Memorial Tribute Established in Memory of Sue Conyers

After gaining a few years of experience in the industry, Sue opened her own importing company in Miami, World Flowers, Inc., in 1979. Her first office was in the original Armellini building next to the airport. They moved into their new World Flowers building in 1986. World Flowers became a family business and inspired generations of industry work. Sue’s husband, Doug, worked for her as the warehouse manager. Sue’s son, Robert, also worked for the company for many years. Their daughter, Christine, worked for some years before joining the Association of Floral Importers of Florida (AFIF) as the Executive Vice President. Sue quickly became a leader in the Miami flower importing community. She viewed the health of the whole industry…

You’re Invited! AFE Friends of Floral Reception at SAF Convention

You’re invited! Join us at our upcoming Friends of Floral Reception in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday, September 7th, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm in conjunction with the SAF 2023 Annual Convention.   Join AFE in celebrating recent accomplishments while networking with peers and industry leaders who partner with the Endowment to fund advancements in all aspects of floriculture – including research, scholarships, internships, and other industry programs. New to AFE? Take this opportunity to learn more, get involved, and take advantage of all that the Endowment has to offer! Whether you’re new to AFE or a seasoned supporter, join in celebrating over 60 years of accomplishments while networking with peers and recognizing industry champions who have helped support AFE’s research, scholarships, and…

Celebrating A United Industry – AFE’s R.I.S.E. to Support Campaign Exceeds Goal

We celebrate and thank the many industry supporters, sponsors, and friends who contributed to this year’s annual fundraiser, R.I.S.E. to Support. Over $135,000 was raised in support of the floral industry through the Endowment’s 2023 Campaign. The success of the campaign shows how committed and united our industry is to ongoing progress, supporting future generations, education, and research.From May 15th through June 30th, 2023, AFE’s Board of Trustees and Staff connected with the floral industry through a virtual fundraising campaign to increase annual support for the Endowment’s vital industry programs, which were noted in this year’s theme of R.I.S.E.: Research, Internships, Scholarships, and Education for all sectors. The joint fundraising goal was set at $100,000. Over the month and a half,…

AFE at AIFD: A Whirlwind Floral Experience

AFE Communications Coordinator Gracie Alvarez had the chance to travel to Chicago for the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) Symposium over the Fourth of July weekend! While there, she visited the “Bringing FFA to AIFD” group, viewed main stage showcases from world-renowned designers, and participated in the PFDE test.  Renee’ Potter, Arizona Retail Florist Travel Grant Recipient Renee’ Potter, our 2023 Arizona Retail Florist Travel Grant Recipient, used her grant funding to attend this year’s Symposium. Renee’ Potter is the owner of Fred’s Flowers in Tempe, AZ. Renee’ was able to stay for the full Symposium and had this to say about her experience: “The AIFD Symposium was great as always! I was inspired by the mainstage design programs. There…

Ensuring Tomorrow’s Leaders Have Access to Floral Education Today

The Phillip Family left a profound impact on floral design through the James and Helen Phillip Floral Design Grant, and today, their legacy is carried forward through the work of inspired floral design students at six institutions across the country.This grant directly supports floral design programs, ensuring a robust learning environment and making floral design programs more attractive to students. Bringing more students into floral design helps to both educate them on the wide range of career possibilities in our industry, and to cultivate a pool of skilled workers who can fill positions in retail flower shops or start their own businesses after graduation. AFE educational grants like these strive to educate, uplift and provide resources for the next generation…

New Salary Data Showcases the Promise of Horticulture Careers

Seed Your Future (SYF), in collaboration with theAmerican Floral Endowment (AFE) and North Carolina State University, is excited to announce the results of its comprehensive horticultural salary survey. The survey, conducted in Fall 2022, aimed to provide valuable insights into the salaries and benefits offered across various positions within the horticultural industry. AFE is releasing an additional, condensed version of the report focusing on positions within the floriculture industry. “We are thrilled to possess data that allows us to compare the salaries and benefits in floriculture with those in broader sectors of agriculture. Our objective is to share this information in order to attract a wider range of individuals to our industry, encompassing various roles from cultivation to accounting.” — Debi Chedester,…

Memorial Tribute Established in Memory of Gene Willis

Gene was actively engaged in the floral industry, serving as the president of International Floral Distributors in 2013 and on the board of directors from 2012 to 2014. He promoted floral hard goods as an integral part of the floral industry for 46 years. He believed hard goods were every bit as important to the success of cut flowers.Gene was born in the rugged northeastern Arizona town of McNary, AZ., to Merrill Roundy and Dora Tilton Willis.  He descended from a long line of northern Arizona pioneers, and the spirit of the Old West—honesty, hard work, resilience, and helping others – lived in his veins his whole life.In 1967 Gene received a master’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University, passed the…

New Breakthroughs in Thrips and Botrytis Management: A Special Presentation at Cultivate ‘23

This summer marks an exciting milestone in our Thrips and Botrytis Campaign as we unveil our extensive results and insights to the industry.As part of this release, we cordially invite you to join us at Cultivate on Monday, July 17, from 10:30 – 11:30 am for a special presentation of some of our findings. Titled “Effective Management of Thrips and Botrytis,” this session will feature practical takeaways from leading researchers, Dr. Jim Faust of Clemson University and Dr. Rose Buitenhuis of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. You’ll be introduced to cutting-edge discoveries and optimal strategies for managing and controlling thrips and botrytis in your operation. We’ll also delve into the essential topics of fungicide resistance and the use of biological…

Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation – A Sustainable Disease Management Technique for the Control of Soilborne Pathogens in Specialty Cut Flowers

Within the U.S. floriculture industry, cut flowers account for over $382 million in annual national sales (NASS 2019). Although imported cut flowers make up the majority of purchases, locally grown specialty cut flowers are facing a tremendous increase in popularity. This phenomenon is well reflected in the number of members of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), which has increased by more than 100% in the last five years (J. Laushman). Specialty cut flower production systems are diverse and include the use of soilless, soil-based, or a combination of these substrates, which can be reused over multiple seasons. Along with substrate reuse, the use of soil can introduce the risk of soilborne diseases caused by fungi and oomycete…

Donor Spotlight: David Boulton

David Boulton, owner of Flowers By George, Inc. in Arlington, WA, and second-generation florist, has a deep-rooted love for the floral industry. David grew up spending many hours working alongside his father in their family-owned florist shop learning the industry and the importance of all industry segments working together synergistically.David was introduced to AFE through his mentor, former AFE board member Sten Crissey of Crissey Flowers, Inc. Mr. Crissey recruited David to participate in a phone-athon to raise funding for AFE-supported programs. Having seen how all segments of the industry came together for this fun, yet vital event, David wanted to stay involved.With over 40 years of experience in the floral industry, David has served on many boards and is…

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