Posts by mkarns@tsfa.org

Meet the Speaker — Vonda LaFever AIFD CFD PFCI

Vonda LaFever’s industry experience expands over four decades. She is the founder of Flower Clique, which provides tools and services for floral professionals looking to simplify and elevate their business the way they have always envisioned. LaFever owned and managed a retail shop in Illinois for 20 years. Her career with Teleflora includes Unit President, Regional Unit Director and Education Specialist Team Educator. In 2010, she was a member of the Academy Awards Design Team, and in 2015, she served on the White House Special Events Design Team. LaFever co-hosts the popular podcast, The Business and Pleasure of Flowers.

Meet the Speaker — Lori Wilson PFCI

With a background of more than 20 years in education, Lori Wilson has over 12 years of experience in the floral industry. As Flower Clique’s Director of Education and Community, her focus is helping business owners lead their teams with excellence. Wilson’s emphasis is on sales and leadership effectiveness, employee motivation and transformative mentoring. She has presented at the Society of American Florists Convention, NextGen and the Great Lakes Floral Expo. As co-host of a top floral podcast, The Business and Pleasure of Flowers, she has a passion for connection to the ever-changing floral industry.

Meet the Speaker — Derek Woodruff AAF AIFD CFD PFCI CF

After joining the floral industry at the age of 16, learning floral design in vocational school and working for a local florist, Woodruff continued his education through institutes such as Michigan State University, Great Lakes Floral Association and AIFD. He launched his own business, Floral Underground, in 2008 and currently serves as Lead Designer and Educator for Syndicate Sales. Woodruff specializes in “today’s consumer,” engaging them through different types of media, including demonstrations, subscription services and hands-on workshops. He was second runner-up on the televised reality show The Arrangement, won the 2016 Sylvia Cup and was named 2024 Floriexpo Iron Designer.

Meet the Speaker — Corrine Heck PFCI

Corrine Heck is the founder of Details Flowers Software, evolving from an event designer to a software developer and now serving as the CEO. Her entrepreneurial journey gained momentum when she won the Rollins College Sponsored Venture Pitch Grand Prize in 2016. At the helm of one of GrowFL’s Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in 2022, Heck was honored as the Most Charitable Woman in Volusia County. She was named one of Inc Magazine’s Top 200 Female Entrepreneurs of 2023 and is a recipient of the University of Florida’s Gator100 Award in 2023. Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce named Details Flowers Software the Small Business of the Year in 2023.

Meet the Speaker — Charlie Groppetti AIFD

Charlie Groppetti spent his early years in a California flower shop, which he owned for nearly 20 years. Decades in floral product development led to an expanded lifelong career in interior accessories and furnishings. “Cut from the landscape” is the very essence of Groppetti’s style. He was inducted into AIFD in 1987. Groppetti received the prestigious AIFD Award of Design Influence in 2022. His visionary development of Porch View Home has expanded his style to a home and garden lifestyle brand.

Meet the Speaker — Brenna Quan AIFD

Brenna Quan is an award-winning floral artist and educator based in Vancouver, Canada. She has shared imaginative floral art in exhibitions and demonstrations across North America. Quan’s tutorials for floral magazines — printed and online — and various educational videos garner social media engagement. She was inducted into AIFD in 2009 and subsequently presented two main stage programs at various AIFD Symposia with a third appearance planned this summer. Quan won First Place in the 2016 and 2019 Pacific North West Design Competitions and First Place in the 2019 Maple Leaf Cup. Most recently, she took Second Place while representing Canada in the Gateway to the Americas Cup in Panama against 32 competitors from 20 different countries.

Meet the Speaker — Frank Feysa AIFD CFD PFCI

Frank Feysa is a retailer, event designer, educator and commercial print designer. He was inducted into AIFD in 2002 and went on to serve as AIFD President in 2018-2019 and AIFD Symposium Chair in 2014. This summer, Feysa will serve as AIFD Program Coordinator. He holds the Professional Floral Communicator International designation from the Society of American Florists and is an Accredited American Orchid Society Judge. Feysa is a Smithers Oasis Design Director and previously taught Commercial and Contemporary Floral Design at Ohio State University. His designs have been featured in numerous industry publications. Feysa travels nationally and internationally to present design programs and hands-on workshops.

Meet the Speaker — Rocio Silva AIFD CFD PFCI

Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, is home to Rocio Silva AIFD CFD PFCI. She was inducted into AIFD in 2011 and is a member of the Mexican Council of Judges in Horticulture and Design. Silva holds the Professional Floral Communicator International designation from the Society of American Florists. She judges countless competitions as an AIFD Certified Evaluator and Accredited National Garden Club Judge. Silva is a past president of the Latin American Society of AIFD Members; a co-founder and director of the Instituto Mexicano Técnico Floral, which is the first floral design school in Mexico; and a floral designer for Oasis Floral Mexico.