Chris Alexander was Gov. Hochul's first nominee to be confirmed by the state Senate, winning approval on Sept.1, 2021 to be the inaugural executive director of the fledgling state Office of Cannabis Management. It was just eight days after Hochul herself had taken the oath to be governor. The three-year appointment didn't turn out well for Alexander, Hochul, OCM or what was supposed to be New York's new, legalized market for cannabis.