Chuck Riccardi Named Young Executive Chairman on WF&FSA Board of Directors

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Chuck Riccardi, General Manager of Seagroatt Floral Company, Albany, NY, has been appointed as the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association (WF&FSA) Chairman of the Young Executive Committee and serves on the WF&FS Board of Directors.

In recent years WF&FSA changed its Bylaws to assure that its Board of Directors would always have the benefits that young people bring to the table. The Chairman of the Young Executive Committee automatically serves as a member of the WF&FSA Board of Directors. His term is for three years.

Riccardi began his floral career pulling weeds in the greenhouses his great grandfather started. As a teenager he spent summers working with his father and uncles in the wholesale floral division. After earning his Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, he worked as a consulting engineer for a few years. In 1999, he returned to the family wholesale flower business in the sales department. He is now General Manager, overseeing the daily operations of the Albany location.

Riccardi is active in Premier Floral Distributors (PFD) and also serves on the WF&FSA Technology Committee. Chuck is a volunteer fireman, and he enjoys camping & skiing with his wife Heather and two young boys.

ASCFG Publishes Buyers’ Guide

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc. (ASCFG) has released its 2007 Buyers’ Guide. The Buyers’ Guide features cut flower growers from the U.S. and Canada who supply to retail and wholesale buyers, event planners, and floral designers.

The guide is used to locate unique, high-quality floral product direct from growers. ASCFG members produce fresh and dried flowers, herbs, bulbs, and flowering and fruiting branches, including many flowers that aren’t available through traditional wholesale or import channels. The publication includes growers who ship flowers nationally as well as those who service regional and local markets.

For a free copy of the Buyers’ Guide, contact the ASCFG at (440) 774-2887 or ascfg@oberlin.net or go to www.ascfg.org

The ASCFG is a trade association that provides production and marketing information to commercial field and greenhouse growers.

Hortica Alerting Public to Loss of Backup Tapes

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Florists’ Mutual Insurance Company (Hortica), an Illinois-based provider of employee benefits and insurance to companies in the horticultural industry, today announced that a locked shipping case containing magnetic backup tapes cannot be located. Hortica believes that the backup tapes contained personal information including names, Social Security numbers, drivers’ license numbers, and/or bank account numbers.

The locked shipping case was being transported by UPS from a secure offsite facility to the company’s Illinois headquarters. UPS informed Hortica that the shipping case could not be located, and Hortica has been working with UPS in an attempt to locate the case. On April 5, 2007, UPS notified Hortica that all internal recovery processes had been exhausted and the shipping case could not be located.

Hortica is continuing its investigation of this incident and is working with various law enforcement agencies to locate the shipping case. A possibility remains that the shipping case may be found within UPS’s shipping or another storage facility.

“UPS and law enforcement agencies have no evidence to indicate an unauthorized individual has possession of the tapes,” said Robert McClellan, president and chief executive officer. “It is important for customers to note that these tapes cannot be read without specific computer equipment and software.” Mr. McClellan said Hortica has since altered its backup tape storage procedures so shipment of backup tapes by common carrier is no longer required. No unusual activity involving customer information has been reported to the company. However, Hortica recommends that people possibly affected by this incident take the following steps to protect themselves:

1. Remain vigilant by reviewing account statements and immediately report any suspicious activity.
2. Place a fraud alert on credit files by calling the three national credit reporting agencies at the following information: Experian -- 888-397-3742; Equifax -- 800-525-6285; TransUnion -- 800-680-7289. A fraud alert lets creditors know to contact you before opening new accounts. More information regarding fraud alerts is available on http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.
3. Periodically check credit reports from each of the consumer reporting agencies listed above.

Receive a free credit report by going to http://www.hortica-insurance.com/ and click on AnnualCreditReport.com. If fraudulent transactions are found, the credit reporting agency should be contacted immediately to determine how to have the transaction deleted.

For more information on identity theft, concerned individuals should visit the website of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ or call the FTC hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT. Any suspected identity theft should be reported to the FTC immediately. For affected persons who may have questions for Hortica, they may call 1-800-851-7740 or email Hortica at securedata@hortica-insurance.com. Information regarding the loss of the locked shipping case will also be posted on Hortica’s website at http://www.hortica-insurance.com/.

About Hortica: Founded in 1887, Hortica provides specialized business insurance to garden centers, nurseries, retail florists, wholesale floral distributors, greenhouse growers, landscape contractors and interior plantscapers. Based in Edwardsville, Ill., it is the only U.S. insurance company that dedicates the majority of its resources to the horticultural industry.

American Floral Endowment (AFE) Establishes the Dona Weder Abbott Memorial Tribute

Edwardsville, Illinois, March 19, 2007 – Dona Abbott, Vice President of Advertising for Highland Supply Corporation, and an internationally recognized artist died March 2 in Boulder, CO after a five-year battle with cancer. Abbott worked for Highland Supply for 37 years handling creative design and advertising. She retired from Highland in 2000.

Born in Highland, IL, November 18,1943, Abbott moved with her family to Boulder in 1965. While raising her family, she graduated summa cum laude from University of Colorado in 1972. She was a long-standing member of Boulder’s Mustard Seed Gallery and an active participant in Open Studios. Her work was regularly featured in national art exhibitions, including Rocky Mountain National, Arts in the Parks and Watercolor West and has appeared in Splash, International Artist Magazine and other national and international art publications. She authored two art books, Watercolor Filled With Bright Colors and Captured Moments.

Dona Weder Abbott is survived by her husband Bill Ervin, her son Lon Abbott, daughter Natasha Scholze and three step-children, Zachariah, Jeremy and Sayward Ervin. She was the loving “Oma” to nine grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, Donald Weder and three sisters, Mary Kay Foley, Wanda Weder and Janet Weder.

As a way to honor Mrs. Abbott, a Memorial Tribute has been established by her family within the American Floral Endowment to provide a way to honor her life and contributions to the industry. To contribute to the Dona Weder Abbott Memorial Tribute, send a check so designated to:

American Floral Endowment
P.O. Box 945
Edwardsville, Illinois 62025

The family is always notified. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Nine Grandchildren Owners Celebrate McFarlane’s Bark 75th Year
Firm Introduced Commercial Yard Debris Composting to Portland, OR.

Nine grandchildren of the founders of McFarlane’s Bark, all involved in running the business today, are celebrating the 75 th anniversary of the first commercial yard debris composting operation in the Portland area.

Founded in 1932 by Clara and Fred McFarlane, the company has evolved from selling fuel sawdust to become one of the largest bark products, compost and soil mix suppliers in Oregon and Washington as well as a thriving landscape supply company.

Today McFarlane’s is run from its Milwaukie headquarters by the third generation, Dan, Kathleen, Maureen, Ann, Theresa and Shannon McFarlane with three other siblings Patrick, Mary and Michael, active as shareholders and on the board. The company expanded to southwest Washington in 1978.

McFarlane’s is celebrating the anniversary the first weekend in May, coinciding with the kickoff of International Compost Awareness week, with customer and employee appreciation barbecues at the company’s locations in Milwaukie and Vancouver.

The Milwaukie barbecue will be held at 13345 SE Johnson Road on May 4 and 5, beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the Vancouver event at 8806 NE 117 th Avenue on May 6 and 7, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

California Cut Flower Commission Launches Redesigned Web Site

Ovid, MI - Flower PR, LLC is proud to announce the launch of the redesigned CCFC.org, the official web site of the California Cut Flower Commission. Flower PR, LLC will host and handle the web site activities for the CCFC.

“The floriculture industry has a compelling story to tell and the web is a great tool to reach audiences, especially new entrants into the marketplace. I am proud of the team we’ve put together to undertake these ambitious projects,” stated William R. Carlson, President of Flower PR, LLC. “Building the CCFC web site was a real joy for us because of the wealth of high quality and innovative materials they produce.”

CCFC.org will feature monthly updates, a flower database, updates on the Commission’s programs, a calendar of events, and regular email updates to industry friends and consumers.

After 14 years in floriculture association management, William R. Carlson has formed Flower PR, LLC, a company dedicated to web site development and project based public relations in the green industry. Carlson was the Executive Director of the Floral Trade Council for 12 years and the Managing Director of the Flower Promotion Organization for the last 7 years. During his tenure with the FPO, he developed campaigns on the organization’s website, www.flowerpossibilities.com which included the highly successful “flower recipes” program, which provides the staples for the monthly content on the site. Carlson was also instrumental in the creation of the monthly video “podcasts” the site features.

About Flower PR, LLC: Flower PR, LLC is dedicated to providing clients public relations programs and websites which integrate with their marketing and PR plans. They specialize in green industry consumer and B to B sites. They offer hosting, monthly update packages, and consumer interaction solutions. The company’s website is www.flowerpr.com.

PIA Brings Service and Sales Specialist Rick Segel to CalScape Expo

Ukiah, CA. – Popular nationally-known speaker Rick Segel will bring his business and sales expertise to the interiorscape industry at CalScape Expo 2007. “Service is Selling and Selling is Service,” how service and selling are interchangeable, will be Rick’s keynote topic. Rick will explain how ideally, when the customer is sold the proper merchandise, they are being serviced well. Attendees will learn how selling and service skills come together to create the ultimate customer experience.

“I tell my audience that they will leave with at least 3 ideas which they can implement immediately and no one has ever been disappointed,” states Segel. “Find ‘Em, Hire, ‘Em, and Keep ‘Em” will be Segel’s breakout focus. Without the right people a company cannot survive, let alone grow, and Rick’s offbeat, shirtsleeves program recognizes that traditional methods don’t work in a hot and highly competitive job market.

Attendees will learn how to find the right employees using non-traditional ways, learn how to harness the “fun factor” to make their business a place that attracts and retains good employees, how caring is the hidden business secret to increase management effectiveness, and why money is not the number one motivator. Rick will also touch on entrepreneurial intelligence, and online solutions for small business success.

The Plantscape Industry Alliance will hold CalScape Expo, its top-of-the-line conference and trade show, September 26-28, 2007 , at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, located in Las Vegas, NV . In addition to a full lineup of conference sessions and networking opportunities, CalScape Expo 2007 will also feature a unique Exhibitor Showcase with 90 b ooths filled with popular products as well as new products and a fabulous display of foliage, containers, and specialty items in demand by plantscape professionals.

For information on exhibiting and a list of current exhibitors, visit the Plantscape Industry Alliance’s website at www.piagrows.org. Information on this year’s educational programs and conference registration will be available on PIA’s website in May, or contact PIA’s office at 707-462-2276.

American Floral Endowment (AFE) Establishes Memorial Tribute for Arthur Ito

Edwardsville, IL. – A Memorial Tribute has been established within the American Floral Endowment honoring Arthur Ito, a longtime member of the floral industry.

Raised in both California and Mexico, Mr. Ito began his floriculture career in 1935 in Los Angeles at the age of 17. His first job in the industry was at Los Angeles Nursery, where he worked his way up to Flower Shop manager within six years. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Ito and his wife Alice re-established her parents flower business, Flower View Gardens, in Los Angeles, eventually moving the business to Hollywood in 1961. There, it would become a favorite of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope.

Flower View Gardens would also become a training center for both U.S. and international floral students. Mr. Ito continuously participated in the floral industry, beginning at the local level and eventually on the national scene. He became President of FTD in 1985 and acted as a liaison between the U.S. and Japanese

FTD for many years. Ito was honored with the highest award given by Japan’s floral industry, was a charter member or AIFD, and was inducted into the SAF Hall of Fame in 1994.

Mr. Ito died from a pulmonary embolism and acute colitis on September 22, 2006. He was 88 years old. As a way to honor Mr. Ito, a Memorial Tribute has been established by his family within the American Floral Endowment to provide a way to remember and honor him in a special and lasting manner. To contribute to the Arthur Ito Memorial Tribute, send a check so designated to:

American Floral Endowment
P.O. Box 945
Edwardsville, Illinois 62025

The family is always notified. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

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