SAF’s American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) recognizes members who have committed their time and energy to both the floral industry and their local communities.

Why Apply? The AAF designation distinguishes you as a life-long industry leader for your commitment to the floral industry and community involvement. You’ll be recognized and celebrated by your peers at the AAF induction during the Stars of the Industry Awards Dinner at SAF’s annual convention.

Applications stay active for a period of two years. Updates can be made and will be requested during that active status.

AAF ADMISSION APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

BEFORE YOU APPLY, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY!  

Please make sure you fill out the application completely and accurately. All information will be kept confidential.

As an AAF applicant, your company must maintain an active SAF membership.

Read the eligibility criteria below and the application for admission to the Academy in its entirety before starting the application.

1. Download and complete the application. Be sure to type or print all information carefully.
2. There is a non-refundable application fee of $150 which must accompany the application.
3. All applications and fees are due April 1, 2025. 
4. Please return the completed application with your payment to: Lizzy Kubica, American Academy of Floriculture, Society of American Florists, 1001 N Fairfax Street, Suite 201, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: 703-838-5230, E-mail: lkubica@safnow.org

Download Applications

AAF Application – Microsoft Word

AAF Application – PDF

AAF Past Recipients

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO THE SAF AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FLORICULTURE

This criteria is the minimum criteria for applicants for admission to the American Academy of Floriculture. Meeting the minimum criteria does not automatically confer membership in AAF nor guarantees admission to AAF.

I. GENERAL CRITERIA

1. The candidate for admission must be a member in good standing of the Society of American Florists for three years or more and must maintain that membership to use the AAF designation.
2. If applicants are owners, principals or partners of a business, they must have a favorable credit rating as evidenced by three letters from trade references. If applicants are employees of a member firm, they must provide two letters of personal reference. Personal reference letters should be from employees from your company.
3. The candidate for admission must be endorsed in writing by two current members of the Academy. Endorsement letters should not be from immediate family members or same company employees. See the list of AAF members on the SAF website.
4. The candidate for admission must have served or worked in the floral industry on a full-time basis a minimum of five years.

II. COMMUNITY SERVICE CRITERIA

As evidence of community service, a candidate should meet three of the criteria listed below. The Awards Committee will evaluate each of these criteria on their individual merits. Please include all community involvement on the application.

• Current or formerly active member of a community service organization such as the Kiwanis, Soroptimists, PTA, etc.
• Has been actively involved in a community service project.
• Has been active in charities and/or religious leadership.
• Served as chairman of a local civic service project.
• Actively participated in a neighborhood or community improvement or beautification project.
• Served as an officer of a neighborhood or community organization.
• Served as an officer or director of a community service group or organization.
• Has been actively involved in a local issue or referendum such as a school bond or tax issue.
• Served as an elected local or state official.
• Served on a community board such as a planning board.
• Received an award for community service.
• Other community service.

III. INDUSTRY SUPPORT CRITERIA

An AAF candidate must:

1. Be a member of the local, state or regional allied floral organization serving his or her area, if available.
2. Have served as a member of a committee or on the board of directors of a local, state, or regional allied floral organization, or the Society of American Florists or another major national floral association recognized by the Society of American Florists, such as WF&FSA, AIFD, wire services, etc.
3. And, meet at least three of the following criteria:

• Attended an educational program sponsored by SAF or a floriculture and horticulture organization recognized by SAF designed to improve the candidate’s competence in the floral business.
• Attended a state, regional or national convention of a floricultural organization recognized by the Society of American Florists.
• Conducted at least 60 minutes’ worth of educational programming (a seminar, class, series of classes or how-tos).
• Written an article published in the official publication of SAF or one of its allied organizations.
• Conducted a program of at least 30 minutes’ duration on some aspect of floriculture or horticulture for members of the public, i.e., a program at a service club meeting.
• Conducted a program educating students at the high school or college level about the benefits of a career in floriculture and horticulture.
• Engaged in or supported scientific research designed to improve the quality or selection of floriculture and horticulture varieties.
• Received an award from SAF or another floriculture and horticulture organization recognized by SAF recognizing the candidate’s contribution.
• Served as a designer or commentator at an industry gathering such as a convention or educational program.
• Created extensive content showing expertise on flowers and plants on a social media outlet, YouTube channel or on TV creating a voice, new perspective, or new audience for floral products.
• Acted as a spokesperson for promoting flowers, plants and/or design on a social media platform with at least 1,000 subscribers.

Candidates who meet the minimum criteria and who file an application by the May 1, 2025, deadline will be considered for admittance by the Awards Committee. All required documentation for the candidate needs to be completed and received by the deadline. Materials received after the deadline will be held for consideration the following year.

SAF’s American Academy of Floriculture Recipients

Rochette Allen, AAF
Linda Anderson AAF
Robert Aykens AAF
Tom Aykens AAF
Cheryl Bakin AAF
Harvey Barber AAF
Russ Barley AAF, AIFD, CFD
Jennifer Barnard AAF
Gertrude Baugh AAF
Bradley Beck PFCI, AAF
Jenny Behlings PFCI, SDCF, AAF, AIFD
Dorothy Bell AAF, AIFD
Lacee Bilke AAF, CFD
Lenzee Bilke AAF, AIFD
Maggie Binet CPF, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Sylvia Bird AAF, PFCI, AIFD
Janet Black AAF, AIFD, PFCI
David Boulton PFCI, AAF
Sam Bowles AAF
Penelope Bradford AAF
Kimberly Brannan AAF
Steve Brickner PFCI, AAF, AIFD
Phillips Brown AAF
Erin Bruno AAF
Austin Bryant AAF
Robert Bryant AIFD, AAF
Loann Burke AIFD, PFCI, AAF, CFD
Vincenzo Butera PFCI, AAF, AIFD
Jo Buttram AAF
Carol Caggiano AAF, PFCI, AIFD
Lani Callister AAF
Rodger Callister AAF
Michelle Castellano Keeler AAF
Debi Chedester AAF
Donald Coleman AAF
Gregory Coleman AAF
Theresa Colucci AIFD, AAF, PFCI
Lorraine Cooper AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Carmen Cosentino AAF, PFCI
Jessica Cosentino AAF
Sten Crissey AAF
Jack Cross AAF
James Daly AAF
Darenda Darnell-Garbarz AAF
Heather de Kok AIFD, PFCI, AAF
Gus De La Flor AAF
Kate Delaney AAF
James DelPrince AAF, PFCI, AIFD
Cheryl Denham AzMF, AAF
Michael Derouin AAF, PFCI, CAFA, AIFD
Lane DeVries AAF
Steve Dionne AAF
Traci Dooley AAF
Chris Drummond AAF, PFCI
BJ Dyer AAF, AIFD
Bruce Easley TMFA, AAF
Kym Erickson MNCF, CF, AAF
Tim Farrell AIFD, AAF, PFCI
Toomie Farris AIFD, AAF
Michele Feld AAF, AIFD
Tony Fiannaca AAF
Patricia Fowler AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Edward Gage AAF
Chuck Gainan AAF
Zoe Gallina AAF
Gary Gallup AAF
Pete Garcia AAF
Ramon Garcia AAF
David Gaul AAF

Ralph Giordano, AAF, AIFD, CFD, CEJ, FSMD, PFCI

Joshua Glass AAF
Paul Goodman AAF, MBA, PFCI
Debbie Gordy AAF
William Graham PFCI, AAF, AIFD
Lisa Greene AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Rodi Groot AAF
William Hardin AAF
Marlin Hargrove PFCI, AIFD, AAF
Adam Havrilla AAF, AIFD, CFD, ICPF, PFCI
Dian Helms Brown AAF, AIFD
Cathy Hillen-Rulloda PFCI, AIFD, AAF
David Hope AIFD, AAF
Mary Linda Horn PFCI, AIFD, OCF, AAF
Charles Ingrum AAF
Sharon Ivey AAF, PFCI, GMF, CFD, AIFD
Alex Jackson AIFD, AAF, PFCI
Chuck Johnson AAF
Wayne Jones AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Harrison Kennicott AAF
David Kesler AAF, AIFD, PFCI, FDI
Leanne Kesler AAF, AIFD, PFCI, FDI
Robin Kilbride AAF
Sue Klein AAF
Mark Knox AAF
Charles Kremp AAF
Jackie Lacey PFCI, CFD, AAF, AIFD
Dwight Larimer PFCI, AAF
Lynn Lary McLean PFCI, AAF, TMF, AIFD
Stacie Lee Banks AAF
Laurie Lemek AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
M. James Leider AAF
Nikki Lemler AAF
Leonard Levy AAF
John Looby AAF
Robert Luthultz AAF
Shirley Lyons PFCI, AAF
Robin Martinez CFD, TMFA, AAF
Kelly Mace AAF
Jacob McCall CFD, PFCI, AAF, FSMD, AIFD
Sharon McGukin AAF, PFCI, AIFD
Susan McKnight AAF, AIFD
Jodi McShan AIFD, CFD, PFCI, AAF
Tony Medlock PFCI, AAF, AIFD
H. Michael Mellano AAF
Martin Meskers AAF
Marvin Miller AAF
Michael Miller AAF
Richard Milteer AAF, AIFD, PFCI, IFDA
Frank Mischler AAF
David Mitchell AAF
George Mitchell PFCI, AAF, AIFD
Egon Molbak AAF
Carrie Moore AAF
Emma Jean Morgan AAF
L. Lynne Moss AIFD, PFCI, AAF
Wilna Mullis AAF
Mark Nance AAF
Terril Nell AAF
Steven Newman AAF
James Nordlie AIFD, AAF
Dianna Nordman AAF
Christopher Norwood AIFD, AAF, CFD, PFCI
Emmett O’Dell AIFD, AAF
Skip Paal AAF
Gail Pabst AAFNicole Palazzo AAF
Sue Palazzo AAF
Cameron Pappas AAF
Shelley Pease AAF
Kathleen Petz CF, AAF, PFCI
Jim Phillip AAF
Patience Pickner AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Casey Pickney AAF
Christopher Polites AAF
Rocky Pollitz AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CMG
Kevin Priest AAF
Fiona Prosser AAF
Ian Prosser AIFD, PFCI, AAF
Michael Pugh AAF
Kaitlin Radebaugh AAF
Jerome Raska CF, CAFA, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Cathy Reifschneider AAF
Robbyn Repp AAF

Heidi Richards, AAF
Keith Rockcastle AAF
Rey Rodriguez AIFD, CFD, AAF, TMFA
Liza Roeser AAF
Leo Roozen AAF
Phillip Rulloda PFCI, AAF, AIFD
Richard Salvaggio AAF, AIFD, CAFA, PFCI
D Damon Samuel NAFD, AAF, NMF, PFCI, AIFD
Pat Scace AIFD, AAF, CFD
Marcia Schaaf AAF
W. Kurt Schroeder CFD, PFCI, AAF, AIFD
J Schwanke CFD, PFCI, AIFD, AAF
Robert Shibata AAF
Laura Shinall AAF
Shelby Shy AAF
John Smith AAF
Michael Smith AAF, AIFD, CFD, FDI, FSMD
Pam Smith PFCI, AAF
Renato Sogueco PFCI, AAF
Augusto Solano AAF
Joseph Stephens AAF
Jenny Thomasson AAF, EMC, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Lynne Tischler AIFD, EMC, CPFD, AAF, PFCI
Heather Towne AIFD, AAF
Michael Trogdon AAF
Renee Tucci AAF, AIFD, PFCI, CFD
Carlos Uribe AAF
Brian Vetter AAF, AIFD, AzMF, PFCI
Roger Villere AAF
Laura Walsh AAF
Charles Walton AAF
Gina Waters AAF
Eileen Weber AAF
Lisa Weddel AIFD, AAF, PFCI
Donald Weder AAF
Brian Wheat PFCI, AAF
Lori Wheat AAF
Carma White AAF
Dean White AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Mike Whittle AAF
John Wilkins AAF
Robert Williams AAF, PFCI
Marcia Wilson CFD, AAF
Derek Woodruff CF, AIFD, CFD, AAF, PFCI
Robbin Yelverton MCF, PFCI, CF, AIFD, AAF
Sandi Yoshihara-Shiff AIFD, CPF, AAF
Ken Young AAF