2022 Winter – From the President

Hello, everyone, and welcome to 2022! I’m more than a little excited—and feeling more than a bit intimidated—to be writing my first column as your new ASCFG President.

This organization is a HUGE reason that our little flower farm has been successful, and I’ve been very thankful to try to give back by serving as the Southeast Regional Director, and an active member of your board for the past five years.

In this time, I’ve been so pleased to see our Regional membership grow from 138 to nearly 450 people, and I’m totally astonished that our global membership has gone from fewer than 1,000 members five short years ago to more than 2,700 today. The ASCFG’s greatest asset is our members, who include the finest flower farmers in the world!

I feel the amazing growth we’re experiencing is a direct tribute to your association’s leaders.

I’ve been able to see in person how your Board of Directors (who are all volunteers) and ASCFG staff (notably Executive Director Judy Laushman and Managing Director Linda Twining) have worked relentlessly to build on the Association’s 30+ year heritage, working hard to create the best growers’ association possible.

None of this is a cinch; after all, your board members are also full-time flower farmers and business owners, parents, partners, and caregivers. Yet, they set aside the time and effort at the end of their work days to participate in Zoom board and committee meetings (can’t wait until we can reconnect to meet in person again) to move the ASCFG forward.

When I mentioned that I feel more than a bit intimidated coming into this role, it’s because of the president I’m succeeding—Jennie Love.

Jennie’s served on the board, first as Vice President and then as President, the entire time I’ve served as Regional Director, plus an additional four years before that! Since the very first time I heard of her, I’ve been in awe of Jennie, who played a major role in putting the flower “farmer” together with “florist,” creating a new role in our flower world.

As President, she has pushed us to create our first-ever strategic plan—a major building block and road map for the ASCFG. It’s posted on the ASCFG Members site, under Membership —> ASCFG documents. In fact, while you’re at it, take a few hours this month to look at everything available to you on the site. It’s a major benefit of your membership and you’re cheating yourself if you don’t take a look.

Also take a minute to get acquainted with the Board (you’ll find us under Contact) and our responsibilities. Our terms are three years.

If you’re not already following your board members on social media, please take a second and do that!

While at this brand new stage, it would be foolish for me to say what I plan to accomplish as your President, but I CAN tell you that I’ll continue to do what I’ve tried to do as a Regional Director: connect people, share best practices and feedback, GO and SEE, meet people and see places in person, listen, keep learning, and then share what I see and hear.