Presented by Wisconsin Upper Michigan Florists Association
Submitted by Renee Tucci AIFD PFCI CFD
In mid-March, as winter started to give way to Spring in Philadelphia, I too was excited to emerge from hibernation, to hop on a plane, and reconnect with my extended flower family at the WUMFA Conference in Green Bay Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Upper Michigan Florists Association (WUMFA) gathers yearly to carry out association business, to extend awards to extinguished members, to offer hands on classes and competitive opportunities, and to offer up inspiration by way of Main Stage business and design programs. This years gathering did not disappoint!
Along with dozens of WUMFA member florists in attendance, quite a few AIFD members made an appearance as well, for one of the first conferences back since the pandemic began.
Amanda Strassburg AIFD CFD, sponsored by Karthauser & Sons Wholesale,presented a hands-on workshop entitled Digging for Gold with Plants,where a packed classroom added to their skill set by creating a succulent garden, kokedama, and air plant wire holder. The succulent gardens were finished with beautiful rocks that Amanda hand painted herself!
Amanda followed up her hands on class with a Main Stage program on theme with the convention, titled A “Carnival” of Plants. She wow’d the crowd with kokedama plants, on trend dried flower additions to plants, a geometric arch draped in botanicals, and a head-turning foraged log enhanced with dried pink strelitzia leaves, rose-gold dusted salal rosettes, xerograpica and kokedama ferns.
Teleflora sponsored my trip to the conference where I was honored to lead a hand-on workshop entitled Tailored to Perfection. The attendees in the class created a project that allowed them to practice abstracting, tailoring, piercing, grouping, clustering, terracing, and a few other manipulation techniques. A class of FFA students attending the convention for the day sat in on our workshop, and it was a treat to engage with them about our work and their future goals.
On the last day of the conference, I took the Main Stage and presented a wedding themed program entitled Magical Moments. Engaging with the in-person audience after so many months of being only virtual was a total treat! We journeyed through four different wedding themed vignettes, and it’s safe to say that everyone walked away with sparks of inspiration!
Randy Wooten AIFD closed the convention with his Main Stage presentation Marketing for Success sponsored by FTD. Randy shared beautiful designs, practical marketing tips, and captivating stories that had the audience on the edge of their seats.
The Industry Awards & Recognition Banquet held on Saturday night was full of special moments. Patty Malloy AIFD won the 2022 Honorary WUMFA Membership award of Special Service, and Randy Wooten AIFD won the National Service award. Linda Zoerb CFD from La Crosse Floral took home Retailer of the Year. It was a touching evening full of flowers and friendship.
From Left to Right: Randy Wooten AIFD, Amanda Strassburg AIFD, Pete Samek AIFD, Linda Zoerb CFD, Lisa Belisle AIFD, Lori List AIFD, Renee Tucci AIFD & Cindy Ching AIFD
Lisa Belisle AIFD coordinated a Carnival themed competition for FFA High School students, College/Novice, Professional and Academy divisions. Amanda, Randy, Renee, Patty Malloy, Pete Samek, Derek Woodruff and Cindy Ching all acted as judges for the competition. It was a joy to watch the winners all receive their awards during the awards night banquet.
Returning home from this convention had me on a flower cloud! I am looking forward to my next chance to gather and share with my flower family!
