The Society of American Florists’ board of directors met in November to talk about the organization’s direction and focus and to welcome three new board members. From left to right: Jennifer Barnard of Tillie’s Flower Shop, David Legge of Denver Wholesale Florists, Michael Pugh of Pugh’s Flowers, Joaquin de la Torre of Ball SB, Oscar Fernandez of Equiflor/RioRoses, Liza Roeser of FiftyFlowers, Michelle Castellano Keeler of Mellano & Co., Austin Bryant of Heart of Florida Greenhouses, Stacie Lee Banks of Lee’s Flower and Card Shop, Stephen Kennicott of Kennicott Kuts, Kate Penn of SAF, Chris Drummond of Penny’s by Plaza Flowers, David Armellini of Armellini Logistics, and Rodi Groot of Sun Valley Floral Group.
The Society of American Florists’ volunteer board of directors provides guidance for everything the organization does, from developing events (see SAF’s 2022 schedule of events) to identifying new industry trends and challenges.
SAF welcomed three new faces to the board this year, each from a different sector of the industry. We asked these floral professionals how their experience would benefit SAF and its members, what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for the industry, and what SAF is doing for its members that is the most important.
Dave Legge, president, Denver Wholesale Florists, Denver, Colorado
David Legge began his career as a CPA and has spent 38 years in senior executive roles in various industries, including modular buildings, software development, travel, and apparel. (Most notably, he was the CFO/COO with the startup Tehama, an apparel company owned by Clint Eastwood.) Legge has been with DWF for 12 years — nine years as CFO and three years as president. He has also served on SAF’s Wholesale Council.
How will your experience in various industries — and in various roles — help you contribute to SAF’s mission?
I have worked as a certified public accountant, chief financial officer and chief operating officer in multiple industries including accounting, hospitality, technology, and apparel throughout the past 38 years. My extensive experience involving finance, operations, and technology are all becoming more critical than ever. Hopefully, my years of executive leadership in companies large and small outside the floral industry will provide a different perspective and help support SAF’s overall strategic objectives.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities for the floral industry in the next few years?
We have to keep the momentum going in demand for our products. We should take advantage of the success we are having and reinvest in ways to enhance communication with our customers and improve their overall experience. Also, considering the current labor shortage everyone is facing, we have the advantage of working in a wonderful industry where our products have so many benefits for everyday life as well as the most special of events. We should be taking advantage of that in our recruiting. For DWF, many of our very talented new employees are coming from outside the industry.
What is SAF doing that you find most important?
As I said, we are hiring many new employees from outside the floral industry. I am excited SAF is focused on career development which will help those individuals advance their floral careers. A lot has been made of the transitory nature of jobs today. In both floral education and connection to others in our industry, I am excited to have our employees see this is a wonderful industry to be a part of and one in which they can have a lasting career.
Rodi Groot, director of sales, The Sun Valley Floral Group, Arcata, California
Rodi Groot is a 40-year industry veteran. He graduated from the floricultural college in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, with a bachelor’s degree in sales management. Groot has worked as a grower, warehouse manager, and in sales and marketing. He joined The Sun Valley Floral Group in 2007 where he is now the director of sales. He has also served on SAF’s Grower’s Council.
How does your life-long involvement in the floral industry help you contribute to SAF’s mission and strategic plan?
My floral career started in my mom’s flower shop in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. From there I went to a floriculture college in Aalsmeer, which was then the flower capital of the Netherlands — if not the world. That is where I got hooked on floral sales and trade and management, which got me eventually to California where I have now been for 30-plus years. Working for a domestic grower I have had exposure to wholesale, mass markets and bouquet makers. Those experiences give me a balanced opinion to bring to the board.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities for the floral industry in the next several years?
The biggest opportunity — challenge, really — is labor availability, regardless of what segment you are in. In the short and long run it drives up costs.
On the sales side of things, we all are to be good stewards of our industry and make sure to keep the current levels of self-consumption alive by making sure only the freshest and greatest products make it into the marketplace.
What should SAF focus on and why?
SAF has a great reputation of being an educator and networking expert and should focus these strengths on continued improvement of knowledge of their members. I am also inspired by their continued effort and drive to become a better organization for the floral industry.
Jennifer Barnard, co-owner, Tillie’s Flower Shop, Wichita, Kansas
Jennifer Barnard is the co-owner/manager at Tillie’s Flower Shop, a third-generation, family-owned business. Barnard earned a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, and computers from Friends University in Wichita. She has also served on SAF’s Retail Council.
How does your experience as a retail florist help you contribute to SAF’s mission and strategic plan?
Retail florists are connected directly with the consumer. As a customer driven retailer, we are the first to experience the changes in consumer buying patterns. Retail florists are at the end of the supply chain so we have a good understanding of how we need to pivot to meet customers’ demands. Tillie’s brings these current changes to the board and SAF.
What are the biggest opportunities – and challenges – for the industry in the next few years? How can SAF address those?
Challenges are labor, inflation, supply chain, logistics, and climate change in floriculture. SAF does a great job addressing all these issues. For labor, SAF brings new ideas on hiring, training, onboarding, and continuing education. SAF continues to report on supply chain, logistics, and how climate change is affecting our industry.
For opportunities, consumers love flowers and plants! People realized the value of flowers and plants to connect with others and for mental health, even those Gen Z-ers! Those willing to change and pivot with the constant changes in our industry will experience opportunities and be successful. SAF plays a key part in our opportunities and successes.
What is SAF doing that you have found to be the most helpful?
SAF does a great job of pivoting quickly to meet our needs. They play an important role in government affairs that many don’t realize. What they accomplish on the Hill helps me stay in business. We are loving Career Connection and the constant additions. I am most excited about Glenna Hecht’s courses. I attended her session at the SAF convention and made the recommended changes and was able to hire five people within two days. We are now fully staffed. Now we are training, onboarding, and cross training all our staff with the help of what SAF is providing.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF Now.