David Armellini, AAF is the president/CEO of Armellini Logistics, a 79-year-old family business in Palm City, Florida. A member of the floral industry for 40 years, Armellini has expertise in transportation logistics, and care and handling. He was a member of the board of directors of the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (WF&FSA) from 2007 to 2010 and served as WF&FSA’s president from 2010 to 2011. In addition, he has served on SAF’s Board of Directors as well as the Wholesale Council and numerous task forces. In 2014, he received SAF’s Paul Ecke, Jr. Award. Armellini earned his bachelor’s degree from Lynchburg College. 

Maris Angolia is President and CEO of Karin’s Florist.  She directs and manages day-to-day activities and is responsible for overall strategic positioning for the organization.   She has been active in the community and has served in many leadership roles.  Currently, she serves on the Inova Health Foundation Board of Directors and the Loukoumi Make a Difference Foundation Board of Directors.  She served on the Wolf Trap Associates Board from 2011 until 2017, and was the Chairman of the Board in 2015.  She also served on Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the 2015 World Police and Fire Games Board of Directors and the Society of American Florists Board of Directors from 2000-2013.  She has been with Karin’s full time for over 26 years and is proud to carry on her father’s legacy.  She was inducted into the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) in 2008 in recognition of professional excellence in the floral industry.  She has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Washington Business Journal, Women Who Mean Business Award, and the Profiles in Success Award for demonstrating business leadership guided by character, chemistry and caring.  Maris has a BSBA degree from The American University, and double majored in Marketing & Computer Systems. 

Doug is the owner and lead designer for Designs By Vogt’s in Sturgis, MI. Doug has received numerous awards in the floral industry, including the Michigan Designer of the Year 2012, Young Person of the Year 2013 and multiple Design Academy wins. Doug enjoys sharing his experience and talents in workshops and stage presentations for local and regional floral events.

Amy Balsters is a classically trained, award winning floral design educator with vast industry experience spanning two decades in retail floristry, weddings and special events. She specializes in teaching the romantic inspired, “loose and airy style” and is the creator of Bouquet Bootcamp®, a comprehensive design course and hands-on workshop. Amy has taught all over the U.S. and has trained thousands of florists how to design more confidently and efficiently using professional design techniques. Amy is currently on a national,10 city design tour, teaching professional hands-on workshops with Mayesh Wholesale, one of the largest floral wholesalers in the nation.

Featured on Design Sponge as one of the “20 Florists to Follow on Instagram,” Amy has won multiple design awards including “Mastery in Principles of Design” chosen by the Senior Style Editor of Martha Stewart. In 2018 Team Flower named her “Designer of the Year”. Amy was also selected as the Mayesh Design Star for the Fall of 2022. Her work has been featured and published in major national and international wedding publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, Once Wed, Florists Review and many more.

For the past 15 years, Mike Black has been at the helm at Jet Fresh Flower Distributors, a business famous not only for quality product and customer service, but also a beacon of company culture and philanthropy. Since November 2021, he has co-hosted a weekly podcast, “2 Fat Guys Talking Flowers” with various industry guest speakers to educate and connect people from all walks of life. In recognition of his exemplary devotion to profession, industry and community, he is the 2023 recipient of the Society of American Florists’ Paul Ecke, Jr. Award.    

A third generation “flower hustler,” Black grew up working alongside his father Eddie at A. Black and Co. at the 28th Street New York Flower Market. He held various positions at the family company and traveled to the Netherlands to learn how to properly handle and sell flowers. In his late 20s, he started his own company, Skyline Bouquet Co., which created hand-made bouquets for the mass market.   

Starting with just a phone and a desk in a dark warehouse, he’s grown Jet Fresh Flower Distributors into a powerhouse supplier for local wholesalers and event planners and retail florists across the country. In 2018, he purchased an Ecuadorian rose farm and established an office in Quito, where his global trading sales team and farms relations director work closely with Central and South American growers. In 2022, Jet Fresh won SAF’s Marketer of the Year award for its playful videos, emails and advertisements that helped build relationships with customers.   

Black is a regular participant in Petal It Forward and Memorial Day Flowers, a contributor to industry marketing efforts, such as SAF’s PR Fund and CalFlowers’ “That Flower Feeling” campaign, as well as an advocate for a range of groups, including the Association of Floral Importers of Florida, the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association and the National Association for Catering & Events.   

Erin Bruno is the Marketing Director for McNamara Florist in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been with McNamara for nearly nine years and has really enjoyed helping the business grow through her marketing efforts. Erin started learning about the industry at a young age because her father owns a family greenhouse in rural Indiana. Working for McNamara Florist, she has been able to combine her passion for plants and flowers with her love of advertising and marketing. Erin is passionate about branding, strategic communications, and community. She love all things Indianapolis and is always actively seeking ways to support local businesses and encouraging others to do the same. Erin also love traveling, bouldering, hiking, and being outside whenever possible! 

Kristy Chenell is a business consultant specializing in navigating complex company challenges within the emotional family unit.  With her unique blend of first-class business acumen, expertise in interpersonal communication, and formal understanding of family system dynamics, Kristy seeks the root cause of familial matters and strives to resolve them with a thoughtful approach.

With a proven track record of driving change and innovation with mindful technique for both family and corporate businesses, she is a trusted and sought-after advisor with exceptional experience.  Prior to her consulting career, Kristy held sales, marketing, and leadership roles at prestigious corporations, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, leading her teams in revenue generation, and orchestrating strategic positioning. Her exceptional performance earned her award recognitions and an appointment as a company-wide speaker for The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.  Her consulting experience spans from small businesses to large companies such as Tiffany & Co., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Loews Hotels.

Complementing her professional accomplishments is Kristy’s extensive educational background in communications and sociology in addition to work with hospice patients and bereaved families.  Her thanatology graduate school endeavor at Edgewood College, where she studies family systems and the human experience in living and dying, provides her perspective in bridging business savviness with contemplative life cognizance and empathy to make a positive impact on families in a variety of realms.

Kristy resides in Colorado with her husband, two children, and lazy dachshund.  She travels throughout the country, supporting and empowering family businesses for worthwhile resolve.  For more information on Kristy’s services, visit www.kristychenell.com.

Horticulture entrepreneur from age 12. Founder of Clements Plant Shop and Greenhouse Salem VA 1972-1979 featuring retail house plants, seasonal annuals, plant rental, interior landscaping, and maintenance.  My first Greenhouse at age 12 was a 12’x14’ quonset double wall poly built with my grandfather, father, and Mr. Mabry (grandfather’s maintenance man). I would operate 3 greenhouses and a plant shop by the age of 15 with help from my parents and a part-time employee. The income from plant sales, plant rental, and maintenance would be the seed money to cultivate George’s Flower.   

Founder of George’s…an affair with flowers March of 1981 in Salem VA.  Purchased Nobles Flowers on Church Ave Roanoke VA November of 1982 Moving and merging all operations to Roanoke VA. Changed name to George’s Flowers at the beginning of the 1990s because it was fewer words when answering the phone and easier for typesetting back in the day. 

An early adopter of technology, direct marketing, online presence, and continuing education to continually evolve our 43-year-old company to dominate our local market.  

Valerie Crisostomo is an event planner by trade, she studied hospitality at The Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University and began her career in lodging and events. Upon graduation, Valerie relocated to Atlanta and began a vibrant career in hospitality working at the St. Regis Atlanta. In the following years, she worked at a several event planning firms and ultimately assumed the Event Director position at The Hotel Clermont while simultaneously working as the lead designer and event planner at her own company, One Soul Events. During the pandemic, Valerie was searching for a community in the floral industry and sought out florists who looked like her. This led her to start Black Girl Florists– an organization with the goal to support and celebrate Black women in floristry. Black Girl Florists works to develop businesses and talent, while connecting Black women florists and sharing with the community.  

Stephanie is a Navy veteran who served as a mechanic and instructor, bringing a disciplined and methodical approach to the civilian workforce. Transitioning from the sales industry, She joined Expressions Unlimited, Inc. in 2014 and has since been a driving force in enhancing the company’s operations by streamlining policies and procedures, with a keen focus on standardized training, production efficiency, and quality control.  Her “Why Can’t We” mentality has been instrumental in the complete overhaul and launch of the company website in 2020. She has also played a pivotal role in changing the physical layout of the retail store, with an emphasis on enhancing the sympathy sales experience. This forward-thinking mentality led to new business partnerships with local funeral homes and a comprehensive sympathy catalog, which has driven sympathy sales to be 1/3 of the total yearly revenue of the company.  Stephanie excels in daily client interactions, and her expertise as the primary wedding consultant has been instrumental in launching innovative DIY bride design classes and a comprehensive wedding website, enriching the company’s service offerings further. 

Deborah De La Flor is without question one of our best ambassadors for the floral industry. Her passion and enthusiasm are unparalleled and her ability to connect with others about the flowers she loves so much is unmatched. This passion has taken her literally, around the world sharing her love for the industry through design presentations, seminars, commentary and competitions as both competitor and judge. 

The world began to take notice in 1983 when Deborah was named the Greater Miami Designer of the Year & Florida State Designer of the Year.  And so began her journey in the floral industry. 

Deborah realized her dream in 1986 with the opening of her first store in Davie, FL, and with that tiny storefront shop she blossomed into one of South Florida’s premiere florists. She is a member of FTD’s Design Instructor and Education Team and an FTD certified judge.  Deborah was inducted into the prestigious American Institute of Floral Design in 1996 and recently became an AIFD judge/evaluator. In 2006 she was inducted into the Professional Floral Communicators – International. 

The awards and accolades Deborah has accrued are numerous and include, first place in all categories in the Gateway of the Americas competition in 1999, first runner-up at the 2000  FTD Americas Cup Final in Atlanta and winner of the FTD First Annual Great Masters Design Competition that same year . September 2004 she was chosen to represent the United States in the Interflora World Cup of Floral Design in Melbourne Australia; first runner-up in the 2006 SAF Sylvia Cup; 2007 “National Place in the Sun” award from the Florida State Florist Association; presented on the main stage at the 2009 AIFD symposium titled “Imagine” in Kansas City; first place in the Sunshine Cup Competition at the Florida State Florist Association convention in 2010 & 2011; main stage presenter at AIFD symposium 2012 in Miami titled “Emotions”.  

Deborah is a certified judge for AIFD and FTD. In June 2015 Deborah was chosen to represent the United States as a judge/jury member for the Fleurop-Interflora World Cup of Floral Design in Berlin Germany. Deborah was called again to be a judge for the Interflora FTD World Cup of Floral Design in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in March of 2019. China was Deborah’s next stop in August 2019 she was Head Judge/Jury for the 2019 World Flower Art Contest in Beijing during the International Horticulture Exhibition. 

In 2000 Deborah and her husband Gus, moved their store (De La Flor Florist & Gardens) to a larger facility in neighboring Cooper City, FL and added a full-service nursery & garden center. Deborah has also published a book on corsage and boutonniere design – titled “Florsages”. 

Her knowledge of the industry as well as her ability to anticipate and influence the latest floral trends has led to consulting work for some of the floral industry’s biggest names.  

Steven Dyme is the Co-Founder & CEO of Flowers for Dreams, the first B Corporation florist in North America with locations across the Midwest region.  Every locally crafted bouquet they sell benefits a local charity in need. To date, that model has resulted in over $1,500,000 donated to 220 neighborhood nonprofits — all from the sale of flowers. Steven is considered a leading voice on social enterprise. In addition to being named a two-time Best for the World B Corp and Business Insider’s 20 Most Inspiring Companies in America, he has personally served on the Illinois Governor’s Task Force on Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise, as an instructor on human-centered entrepreneurship at Northwestern University, as well as penning op-eds on ethical business in the Chicago Sun-Times, Crains, and others.  

Latoya Ferguson is a professional florist and President of Sweet Psalms Florist in Conyers, GA.  Her business slogan is ‘Creating floral harmonies and lasting memories’.  In 2022 she was awarded and recognized by “Best of the Best” as the best florist in Rockdale/Newton County. For more than 20 years she worked in her parent’s flower shop in Bridgeport, CT (Downtown Florist of Bridgeport).  After many years of running a successful business, as the “Go To” place to get the best floral arrangements in Bridgeport and the surrounding cities, the family decided to retire and move to Georgia in 2010. 

In Georgia, Latoya continued working in marketing and the floral industry. In 2019 she opened Sweet Psalms Florist in Conyers, Georgia where she aptly utilizes her gift of connecting with people well beyond selling flowers.  The business allows her to minister to people’s needs individually.  She is passionate about helping the next generation of florists to realize and master their craft early on, so she actively teaches classes on flowers and floral design.  

Ms. Ferguson has a warm and friendly demeanor that leaves everyone she encounters feeling blessed, inspired, and motivated to be the best version of themselves, her beautiful floral designs are just the icing on the cake. 

Oscar Fernandez is director of sales at Equiflor Corporation in Miami. An industry member for 21 years, he has expertise in business development, sales, marketing, negotiating and strategic planning. Fernandez earned an associate’s degree from Miami Dade Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.

Megan Gerace is the floral account executive of GravityFree. She has been with GravityFree since 2019 after returning to Florida from California where she was knee-deep in destination marketing, working at two lodges just outside of Yosemite National Park. She was drawn in to GravityFree initially by the smart and passionate team, but getting to connect with the florists that they work with is what really solidified her desire to work with them. Spending the last few years working with retail florists around the country and seeing how vast, diverse and unique the floral industry is has continued to motivate her to become more active and involved in making a mark on the industry.   

The highlight of her every day is supporting small and/or local businesses. She loves seeing the impact that flowers can have on a person and a community, and knowing that she is supporting those businesses to help make that happen makes her job worth it.   

Ralph is a 4th generation florist who’s family came to the United States from Italy in the early 1900’s.  They started out pushing fruit and flower carts down the streets of Harlem until the 1920’s when they opened “Ralph A. Giordano Funeral Home”. They followed the opening of the funeral home with the opening of “Giordano’s Pelham Bay Florist”. 

Being born the day after Mother’s Day, Ralph was immediately introduced to the floral industry following the holiday rush, and hasn’t slowed down since. 

Ralph began working in his family’s floral shop as a young child, sweeping floors and processing flowers, and by the time he was a teenager, he was producing wedding bouquets and store-front designs. 

At the age of 21, Ralph was working as an assistant manager at a shop in South Florida, until the opportunity to purchase his own shop came along. 

In March of 1998, Ralph and his wife, Leslie, purchased and began running “Flowers by Ann Smith” here at our current location. Two years later the name of the shop was changed to “Giordano’s Floral Creations” to honor Ralph’s Family’s business in New York. 

Since his ownership began, over 25 years ago, Ralph has completed thousands of weddings, served well over 100,000 customers, and has won numerous local awards from various businesses in our community, as well as the countless sponsorship and donations he has contributed to. He has spent the past years educating himself in modern design, as well as maintaining his knowledge in traditional floral design. Ralph achieved his AIFD credentials in 2018, Followed by his Certified Floral Evaluator Judge in 2021. He has become a well known staple in the floral industry across the nation, as well as in our community, and currently serves on numerous boards committees and foundations within the floral industry.  

Christine Guenther is the owner and General Manager of WildFlower | stem + sundry, a progressive retail floral operation with 28 employees and two boutique gift shops located in Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland. 

 In 2016, she entered the industry with the purchase of a local florist and leveraged her 13 years of restaurant management experience to grow and cultivate what is now the WildFlower brand.  

 Christine lives in Annapolis, MD along with husband & fellow “Local Flower Dealer” Joey and their two children.  

A native of North Carolina, Dr. Charlie Hall received a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee in 1984, a Master’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Tennessee in 1986, and his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University. He began his academic career at Texas A&M University in 1988, where he spent 13 years on the faculty before joining the faculty at the University of Tennessee in 2002. In August 2007, Dr. Hall returned to Texas A&M University as Professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture.

Dr. Hall’s expertise is in the production and marketing of Green Industry crops. He is nationally recognized in academia and among the horticultural clientele he serves. His major research, teaching, & extension areas of specialization include strategic management, market situation/outlook, cost accounting, and financial analysis for Green Industry firms.

Dr. Hall currently serves as the Chief Economist for American Hort and Co-Chair of the Advisory Council of Seed Your Future. He is former President and Past-President of the board of directors for America in Bloom. He received the Paul Ecke, Jr. award from the Society of American Florists for professional contributions to the floral industry and the Porter Henegar Memorial Award from the Southern Nursery Association for significant contributions to ornamental horticulture research and to the Southern Nursery Association.

He is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and has received TNLA’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Nursery Industry. He is also a member of the Hall of Fame and Honorary Lifetime Member of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. Dr. Hall has received Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching and the Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence for Student Counseling and Relations. He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho agricultural fraternity and has received their Grand Presidents Award and Brother of the Century designation.

Corrine Heck is the founder and CEO of Details Flowers Software, a program she created to help florists and event planners.  She has worked in nearly every aspect of the floral and event industry for over 20+ years and spends her days working to create new innovations to help budding florists and seasoned veterans.  

Details Flowers Software’s mission is to cultivate happy and loyal customers by building software with florists in mind. Details’ improves profitability, productivity, and organization for all shapes and sizes of floral businesses. The company has grown to include a tight-knit team of employees supporting hundreds of floral designers from around the world. Details Flowers Software is a proudly female-owned, operated, and developed business that does it all in-house. 

In 2016, Corrine presented Details Flowers Software at the Rollins College Venture Pitch and won the presentation and Grand Prize. Most recently, Corrine was honored at the Society of American Florists National Convention when she was inducted into the Professional Floral Communicators – International.  Her dedication to the floral industry and continued advocacy for floral education shines through her various public speaking engagements. Details Flowers Software is also recognized as the official software for the American Institute of Floral Designers National Symposium and the key procurement software tool.  

Details Flowers Software is headquartered in Ormond Beach, Florida, where Corrine lives with her husband of 22 years, Gregory, and their three children. 

Born into a florist family in Baton Rouge, LA, Ben has been in and around the flower industry all of his life and joined Billy Heroman’s Flowerland full time in 2003. Prior to joining his family’s business, Ben earned a B.S. in Finance from Louisiana State University, spent two years in Commercial Banking and Underwriting with Capital One Bank, and earned a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in Atlanta.  In his twenty years at Billy Heroman’s, the company has grown significantly with revenue and team size both growing by more than a 4x multiple.  Although he has spent time in all areas of the business, Ben currently oversees all company Finance, Human Resources, and Operations, with a particular focus on Manager Development.  Additionally, Ben launched Edge Floral Advisors in 2023, an industry specific consulting business aimed at helping retail florists “sharpen their Edge for success.”

Charles Ingrum is the president of Dr. Delphinium Designs and Events in Dallas, Texas. Ingrum has served on SAF’s Retailers Council and Board of Directors. He is currently serving on Texas State Florist Assoc Board of Directors.  Since purchasing his company in 2003, he has expanded greatly and operates multiple retail locations and a design facility. In 2012, Florists’ Review magazine named Charles “Retail Florist of the Year.” The year before, the magazine presented Dr. Delphinium with its “Outstanding Merchandising and Display” honors. The shop has also received numerous local awards, including the “Best Florist of Big D” award from D Magazine. Ingrum earned an undergraduate degree in computer information systems from the University of North Texas.    

Michelle Jones is the owner of Flowers By Michelle in Las Vegas, NV. Michelle began her journey in the retail floral industry while in high school. She went on to open Flowers By Michelle in 1992 at the age of 20 where she oversees daily operations. Her passion for floral design and great customer relationships as well as community involvement are at the core of her success earning the “Best of Las Vegas” award for 8 consecutive years. As a dedicated business owner, Michelle embraces learning and collaborating with many other talents in the floral industry, implementing ever-changing trends, and creating a supportive environment for staff. She finds fulfillment in a life balanced with a strong floral team and time well spent with her husband and family.

Brian Kusuda is a third-generation family member of Jimmy’s Flowers located in Ogden, Utah. The business was founded in 1948 by his grandparents. He graduated with high honors in 2010 from Weber State University with a degree in business administration from the Goddard School of Business, while working at the flower shop. He currently serves as vice president of his family’s company that employs more than 60 full-time and part-time employees across three locations, as well as a growing wholesale division that he helped start in 2014. He handles the business, financial and human resource operations for the company and is also one of the primary buyers of fresh flowers and hard goods. He currently serves on the SAF Retail Council and is a current member of the Midwest Floral Group. 

Kevin McCarthy is the fourth generation of the McCarthy family to work in the floral business in Alpharetta, Georgia. He grew up working in his parent’s flower shop in northeastern Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Georgia and previously managed Bloody Point Golf Club & Resort, a boutique beach resort in South Carolina, before working full time in the family flower business. In 2003, McCarthy’s enthusiasm for the floral industry won him a spot on the FTD float in the 114th annual Tournament of Roses Parade. McCarthy recently became President of Family Flowers, formerly known as McCarthy Group Florists, and oversees family-owned flower shops in 10 states, executing the company’s mission to deliver love. Despite Family Flower’s expansion from a single shop to over 20 locations, Kevin believes in honoring his family legacy by giving the same personal attention to every customer just as the company has done since 1952.

Talmage McLaurin began his floral career in a family-owned flower business. In 1990, he launched a 23-year career in floral publishing, during which he contributed to more than 400 issues of Florists’ Review and Super Floral magazines and was featured in more than 20 books for florists as the creative director and publisher for Florists’ Review Enterprises.

He was inducted into American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in 1988 and has made eight presentations at their National Symposiums. In 2008, Talmage received the AIFD award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry.

Talmage resides in Ft. Lauderdale and is part of the creative team at Sunshine Bouquet in Miami.

Carlos Muina, a Miami native of Cuban descent, has been with Petal for 15 years starting as a floral designer and growing with the company to become Chief Creative Officer and Head of Production. A constant student of the craft of floristry and a passion for design and attention to detail keeps him motivated to continue to innovate. With over 30 years experience in the event industry in Miami and New York Carlos’s talents have been integral to the continued growth and success here at Petal. “There is nothing I am more proud of here at Petal than having built the best team in the industry.” 

Dr.-Ing. Esteban Muñoz, co funder of Fresh-o-Fair, an online flower concierge, is a dedicated scientist specializing in sustainable business development. He develops models to forecast resource flows, advising on investments. As a consultant for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Muñoz leads the development of tools for quantifying green jobs, aiding cities in green job creation. Beyond UNEP, he collaborates globally on sustainable projects, managing budgets and drafting proposals for international funds. Dr. Muñoz also integrates sustainability information into corporate reporting cycles, aligning with UN frameworks like the Principles for Responsible Investment (“PRI”) and the Global Compact. His work ensures transparency, aiding investors and stakeholders in understanding corporations’ commitment to sustainable development. 

Gregory is a renowned workplace experience strategist and award winning keynote speaker. His work helps organizations engage and retain employees who deliver purposeful, profitable performances each day at work. Described as “one of the most inspirational people on the planet” by Leadercast, his work helps organizations to attract, engage and retain exceptional employees.

Carlos Oramas is CEO of Gems Group Inc.  Carlos joined the floral industry in 1993, and spent several years in sales and marketing roles before co-founding Gems in 2003.  He is a board member and past president of the Association of Floral Importers of Florida, and serves on the Produce Marketing Association Board of Directors.   Carlos received his BBA from Florida International University, his MIBA from Nova Southeastern University, and has been a Vistage® member since 2009.  He loves volunteering, is actively involved in the floral industry, local advisory boards, and has co-hosted a weekly Spanish catholic radio show.  He is a South Florida native, has been married to Graysy for almost 20 years, and they have 2 children Michael and Brianna.  

Cameron Pappas is vice president and owner of Norton’s Florist in Birmingham, Alabama. He currently serves on SAF’s Next Gen Task Force and was a 2018 SAF Convention speaker. A graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting, he has expertise in financial management, marketing and technology. He is a member of the FTD Florist Advisory Board and in 2018 was named one of the “Top 40 Influencers Under 40” by Birmingham Magazine. Norton’s has been in business for 99 years—81 years with the Norton family, and 18 with the Pappas family.

Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Monty graduated with Honors from the University of Hawaii-Manoa College of Business with a degree in accounting. After passing the CPA exam and working in public accounting for two local CPA Firms, Monty left public Accounting for Watanabe Floral as their Accountant. After a few years, Monty migrated away from Accounting becoming the Sales and Marketing Director and later adding the title of General Manager. In 2009, Pacific Business News recognized Monty as one of Hawaii’s 40 Under 40 and in July 2023, recognized as one of Hawaii’s Community Givers by Pacific Edge Magazine. He is enormously proud of the team at Watanabe Floral, voted Hawaii’s Best Florist by the Honolulu Star Advertiser 2003-2023, Best of Hawaii by KITV, 2020-2023 and a Retail Merchant of the Year honoree as well. Monty is an advocate for businesses role in working for and with the Community.  

Away from Watanabe Floral, Monty is the Chairman of the Leeward YMCA Board of Managers and President of the Alaka’i Networking Roundtable, a Business Networking group. Monty is married to Lori Pereira and has two daughters, Tiana (24) and Crystal (21). 

Ian Prosser began his over 40-year successful floral career with three little shops in Glasgow, Scotland. He is the youngest person to receive the honor of “Floral Designer of the Year” for all of Scotland and earned the “National Diploma of the Society of Floristry”, the highest European honor in floral design. In 1989, Prosser opened Botanica International Design Studio to serve the greater Tampa Bay area and now, the expanded Botanica International Design & Décor Studio designs events across Florida and the globe.

As Executive Vice President/CEO, Kate Penn leads, directs and manages day-to-day activities for SAF and is responsible for developing the overall strategic positioning for the organization. She joined SAF in 1987 as a writer and editor, and then held positions as editor-in-chief, publisher, vice president of publishing and communications, and chief content and publishing officer. Kate has a B.S. in journalism from Bowling Green State University.

Michael Pugh is the chief financial officer and co-owner of Pugh’s Flowers in Memphis, Tennessee. An industry member for more than 30 years, Pugh has expertise in financial management, strategic planning, marketing and business development. He has served on the executive committee of the Next Level Floral Group, as secretary of Memphis Metro Plants and as a board member of Fortress Financial. Pugh has served on the board of the Shepherd’s School, is an elder at Woodland Presbyterian Church and a member of his local Chamber of Commerce. He graduated from the University of Memphis and later earned an MBA from Union University.

Radebaugh is an owner at Radebaugh Florist & Greenhouses, a 90-year-old family business in Towson, Maryland. A full-time floral industry member for eight years, she has served on SAF’s Floral Management Advisory Committee and currently sits on the Convention Task Force. Radebaugh has expertise in marketing, merchandising, sales and financial management. She serves on the executive committee of the Towson Chamber of Commerce. She also received the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics in 2008, and the business has been singled out with several honors including Baltimore’s Best Garden Center. Radebaugh is a member of the Towson Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Catering Executives and Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, and is a graduate of the University of Delaware.  

John Richards is vice president of DVFlora, a full-service wholesaler and import distributor of fresh cut flowers and greens, a line of hardgoods and gourmet, as well as a line of botanicals, flowering plants, and foliage. A graduate of Temple University, Richards has 29 years of experience in the industry with expertise in sales management and marketing. He has served as a board member of the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association. 

Keith Rockcastle is owner and president of Rockcastle Florist, a 71Year old family-owned business in Rochester, New York. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. His expertise includes financial management, inventory management, informational technology, and care and handling. Rockcastle has served as president of the Associated Florists of Greater Rochester, the Rochester Delivery Cooperative and of the Greece Rotary Club. He has been awarded Business Person of the Year by the Greece Chamber of Commerce and named a Paul Harris Fellow and one of the Teleflora Top 50. 

Danny Sanchez has been disrupting the floral industry for 11 years by bringing technological advances to the forefront of South Florals’ owned retail shops. Acquiring and operating over 10 retail brands, a steadily growing number, he and his team revitalize once-struggling brands and turn them around by utilizing effective social media strategies, email marketing, SEO and AdWords marketing, along with community engagement to create successfully blooming businesses in their communities. 

Amanda Solliday is a doctoral student in horticultural sciences at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on sustainability and climate change in the horticulture industry, and under the supervision of Dr. Melinda Knuth, she is working on a project with the American Floral Endowment to help develop practical sustainability resources for the floriculture industry. Amanda brings outreach experience from her previous work in communications at two national labs and Duke University, as a public radio science reporter, and as a scientist in the federal government. She earned a master’s degree in crop and soil sciences from Cornell University, where she specialized in international agriculture and rural development, and also received a master’s in journalism from Indiana University. As an undergraduate, Amanda studied biology and environmental studies at Illinois Wesleyan University. She is a member of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 

Kelsey Thompson, AIFD, CFD is a multi-passionate business owner, designer, coffee addict and customer experience strategist. Her retail shop, Bloom Floral + Home Studio is located in Algona Iowa and is a community staple. Kelsey is the President of her local Chamber of Commerce, and was recently awarded the Algona “Retailer of the Year” as well as the 2022 SAF Sylvia Cup   In addition to teaching hands-on courses and mentoring other florists, Kelsey runs  “Petals & Profits,” which is an online resource and content membership with a focus on helping floral shops with business and marketing. Her podcast “The Retail Florist” can be found on your favorite listening platform. Her true love is education, both as an educator and as a student who is constantly learning and growing.

F.J. Trzuskowski has held the position of VP of Sales for Continental Floral Greens, cfgreens.com, for the past 7 years. He is a member of the PMA Floral Council and Certified American Grown Council. F.J. began his formal career in the early 90’s in Holland working for Zurel bv. He continued his career with EsmeraldaFarms, Florimex Worldwide, and Teleflora’s Stems and Bunches along with doing some consulting work with Hallmark. F.J. has an undergraduate degree in Botany from Duke University and a Master’sDegree in Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University

John “J.P.”  Varvarigos FSMD is a 3rd Generation Florist and owner of Wellington Florist. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, J.P. attributes much of his success in the flower business to his background in hospitality. After helping his parents with a busy Mother’s Day Holiday over 20 years ago he discovered he had a natural talent for design and quickly learned all aspects of the business. What was supposed to be a temporary job turned into a successful career as a top florist in the state of Florida. JP took over day to day operations as the general manager of Wellington Florist in 2010 and has since growth the business over 600% 

Wellington florist operates out of a 6000 square foot location, with 1000 sf of cooler space, 30 employees, 4 delivery vehicles, and serves over 1200 square miles.  J.P is an executive board member of the Florida State Florist’s Association where he participates in the mentorship program, and helps organize its annual convention each June.  

Other recent accolades include  

• Small Business person of the year in 2023 by the chamber of commerce of the Palm Beaches.  
• Finalist Small business of the year 2024 
• Best florist in Palm beach county 4 years in a row 2021-2024 
• Retail Florist of the year 2023 Florida state florists association  
• VP Teleflora South Florida education unit  
• Teleflora Top 100 florist  

Lenny Walker is vice president of operations for Kennicott Brothers Company in Chicago, Illinois. Walker has spent 42 years in the floral industry and has served on the Floral Management Committee for SAF. His expertise focuses on operations, of course, as well as improving employee culture, educational programs and communication. He has served with the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supply Association as a board member and as a member of the education and logistics committees. He was written articles discussing how wholesalers deliver value as well as their benefit to providing services to local businesses.

As the Director of Community for Flower Clique, Lori brings her background of 20+ years in education and her passion for connection to our ever-changing industry. Her focus is on helping business owners lead their team with excellence, with emphasis on sales and leadership effectiveness, employee motivation, and transformative mentoring. Lori’s undeniable passion for ongoing education has led to roles as a presenter and panelist at the Society of American Florists and Texas State Floral Association. She is the co-host of the top floral podcast, The Business & Pleasure of Flowers, has over ten years of experience in the floral industry, and is the mother to three wonderful children. 

Angélique Witcher is currently the Marketing & Content Manager for Accent Decor. With over a decade’s worth of experience marketing B2B brands, and an extensive social media, retail and communications background Angélique leads content & branding efforts for Accent Decor’s tailored segments among their flower, plant, & home customers.

Derek joined the floral industry at the ripe age of 16 where he began learning floral design in vocational school and working for a local florist. Since then, he has continued to study the trade through institutes such as Michigan State University, the Michigan Floral Association (MFA), and the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). In 2008, he launched his own business, Floral Underground. Derek is a captivating speaker who finds particular joy in helping audiences find inventive ways to use new and existing products. As a member of the Syndicate Sales Design Team, Derek has a “big picture” perspective on industry trends, and how florists can make the best practical and artistic use of materials. In addition to being an educator, Derek considers himself a “competition designer” spending many years polishing the practice of live floral design competition. This love of competition has won him numerous awards both in and out of the industry, including the MFA’s Chuck Bannow Award, MFA’s Designer of the Year (twice), AIFD’s Bobbi Cup (twice), second runner-up on a national television floral design competition reality show called: “The Arrangement”, and is the winner of the 2016 Sylvia Cup Design Competition.