Representatives of floral industry associations gathered at the Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin, Georgia, for the National Alliance of Floral Associations (NAFA) annual meeting, October 1 – 3, 2016.
The meeting kicked off with the National Designer of the Year competition.
Winner and 2016 Designer of the Year was Alan Masters, AIFD, from the Texas State Florists' Association who works at Compton's Florist, LaPorte, Texas. He won $1,000 and a first place trophy cup.
Sunday featured a daylong session presented by Elizabeth Madsen from the Center for Nonprofit Management. Her program was on volunteer engagement and covered recruiting, developing, recognizing and retaining quality volunteers. The day concluded with a dinner sponsored by FTDI.
The meeting continued Monday with roundtable discussions and the annual business meeting. During the meeting current NAFA Vice President Randy Wooten, AIFD, PFCI, a past president of the Georgia State Florists' Association took over the role of president and Adam Havrilla, CFD, ICPF, president of the Illinois State Florists' Association, was nominated and elected to serve as vice president. Rod Crittenden the EVP/CEO of the Michigan Floral Association and the Wisconsin Upper Michigan Florists’ Association will continue to serve as the secretary and treasurer.
NAFA would like to thank BloomNet and the Floriology Institute for sponsoring the design contest prize money and awards dinner, and FTD for its continued financial support. NAFA is able to keep the cost of attending the annual meeting affordable because of the generosity of these three organizations.
NAFA would also like to give a special thank you to Deb Hooper outgoing NAFA president and the members of Tennessee State Florists’ Association for hosting the meeting this year!
Next year marks the 20th anniversary of NAFA. The 2017 annual meeting will be hosted by a founding member, the Illinois State Florists’ Association. The meeting location and dates will be announced soon.
Any state, multi-state, or national non-profit floral association is eligible to apply for membership in NAFA and attend the annual meeting. Interested parties should contact Randy Wooten at (912) 384-7288 or visit the NAFA website at www.aboutnafa.com to download a membership application.
CAPTION 2016 NAFA meeting attendees: Back row, left to right, Norman Northen, president, Texas State Florists' Association; Thaddeus Servantez, AIFD, vice president, Floral Association of the Rockies; Adam Havrilla, CFD, ICPF, president, Illinois State Florists' Association; Randy Wooten, AIFD, PFCI, past president, Georgia State Florists' Association; Tina Davis, AIFD, ICPF, vice president, Illinois State Florists' Association, and Rod Crittenden, EVP/CEO, Michigan Floral Association/Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists’ Association. Front row, left to right, Sherri Suttle, president, North Carolina State Florists' Association; Deb Hooper, treasurer, Tennessee State Florists' Association, Aninta Ausenbaugh, president, Tennessee State Florists' Association; Sherrilyn Roundy, CFD, PCF, president, Floral Association of the Rockies; Patty Malloy, AIFD, president,Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists' Association; Brenda Blackburn, vice president, Tennessee State Florists' Association.
Source: National Alliance of Floral Associations (NAFA)
