)
  • & many others.

Event Producer & Manager of:

  • Ivanhoe Cambridge / BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS Gala (2016 – 2017)
  • eBay Motors People’s Picks Awards  (2009 -2014)
  • Nightclub & Bar Convention Event(s) Producer, Manager and Director (2012)
  • eBay NADA Event Series – Las Vegas, San Francisco, New Orleans (2012-2014)
  • eBay Motors SEMA Week Top Sellers dinners & mixers (2010- 2014)
  • Pin Did it SEMA Week event series – Palms Hotel Casino (2013-2014)
  • Inked & Sexy brand activation events, Hard Rock Casino LV (Rehab Pool)
  • Affliction, Hart & Huntington, MAGIC Fashion Shows Hard Rock Casino LV (2012)
  • MGM’s VEER Towers – 1 Year Anniversary Party (2011)
  • Responsible for the event production and management of numerous Las Vegas corporate events annually.

Highlights

2017 –  From 2014, to it’s development into recreational marijuana, Robert Casillas has been engrossed in the Nevada medical marijuana industry. As the sole operations manager, Robert was able to successfully have CannaCopia Las Vegas, medical marijuana dispensary, be one of only 25 in Las Vegas (Clark County) granted and authorized to be granted early recreational sales in Nevada.

2012 Casillas structured and facilitated the eBay Motors sponsorship of the 2012 X Games extreme sports competition.  Casillas also facilitated additional sponsorship of super motocross athlete Carey Hart and the Hart & Huntington Motocross Race Team.

2011 Casillas was retained to assist with the largest nightlife legal case in US history.  With Federal court case MGM Resorts International / Mandalay Bay vs. Rum Jungle / China Grill Group.  As an expert advisor to the lease dispute and operations breaches, Casillas served as an advisor and expert witness to Rum Jungle.  Casillas’ findings were critical and instrumental to the speedy and favorable settlement to his clients.

Casillas continues to serve as a leading nightlife expert and witness and has active cases ongoing. 

2011 Casillas was personally hired by BAR RESCUE’s Jon Taffer and Eyeworks Productions CEO, Todd Nelson, along with Spike TV executives. During the show’s development / Season 1, Taffer and Nelson tasked Casillas to immediately commit to the project and fly to the first 4 possible shooting locations in Chicago, IL where only 3 of the 4 venues pre-selected by production staff would make the ‘final cut’.  The selected venues / businesses had to have the following completed: competitive market surveys and comparisons, complete staff and employee interviews and evaluations, complete food and beverage inventories, equipment and small wares inventories, food and beverage menu analysis, evaluations of the business health & cleanliness, suggested redevelopments of food and beverage menus, suggested venue redesigns, suggested rebranding of the businesses and new format for entertainment and events.

2010 Questex Media Group’s CEO, Kerry Gumas, and newly selected Nightclub & Bar president, Jon Taffer, hired Robert Casillas and the Monsoon Group of Las Vegas to evaluate and restructure the conventions entire events division and Las Vegas nightlife relations development.  Casillas and his team successfully restructured / reorganized the business’s events format and management process.  He further developed a better activation experience for some of the world’s largest alcohol labels / brands and directed all special celebrity talent and guest appearances.  Going above and beyond Casillas and his team handled multiple aspects of the convention floor activation and experience. Due to their exemplary performance Casillas and his team were awarded performance bonuses.

2009 – Present, Casillas has produced and managed multiple Las Vegas casino property brand activation event series. Encompassing the property’s casino gaming, hotel room blocks, full nightlife activation events and property special events for SEMA, the SEMA Cares Scholarship Foundation and many world renown automotive companies and brands during SEMA Week.

Awards

Top “45 under 45” – Esquire Magazine and Elliot & Co.  Most influential Businessmen of Las Vegas” (2009)

Education

  • Penn State University (1996-1997)
  • United States Air Force – Public Affairs Officer Course (1997)
  • United States Army – JFK Psychological Operations Officer Course (1996)
  • United States Marine Corps – Marine Security Guard (1995)
  • United States Marine Corps – Non Commissioned Officer (1994)
  • Canyon Del Oro High School – Tucson AZ (1992)