By Ken Senter AIFD CFD
In the summer of 1968, a 26-year-old florist from Phoenix, Arizona, named Phil Rulloda and a close friend of his, Kenny Watanabe, jumped into Phil’s Volkswagen Beetle and drove across the hot Arizona desert to attend the first-ever AIFD Symposium at Cal Poly University.
AND SO, IT BEGINS
Around the same time, Phil also traveled to the Century City Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, Ca to attend a National Teleflora Design program. During a break in the afternoon, Phil found himself standing in front of the display windows of the hotels flower shop. He literally set on the ground mesmerized by the unique and spectacular floral designs that were in front of him. Tropical flowers, foliage’s and braided palm leaves took his breath away. The floral genius, who created those designs was soon to be come Phil’s mentor and lifelong Soul Mate, Silverio Casabar AIFD.
Phil has said that Silverio had the “soul of a Flower”
During his early retail days in Phoenix, he opened Country Club Flowers and soon expanded to 10 retail locations across the area. Eventually he hit the competition world.
In 1974, he was the Grand Champion in the FTD’s America Cup, winning 4 first place wards.
In 1976, Phil represented the USA at the Interflora World Cup, and won two First Place awards.
He has been a featured speaker in over 500 floral industry events worldwide. Phil also has designing Christmas decorations at the White House and helped design flowers for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Phil eventually moved to Southern California and married his sweetheart, Cathy Hillen Rulloda AIFD. Cathy owned a fabulous retail shop in Southern California. He opened and still operates the Phil Rulloda School of Floral Design. It is one of the premier floral design schools in the world.
A few of Phil’s Awards:
1987 – First Inductee, Arizona Floriculture Hall of Fame
1991 – First Recipient of AIFD’s Award of Design Influence
2004 – Recipient of the Tommy Bright Award by SAF
2007 – AIFD Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry
2017 – Selected to Judge, the Rose Parade Floats
I truly hope that your path has crossed Phil’s at some point in your floral career. He is always there, giving his time freely to help guide and mentor anyone. You may even learn help to weave a Bird!!!!!!!
