The businessman who plans to operate the Island’s first medical marijuana establishment announced that he has hired dispensary staff and hopes to open up shop in late spring, pending final regulatory approvals.

In a press release that went out Friday, Patient Centric owner Geoff Rose said he has hired Ray Whitaker as the dispensary manager, while Kathleen Kretchman and Dr. Sumner Silverman will join the staff as patient clinicians.

Mr. Whitaker is a longtime certified fitness instructor and host of a show on radio station WMVY.

Ms. Kretchman’s long experience in health care includes work at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, the Island Counseling Center and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital as a substance abuse counselor, according to the release. She formerly served in the air force as a psychiatric nurse.

Dr. Silverman is a licensed psychologist who has been in private practice for some 46 years, the release said.

Mr. Rose received his provisional certification of registration from the state in 2016. He has a grow facility off Dr. Fisher Road in West Tisbury and plans to operate the medical marijuana dispensary at 510 State Road in North Tisbury.

Speaking to the Gazette by phone, Mr. Rose said the operation still needs some final approvals from the state Cannabis Control Commission, including one at the new cultivation facility and another at the State Road storefront. He said representatives from the commission have already informally visited the nearly completed cultivation facility. Both approvals require final onsite inspections.

Mr. Rose said renovations have begun on the State Road storefront, which currently houses the A Gallery and will be divided to have the dispensary on one side and the gallery on the other.

He welcomed the new employees to the company.

“Certainly Ray as the manager is working on all the operational facets of the dispensary. I’ll call that setup, so that’s ongoing,” Mr. Rose said.