Orlando, FL – The American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) successfully concluded its highly anticipated Emerge Symposium, held from July 2-6, 2024, at the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida. The event welcomed over 700 attendees from dozens of countries worldwide, marking a significant milestone in the floral design community and world-class floral design education.
The Emerge Symposium featured an array of enriching activities, including 10 Main Stage presentations, numerous hands-on workshops, and engaging lectures. Attendees had the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and be inspired by designers from throughout the United States, Australia, Belgium and Germany all while able to exchange ideas and explore the latest trends and techniques in floral design.
The Symposium also hosted the annual AIFD membership meeting, where newly elected directors and officers were sworn in. The 2024-2025 AIFD executive leadership team includes:
- President: Laurie Lemek AIFD
- President-elect: Renee Tucci AIFD
- Past-President: Theresa Colucci AIFD
- Vice President: Brent Leech AIFD
- Secretary: William Hattel AIFD
- Treasurer: Todd Bussey AIFD
Additionally, new directors joining the seated board members are:
- Janet Gallagher AIFD
- Francisca Quintana AIFD (Southwest Regional Representative)
- Mary Linda Horn (North Central Regional Representative)
One of the symposium’s highlights was the annual Induction and Awards Celebration, where the American Institute welcomed the following individuals into the ranks of accredited AIFD members:
- Eulogio Baldonaza AIFD, CFD – Dublin, Ohio, USA
- Ching-Wen Cheng AIFD, CFD – Shanghai, China
- Annie Choi AIFD, CFD – Austin, Texas, USA
- Sarah Ekberg AIFD, CFD – Wakefield, Nebraska, USA
- Maria Gomez Cabrera AIFD, CFD – Mexico City, Mexico
- Jiwoo Han AIFD, CFD – Gyeonggi-do, Korea
- Judy Janzen AIFD, CFD – Fresno, California, USA
- Jennifer Jones AIFD, CFD – Winthrop, Arkansas, USA
- Hong-Sun Kim AIFD, CFD – Gyunggi-Do, Korea
- Sein Kim AIFD, CFD – Seoul, Korea
- Seo Kyung Kim AIFD, CFD – Seoul, Korea
- Tae Ho Kim AIFD, CFD – Seoul, Korea
- Grace Spencer King AIFD, CFD – Plantation, Florida, USA
- Amber Kirkland AIFD, CFD – Novi, Michigan, USA
- Angela Lee AIFD, CFD – Barrington, Illinois, USA
- Jieun Lee AIFD, CFD – Gyungsangbuk-do, Korea
- Ka Kin Loo AIFD, CFD – Hong Kong
- Francisco Luna Vasquez AIFD, CFD – Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Pam McMillan AIFD, CFD – Gurdon, Arkansas, USA
- Paula Melo AIFD, CFD – Miami, Florida, USA
- Blanca Mondragon AIFD, CFD – Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- Trish Nishikawa AIFD, CFD – San Jose, California, USA
- Seunghee Ok AIFD, CFD – Seoul, Korea
- Robbyn Repp AIFD, CFD – North Bend, Oregon, USA
- Jesus Rivera AIFD, CFD – Riverbank, California, USA
- Olga Savchenko AIFD, CFD – Cupertino, California, USA
- Inhwa Shin AIFD, CFD – Seoul, Korea
- Natalie Tan Yee AIFD, CFD – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Teresa Ka Bik Tsui AIFD, CFD – Hong Kong
- Qing Wang AIFD, CFD – Shanghai, China
- Tulip Yip AIFD, CFD – Hong Kong
The AIFD also honored several individuals for their outstanding contributions to the floral design community, celebrating their dedication and positive impact on the industry. These distinguished recipients are as follow:
- Ken Senter AIFD, CFD – Award of Distinguished Service to AIFD
- Jay Schwanke – Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry
- Vonda LaFever AIFD, CFD – Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry
- Ron Mulray AIFD, CFD – Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry
- Teresa Godfrey AIFD, CFD – Award of Special Recognition
- Julie Samuel-Lamberd – Award of Special Recognition
The 2024 Emerge Symposium was a resounding success, fostering innovation, collaboration, and excellence in floral design. The AIFD looks forward to continuing its mission to inspire and educate floral designers worldwide. The next AIFD National Symposium “Reflection” will be held July 12-15, 2025, in Palm Springs, California.
For more information about the American Institute of Floral Designers and future events, please visit www.aifd.org.
About AIFD: Established in 1965, The mission of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD®) is to advance the art of professional floral design through education, service and leadership, and to recognize the achievement of excellence in this art form.
