The trustees of the American Floral Endowment (AFE) recently announced they have selected the Society of American Florists as the Endowment's new management team.

"This is a win-win for AFE and the horticulture industry," says AFE Chairman Mike Mellano Sr., AAF, of Mellano and Company in San Luis Rey, Calif. "AFE will be able to take advantage of SAF's resources while remaining a wholly separate entity."

Since 2004 AFE offices have been located at Hortica Insurance in Edwardsville, Ill., during which time Hortica contributed administrative services during a period of AFE's restructuring and growth. "We're very pleased with the decision," says Bob McClellan, retiring president of Hortica Insurance in Edwardsville, Ill.

"We want to thank Bob McClellan and all of the great people at Hortica for their help and generosity in providing a home for the Endowment for the past four years," says Mellano. "It is support like theirs, and that of so many others in our industry, that makes the future bright for funding research and scholarships in horticulture and floriculture."

The decision to move to SAF was made at the end of an extensive, four-month-long process during which the AFE board requested and evaluated several different management proposals.

"The SAF team is extremely excited about this opportunity," says SAF CEO Peter J. Moran. "We're looking forward to getting started.  I am also excited to announce that Debi Aker, a former nine-year employee of SAF, has agreed to return to manage AFE's day-to-day operations."

AFE offices will be relocated to the SAF building at 1601 Duke Street, Alexandria, Va. in July.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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