American Academy of Floriculture (AAF)

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 May 1, 2023. 
  4. Please return the completed application with your payment to: Stephanie Brady, American Academy of Floriculture, Society of American Florists, 1001 N Fairfax Street, Suite 201, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: 703-838-5230, E-mail: sbrady@safnow.org

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 four 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, 2023, 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
Harvey Barber, AAF
Russ Barley, AAF, AIFD, CFD
Jennifer Barnard, AAF
Gertrude Baugh, AAF
Bradley Beck, AAF, PFCI
Jenny Behlings, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, SDCF
Dorothy Bell, AAF, AIFD
Regina Berryman, AAF, AIFD
Maggie Binet, AAF, AIFD, CPF, PFCI
Sylvia Bird, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Janet Black, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
David Boulton, AAF, PFCI
Penelope Bradford, AAF
Kimberly Brannan, AAF
Steve Brickner, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Phillips Brown, AAF
Loann Burke, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, CFD
Vincenzo Butera, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Jo Buttram, AAF
John Byerly, AAF
John Byrnes, AAF
Carol Caggiano, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Lani Callister, AAF
Rodger Callister, AAF
Michelle Castellano Keeler, AAF
Debi Chedester, AAF
Rakini Chinery, AAF, AZMF
Charles Coddington, AAF
Donald Coleman, AAF
Gregory Coleman, AAF
Theresa Colucci, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Lorraine Cooper, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Carmen Cosentino, AAF, PFCI
Sten Crissey, AAF
Jack Cross, AAF
James Curtis, AAF
James Daly, AAF
Darenda Darnell-Garbarz, AAF
Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Gus De La Flor, AAF
Wayne DeBey, AAF, AIFD, KAFD
Kate Delaney, AAF
James DelPrince, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Delmar Demaree, AAF
Cheryl Denham, AAF, AZMF
Michael Derouin, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, PFCI
Lane DeVries, AAF
Steve Dionne, AAF
Traci Dooley, AAF
Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI
Christopher Dunlevy, AAF
Bruce Easley, AAF, TMFA
Kym Erickson, AAF, MNCF, CF
Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Toomie Farris, AAF, AIFD
Tony Fiannaca, AAF
Karen Fountain, AAF
Paul Fowle, AAF
Garry Funk, AAF
Edward Gage, AAF
Chuck Gainan, AAF
Zoe Gallina, AAF
Gary Gallup, AAF
Pete Garcia, AAF
Ramon Garcia, AAF
David Gaul, AAF
Joshua Glass, AAF
Debbie Gordy, AAF
William Graham, AAF, AIFD, PFCI

Lisa Greene, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Kirksey Gregg, AAF
Rodi Groot, AAF
David Hale, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
William Hardin, AAF
Marlin Hargrove, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Adam Havrilla, AAF, AIFD, ICPF, PFCI
Rodney Hayes, AAF
Dian Helms Brown, AAF, AIFD
Cathy Hillen-Rulloda, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
William Hixson, AAF, PFCI
Donald Hook, AAF
David Hope, AAF, AIFD
Mary Linda Horn, AAF, AIFD, OCF, PFCI
Charles Ingrum, AAF
Sharon Ivey, AAF, AIFD, CFD, GMF, PFCI
Alex Jackson, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Chuck Johnson, AAF
Wayne Jones, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Harrison Kennicott, AAF
Robin Kilbride, AAF
Sue Klein, AAF
Mark Knox, AAF
Charles Kremp, AAF
Jimmy Kusuda, AAF
Jackie Lacey, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Dwight Larimer, AAF, PFCI
Lynn Lary McLean, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, TMF
Stacie Lee Banks, AAF
M. James Leider, AAF
Nikki Lemler, AAF
Leonard Levy, AAF
A. W. Lewis, AAF
John Looby, AAF
Agnes Loweke, AAF
Robert Luthultz, AAF
Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI
Mabel Markwood, AAF
Robin Martinez, AAF, TMFA
Joyce Mason-Monheim, AAF, AIFD, AZMF, CFD, PFCI
Sharon McGukin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Susan McKnight, AAF, AIFD
Jodi McShan, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Tony Medlock, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Herman Meinders, AAF
H. Michael Mellano, AAF
Martin Meskers, AAF
Marvin Miller, AAF
Michael Miller, AAF
Richard Milteer, AAF, AIFD, IFDA, PFCI
Frank Mischler, AAF
David Mitchell, AAF
George Mitchell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Nancy Mitchell, AAF
Egon Molbak, AAF
Emma Jean Morgan, AAF
L. Lynne Moss, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Wilna Mullis, AAF
Terril Nell, AAF
Carmen Nelson, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Steven Newman, AAF
Robert Newton, AAF
James Nordlie, AAF, AIFD
Dianna Nordman, AAF
Christopher Norwood, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Emmett O’Dell, AAF, AIFD
Skip Paal, AAF
Gail Pabst, AAF
Nicole Palazzo, AAF
Cameron Pappas, AAF
Shelley Pease, AAF
Kathleen Petz, AAF, CF, PFCI
Jim Phillip, AAF

Russell Phillip, AAF
Rose Phillips, AAF, PFCI
Casey Pickney, AAF
Robert Pierson, AAF
Christopher Polites, AAF
Rocky Pollitz, AAF, AIFD, CMG, PFCI
Kevin Priest, AAF
Fiona Prosser, AAF
Ian Prosser, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Michael Pugh, AAF
Kaitlin Radebaugh, AAF
Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, CF, CAFA, PFCI
Cathy Reifschneider, AAF
Robbyn Rae Repp, AAF
Lynda Resnick, AAF
George Robbins, AAF
Keith Rockcastle, AAF
Rey Rodriguez, AAF, AIFD, CFD, TMFA
Liza Roeser, AAF
Leo Roozen, AAF
Herbert Rothe, AAF
Phillip Rulloda, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Richard Salvaggio, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, PFCI
D Damon Samuel, AAF, AIFD, NAFD, NMF, PFCI
William Sauer, AAF
Marcia Schaaf, AAF
W. Kurt Schroeder, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
J Schwanke, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
Robert Shibata, AAF
Laura Shinall, AAF
Michael Skaff, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
John Smith, AAF
Pam Smith, AAF, PFCI
Renato Sogueco, AAF, PFCI
Augusto Solano, AAF
Joseph Stephens, AAF
Donald Swenson, AAF
Jenny Thomasson, AAF, AIFD, CFD, EMC, PFCI
Lynne Tischler, AAF, CPFD, PFCI
Heather Towne, AAF, CFD
Michael Trogdon, AAF
Renee Tucci, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Carlos Uribe, AAF
Ben Veldkamp, AAF
Brian Vetter, AAF, AIFD, AZMF, PFCI
Roger Villere, AAF
Charles Walton, AAF
Gina Waters, AAF
Eileen Weber, AAF
Lisa Weddel, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Donald Weder, AAF
Fred Wells, AAF
Brian Wheat, AAF, PFCI
Lori Wheat, AAF
Dean White, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Joyce White, AAF
Mike Whittle, AAF
Bev Wilhide, AAF
John Wilkins, AAF
Robert Williams, AAF, PFCI
Marcia Wilson, AAF, CFD
Nancy Witte-Dycus, AAF
Derek Woodruff, AAF, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Ralph Wright, AAF
Robbin YelvertonAAF, AIFD, CF, MCF, PFCI
Eugene Yoshihara, AAF
Sandi Yoshihara-Shiff, AAF, AIFD, CPF
Ken Young, AAF

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