It’s time to elect the next crop of Society of American Florists leaders — the volunteers who shape everything the association does, from developing events and content to identifying industry challenges SAF needs to address. This year, electronic ballots will be sent to the voting member for each member organization on Friday, July 1.

Voting members will elect nine new members to the SAF segment councils and three new members to the SAF board of directors.

“All segments of the floral industry are represented in SAF’s elections, which is critical to further SAF’s mission to connect and cultivate a thriving floral community,” says Kate Penn, SAF CEO. “Our volunteer leaders are the driving force in guiding all of SAF’s initiatives — from content and events to advocacy and education.”

Here’s a rundown of who’s running and how you can vote.

SAF Board of Directors Elections

SAF members will elect one representative from each industry segment to join SAF’s board of directors. Candidates for the grower and wholesaler board seats are running uncontested. Once elected, the new members of SAF’s board of directors will serve three-year terms beginning November 2022.

Each SAF designated voting member will receive an electronic ballot on Friday, July 1. Ballots must be cast by Aug. 1.

SAF Board Retailer Nominees

Danny Sanchez, South Florals Group, Miami, Florida

Danny Sanchez founded South Florals Group in 2007 and is currently the acting CEO and visionary for the organization. South Florals Group is a family of brands expanding throughout Florida’s southeast coast, made up of a floral importing and distribution center, a fulfillment center, and seven brick-and-mortar retail locations, making it the largest chain of floral shops in the state. Sanchez has propelled innovation in the industry by spearheading tech projects that enhance customer experience including “BloomView,” a mobile app that has revolutionized the customer experience by sending pictures of purchased arrangements for approval before delivering them. Over the past seven years, he has purchased over 20 floral shops throughout South Florida, in Aventura, Jupiter, Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Miami Beach, through mergers and acquisitions. The company’s latest opening was the Miami Beach flagship location, which opened in April of 2021 and became an instant success leading the vision for all current and future locations.

Brian Kusuda, Jimmy’s Flower Shop, Ogden, Utah 

Brian Kusuda is a third-generation family member of Jimmy’s Flowers located in Ogden, Utah. The business was founded in 1948 by his grandparents. He graduated with high honors in 2010 from Weber State University with a degree in business administration from the Goddard School of Business, while working at the flower shop. He currently serves as vice president of his family’s company that employs more than 60 full-time and part-time employees across three locations, as well as a growing wholesale division that he helped start in 2014. He handles the business, financial and human resource operations for the company and is also one of the primary buyers of fresh flowers and hard goods. He served on the SAF Retail Council from 2017-2020 and is a current member of the Midwest Floral Group.

SAF Board Wholesaler Nominee

Anne Stewart, Smithers-Oasis, Kent, Ohio

Anne Stewart is vice president of Smithers-Oasis North American Operations in Kent, Ohio. Prior to entering the floral industry almost eight years ago, Stewart spent 30 years in the paint and coatings industry, working for Sherwin-Williams in both sales and marketing capacities. She has substantial experience selling to wholesale customers in the U.S. and Canada and received several awards from her former employer. Stewart has a degree in social science from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario. She has been member of Vistage, a CEO networking group in Northeast Ohio, and has also written articles for Smart Business magazine.

SAF Board Grower Nominee

F.J. Trzuskowski, Continental Floral Greens, Belfair, WA

F.J. Trzuskowski is vice president of sales for Continental Floral Greens in Belfair, Washington. He is a graduate of Duke University and has a master’s degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University. With 28 years of industry experience, Trzuskowski has expertise in sales, operations, marketing and merchandising. He has served on the Floral Council of the former Produce Marketing Association (now called International Fresh Produce Association), a District 2 alternate representative on the California Cut Flower Commission, and as the Northwest District representative of Certified American Grown.

SAF Council Elections

Twelve candidates are running for nine open Council seats. Candidates for the Growers and the Wholesalers Councils are running uncontested. Elected Council members will serve a three-year term, which begins in 2023.

Each SAF designated voting member will receive an electronic ballot on Friday, July 1 to choose the next growers, retailers and wholesalers to represent them on SAF’s Councils. If you don’t receive your ballot via email, email aroberts@safnow.org. Ballots must be cast by Aug. 1.

Retailers Council Nominees – East:

Zoë Gallina, AAF, Botanica Florist, Tampa, Florida

Zoë Gallina is the vice president and creative director at Botanica International Design & Décor Studio and is the “imaginator” and creative director of Style House Rentals. Gallina was raised in the floral industry and July will mark 16 years of working in it professionally. She has been trained by the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and has the American Academy of Floriculture designation. She has also been affiliated with Tampa Bay’s leading event industry and charitable organizations including the National Association of Catering Executives, Meeting Planners International and The Junior League of Tampa Bay. She simply loves the way flowers and great design can transform how people feel.

Eric Horeth, Kittleberger Florist, Webster, New York

Eric Horeth is a fourth-generation family member of Kittleberger Florist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He developed his love and passion for the business while working at the shop throughout his life, learning core values such as dedication, respect and empathy through his parents and grandparents. He wears many hats in the family business, including co-managing the design team, wholesale division, hard good inventory and general operations. He looks forward to growing the business and continuing to serve the local community.

Retailers Council Nominees – Central

Erin Davidson, McNamara Florist, Indianapolis, Indiana

Erin Davidson is the marketing director for McNamara Florist. She has been with McNamara for nearly eight years and has enjoyed helping the business grow. Davidson started learning about the industry at a young age because her father owns a family greenhouse in rural Indiana. Working for McNamara Florist, she has been able to combine her passion for plants and flowers with her love of advertising and marketing. She is passionate about branding, strategic communications, and community. She loves all things Indianapolis and is always actively seeking ways to support local businesses and encouraging others to do the same.

Steve Ozment, Flowerama, Reynoldsburg, Ohio

 

Steve Ozment and his family members are the owners of Flowerama Columbus. Three generations of family members have worked at the Flowerama shops at one point in their lives and at least one member from each generation currently works there. Ozment also owns Emerald City Websites, a comprehensive website platform for the floral industry.

 

Retailers Council Nominees – West

Alexis Rigler, Albuquerque Florist, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Alexis Rigler grew up in the floral industry. Her family has been in business since 1978 and proudly owns Arizona Family Florist, Arizona Flower Market, Lux Wedding Florist, Albuquerque Florist and Albuquerque Flower Market — all brands that excel in retail, wholesale and luxury weddings. At the age of 21 she was voted by the New Mexico Wedding Expo as best florist for New Mexico weddings. She is a member of the business’s senior leadership team, with a passion for sharing the company’s knowledge with customers, florists and aspiring designers. Following the footsteps of her father and grandparents, she plans to take the love she has for the floral industry to the next level.

Carma White, Four Seasons Flowers, San Diego, California

Carma White is a second-generation florist. After graduating from high school she started working full time at the flower shop to pay her way through San Diego State University. After earning her business degree she decided there was no better business to be in than your own. She has owned the business since 2000, tripling its wedding business and turning Four Seasons Flowers into one of the prominent flower shops in San Diego. She continues to run the sales and management of the flower shop but also lends her creativity to the design by serving as creative director. During the pandemic, she and staff reimagined the business to navigate the new world and sales grew more than 30 percent. White feels Covid was a true testament to the “real” florist who can express emotions through flowers — a gift she loves to give her customers.

Wholesalers Council Nominees

Nicholas Chang, Rosaprima, Miami, Florida

Nicholas Chang is the vice president of sales and marketing for Rosaprima, the premier grower of high-end luxury roses in Ecuador. Known as a forward-thinking executive with global knowledge, a strategic vision, and excellent team leadership, he has a true passion for flowers and for the industry that has allowed him to travel the world, grow professionally, and meet many like-minded people along the way. Chang grew up in Quito, Ecuador, and moved to Miami 10 years ago, where he currently resides.

 

Patty Sormilich, Sieck Wright Floral Products, Hightstown, New Jersey

Patty Sormilich is president and general manager of Sieck-Wright Floral Products. She studied ornamental horticulture and began her career working in a flower shop where she worked her way up to being a designer. She was a designer for 15 years before joining Sieck-Wright as president in 2003, overseeing the daily operations of the traditional wholesale florist.

 

 

Stacia Bartlett, Bill Doran Company, Rockford, Illinois

Stacia Bartlett is the human resources director at Bill Doran Company. She has been with Bill Doran since 2006 and is based out of the corporate office in Rockford, Illinois. Bartlett feels that the company’s biggest asset and competitive advantage is its amazing people, and she relishes her role in supporting the branches and employees.

Growers Council Nominees

Frank Arnosky, Texas Specialty Cut Flowers, San Antonio, Texas

Frank Arnosky and his wife Pamela own Texas Specialty Cut Flowers, along with a peony operation in northern Minnesota and a new peony farm in the mountains west of Texas. The farm has been growing cut flowers for nearly 30 years and he has been active in the industry in both advocacy and education. He has a degree in horticulture from Michigan State University,  has done graduate work at Texas A&M and served as a board member and past president for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

 

Eric Fernandez, Continental Flowers, Miami

Eric Fernandez is the president and general manager of Continental Flowers. After earning his bachelor’s degree at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, he began his career at Burger King Corporation. While at Burger King, he held various roles in mergers and acquisitions, franchise sales, and business intelligence analytics. In 2012 he achieved his long-term goal of returning to his family’s business, Continental Flowers. He first took on the task of building a mass market program and team, and then had increasing responsibilities in operations, IT, and wholesale sales. At the end of 2021, Eric and his sister Tricia purchased the business from their parents. He serves on the board of directors of Association of Floral Importers of Florida, Wholesale Florists & Florists Supply Association, and IFPA’s Floral Committee.

Questions about voting? Email SAF’s membership manager, Amanda Roberts.

Katie Butler is the senior vice president of the Society of American Florists.