Funeral directors this spring, summer and fall will be urged to remove the "in lieu of flowers" phrase from obituaries. It's part of a targeted effort by SAF to make the funeral industry aware of the role of flowers in the bereavement process.

Floral industry members and other interested parties vying for a spot on the committee that will  develop the first national standard for sustainable agriculture have been given an extension for submitting their applications (found here) to the Leonardo Academy.

Florists active in the sympathy business market will be reassured to know the federal "Funeral Rule" is still in place. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently decided to maintain the regulation that funeral homes cannot force clients to purchase goods and services, such as flowers, as part of the funeral home services.

The American Floral Endowment (AFE)  has elected three new members to its board of trustees. Dwight Larimer, Design Master color tool inc., in Boulder, Co.; Robert Maddux, Krueger-Maddux Greenhouses in Cincinnati, and Eric Nissen, Sunshine State Carnations, Inc., in Hobe Sound, Fla., all past members of SAF's board of directors, will serve three-year terms on the Endowment's board. (Read more about the new AFE trustees.)

Laura Kantakis, co-owner of Associated Wholesale Florist in Rochelle Park, N.J., died March 25, 2008. Active in both SAF and Wholesale Florist and Florist Suppliers Association (WF&FSA), she was known for doing what it takes to get the job done, including getting flowers into New York City after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Nine florists made national network television earlier today, as guests on The Martha Stewart Show. The appearance was part of  the rollout of Martha Stewart for 1-800-Flowers.com, a new line of floral and hard goods from the domestic goddess.

Flowers really do have the power to improve workplace productivity and brighten your mood, touts two national magazines.

Three SAF members recently seized the opportunity to engage their respective lawmakers at area fundraisers.

Shane Leeth, who spent the past seven years with Equiflor/Rio Roses, has joined boutique rose grower Eufloria Flowers, in Nipomo, Calif.

With Administrative Professionals Week (APW)/Professional Secretaries Week fast approaching (April 20-26), E-Brief editors are collecting ideas for drumming up business that we can share with readers.

As 19 million baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) edge closer to the age of retirement in the next three years, surveys show small businesses may have a slight edge over larger companies when handling the transition.

When it comes to choosing between a job that offers more filler for the wallet and one that offers more time at home when needed, nearly a third of workers are choosing the latter, according to a recent survey.

Mother's Day might be the biggest, but it's not the only holiday that could drive consumers to your store during the month of May.

Yet another virtual way consumers can whet their appetite for the real thing: A new game has users create their own virtual bouquet, and then e-mail or post it to their social networking page, such as Facebook or Myspace.

A Southern California couple has found hope — in the form of flowers — after losing their home in a devastating fire.

• "Keys to Communication" by SAF's PFCI featuring Sharon McGukin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI: July 7, 2-3 p.m. in Chicago, in conjunction with the AIFD National Symposium.
• SAF Palm Beach 2008: Sept. 17-20, 2008, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.

What interested E-Brief readers the most last week?  In order of popularity, these five stories were clicked on the most.

Did you miss the SAF 24th Annual Conference on Pest and Disease Management? Growers can keep up-to-date with the latest ways to fight pests and disease with a copy of the 2008 proceedings. The 2008 conference proceedings, including the papers presented (both hard copy and on CD) is now available for purchase through the SAF Market for only $44.95 for members ($64.95 regular price). You can also contact member services at (800) 336-4743 to order. Take advantage of this important opportunity to learn directly from the leading minds in pest management today.

There appears to be some real time being logged in by members on the discussion board. The extremely dedicated and quite helpful member who was mentioned in the previous edition of E-Brief keeps going back for more.

The results of last week's e-poll show that more than 55 percent of respondents actively monitor their employees' computer activity.

When asked which promotions florists initiated for the first time to promote 2007 Administrative Professionals Week (APW)/Professional Secretaries Week, most of the top-ranked methods were clearly "Old School."