The Michigan Floral Association announced award winners at its recent annual convention.
Past President Floriology Scholarship
The Michigan Floral Association presented its Past President's Floriology Scholarship to Shelley Adair, CF, at the organization's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The scholarship is sponsored by Bloomnet.
Shelley Adair was 13 when she began working in the floral industry. For the last three years she has been at Blumz...by JR Designs, Detroit and Ferndale, one of the area's leading florists. Previously, she worked at the elite Grand Hotel Floral Shop on Mackinaw Island designing unique weddings as well as floral pieces for guests at the hotel.
She continues to hone her skills and always is looking to improve her technique through educational opportunities such as teaching a hands-on workshop on corsage design. Her favorite part about being a florist is working with clients, assisting them in making their feelings come to life through flowers, and selling them an experience.
Retail Employee of the Year
Pamela Prough, My Lady’s Florist, Westland, Michigan, was named the Michigan Floral Association's Retail Employee of the Year at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Her boss described her as “the true definition of excellence” dedicated to clients and fellow staffers. Eager learn new floral ideas, she seeks out new educational opportunities to improve her knowledge and technique. In addition she volunteers with several groups including the Rotary, Masons, Chamber of Commerce and local senior centers.
This employee has helped take My Lady's Florist from a small shop to a respected business and part of the very fabric of their community.
Certified Florist of the Year
Arlon Slagh, CF, was named Certified Florist of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Educated at Michigan State University in horticulture science/bio science with a Masters in agricultural education, Slagh worked in the Tuscola school district and technical centerfor over thirty years. He taught a variety of subjects including floriculture, greenhouse management, horticulture and landscaping. Additionally, he has served as a Future Farmers of America advisor.
Well respected by his students, he encouraged them to use their creativity and volunteer for many community projects in Tuscola County including downtown petunia planting, the Caro pumpkin festival, and Caro Garden Club events.
Now retired, he currently is a docent at Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids and continues to run floriculture competitions for Future Farmers of America.
Arlon Slagh has been recognized as an extraordinary educator dedicated to excellence in education and community service.
National Service Award
This year’s Michigan Floral Association's National Service Award honoree is Teleflora's Jack Howard. He has been with Teleflora for 22 years of his 25 year career in the floral industry and has served in several capacities in the organization. He is presently the executive vice president of national accounts.
His voluntary leadership position over the past 12 years with the Society of American Florists as a member of several committees and his willingness to assist the Michigan Floral Association and its members through his generous contributions of time and talent have helped the association as well as the entire floral industry.
It is because of his contributions to the florists of the State of Michigan that he was honored at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Retailer of the Year
The Michigan Floral Association has chosen Smith Floral & Greenhouse, Lansing, Michigan, as the Retailer of the Year. The announcement was made at the 2015 Great Lakes Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Known in their community for their “Harvest Basket Produce” located in their greenhouses, they team up with local chefs and create unique dishes that draw customers in for fresh vegetables grown on premises.
This marketing technique has earned them recognition as one of the top five businesses in Lansing’s “Top of the Town” rankings and recently, they were awarded “Best Florist” by Michigan Meeting and Event Magazine's Readers Choice.
The philosophy that if you “treat the community well by being involved and giving, the community will give back to you” has served the shop well for over 114 years and three generations, The shop currently has over twenty employees, some with over thirty years of employment.
It is because of their unique and constant marketing strategies and their commitment to their community and dedication to the Michigan Floral Association and Michigan Floral Foundation that Smith Floral & Greenhouses was chosen to receive this award.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Because of his unending dedication to excellence and his constant willingness share his knowledge, Bob Friese, AIFD is the recipient of the Michigan Floral Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation was made at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo.
Even after retiring from a very successful floral and event business in the greater Chicago area, he continued to hone his floral expertise and share his gift with anyone willing to learn.
He has served as a main stage presenter at AIFD Symposium and was honored with the AIFD Distinguished Service Award in 2014.
One of his most rewarding and inspirationally projects was the creation and execution of Nature's Creative Edge, an event held in early fall. This floral display is created by many talented floral designers on several wooded acres on his property in Fruitport, Michigan.
Nature's Creative Edge has drawn thousands of people over the years and has raised funds for the AIFD North Central Chapter scholarships and several West Michigan charitable organizations.
Special Recognition Award
The Michigan Floral Association's Special Recognition Award was presented to James Lutke of Spring Lake, Michigan, at the group's 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo.
He was honored for his contributions to the association and his pursuit of excellence in education. As an Expo volunteer he has taken on the difficult task of coordinating and setting up classrooms for all of the hands-on workshops. In doing this he used his expertise to instill good work ethics and instruct student volunteers.
Well known for his talent in creating beautiful textural design in floral pieces, Lutke has shared his knowledge through classes and instruction. He has designed and installed these works of art at the White House and become a very valuable asset to the Nature's Creative Edge event scouring the woods making everything is in order.
Supplier of the Year
Kennicott Brothers, headquartered in Chicago, was honored as the Supplier of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo.
Recognized as one of the oldest continuous businesses in Illinois, their story started back in 1836 with physician and horticulturist, Dr. John Kennicott, who was instrumental in the establishment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and promoted the Morell Act which established land grant colleges.
In 1881 the doctor’s sons, Flint and Amasa founded their wholesale company and began servicing florists in a large portion of the Midwest and the South. The firm grew over the years adding wholesale houses in Aurora, Elk Grove, IL; Hammond, IN, and Milwaukee, WI.
In 2012 they acquired Van’s Floral Products adding their locations in Alsip, IL; South Bend and Indianapolis, IN; Grand Rapids, MI; Minneapolis, MN, and Atlanta, GA. In 2014 Kennicott's joined forces with Nordlie, Inc. to add several more locations in Grandville, Flint and Warren MI; Cleveland OH, and Tampa FL.
Their service to the floral industry is ongoing today. They remain instrumental in their support for the Michigan Floral Association as well as other associations nationwide.
Both Harrison Kennicott, Jr. and Harrison "Red" Kennicott III have received the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association's Leland T. Kintzele Award for their contributions and involvement within the floral industry. They are the only father and son team ever to receive such an honor.
Young Person of the Year
Angela Christi, CF, has been chosen Young Person of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A very spirited volunteer at the Expo, she has supported main stage designers in the workroom and helped teach a class for students. In her desire for floral knowledge, she tries to attend every floral design show offered by local wholesalers and the MFA.
A single mom raising two girls, she runs Flowers from Nature's Garden in Petoskey, Michigan. Her unique designs have been featured in several local publications. Her creativity and passion for flowers is what drives her dedication to MFA and the rest of the floral industry.
Wholesale Employee of the Year
Ric Gaunt of Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Romulus, Michigan, was recognized as Wholesale Employee of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids.
Well-versed in the wholesale floral business, he followed in the footsteps of his parents, who ran Southview Wholesale Florist for many years. He worked alongside his brothers and helped transition their family-owned company into a major industry leader. The company was bought by Mayesh Wholesale Florist headquartered in Los Angeles.
People who work with him always comment that he is most knowledgeable about the wholesale floral business and its products. His passion for the floral industry was also shared with his late wife, who taught at a local tech school and instilled a great love among her students for the art of floral design.
Past President Floriology Scholarship
The Michigan Floral Association presented its Past President's Floriology Scholarship to Shelley Adair, CF, at the organization's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The scholarship is sponsored by Bloomnet.
Shelley Adair was 13 when she began working in the floral industry. For the last three years she has been at Blumz...by JR Designs, Detroit and Ferndale, one of the area's leading florists. Previously, she worked at the elite Grand Hotel Floral Shop on Mackinaw Island designing unique weddings as well as floral pieces for guests at the hotel.
She continues to hone her skills and always is looking to improve her technique through educational opportunities such as teaching a hands-on workshop on corsage design. Her favorite part about being a florist is working with clients, assisting them in making their feelings come to life through flowers, and selling them an experience.
Retail Employee of the Year
Pamela Prough, My Lady’s Florist, Westland, Michigan, was named the Michigan Floral Association's Retail Employee of the Year at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Her boss described her as “the true definition of excellence” dedicated to clients and fellow staffers. Eager learn new floral ideas, she seeks out new educational opportunities to improve her knowledge and technique. In addition she volunteers with several groups including the Rotary, Masons, Chamber of Commerce and local senior centers.
This employee has helped take My Lady's Florist from a small shop to a respected business and part of the very fabric of their community.
Certified Florist of the Year
Arlon Slagh, CF, was named Certified Florist of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Educated at Michigan State University in horticulture science/bio science with a Masters in agricultural education, Slagh worked in the Tuscola school district and technical centerfor over thirty years. He taught a variety of subjects including floriculture, greenhouse management, horticulture and landscaping. Additionally, he has served as a Future Farmers of America advisor.
Well respected by his students, he encouraged them to use their creativity and volunteer for many community projects in Tuscola County including downtown petunia planting, the Caro pumpkin festival, and Caro Garden Club events.
Now retired, he currently is a docent at Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids and continues to run floriculture competitions for Future Farmers of America.
Arlon Slagh has been recognized as an extraordinary educator dedicated to excellence in education and community service.
National Service Award
This year’s Michigan Floral Association's National Service Award honoree is Teleflora's Jack Howard. He has been with Teleflora for 22 years of his 25 year career in the floral industry and has served in several capacities in the organization. He is presently the executive vice president of national accounts.
His voluntary leadership position over the past 12 years with the Society of American Florists as a member of several committees and his willingness to assist the Michigan Floral Association and its members through his generous contributions of time and talent have helped the association as well as the entire floral industry.
It is because of his contributions to the florists of the State of Michigan that he was honored at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Retailer of the Year
The Michigan Floral Association has chosen Smith Floral & Greenhouse, Lansing, Michigan, as the Retailer of the Year. The announcement was made at the 2015 Great Lakes Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Known in their community for their “Harvest Basket Produce” located in their greenhouses, they team up with local chefs and create unique dishes that draw customers in for fresh vegetables grown on premises.
This marketing technique has earned them recognition as one of the top five businesses in Lansing’s “Top of the Town” rankings and recently, they were awarded “Best Florist” by Michigan Meeting and Event Magazine's Readers Choice.
The philosophy that if you “treat the community well by being involved and giving, the community will give back to you” has served the shop well for over 114 years and three generations, The shop currently has over twenty employees, some with over thirty years of employment.
It is because of their unique and constant marketing strategies and their commitment to their community and dedication to the Michigan Floral Association and Michigan Floral Foundation that Smith Floral & Greenhouses was chosen to receive this award.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Because of his unending dedication to excellence and his constant willingness share his knowledge, Bob Friese, AIFD is the recipient of the Michigan Floral Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation was made at the 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo.
Even after retiring from a very successful floral and event business in the greater Chicago area, he continued to hone his floral expertise and share his gift with anyone willing to learn.
He has served as a main stage presenter at AIFD Symposium and was honored with the AIFD Distinguished Service Award in 2014.
One of his most rewarding and inspirationally projects was the creation and execution of Nature's Creative Edge, an event held in early fall. This floral display is created by many talented floral designers on several wooded acres on his property in Fruitport, Michigan.
Nature's Creative Edge has drawn thousands of people over the years and has raised funds for the AIFD North Central Chapter scholarships and several West Michigan charitable organizations.
Special Recognition Award
The Michigan Floral Association's Special Recognition Award was presented to James Lutke of Spring Lake, Michigan, at the group's 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo.
He was honored for his contributions to the association and his pursuit of excellence in education. As an Expo volunteer he has taken on the difficult task of coordinating and setting up classrooms for all of the hands-on workshops. In doing this he used his expertise to instill good work ethics and instruct student volunteers.
Well known for his talent in creating beautiful textural design in floral pieces, Lutke has shared his knowledge through classes and instruction. He has designed and installed these works of art at the White House and become a very valuable asset to the Nature's Creative Edge event scouring the woods making everything is in order.
Supplier of the Year
Kennicott Brothers, headquartered in Chicago, was honored as the Supplier of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo.
Recognized as one of the oldest continuous businesses in Illinois, their story started back in 1836 with physician and horticulturist, Dr. John Kennicott, who was instrumental in the establishment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and promoted the Morell Act which established land grant colleges.
In 1881 the doctor’s sons, Flint and Amasa founded their wholesale company and began servicing florists in a large portion of the Midwest and the South. The firm grew over the years adding wholesale houses in Aurora, Elk Grove, IL; Hammond, IN, and Milwaukee, WI.
In 2012 they acquired Van’s Floral Products adding their locations in Alsip, IL; South Bend and Indianapolis, IN; Grand Rapids, MI; Minneapolis, MN, and Atlanta, GA. In 2014 Kennicott's joined forces with Nordlie, Inc. to add several more locations in Grandville, Flint and Warren MI; Cleveland OH, and Tampa FL.
Their service to the floral industry is ongoing today. They remain instrumental in their support for the Michigan Floral Association as well as other associations nationwide.
Both Harrison Kennicott, Jr. and Harrison "Red" Kennicott III have received the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association's Leland T. Kintzele Award for their contributions and involvement within the floral industry. They are the only father and son team ever to receive such an honor.
Young Person of the Year
Angela Christi, CF, has been chosen Young Person of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's 2015 Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A very spirited volunteer at the Expo, she has supported main stage designers in the workroom and helped teach a class for students. In her desire for floral knowledge, she tries to attend every floral design show offered by local wholesalers and the MFA.
A single mom raising two girls, she runs Flowers from Nature's Garden in Petoskey, Michigan. Her unique designs have been featured in several local publications. Her creativity and passion for flowers is what drives her dedication to MFA and the rest of the floral industry.
Wholesale Employee of the Year
Ric Gaunt of Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Romulus, Michigan, was recognized as Wholesale Employee of the Year at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo held in Grand Rapids.
Well-versed in the wholesale floral business, he followed in the footsteps of his parents, who ran Southview Wholesale Florist for many years. He worked alongside his brothers and helped transition their family-owned company into a major industry leader. The company was bought by Mayesh Wholesale Florist headquartered in Los Angeles.
People who work with him always comment that he is most knowledgeable about the wholesale floral business and its products. His passion for the floral industry was also shared with his late wife, who taught at a local tech school and instilled a great love among her students for the art of floral design.