Pete and Brenda Garcia: Getting Ahead by Doing the Right Thing
Pete and Brenda Garcia
Seven Students Awarded AFE Intern Scholarships
Seven students selected to receive AFE internships from the March cycle of applicants. Five students were awarded Vic & Margaret Ball Internships and two students were awarded a Mosmiller Internship. Each will receive scholarships after successfully completing their paid internships, lasting between three to six months. It’s a win-win for the industry – students can apply their knowledge, while industry organizations bring top talent and fresh thinking to their operation. “AFE’s internship programs provide students with the hands-on experience students need to put their classroom knowledge to use in the real world and prepare them for the workplace after graduation while providing the industry with top talent,” says AFE Executive Director, Debi Chedester. “By hosting an intern, each participating organization has the opportunity to…
Flower Summit: An Industry Collaboration
AFE recently participated in the latest Flower Summit meeting, which was held in Washington D.C. on March 13, 2019. Started in 2014, Flower Summit meetings allow for a designated time for national associations to come together to determine the best ways to benefit the industry through each of their individual organization’s resources. The group focuses on collaborating to advance the industry as a whole and therefore benefit their members.“Defining and developing programs and initiatives to promote and improve our industry is a priority for all of our organizations. With limited funding and resources, it makes perfect sense to collaborate with these national and international organizations to ensure we are all aware of all ongoing efforts and to partner together when…
Indoor Lighting for the Production of Floriculture Transplants
Erik Runkle, Michigan State UniversityAn exciting new way to produce floriculture crop seedlings and rooted cuttings (transplants) is indoors, where the environment can be controlled to produce uniform plants on demand. This growing technique enables control of the light spectrum using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to produce plants with desired attributes such as compact growth and early or late flowering, whichever is desired. We are currently in the second year of our project supported by the American Floral Endowment.Our team of students and research technicians is performing experiments in the Controlled Environment Lighting Laboratory (CELL). We are pleased to share our results to date through a five-part series of articles in GrowerTalks magazine. Below is a list of the article topics,…
Now Accepting Applications for 2020 Scholarships
Applications are now being accepted for 24 different scholarships through the American Floral Endowment (AFE)., junior, senior and graduate students studying floriculture and horticulture must submit their applications online by the May 1 deadline.Abigail Keairns – Murray State University 2019 Armellini Scholarship recipientScholarships range from $500 to $6,000.In 2019, the Endowment awarded up to $42,300 in scholarships.“AFE strives to support the next generation of industry members in any way we can. One of the ways we do this is through awarding scholarships to help ease their financial burdens,” said Greg Royer, Chairman of Royers Flowers & Gifts and AFE Education Committee Chair.More than 24 scholarships are awarded to assist students in pursuing a career in horticulture or floriculture. Scholarships are available for students…
Celebration of Life Honors Industry Icon August ‘Gus’ De Hertogh
It couldn’t have been a more perfect day to celebrate and honor a man who gave so much to the floral industry. Family and friends from near and abroad joined together to remember August “Gus” De Hertogh at the J C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC, on Saturday, March 16, 2019. Gus passed away on October 26, 2018. In all, nearly 200 attended the event on a perfect spring afternoon. It was only fitting that event featured beautiful tulips and other florals, generously provided by industry members that Gus worked so closely with for decades. The program, emceed by Dr. Elliot Engel, a longtime friend of Gus and Mary Belle, provided great stories about the impact Gus made on the…
AFE Board Members Go to College (Station)
AFE held this year’s February Board of Trustees Meeting in College Station, Texas. The group visited Texas A&M, where AFE has awarded over $800,000 in research and educational grants. Currently, AFE is supporting research at the university on consumer preference and funding a new study at the Human Behavioral Lab. The Human Behavior Lab is the largest biometrics lab in the world. The Trustees experienced part of the new study from the Floral Marketing Research Fund, co-sponsored by the American Floral Endowment and the Produce Marketing Association, “Using Biometric Technology to Better Understand Floral Consumers.” Drs. Marco Palma and Charlie Hall showed the group how the lab can successfully track eye movements to collect data on where the consumers’ eyes…
My First Experience with the NFF
By YPC Member, Yiyun Lin My first time at NFF was a fantastic experience. The meeting began with a tour of the Chicago Botanic Garden, showing us its unique landscape, incredible design, newly renovated greenhouse space, as well as a first look at their seasonal orchid show that included around 50 different species. It was an educational experience to learn about the garden’s history, their ongoing research projects, and the breeding programs that contribute to both the garden and the industry. Following the tour, the meeting began with talks focusing on future and young faculty. Attendees from various backgrounds shared valuable advice and experiences, providing me with knowledge that will assist in my future career. As graduate students, we were…
Awaken: My AIFD 2019 Experience
By Martha Aaron, 2019 Recipient of AFE’s Arizona Retail Florist Education Travel Grant An experience of a lifetime, not only for myself but for three of my team members as well. While only two of the members actually attended conference classes with me, our shop wedding coordinator and designer. The third, our sales associate, became inspired so much so, that we are now working towards her becoming a designer as well! Held within the gorgeous backdrop of the Paris Hotel in sunny Las Vegas, the sophisticatedly styled ballrooms were lavishly adorned in Parisian flair, gold accents, and intricate crown molding was the perfect backdrop for this fabulous conference. Our journey began Sunday night, once settled we wandered the halls of the…
Gus De Hertogh Celebration of Life
The follow celebration event can be watched on YouTube here. A celebration of life will be held in honor of August (Gus) De Hertogh on Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 3 – 6:30 pm. It will be held at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. To RSVP: email Debbie Hamrick at debbie.hamrick@ncfb.org A memorial tribute has been established with AFE. It is our hope to raise $50,000 to establish an annual named Scholarship Fund to honor Gus. Click here to donate. The family will be notified of all contributions. August (Gus) De Hertogh, Ph. D. passed away on October 26, 2018, at the age of 83. Dr. De Hertogh was an internationally renowned researcher and expert in the industry,…