Top row: The new members of the SAF Board of Directors are Retailer Kaitlin Radebaugh, AAF, Wholesaler Oscar Fernandez, and Grower Jamie Kitz. Second row: The new members of the SAF Retailers Council are Jennifer Barnard, Rakini Chinery, AAF, AzMF, and Keith Rockcastle. Third row: The new members of the SAF Wholesalers Council Rodger Callister, Alvaro Crespo, and Alejandro Perez. Fourth row: The new members of the SAF Growers Council are Matt Altman, Austin Bryant, and Robin van der Schaaf.
Members of the Society of American Florists elected three new leaders — one from each segment — to serve on its Board of Directors during SAF Palm Springs 2018, the association’s 134th Annual Convention, Sept. 12-15, in Rancho Mirage, California. In addition, SAF members elected nine members to positions on the association’s Retailers, Wholesalers and Growers Councils.
“Everything at SAF begins with the volunteer leader,” said SAF CEO Kate Penn. “Every new product, service, effort begins with the leaders who serve on our councils and board of directors. By working with the industry’s most progressive, forward-thinking, visionary business owners and managers, our team will have access to the kind of perspectives needed to help SAF grow the industry.”
The new members of SAF’s Board of Directors are: Retailer Kaitlin Radebaugh, AAF, of Radebaugh Florist & Greenhouses in Towson, Maryland; Wholesaler Oscar Fernandez of Equiflor/RioRoses in Miami, Florida; and Grower Jamie Kitz of Sakata Seed America – Ornamentals in Morgan Hill, California.
Twelve candidates ran for nine open Council seats. SAF members voted in July for new leaders to serve on SAF’s Growers, Retailers and Wholesalers Council for three-year terms. Candidates for the Growers and the Wholesalers Councils ran uncontested. Each segment council member is appointed to one of SAF’s joint councils – Government Relations, Consumer or Member Services — which meet twice-yearly immediately following the segment council meeting to provide more specific direction in their respective areas.
The newly-elected SAF Council members are as follows:
Retailers Council: Jennifer Barnard of Tillie’s Flower Shop in Wichita, Kansas; Rakini Chinery, AAF, AzMF, of Allan’s Flowers Prescott, Arizona; and Keith Rockcastle of Rockcastle Florist in Rochester, New York.
Wholesalers Council: Rodger Callister of Ensign Wholesale in Salt Lake City, Utah; Alvaro Crespo of Lihmil Wholesale Flowers in Kernersville, North Carolina; and Alejandro Perez of Komet Sales in Miami, Florida.
Growers Council: Matt Altman of Altman Plants in Vista, California; Austin Bryant of Heart of Florida Greenhouses in Zolfo Springs, Florida; and Robin van der Schaaf of Flamingo Holland, Inc. in Vista, California.
Election results were announced on Sept. 15 during the convention’s Keynote Breakfast and Business Session. The new members of SAF’s Board of Directors and SAF’s segment councils began serving three-year terms after SAF Palm Springs 2018.
Jenny Scala is the director of marketing and communications for the Society of American Florists.
