Shelby Shy Memorial Tribute Established

She served as AFA’s president and on their board. Shelby is a former president of the Arkansas Florists Association. She was also actively involved in the Society for American Florists, as a volunteer group leader who helped with regional educational sessions and served on their Consumer Marketing Committee. She holds the SAF honor of being a member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF.) “Shelby brought such a beautiful energy and positivity – and innovation – to her contributions to SAF. She was so generous with her ideas as a member of our committees and councils,” said SAF CEO Kate Penn. “Anything we asked her to do – whether take part in an article, or develop and lead a program…

Winners and Doers

This year’s Paul Ecke Jr. and Altman Family scholars are horticulture superstars! Authored by Bruce Wright Looking for reasons to feel optimistic about the future of the floral industry? Meet these four brilliant, engaging young people committed to making it better—recipients of this year’s AFE Paul Ecke, Jr. and Altman Family Scholarships. All four are graduate students in plant science who are already doing research that could quickly translate into new and improved varieties and increased flower longevity. What’s even more encouraging is the quality of leadership demonstrated by all four recipients. There is no doubt they are already taking their place among the industry’s innovators and ambassadors. For those who aren’t directly involved in the breeding and growing end…

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…

Get Involved with AFE

Make an Impact

Ways to Give

Volunteer With Us

Opportunities