Fernando “Fern” Ortega, managing director of Miami-based wholesaler Floral1 Inc., former general manager for Jet Fresh Flower Distributors, and passionate advocate for the floral industry, died May 17. He was 45. 

Ortega brought his advocacy to life in concrete ways, most notably through his involvement with the Society of American Florists’ Congressional Action Days, which brought him to Capitol Hill twice to talk with legislators about issues affecting the industry, and through Seed Your Future’s Green Career Week, which took him to Miami-area high schools where he shared the career opportunities available in floriculture. 

The advocacy work clearly meant something to him. In a 2023 article published by SAF, Ortega said of his Congressional Action Days experience: “We were advocating for our industry, and that for me is the biggest takeaway because I never thought I’d do that in my life.” 

For the Love of Greatness 

For those who knew him, Ortega embodied something rarer than ambition: a natural greatness he likely never saw in himself, says Mike Black, founder and “head coach” at Jet Fresh, where Ortega worked for more than a decade before making a career change last year. Black says Ortega calls to mind the William Shakespeare quote: “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” 

Ortega’s greatness shined through in everything he did, Black says, from the way he made people laugh on Jet Fresh’s “Fern Show” social videos (which were part of the company’s marketing campaign that won the 2022 Marketer of the Year contest) to the way he talked irate customers down and put the company back in their good graces after a disappointment. 

“He would take customers from a very high level of being pissed off and bring them down to being a calm, happy, satisfied customer,” Black says. “He had that ability and just had that amazing gift of gab.” 

When Ortega’s gift of gab wasn’t wrapping up customer service issues, he was using it to encourage his colleagues and build them up so they could reach their own greatness. 

“He knew how to take business and the people that he worked with and make it fun and successful,” says motivational author and speaker Barry Gotlieb, who mentored Ortega. “Through caring about people, he helped them be more productive.” 

Sahid Nahim of New Bloom Solutions saw that first-hand when he started his business. During a conversation over drinks, Nahim was moved by Ortega’s sincere interest in what he was building, his encouragement and his offer to help. 

“When I was just a startup and had the naysayers, it was inspiring having a guy like Fern who’s highly respected in the industry filling the room with his laugh and telling you, ‘Hey man, you’re doing something awesome. Keep it going,’” Nahim says.  

Ortega’s passion for the industry, energy and support leave behind a legacy that will be difficult to match, Black says. 

“I think the industry will never see another one like him,” he says. “He’s going to be really missed.” 

Kenya McCullum is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.