New Officers and Appointments Announced

AFE Chairman Dwight Larimer of DESIGN MASTER color tool, inc. announces the appointments of new officers and committee chairmen.Jim Daly of Floralife/Smithers-Oasis in Walterboro, S.C. has been named Chairman-Elect and Laura Shinall of Syndicate Sales, Inc. in Kokomo, Ind. was appointed Treasurer/Secretary-Elect.Both will assume their new positions as Chairman and Treasurer/Secretary, respectively, next September during the 2018 AFE Annual Fundraising Dinner.Greg Royer of Royer’s Flowers & Gifts in Lebanon, Pa. has been appointed AFE’s Education Committee Chair, and also joins the Executive Committee. The remaining Executive Committee members include past Chairman Gabriel Becerra of Golden Flowers and Kristi Huffman of Multi Packaging Solutions.In addition, Randy Tagawa of Tagawa Greenhouses in Brighton, Colo. is the new Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Committee…

AFE Bulletin September 2017: Matching Gift Campaign, New Consumer Study, Upcoming Video Contest, and More

AFE Bulletin August 2017: Fundraising Raffle, Scholarships Awarded, Free Webinars, and More

Applications for Paid Floriculture Internships Due October 1

Applications are now being accepted for the Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program.AFE administers paid internship programs for floriculture and environmental horticulture students each year, and the next application deadline is October 1.Students selected will receive a scholarship upon successful completion of their internships.The Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program was made possible through a generous gift from Vic & Margaret Ball and allows students to gain experience at a commercial production greenhouse or nursery. The program offers paid internships in three, four or six-month durations and provides scholarships of up to $6,000.Three videos were created earlier this year to promote the program:The student video shares students’ successful internship experiences and testimonials on…

Bringing Top Talent to the Floral Industry

AFE is once again aiming to attract young business professionals to the world of flowers through its Business Internship Program, now in its third year.An Employer Resource Guide that was created to help companies build a successful internship program is also available, with easy-to-use guidelines and steps to create meaningful learning experiences for the next generation of business leaders.Now’s your chance to host an intern and help eager students contribute to your organization and the floral industry!With support from participating industry organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada, students will gain practical business experience and develop essential skills to help the floral industry prosper.Open to manufacturers, wholesalers/suppliers, retail floral shops, importers and growing operations, AFE will provide host employers with full-time…

More Than $36,000 Awarded in 2017 AFE Scholarships

Emily Currens, University of Georgia, John L. Tomasovic Sr. ScholarshipTwenty students have been awarded AFE scholarships this year totaling $36,500. Sixty applications were received for this 2017 scholarship cycle.“We had many outstanding students apply for scholarships this year, which is why some scholarships were awarded to two recipients,” said Dwight Larimer, AFE Chairman and Education Committee Chair.“I’m proud to see the high quality of students each year and I enjoy granting scholarships to these well-deserved students to help them continue their education and become passionate industry leaders.”AFE awards scholarships annually, and applications are due by May 1 of each year.Learn more about AFE scholarships here. American Florists’ Exchange Scholarship — $2,200Recipient: Summer Blanco, California State Polytechnic University – PomonaBlanco is a junior…

AFE Bulletin July 2017: New Webinars, Pinterest Project, Sakata Campaign, and More

Upcoming Webinars, New Travel Grant Featured in AFE Bulletin June 2017

Sakata and AFE Announce ’40 Days of Summer Giving’

Sakata Seed America has teamed up with AFE for a “40 Days of Summer Giving” campaign in celebration of Sakata’s 40th anniversary.For 40 days – July 10 to Aug. 18 – contributions made to AFE will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Sakata up to $10,000. That means up to $20,000 to support AFE’s programs that promote and advance the floral industry!To celebrate its 40th year in North America, Sakata Seed America made a commitment to support 40 organizations in the nutrition, health and environmental sectors that aim to improve life, community and culture throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.Thus, Sakata’s 40 Acts of Kindness initiative was born.“AFE’s dedication to the floriculture and horticulture industries through its educational programs,…

2017 AFE Fundraising Dinner: For the Love of Flowers!

AFE’s largest fundraising event of the year – the 2017 Annual Fundraising Dinner – will be held on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Fla.The dinner, which is held in conjunction with the Society of American Florists’ Annual Convention, will highlight floriculture successes, honor industry champions, and bring hundreds of floral industry professionals together to raise money to support future floriculture research, programs and grants.“The Endowment is establishing great new initiatives for the industry and opening new paths to support education and industry programs,” said AFE Chairman Dwight Larimer.“Our fundraising dinner will show the importance of industry contributions and how they are used to build these much-needed programs.” Sponsorship Opportunities Available!The success…