The Society of American Florists has added three new team members to its staff — including a longtime florist with deep experience in the industry and the association.
Kate Delaney, AAF, joins SAF as the group’s new director of career development. Prior to this position, Delaney worked for more than two decades at Matlack Florist, a top-performing flower shop located outside of Philadelphia. She served as general manager of that business for 12 years.
Delaney also has been a volunteer leader within SAF for many years, serving on the group’s Retailers Council, Government Joint Council, Convention Task Force and SAFPAC Board of Trustees, among other roles. She’s been a featured speaker at SAF events and widely quoted in SAF publications. Delaney is currently enrolled in Immaculata University’s bachelor of science in business management program.
As director of career development, Delaney will play a central role in overseeing the development of SAF’s new online training platform, a new tool that the industry can turn to for employee training and development, set to launch in late summer. Delaney is the first SAF staff member to have such direct experience working in an industry business, a background that made her stand apart from the competition, said Kate Penn, SAF’s CEO.
“I can think of nothing better for SAF than to have someone like Kate Delaney leading this important new initiative and weighing in on our ever-expanding efforts to connect and cultivate a thriving floral community,” Penn said.
Stephanie Brady joined SAF as the group’s project coordinator, supporting meetings and communications. She is the staff liaison to SAF’s Professional Floral Communicators – International, Next-Gen Facebook group, and the association’s Awards Committee. Stephanie came to SAF with experience in the nonprofit world for causes including arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lung cancer. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Monmouth University in New Jersey.
Katie Savage, SAF’s finance assistant, assists with the financial responsibilities of the organization. Prior to SAF, Savage worked for a local public-school system as a finance assistant and for a major accounting and consulting firm as a tax accountant. She holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s degree in education from the College of William & Mary.
Mary Westbrook is the editor in chief of Floral Management.
