MIAMI, FL – The Fernandez Family’s commitment to the floral industry continues into the next generation with the completion of the sale of Continental Flowers from Bill & Ofi Fernandez to their children, Tricia Gomez & Eric Fernandez.
Bill & Ofi leave in their wake a tradition of honesty, loyalty, and dedication. They worked diligently for 47 years in all capacities to build a wonderful business that has pioneered the floral industry. We could not have been luckier in finding mentors and role models to groom us into managers and business owners. And most importantly, we are blessed with the amazing parents (and grandparents) they are.
Bill began Continental Flowers from behind his family’s flower shop in 1974 as the South American floral industry began to take form – all while he was working towards completing his Bachelor’s degree. He foresaw the opportunity to build a small fledgling operation into a national distributor vertically integrated with farm investments and partnerships in South America. Bill worked tirelessly to build relationships nationwide with wholesale florists, innovate floral distribution methods, and help establish Miami as the epicenter of American fresh cut flower distribution. From working with growers on postharvest treatments, to sharing best practices with fellow competitors, Bill was driven to establish Miami as the “Flower Basket of the Americas”.
Ofi, a licensed CPA with an established private accounting practice, began managing the financial organization and accounting in 1980. In the late 1990s, Ofi spearheaded the development of the business’s ERP creation & implementation. Over the years, Ofi led the development of the ERP, Flower Power, to be a vital and central part to the business. Her financial knowledge and organizational abilities impacted and contributed greatly to the growth and stability of Continental Flowers.
As we move into the next phase of our company, we are motivated to continue growing Continental Flowers and leading the next phase of the industry evolution. We do so surrounded by an incredible team with diverse experiences, industry knowledge, and drive to reach new heights – all in the same values and traditions that Bill & Ofi instilled at Continental Flowers.
About Tricia Gomez
Tricia began her career in Boston at Towers Perrin serving in the actuarial department after having graduated from Boston College. She later moved to Miami and worked in the public accounting field serving as an auditor. In 2006, Tricia joined Continental Flowers to lead the procurement department.
About Eric Fernandez
Eric moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania. Beginning his career at Burger King Corporation in Market Planning, he joined the Mergers and Acquisitions group within Burger King as the new owners, 3G Capital, sought to rebalance the corporate owned restaurant portfolio. In 2012, Eric joined Continental Flowers in a Business Development capacity.
