2025 AAF Inductees

The American Academy of Floriculture:  members share an honor that can be achieved only by those meeting the Academy’s high standards of service to their industry and their community. The stringent requirements of the Academy make AAF status a distinction recognized throughout the industry.

2025 PFCI Inductees

Professional Floral Communicators – International is the industry’s premier speakers bureau. Its members are leading experts, speakers and educators. The PFCI designation signifies excellence in floral presentation and communication.

Century Award

Forth Floral

Forth Floral, a 125-year-old flower shop and greenhouse in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, has been passed down through four generations of women and their spouses. Founded in 1900 by Peter and Lena Philipp, it became Forth Floral in 1928 when daughter Julia and her husband Arthur Forth took over. The legacy continued through the Schumacher and Hempel families, with Ruth Hempel and her husband Henning now at the helm. Their daughter, Annika, joined in 2024, marking the fifth generation. One of Rhinelander’s oldest businesses, Forth Floral remains a cherished part of the community, known for its annual holiday Open House since 1934.

Mellano & Co.

Celebrating 100 years in business, Mellano & Company is a proud third-generation, family-owned floral business rooted in hard work, resilience, and passion. Founded in 1925 by Giovanni Mellano, an Italian immigrant who began his career picking flowers in Santa Cruz, the business grew from a humble home farm in Artesia to a flourishing wholesale operation at the Los Angeles Flower Market.

With Giovanni’s wife, Maria, tending the fields alongside their young children, the family built a legacy of dedication that continues today. Now farming over 300 acres in Oceanside and 50 acres at Carlsbad’s iconic Flower Fields, Mellano & Company operates wholesale outlets in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, and Las Vegas. The company remains headquartered at the Los Angeles Flower Market and is a cornerstone of the American floral industry.

Radebaugh Florist & Greenhouses

Founded in 1924 by George and Anna Radebaugh, Radebaugh Florist & Greenhouses began as a small plot in Towson, Maryland, growing pansies and vegetables. Over the decades, it expanded through family dedication, surviving the Great Depression and supporting the WWII effort with vegetable crops. By 1940, a retail florist shop opened, and the business steadily grew under the leadership of multiple generations. Incorporating in 1975, Radebaugh’s diversified by adding a wholesale plant department, expanded its facilities, and embraced technology and e-commerce. Today, under fourth-generation owner Kaitlin Radebaugh, AAF, the business continues its legacy of excellence in floral design and greenhouse operations.

Rosery Flower Shop

Founded in 1902 by Gifford J. Anderson, The Rosery Flower Shop has served the Hudson, New York, community for over 120 years. Originally opened in Mellenville before relocating to Hudson in 1917, the business flourished under the Anderson family for decades. Known for its greenhouses and floral designs, The Rosery became a local favorite. Ownership passed to Bill Laraway in 1972, then to the Goldman family in 2005, who expanded its wedding services and launched its first website. In 2021, Jenny Mojo became the latest steward of this historic shop, continuing its legacy of creativity and community connection.

President’s Award

This award is a surprise. The winner’s name and bio will be added to this page and sent out via press release after the convention. 

Gold Medal Award

Patricia Knight, Ph.D.

Patricia Knight, Ph.D., a research professor at Mississippi State University and director of the MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, has transformed the southern landscape through a groundbreaking breeding program focused on crape myrtles and is the 2025 winner of the Society of American Florists’ Gold Medal Award, given to the originator of a widely distributed plant or flower that has proven to be an outstanding product of significant horticulture and commercial value.  

Among her many horticultural contributions, Knight is credited with developing Delta Jazz, the first dark-leafed crape myrtle. This patented variety stands out for its raspberry-maroon foliage that matures to a rich mahogany brown, contrasted by medium-pink summer blooms. In 2015, Delta Jazz was named a Mississippi Medallion plant, an honor that recognizes top-performing varieties suited to the state’s unique climate.

Knight’s crape myrtles — ranging from towering 20-foot trees to compact shrubs — are a staple in USDA zones 7–10, thriving in heat, humidity, and drought. They require minimal maintenance yet deliver vivid summer color and stunning fall foliage in shades of orange, gold, maroon, and red. These characteristics have made them essential elements in southern gardens, providing year-round visual interest and adaptability.

An Alabama native, Knight earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University and her Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 

Knight’s influence extends beyond plant breeding. A fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science, she is widely regarded as a leading expert in her field. Colleagues praise her insight, leadership, and innovative research, noting how her work continues to educate, inspire, and enhance the green industry.  “I marvel at her vast knowledge,” said James Delprince, Ph.D., AAF, AIFD, PFCI, head of Mississippi State’s Extension Master Floral Designer program. “I have learned so much from her over the past 10 years.”

Alex Laurie Award for Research and Education

Rick Long

Rick Long, a prolific writer who spent 40 years as an editor of Floral Finance and The Retail Florist, is the 2025 recipient of the Society of American Florists’ Alex Laurie Award, honoring broad-stroke, long-lasting contributions to education in the floral industry.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Long graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in political science, which he followed with a law degree from the University of Texas. He practiced at GableGotwals, a prestigious firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One night he confided to his friend, Paul Goodman, CPA, PFCI, that he longed for a career change. “I asked him what he would like to do, and his answer was ‘write novels’,” recalled Goodman, founder of Floral Finance Business Services and a past recipient of the Paul Ecke, Jr. Award. “I told him I couldn’t help with that, but if he wanted to write for my new publication for florists, I could use the help.”

So began an illustrious career. From 1984 until November 2024, Long served as the editor and staff writer for Floral Finance, contributing to 348 monthly editions of the industry’s leading financial journal. He also wrote and edited 348 monthly editions of The Retail Florist, which reached more than 15,000 florists each month at its peak. He oversaw the graphic design of these two publications, which was groundbreaking in its use of color and illustrations in a business journal.

“Rick is the most famous educator that you have never heard of,” said Dan McManus, founder of the marketing and consulting firm Team Floral. “He authored or edited an astounding 5,500 articles, read by about half of the florists in the U.S. for decades. As a servant to his readers, Rick was never one for the spotlight, yet his words spoke throughout the nation, helping florists become more successful.”

John H. Walker Award

Judy Laushman

For 35 years, Judy Laushman was the steady force behind the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), shaping it from a fledgling organization into a nearly 3,000-member global network. Her passion for connecting people, elevating local flowers, and supporting small growers has transformed the specialty cut flower landscape. In recognition of her tireless leadership, enduring vision, and unwavering service to the floral industry, she is the winner of the Society of American Florists’ John Walker Award, honoring floral association executives for outstanding leadership.

“Judy built something truly special,” said John Dole, Ph.D., professor of horticulture at North Carolina State University and ASCFG advisor. “Her leadership created not just an association — but a community.”

When Laushman stepped into the executive director role in 1988, the cut flower industry was on the brink of change. She responded with bold initiatives that still define ASCFG today. Just one year into her tenure, she launched The Cut Flower Quarterly, a black-and-white newsletter that evolved into a full-color, content-rich magazine. With over 140 issues to date, it’s become an indispensable resource for growers.

She also spearheaded the National Cut Flower Trial Program, now in its 32nd year, which has evaluated over 1,500 cultivars. Laushman’s hands-on coordination of seeds, testers, and reporting has helped bring numerous staple crops to market. Her other standout initiatives include Localflowers.org, a vibrant platform promoting locally grown blooms, and the ASCFG’s National Conference, a cornerstone of education and community-building since 1989.

Beyond her work with ASCFG, Laushman has been deeply committed to the broader nonprofit and floriculture world, actively engaging with organizations like AmericanHort, American Floral Endowment, and Certified American Grown. In her hometown of Oberlin, Ohio, she’s led beautification campaigns and civic initiatives, including efforts with America in Bloom and the League of Women Voters.

Tommy Bright Award

This award is a surprise. The winner’s name and bio will be added to this page and sent out via press release after the convention. 

Paul Ecke Jr. Award

This award is a surprise. The winner’s name and bio will be added to this page and sent out via press release after the convention. 

Rising Star Award

This award is a surprise. The winner’s name and bio will be added to this page and sent out via press release after the convention. 

Floriculture Hall of Fame

This award is a surprise. The winner’s name and bio will be added to this page and sent out via press release after the convention.