by Jenny T Ingrum AIFD
There are moments in life when you’re exactly where you need to be—when timing, presence, and purpose align to introduce you to someone who will change your life. In hindsight, you wish you had known the weight of the moment. You’d have soaked it in more fully—memorized every word, bottled the energy, and etched it into your soul.
That’s what it feels like when I reflect on meeting my mentor and inspiration, Marie Ackerman AIFD.
“I’ve never been more ready than I am at this very moment.”
This is a phrase she gifted me—one that I now carry always. Marie was an encourager, a force field of confidence, a powerful motivator, a comedian, a storyteller, a connector, a truth-seeker, and a wealth of wisdom. She was one of a kind.
At my very first AIFD Symposium, I didn’t know a single person. I was nervous, hopeful, and quietly unsure of where I fit. Marie saw me before I even knew who she was. During a cocktail mingle, camera in hand, I wandered with curiosity, noticing every small floral detail. She told me she had been watching—and not in an intimidating way, but in a way that made me feel seen. Really, truly seen. That was her gift. Silent observation wrapped in supportive energy.
If you were to describe someone who dedicated her life to floristry, Marie would be that person. From high school, where she earned her certificate in Floriculture and Horticulture, she stepped straight into a flower shop job and, not long after, into floral education. She became the Director of Education and Special Projects for AFS (American Floral Services), then rose to Vice President of Educational Services at Teleflora, where she also managed the Teleflora Education Center in Oklahoma City. That’s where, like so many others, I had the privilege of learning from her firsthand.
Marie graced many AIFD Symposia stages as a presenter and motivational speaker. She was a creative leader with vast experience in product development, floral education, publishing, and public speaking. She earned prestigious industry awards and lived her life guided by faith and generosity.
Marie constantly encouraged others to push beyond their comfort zones, to expand, to grow. And she did exactly that for me.
At a Teleflora Presidents Meeting, she casually planted a seed: “You should submit a proposal for a main stage presentation.”
I laughed it off, overwhelmed. Me? A main stage? No way.
But she wasn’t having it.
There was no room for hesitation in Marie’s orbit. No room for shrinking. No doubt in her voice. She saw something in me and refused to let me look away from it.
And so—I did.
I submitted. I presented. And through it all, she was cheering me on. Her pride in my growth still inspires how I show up for others. She taught me how to hold space for someone’s potential before they can see it in themselves.
We lost Marie and her magnetic presence in January of 2021. But what we didn’t lose was her influence. That stays—woven into the lives she touched, embedded in the moments of courage she sparked in others. My hope is that her spirit continues to rise within us when we need it most. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her final main stage presentation was titled “Shine.”
And how perfect that word was—for her, for her legacy, and for what she encouraged in all of us.
Marie, we shine brighter because of you.
