SAF Elects New Leaders

The Society of American Florists (SAF) recently elected 13 individuals to its board of directors and its retailer, grower and wholesaler councils. The election results were announced at SAF’s 122nd Convention in Naples, Fla.

Three people were elected to serve 3-year terms on SAF’s 10-person board of directors. They are Kevin Priest, Cleveland Plant & Flower Co., Parma, Ohio; Jim Rietkerk, Kallisto Greenhouses, Fontana, Calif.; and Ken Young, Phoenix Flower Shops, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Ten individuals were elected to SAF’s Council. The new members on the Retailers Council are Scott Kremp, Kremp Florist, Philadelphia, Pa.; Tom Hamilton, Beavercreek Florist, Beavercreek, Ohio; Tina Stoecker, Designs of the Times Florist, Melbourne, Fla.; and Lou Lynne Moss, The Flower Shoppe, Pratt, Kan.

Three members were elected to the Growers Council. They are Iviana Otero-Spisak, Greendale Nursery, Homestead, Fla.; Kent Collum, Plant Odyssey, Kyle, Texas; and Pete Vanderlugt, Aldershot of New Mexico, Mesilla Park, N.M.

The newest members on the Wholesalers Council are Stephen Carbone, Carbone Floral Distributors, Cranston, R.I.; Scott Kitayama, Greenleaf Wholesale Florist, Brighton, Colo.; and Barbara Ann Schnur, SF Brannan Street Wholesale Florist, San Francisco, Calif.

SAF also announced that Arlene Sorensen was the recipient of the Paul Ecke Jr. Award for her “”¦exemplary devotion to the floral profession, industry and community.” Sorensen is president of Lincoln Wholesale Florists Co., Lincoln, Neb.