Sten Crissey Named to AFE Leadership Role

Sten Crissey, AAF, former owner of Crissey's Inc. in Seattle and a past president of SAF, was appointed by the American Floral Endowment (AFE) to the new position of vice president of development and industry relations.

"The Endowment trustees are delighted that someone of Sten's experience and stature has agreed to take on this pivotal role," said AFE incoming Chairman Mike Mellano Sr. of Mellano & Company in San Luis Rey, Calif.

Effective Feb. 1, Crissey will begin his work raising awareness for the Endowment and forging stronger ties throughout the industry, according to an AFE press release. The Endowment's goal is to develop a successful major gift and planned giving program to complement the current fund-raising efforts.

Crissey has been active in the floral industry since the 1970s, and in addition to serving as a board member and officer of SAF, is a past president of the Northwest Florists Association. In 2004, he was inducted into SAF's Floriculture Hall of Fame, and is a past recipient of SAF's Paul Ecke Jr. Award. He has served AFE as a trustee, past-treasurer and current chairman, a position he will relinquish in order to fulfill his vice presidential responsibilities.

AFE was founded in 1961, and is the leading non-profit funding source for floricultural research and education programs in the United States.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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CCFC Names New Chairperson

The board of commissioners for the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) has appointed

New CCFC Chairperson Wilja Happé.

Wilja Happé of Brand Flowers in Carpinteria, Calif., as its new chairperson. She replaces Dan Vordale of Ocean View Flowers in Lompoc, Calif., whose term expired in December.

"I want to ensure that the CCFC's marketing efforts help California farms sell the flowers that are available during their natural season. It is vitally important that we make our marketing efforts within the state directly applicable to what our members have for sale, during the time of year that we naturally grow the product, and that we focus on the colors and varieties that are available," she said in a press release.

Happé's other goals include helping finalize the coalition and management agreement between the CCFC and the California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (CAFG&S), and encouraging California growers to participate in a cold-chain agreement between growers and major flower trucking lines, according to the press release. She also expressed her support for the new national Floral Marketing Funding Initiative.

After moving to the United States from Holland, Happé co-founded Brand Flowers, a cut flower and greens nursery and bouquet manufacturer in 1989 and became its sole owner in 2005. She has been a member of the CCFC Board of Commissioners since 1999 and has served on the CCFC Executive Committee for four years. She was also a past president of the California State Floral Association and a past SAF board member.

The CCFC also announced the following committee chairmen appointments: Finance Committee --- Hans Brand, of B & H Flowers in Carpinteria; Marketing Committee -- Chad Nelson of Eufloria Flowers in Nipomo; Nominating Bylaws -- Bob Mellano of Mellano & Co. in San Luis Rey; Governmental Relations -- June Van Wingerden of Ocean Breeze International in Carpinteria; Research and Education -- Mike Mellano Sr. Mellano & Co.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Florist Wins Award for Making Shop Accessible to Disabled

The inviting interior of Bayview Blossoms.

A Canadian flower shop, Bayview Blossoms, took home an Ontario Mainstreet Accessibility Award last month for making it easy for people in wheelchairs to browse its 800-square-foot boutique.

Owner Ni No Wong, who became a florist 12 years ago, says she didn't set out to win an award. It was her work at the YMCA, before she was a florist, that partly inspired her floor plan.

"That spirit [at the YMCA] of always being inclusive and responsible stuck with me," she says.

She thought about her store layout when she opened it years ago. "I'm lucky I did not have to make major changes to the store," she explains. "I just thought about the wheelchairs and strollers in our neighborhood." (The flower shop is located across the street from a senior center and the neighborhood also is home to lots of young families.)

Wong also added a dining room table in the middle of her shop where anyone in a wheelchair can peruse merchandise. She provides chairs for older customers with canes or walkers who have trouble standing. Wong notes that she also just prefers an open atmosphere in her shop.

"Too many florists try to jam too much into their shops," she says, making something of an obstacle course for disabled shoppers, especially during busy holidays.

--Mary Ann Barton
maryannbarton@msn.com

 
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California Growers Tough Out Bad Weather

California growers, in the final stretch of production before Valentine's Day, seem to have escaped much of the crop damage suffered by the state's citrus growers during a recent cold front. Still, for most growers it is too soon to gauge the extent of the damage. "Most growers I have talked to say it will be weeks or even months before they know the full effect," says Ann Quinn of the California State Floral Association.

The multi-day stretch of below-freezing temperatures and windstorms wreaked havoc on the state's agriculture industry. California's secretary of food and agriculture A.G. Kawamura told the New York Times the weather was expected to cause statewide damage "even more widespread than a three-day freeze in December, 1998, which cost the state's growers about $700 million."

The newspaper also reported that some farmers in the Central Valley region lost entire fields of oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits. Producers of avocado, strawberries and lettuce also faced crop damage.

Ed Van Wingerden of Ever-Bloom in Carpinteria, Calif, says that while his greenhouse flowers were not harmed, his avocado crop was damaged. "The Dec. 27 windstorm blew off 70 percent of my crop," he says. "There was small fruit [on the trees] and the wind blew it right off."

Janet Kister of Sunlet Nursery in Fallbrook, Calif., who has indoor and outdoor product, says she sustained enough damage to her jasmine topiaries (grown outdoors) that "they will not make it for Valentine's Day -- we had to cancel orders [for the product]."

While greenhouse growers such as Van Wingerden emerged from the cold front with their flowers intact, the bad weather has caused growers other problems.

"The heating bills are astronomical," says Shelby Ebel of Koch California in Nipomo, Calif.

Jim Rietkirk of Kallisto Greenhouses in Fontana, Calif., agrees, saying the higher heating bills and the decreased sales at California garden centers, caused by the bad weather, "is not a pleasant combination."

At the same time, for some, the weather also seems to have created an increase in demand for flowers. Van Wingerden reports, "We are getting calls, offering ridiculous [high] prices, just to be able to buy flowers."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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House Passes 100 Percent Screening of Air Cargo

A bill that would expand the screening of cargo, including flowers, on passenger aircraft is being called a "high priority" by the new House Democratic majority.

The House approved H.R. 1, the "Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007," by a 299- to 128-vote. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-2-Miss.) introduced the bill, which includes a provision that mandates 100-percent inspection of all cargo on passenger aircraft, to be phased in over three years (35 percent by end of 2007, 65 percent by end of 2008, 100 percent by end of 2009).

"Requiring physical screening of all air cargo carried on passenger airlines sounds like a positive measure to advance aviation security, but there are several problems," says SAF's Senior Director of Government Relations Jeanne Ramsay.  "The plan to require 100 percent screening of air cargo carried on passenger airlines would undermine the viability of passenger air service, dramatically increase costs of air cargo and impose major time and economic disruptions on major U.S. industries including the floral industry. No government-certified cargo screening technology exists today to effectively and efficiently screen all cargo."

SAF members echo Ramsay's concerns. "This could well be the final nail in the coffin of the domestic flower growers," says Ed Van Wingerden of Ever-Bloom in Carpinteria, Calif.

SAF, along with other organizations representing businesses that rely on airlines to ship products, signed a letter to the House urging Congress to focus on realistic solutions based on a framework that identifies and prioritizes risks. SAF is also working with the Air Cargo Security Coalition to lobby the Senate for a more reasoned approach.

The Senate version of the 9/11 Commission bill could be introduced later in January.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Industry Veteran Passes Away

Dave Mears

Dave Mears, AAF, owner of Mears Floral Products in Springfield, Mo., and a former member of the Society of American Florists Board of Directors, died unexpectedly at his home on January 17.  He was 63.

"He really left a positive mark on so many people in so many ways," says Tina Rojahn Elsafy of the Rojahn & Malaney Company in Milwaukee.  "He died a tragic death too young." 

SAF's President Bob Luthultz, AAF, of the Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company in Pittsburgh notes that "the floral industry lost a strong leader and a true gentleman with the passing of Dave Mears."  He adds that "Dave's contributions to the industry were many and were only exceeded by the integrity and humility with which he conducted himself."

Dave served as an SAF volunteer leader for nearly 10 years, and during that time he was a member of the SAF Consumer Marketing Committee, Member Services Committee, Wholesalers Council and Board of Directors. He also was an active member of the Wholesale Florist & Florist Suppliers Association (WF&FSA) and was a past president of that group.

Of utmost importance to Dave was the need for a nationwide marketing effort for the floral industry.  He supported continuing efforts to market and promote floral products and may be most well known in the industry for his role as chairman of the National PromoFlor Council.  He was also a board member of the Floral Marketing Association.     

Throughout his career his achievements were honored with a variety of awards including the 1995 Springfield Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award, the 1997 Super Floral Magazine Innovator of the Year Award and the 1999 SAF Golden Bouquet Award, now known as the Paul Ecke Jr. Award.

Dave was a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in French and also a doctorate in romance languages. He taught French briefly before beginning his career at Mears Floral Products in 1972.

--Drew Gruenburg
dgruenburg@safnow.org

 
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Designers Make Winning Float Possible

In last week's coverage of "Jewels of Nature," FTD's float that won the Sweepstakes Trophy at the 2007 Rose Parade, we failed to mention the individuals who made it happen: the designers. 

"It was crazy," says Lisa Weddel, AIFD, PFCI, of L. Weddel Design in Highland Ranch, Colo., of creating the intricately designed float and working through the night to get the float finished before the judging. "But it was so beautiful when it was finished ... it was really cool to see from up in the stands," she says.

Following is a list of the floral design team for Fiesta Parade Floats, which created many of the floats in the parade, including FTD's.

•Lisa Weddel, AIFD, PFCI*
•Sherry Reinking, AIFD, PFCI, AAF of Armstrong Flowers, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
•Peggy Bishop, AAF, of Magnolia Wholesale in Tupelo, Miss.*
•Kevin Coble, AIFD, of Le Fleur Flower Shop in Memphis, Tenn.*
•Rick Crause, AIFD, of Tiger Lilly Flower Shop in Las Vegas
•Bobby Eldridge, AIFD, Mount Washington, Ky.
•Michael Gaddie of Lloyds Florist in Louisville, Ky.*
•Todd Johnson of Foothill Flowers in Grass Valley, Calif.
•Debby O'Bryan of Elysion Florals in Alberta, Canada
•Cherrie Silverman, AIFD, AAF of Cherry Blossom Florist in Westminster, Colo.
•Judy and Roy Stambaugh of Flowers by Roy in Thurmont, Md.*
•Jerry Wilkinson*
•Tom Wineman
•Kim and Pam Woertendyke, AIFD, of A Secret Garden in Clovis, Calif.
•Jim Hynd, AIFD of Fiesta Parade Floats (Floral Director)

(* indicates that the designer worked directly on "Jewels of Nature.")

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Smart Money Promotes Local Florists, Sort of

The tone may have been negative and the headline downright ominous, but for readers who made it to the end of a recent Smart Money story on flowers, the message was clear: buy your flowers from a local florist.

In "10 Things Your Florist Won't Tell You," writer Renee DeFranco outlined the Top 10 potential pitfalls consumers might fall victim to when buying Valentine's Day flowers, including: price gouging, disappointing arrangements (despite fantastic pictures online) and late deliveries. Read the full story.

With all of those menacing challenges, what's a flower-loving Romeo (or Juliet) to do? Head to a local shop, according to DeFranco, who writes: "When sending flowers long-distance, the best results often come from speaking with a local florist and having the order filled via a trusted, networked shop in the recipient's town. Sure, the Internet is fast and easy, but when it comes to giving flowers, the smart money often means taking the path less convenient."

For tips on how to field media questions this Valentine's Day, visit SAF's Valentine's Day Resource Center.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Debunking the Do-It-Yourself Myth

Professional florists weary of the myriad books and articles written about "do-it-yourself" wedding flowers may take heart in one florist's recent letter to the editor on the topic. After reading an article in The Grand Rapids Press guiding readers about how they can create their own wedding flowers, Alice Waterous, a floral consultant in Grand Haven, Mich., in a letter to the editor, enlightened readers about the reality of doing your own wedding flowers: "Often what happens is they create a mess and then expect the local florist to straighten it out for them. Why should a bride spend thousands on dresses, food, music, photos, videos and venue and then try to save money by doing what professional florists do best? Why take a chance that the wedding flowers look homemade, wilted or fall apart?"

For tips on communicating with the media visit SAF's How to Do Right by the Media page.

 
--Kate Penn
kpenn@safnow.org

 
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Online, 'Influencers' Rule

Online, it turns out, not all consumers are equal. At least that's the finding of a new report from DoubleClick, a digital marketing consulting firm in New York, which found that a core group of Web surfers -- the "influencers" -- spend more time online and may have more effect on other consumers' buying decisions.

"The segment behaves differently than online consumers at large in how they consume online media and as a result, in the degree to which they pass on information to others about what they have seen or experienced online," according to an InternetRetailer.com story on the findings. "Influencers were bigger consumers of media overall and particularly of the Internet, with 39 percent saying they spend five or more hours a day online versus 23 percent of non-influencers who said so."

Other results from the survey include:

 • Influencers, who represented about 17 percent of the surveyed group, were more likely to use pop-up ad blockers.

 • Members of the segment tend, however, to have a positive view of advertising, with 76 percent of influences say they were likely to pay attention to advertising when shopping online, compared to 63 percent of non-users.

"There has been a lot of research to establish that a small segment of people have disproportionate influence on how the rest of us -- their friends, family and co-workers -- make purchase decision," Rick Bruner, DoubleClick's director of research and industry relations, said to InternetRetailer.com. "If the question is how companies can spend their marketing dollars to impact word of mouth, the answer is to reach those influencers through advertising."

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Tiffany Polishes Its Brand

Ever find yourself with seasonal merchandise left over? If your customers tend to be well-heeled, think twice before you opt for steep discounts or mega sales. According to a recent story in The Wall Street Journal, as reported by Cool News newsletter, Tiffany's customers have balked at the luxury jeweler's recent forays into "-- all in an effort to recapture its exclusive image.

"It looked like Tiffany had the whole 'affordable luxury' thing nailed -- what with their stores packed with people snapping up silver bracelets, tripling sales, doubling earnings and increasing stock prices six-fold," Cool News explains. "But instead of celebrating, Tiffany's management team was worrying."

Worrying because the company was losing footing with its long-time, affluent customers and creating too much demand among lower-income, "aspirational" customers, according to the story. ("I felt like I was at Macy's," is how one disgruntled shopper explained it.) In response, the company raised prices on its silver jewelry and renovated stores to separate "transactional" customers from "relationship" customers.

The result? The brand is slowly recovering its glitzy image and the greatest sales growth is now coming from the biggest spending customers.

Read about one florist who overhauled his brand image to become more relevant to his customers in the January 2007 issue of Floral Management magazine.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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SAF Awards Deadline: Feb. 1

While films like "Babel" and "The Departed" have been nominated for best picture Oscars, don't miss the show at SAF. There is still time to submit nominations for SAF's annual awards, which include: 

 • John H. Walker Award: Recognizes floral association executives for the roles they play as leaders of the industry.

 • Century Award: Recognizes any company that has served the floral industry for 100 years or longer.

• Alex Laurie Award for Research and Education: Presented to an individual who has made broad-scope, long lasting contributions to research or education in the floriculture industry.

• Gold Medal Award: Honors the originator or introducer of a widely distributed plant or flower that has become established as an outstanding product of significant horticultural and commercial value.

• Paul Ecke, Jr. Award: Recognizes individuals of exemplary devotion to profession, industry and community.

• Tommy Bright Award: Signifies a lifetime commitment to commentating excellence in the floral industry.

• Floriculture Hall of Fame: The industry's highest honor, awarded to individuals who have made outstanding and lasting contributions to the advancement of floriculture.

Nominations are due Feb. 1. 
 
And, don't miss out on your chance to be inducted into the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF).

Top-notch communicators also can apply for membership to SAF's Professional Floral Communicators -- International (PFCI).  Applications for both AAF and PFCI are due Feb. 1, 2007.
 
Recipients will be recognized at SAF Palm Springs 2007, Sept. 26 to 29 at the LaQuinta Resort and Club in Palm Springs, Calif.

For more information, go to www.safnow.org or contact SAF's Debi Aker at (800) 336-4743; daker@safnow.org.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

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Be Prepared with the Valentine's Day Resource Center

There are a million and one things to do for Valentine's Day, and SAF is easing your stress with the Valentine's Day Resource Center. From the Center, you can swap advice with peers, access customizable press releases to send to the media, review talking points for interviews, report harmful publicity, order the Valentine's Day Playbook and much more.
 
Have a Valentine's Day tip you'd like to share? We want to hear it. E-mail vmachir@safnow.org. 
 

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Talk on the Forums

One member is looking to expand program offerings at her floral school (which until now consisted of basic comprehensive design and shop management classes). She is wondering what kinds of classes to add to her curriculum and how to find teachers for her new classes. Chime in.

Also on the forums
Electronic stem counters
Gift cards

Start your own discussion.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight: MagnetMail

Have you been meaning to start an e-mail promotional campaign or newsletter to customers, but just can't find the time? MagnetMail makes it easy. You can send a professional-looking promotional e-mail or newsletter with MagnetMail -- all you have to do is insert the text into the pre-installed template, load up customers' e-mail addresses and click "send." The message will be dispatched and tracked immediately.

Don't have time to create new content? Use SAF's new online library of news articles and photographs, which can be easily inserted.  SAF also offers deep discounts on MagnetMail to SAF members.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Collecting on Accounts

About 42 percent of readers responding to last week's e-poll said they send an account to a collection agency after 90 days. Twenty-two percent say they never do, 18 percent say they send an account after 150 days or more, and about 12 percent say they send an account after 120 days. Six percent say the question is not applicable.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Extra Staff for December 2006 Holidays

Businesses were split almost in half as to whether or not they hired additional staff for the December holidays. About 55 percent did.  Most businesses that did hire extra staff were able to conduct their business with the addition of only one or two additional persons. However, more than one in ten shops hired six or more staff for the holiday season.

Source: 2006 December Holiday Zoomerang Survey

--Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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