About Us the CEO
Leader and Strategist
Our History
Lloyd Banks is chief executive officer and principal of Banks & Company and Cannabis Practice
Group. Prior to his full-time entrepreneurship journey, Banks was the former head of community
and local government relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan responsible for leading the
community involvement function and strategy to advance the company’s commitment to Michigan
communities while influencing consumers and groups in the marketplace. He led cross-functional
teams statewide to drive a multi-cultural business market segmentation strategy across the state,
developed goals and objectives and work plans, and created sub-groups that would have a return
on investment to the company’s bottom line. In addition, he worked with diverse communities and
created a positive experience in the marketplace through sponsorship and advertising opportunities
to convey appropriate messages to each group. Under his leadership he penetrated the following
markets – Arab and Chaldean, African American, Hispanic and Asian. Ultimately, he enhanced
the company’s reputation and relationship with key external stakeholders to lead and manage the
company’s corporate community involvement initiatives including strategic partnerships,
volunteerism, corporate giving, outreach programs and local promotions, and government
relations.
In 2013, Banks & Company was created, a full-service public affairs firm specializing in
government relations, lobbying, public relations, marketing, and diversity, equity & inclusion for
profit making organizations, nonprofits, and municipalities. Banks & Company is instrumental in
strategy and policy development and execution of large, enterprise-wide business initiatives. Since
we opened our doors, our mission has been of a trusted strategic partner. We are innovative leaders
teaming up to help meet any business challenge and capitalize on every opportunity.
By 2016, Lloyd moved to create Cannabis Practice Group to become a leading consulting firm in
the Cannabis business space. Since its creation, Cannabis Practice Group has been on the
forefront of helping bring Cannabis, as an emerging healthcare industry, out of the shadows and
into the light, despite the negative distortions made by others. Cannabis Practice Group works
within each State’s legislative framework to help its clients grow a new economic engine that
can bring jobs, tax revenue and significant economic development to the communities that
embrace this evolution in healthcare. Cannabis Practice Group provides critical consulting for
operational, legal, licensing, regulatory compliance, property acquisition & development and
fiscal management services to the caregiver centers, retail distribution facilities, manufacturing
growing facilities logistical operations, research, safety and development facilities, advocacy
organizations and Cannabis Industry Specific trade groups within the commercial life cycle.
Cannabis Practice Group has successfully engaged over 100 business and advocacy
organizations within the Cannabis space.
Lloyd led the Cannabis Practice Group in a successful campaign to open-up Michigan’s largest
market to opt into the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facility & Licensing Act (MMFLA) for
compliancy and health care delivery. Through his leadership, the team was able to overcome the
Detroit’s legislative body unwillingness to pass the MMFLA enabling ordinance, which citizens
and businesses would have been locked out of a $ 1.1 billion industry with over 272,000 medical
marihuana patients. We managed the strategic voter referendum campaign approach that
identified the turnout within 4% of actual totals and composition of the voting consumer
electorate, matched tactics to meet their voter buying profiles so we could move them through
the three steps of voter “purchase” psychology and honing concise messaging focusing on the
economic development, tax impact and healthcare accessibility for the various voting audiences
to craft a winning base of support, passing both referendums with 60% of the electorate. This
new legislation provides the city of Detroit a framework to grow a new economic engine that can
bring jobs, tax revenue and significant economic development to the communities that embrace
this evolution in healthcare.
Lloyd is also dedicated to working in the community, he has led several successful fund
development campaigns raising millions of dollars in the span of 20 plus years. Banks has been
the recipient of many professional and civic awards including Who’s Who in Black Detroit 4th
Edition, Michigan Chronicle’s 2009 Men of Excellence recipient, and one of the recent winners
of ceo monthly Magazine’s CEO of the Year 2020 in the U.S.
Lloyd serves on the following boards and hold memberships with:
• Rhonda Walker Foundation – Board Chair
• Southern Oakland County NAACP Branch – Past First Vice President
• U.S. Army Grassroots Advisory Board – Past Member
• WOTHA Housing & Development Corporation – Former Vice Chair
• 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit – Past Member
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Member
• Gamma Lambda Community Development Corporation – Vice Chair
• Project LEAD – Board Member
• Fresh Perspectives Seminars – Board Chair
In addition to his career, Lloyd is most proud of his faith in God. The eldest of eight children, he
credits his close-knit family with much of his success. Besides his mother, he is particularly
grateful for his late grandfather’s influence, who not only was his pastor, but his spiritual guide.
Banks received a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan
University. In Lloyd’s spare time, he enjoys exercise, reading, playing golf and speaking to
young people. And soon Lloyd will add author to his resume as he completes his first book to be
released in 2021. Banks is married to Jennifer Stewart Banks, PhD, and they reside in West
Bloomfield, Michigan.