SAF in Action STARS OF THE INDUSTRY HONORED AT SAF PHOENIX 2023


> Hundreds of industry professionals gathered in September for SAF Phoenix 2023, the Society of American Florists’ 138th annual convention. While there, they honored top leaders who have made an indelible mark on the industry.


Floriculture Hall of Fame Consumers can enjoy a vase of flow- ers longer than ever while florists can minimize shrink, thanks to the research of University of Florida Professor Emeritus Terril Nell, Ph.D., AAF, who was inducted into the Floriculture Hall of Fame. The preeminent scholar on post-


harvest care and handling of potted flowering plants and fresh cut flowers, Nell coauthored SAF’s Flower and Plant Care Manual and has been a frequent columnist for Floral Management mag- azine. He’s advocated for floral research and funding and held numerous industry leadership positions, most notably SAF president and director of research for the American Floral Endowment (AFE). Nell spent 35 years as a professor


at the University of Florida, chairing its Environmental Horticulture Department from 1991 to 2012. In 1983, he developed the UF postharvest program, which con- centrated on potted plant and cut flower


FLORICULTURE HALL OF FAME Terril Nell, Ph.D., AAF (fourth from right), director of research at the American Floral Endowment and professor emeritus at the University of Florida, was inducted into the Floriculture Hall of Fame.


performance for growers, shippers, wholesale and retail florists and interior plantscapers. Beyond his university research, Nell has served as an industry consultant for growers, wholesalers and retailers for more than 40 years. In his acceptance speech, Nell cred-


ited several women in his life, especially his wife, Cathy. “I get the award, but she deserves at least 50 percent, if not 60 percent,” he said. “She was my ghost editor for years and years. I can’t thank her enough.” He also thanked his daughters, Amanda and Emily, for trudging through countless greenhouses with him over the years, as well as his grandmother, an avid gardener who helped him plant his first flowers as a small child. “We often ask, ‘What does it take to get someone interested in hor- ticulture?’ Sometimes it’s just a pack of seeds and a little encouragement.”


PAUL ECKE JR. AWARD Mike Black (center), founder of Jet Fresh Flower Distributors in Miami and Jet Fresh Flower Growers in Cotopaxi, Ecuador, received the Paul Ecke Jr. Award.


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Paul Ecke Jr. Award The Paul Ecke Jr. Award, which recog- nizes exemplary devotion to profession, industry, and community, was given to Mike Black, founder of Jet Fresh Flower Distributors and Jet Fresh Flower


FLORAL MANAGEMENT | November/December 2023 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


Growers, businesses famous not only for quality product and customer service, but also for being a beacon of company culture and philanthropy. Black also co-hosts a weekly podcast, “2 Fat Guys Talking Flowers.” In his remarks, Black mentioned that


he’d been awakened with a 3 a.m. phone call that a water tank busted, flooding his Miami warehouse, the business’s new binding machine shorted out, and someone stole batteries out of his truck. “This is a great ending” to a not-so-great day, he said, adding, “I love this business. It’s helped me raise my family. This is a proud moment in my life.”


Next Gen Rising Star Award The inaugural Next Gen Rising Star Award, which recognizes an individual professional 45 or under for their profes- sional achievements and commitment to the industry, was given to Nicole Palazzo, AAF, the founder and chairperson of SAF’s Next Gen Committee, a group that includes several hundred members who engage regularly on Facebook, partici- pate in monthly Zoom happy hours, and gather annually at their own conference.


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