Ben Boo

Ben Boo has a diverse range of work experience. Ben started their career as Outdoor Horticultural Staff at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in 2012. Ben then worked as a Community Garden Intern at Southeast Como Improvement Association and as a Local Foods Outreach Intern at Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture in 2013. In the same year, they also served as a Marketing Manager at Cornercopia Student Organic Farm. Ben then worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Minnesota from 2013 to 2014. Ben joined Cafe Imports in 2014 as a Customer Service Representative and also worked in their sensory analysis lab. From 2013 to 2018, Ben co-founded and served as the COO of Mighty Axe Hops, a company focused on developing standards and procedures for growing specialty hops. In 2018, they became the Cultivation Manager at Minnesota Medical Solutions LLC where they oversaw greenhouse operations. Currently, Ben works as the VP of Cultivation at Vireo Health, Inc., overseeing cultivation operations across multiple states.

Ben Boo obtained their Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Horticultural Science from the University of Minnesota between 2012 and 2014. Ben then pursued a Master of Science (MS) in Environmental Science at Oregon State University from 2023 to 2025. Prior to that, between 2008 and 2010, Ben attended the University of St. Thomas, but did not obtain a degree or specify a field of study.