As the IT Director at the Society of American Florists, I bring a strategic and innovative approach to our technology infrastructure. Leading the successful migration of our IT systems to the cloud, I am deeply committed to enhancing cybersecurity measures and ensuring robust protection for our data and networks.

In the rapidly evolving tech landscape, I am a strong advocate for integrating Artificial Intelligence technologies into business operations. My focus lies in harnessing AI’s potential to optimize workflows and drive efficiency, aligning with our organizational goals.

Balancing security, user productivity, and organizational resilience is at the core of my approach. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, I aim to position the Society of American Florists at the forefront of technological advancement in our industry.

Christina Brown FSMD is Owner of Roses Are Red Florist with two small locations in the Melbourne Florida Area. Her shops specialize in retail and destination weddings. She has a BS in Horticulture from UF and has worked hard to train her staff and give them the tools to work efficiently and independently so she typically only works 10-15 hours a week mostly remotely and a few hours on some weekends that have event work that needs an extra set of hands.

Barry Gottlieb has spent his career helping people and organizations grow… professionally, personally, and purposefully. 
 
His path has been anything but linear. Barry began as an educator, moved into business leadership, and ultimately became a trusted advisor and mentor to leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams across industries.  
 
Along the way, as a Partner, he helped scale a business to a $75 million valuation, served as a VP of sales within a billion-dollar organization, and worked closely with companies navigating growth, transition, and transformation. 
 
Today, Barry has started a new chapter. As he steps away from running an active consulting practice, his focus is on sharing wisdom, perspective, and experience… through writing, mentoring, and select advisory conversations… rather than building or promoting a firm. 
 
He is the author of multiple books on leadership, personal growth, and living fully, including: “TGIT – Thank God It’s Today”, “Brilliant on the Basics… A Playbook for Business Leaders”, “This Old Dog Can Teach You New Tricks”, and “Unstoppable Sales… A Proven Playbook for Sales Mastery”.  
 
Writing has become his primary vehicle for impact… allowing him to give back, provoke thought, and inspire meaningful action across generations. 
 
Throughout my career, one belief has remained constant: Knowledge only becomes powerful when it is applied consistently. 
 
Whether working with executives, emerging leaders, or individuals at life’s crossroads, Barry’s passion has always been the same… helping people clarify what matters, lead with integrity, and create lives and organizations they are proud of. 
 
He remains open to select mentoring, speaking, and advisory opportunities aligned with purpose, values, and impact. 
 
His mission remains unchanged: To inspire and empower others to reach their full potential… today, and every day. 

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.

Holly is a world traveler who has been involved in the floral industry since birth. She studied Supply Chain Management in college, and describes herself as a business woman at heart, and an artist on demand. After spending years working for a Fortune 500 company, she went on to backpack and live nomadically around the world. Holly has worked in flower shops in Singapore and Australia, and brings a global perspective to her local family flower and gift shop, Kennedy’s, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

Brent Leech AIFD CFD is a Freelance Floral Artist in Phoenix, Arizona. He has been an active member of the American Institute of Floral Designers for the past 37 years, currently serving as the National Vice President and soon to be the National President-Elect. 

Brent, a former floral business owner from Geneva, IL, has assisted with floral designs at the White House, the Academy Awards, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. He was also a guest instructor at the American Floral Art School in Taipei, Taiwan. 

Since relocating to Arizona in 2022, Brent has been actively involved in the local FFA programs, providing floral demonstrations to chapters that offer floral design in their curriculum. He was the lead in the FFA 2025 Spring Conference floral design competition at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which had 100 FFA students in attendance. 

In a world of disruption, change, and adversity Mike Lee helps individual contributors, leaders, and organizations activate the purpose-driven, future-focused, and heart-centered skills that drive engagement, win the war for talent and create cultures of belonging. He’s blended a diverse background of mindset, mindfulness, and high-performance to create a counter-cultural approach to the future of leadership.

Mike’s engaging, inspiring, and interactive programs at F500 companies and professional associations like Morgan Stanley, AmFam, Cisco, SHRM and IBM have earned rave reviews from bold and driven leaders. He’s delivered this approach through keynotes in packed ballrooms of a thousand where he’s shared the stage with cultural icons and speakers such Mike Tyson, Eric Thomas and Jesse Itzler, as well as, intimate workshops with 10-person senior leadership teams. Mike has been described as “the easiest and most conscientious speaker I’ve worked with”, “the perfect choice to kick off our event” and having “an impeccable ability to tell a story”.

For 15 years he worked with some of basketball’s elite earning testimonials from NBA players such as MVP Steph Curry. Through his experience building an international basketball brand from his college apartment, and growing it while battling anxiety and depression, Mike understands the challenges leaders face in this volatile, uncertain, and complex world. His unique combination of personal adversity and basketball background gives him the ability to connect in a vulnerable and authentic way with a diverse range of audiences from the stage.

Drawing on the latest research from neuroscience, sports psychology, and personal experience, he’s shared stories and practical exercises — across the world — to help people find their own inner power and poise to thrive in business and life. His latest book, The New Rules For The Future of Leadership, has been endorsed by the likes of Nieman Marcus Chief People and Belonging Officer and other Fortune 500 leaders.

Kevin R. McCarthy is the fourth generation of his family to carry forward a passion for flowers and family-owned business. He grew up working in his parent’s flower shop in northeastern Pennsylvania, where his enthusiasm for the floral industry earned him a spot on the FTD float at the 114th annual Tournament of Roses Parade in 2003.

Kevin’s career blends deep retail expertise with a passion for entrepreneurship. A graduate of the University of Georgia, he previously managed the boutique Bloody Point Golf Club & Resort in South Carolina. Kevin also has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and is an angel investor in early stage startups. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Floral Endowment and is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization.

As President of Family Flowers, Kevin leads more than 30 family-owned flower shops across 10 states and growing. Kevin and his family live in Alpharetta, Georgia, where he works at the Family Flowers Headquarters – keeping family values at the heart of every decision.

Dan McManus has helped thousands of shop owners grow their business and become more profitable. He is the founder of TeamFloral the largest marketing service for flower shops in the U.S. and Canada. He is also the author of Flower and Profits which has been serving florists for the more than 26 years. Dan is an engaging speaker who offers real-world solutions to some the most important issues florists face today. Dan holds an MBA from the University of Texas.  

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.

Lisa Nason is the Director of Marketing for Kennicott. With over 24 years of marketing and analytics experience Lisa is working on brand positioning, marketing strategy, and growth optimization at Kennicott.  She has a passion for communication, thinking outside the box, and has a willingness to pitch in to get the job done.  Lisa enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family, gardening, and reading.

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.

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.

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). 

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.

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. 

Mark Subel is the founder of Two Wheels Marketing and a digital marketing veteran with more than 15 years of experience helping businesses grow through SEO, PPC, social media, and lead generation strategies. After starting his career in the online gaming industry, where he helped drive significant revenue growth, he launched his own consulting business and later founded Two Wheels Marketing in 2010. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Mark lives with his wife and two sons and enjoys music, community involvement, basketball, pickleball, and cycling. 

Two Wheels Marketing is a digital marketing agency helping businesses grow through SEO, PPC, paid social, and ecommerce strategy. We have become a trusted marketing partner for florists across the country, helping flower shops drive more online orders, expand into new delivery markets, and achieve sustained revenue growth. 

Rachael Goei Vander Heide is the President of Eastern Floral, a business that has been part of the West Michigan community for over 75 years. She is the second generation in her family to own and lead the company, building on 50 years of stewardship by the founding family. With a degree in business and a master’s in accounting, Rachael brings a forward-thinking approach to leadership. She is passionate about embracing new ideas, investing in her team, and keeping customer experience and quality at the center of everything Eastern Floral does. Rachael remains dedicated to honoring Eastern Floral’s legacy while guiding it toward an exciting future.

Laura Walsh is Regional Chicago Manager for Phillips Flowers & Gifts, a Family Flowers company, where she oversees six retail locations and the company’s Design Center. With more than 36 years of experience in the floral industry, Laura has led teams and operations across retail, event, production, sympathy, and delivery divisions. 

Following the acquisition of Phillips Flowers by Family Flowers Group, Laura played an active role in helping guide the transition of leadership, culture, and operations while maintaining strong employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and business performance. Known for her approachable, people-first leadership style, she focuses on open communication, building trust, and preserving the unique strengths that help acquired businesses continue to flourish. 

Today, Laura leads regional operations throughout the Chicago market and is passionate about developing teams, strengthening organizational culture, and helping businesses successfully navigate periods of growth and change. 

Lori is the Chief Financial Officer for a family-owned business, Lafayette Florist in Lafayette, Colorado.  The 74-year-old establishment is in its 3rd generation and grooming the 4th for the future.  Lori has served on SAF’s Board of Directors, Retail Council, and numerous SAF committees.  She currently sits on the Board of Directors for Denver Wholesale Florists Company (DWF) and is the President of SAF. 

Ryan Whiteside is a Director of Digital Marketing and Ohio University graduate who helps businesses grow through data-driven strategies across SEO, Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta Ads, email marketing, conversion optimization, and marketing automation. Known for his analytical approach and focus on measurable results, Ryan develops customized campaigns that drive leads, sales, and long-term growth. Outside of work, he enjoys golf and spending time with his family. 

Two Wheels Marketing is a digital marketing agency helping businesses grow through SEO, PPC, paid social, and ecommerce strategy. We have become a trusted marketing partner for florists across the country, helping flower shops drive more online orders, expand into new delivery markets, and achieve sustained revenue growth.

Lori Wilson, PFCI, Director of Community and Education for Flower Clique, began her career in education before transitioning into the floral industry, where she now has over 14 years of experience. Holding degrees in both Elementary Education and Organizational Communication, Lori combines her passion for teaching with strong communication and leadership training skills to help florists grow thriving teams and stronger businesses. Through speaking engagements, coaching, mentorship, and as co-host of The Business & Pleasure of Flowers podcast, she empowers florists with practical strategies in leadership, sales, customer service, and team development. Lori is passionate about lifelong learning and creating meaningful connections within the floral industry. She and her husband reside in The Woodlands, Texas, and have three grown children and one very needy dog named Bo.