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2025 is off to a difficult start here in California, with historic wildfires raging through iconic Los Angeles neighborhoods and leaving a path of unprecedented destruction. Although floral production and logistics are largely unaffected by the wildfires, there are certainly floral businesses who operate in the affected zones that will need our support to get back on their feet after such a devastating natural disaster. CalFlowers looks forward to working with partner floral associations to provide whatever relief we and our members can muster.
On the bright side, both CalFlowers and That Flower Feeling Foundation are poised for a fantastic 2025. Building on numerous accomplishments and improvements during 2024, both entities are well positioned for further growth as we enter the new year.
CalFlowers Association enters 2025 with a spiffy new AMS (Association Management Software) platform, which provides immediate upgrades to our Association database management, member communications capabilities, website, and payment processing. Our improved Fedex contract deepens shipping discounts by another 5%, funneling millions of freight dollar savings back into floral companies who utilize the program. We will be splitting our Membership Appreciation meeting into two, with a San Francisco and San Diego event planned for July/August including the popular “night at the ballpark”. We continue to strengthen the industry at large with ongoing and new financial supports for Life In Bloom, Memorial Day Flower Foundation, various research sponsorships, Sustainabloom, AFE scholarship fund, and a host of state-level programs ranging from education to training to in-person events. Additionally, the CalFlowers Board and staff are committed to a robust Strategic Planning retreat in 2025 to craft a vision for the years to come.
In 2024, That Flower Feeling experienced significant new levels of support from across the entire floral industry. Perhaps most notable was the formation of the TFF Advisory Board and its Committees. This new oversight structure continues CalFlowers’ promise to transition TFF governance to the industry at large and consists of some of the top minds in the world of floral. By carefully selecting directors and committee members from across all segments of floral, we’ve ensured proper representation of the many, diverse areas of interest of the industry. 2025 promises to see TFF’s next major creative launch, funded by the voluntary contributions of the industry itself which reached record levels in 2024. It’s a seminal moment in our ability to engage with the American consumer. Alongside the Test Market project currently being run in the state of Texas, and the Unit Sales Program which is placing branded TFF merchandise in the hands of floral retailers across the country, the Foundation will continue to elevate the importance of fresh flowers in the cultural zeitgeist of America, directly improving business conditions for all floral stakeholders.
Lastly, I’m both excited and a bit sad to share some personal news. My personal life journey is taking me in a new direction – to the amazing city of Amsterdam, Netherlands. I fell in love with Amsterdam and the entire country over the past 20 years of visiting and have decided to make it my home. As a result, I am leaving my position at CalFlowers and That Flower Feeling, effective March 31. I have tremendous appreciation for the CalFlowers Board of Directors, staff, and members. I have served CalFlowers for over 22 years now, starting with the Transportation Committee, the Board, and two terms as President of the Board before taking the Executive Director position in 2020. It is incredibly rewarding to work with an Association that is so broadly representative of our great industry and who consistently supports such a huge range of activities within it. Leveraging my passion and skillset to benefit the entire floral industry has been a dream come true, and I regret that time is coming to an end. Of course, the Netherlands is the global hub of floral trading, and I do expect to remain in the industry. To all my friends and colleagues around the world – whenever you pass through Amsterdam (and you will!), please be sure to drop me a line so we can break bread, commiserate over challenges, and get excited about opportunities. It is truly a gift to be part of the global fresh flower community, and I can’t wait to see you all in the ‘Dam!
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