Furst Florist Dayton, Ohio

Loann Burke, AIFD, AAF, PFCI, is an award winning floral designer and event specialist with Furst the Florist in Dayton, Ohio. With over 30 years of experience in the floral industry, Loann’s designs and insights have been featured in Florists’ Review, Canadian Florist, Floral Management, Floriology, IDEA Magazine and national print ad campaigns, among several other industry publications.

She was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers in 2005, and into Professional Floral Communicators International in 2008. In 2015, Loann won the grand prize in the 48th Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition, and was inducted into the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF), a recognition for those who have committed their time and energy to both the floral industry and their local communities.

A highly sought after speaker and designer, she frequently shares her passion for flowers as she presents product demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and design seminars throughout the country for wholesalers, garden clubs, and civic organizations. As part of a team of designers from the American Institute of Floral Designers, Loann has been invited to design at the White House in Washington DC on multiple occasions.

She recently presented her critically acclaimed program, The Language of Flowers, on the main stage at the AIFD National Symposium, Transition Transformation, in Chicago. Loann currently serves as Design Director for Smithers-Oasis. She is past President of the North Central Chapter of AIFD and currently serves on the AIFD national board as the North Central Regional Representative. Loann holds a Bachelor’s degree with Distinction in horticulture from Purdue University, and a Master’s degree in Marketing from Wright State University.

sharonmcgukin.com Carrollton, Georgia

Sharon McGukin (Mac-Goo-kin) AIFD, AAF, PFCI inspires others to ‘celebrate life with flowers’. Sharon is known nationally for her floral expertise, southern charm and energetic connection with audiences as an entertaining and informative speaker.

She began her career as a small town florist with floral adventures leading her around the world. She has consulted in Asia for the home décor industry and presented flower demonstrations or tracked floral trends across the US, Canada, and Europe. From decorating floats at the Rose Bowl Parade to designing flowers in the White House, this floral fashionista has lots of flower stories to share.

Within the floral industry, Sharon is a:
● Smithers-Oasis Design Director
● Floral Blogger
● Author of “Flowers of the Heart”
● AIFD Past-President 2010 – 11 – American Institute of Floral Designers
● PFCI Member – Professional Floral Communicators International
● AAF Member – American Academy of Floriculture

Sharon is available for interviews, book signings and hands-on floral design presentations. Please contact her regarding speaker fees or book pricing. Upon request, Sharon often contributes articles or design tips for industry and lifestyle magazines, national newspapers or blogs.

Sharon and her husband, Tim, live in Carrollton, GA. They enjoy a busy life filled with grandbabies, grandpuppies, gardening, and large, noisy southern meal time gatherings of family and friends.

facebook.com/kevin.ylvisaker
Mukwonago, Wisconsin

Kevin comes to the floral industry with a background in art that includes a concentration in sculpture and weaving. He has been in the floral industry for more than forty years.

Kevin is a freelance designer with his company KLY Floral International. He offers design shows, trend consulting and personal tutored in store design programs.

He is an OASIS® Floral Product’s Design Director, creating designs for shows, the Smithers-Oasis IDEA Magazine, advertisements and the OASIS IDEA channel on YouTube. Kevin has also worked on product development and color palettes for Smithers-Oasis.

He is a Teleflora Education Specialist presenting design shows and classes around the country. He has worked on both the current Teleflora Selection Guide and the Teleflora Wedding Guide.

Kevin has been featured in Teleflora’s Flowers& Magazine numerous times. He has worked with Accent Décor to produce designs for their catalogs, their “T2” video series and set up their showrooms across the country. Kevin is a certified member of the American Institute Of Floral Designers (AIFD) and a past president of AIFD. He is a member of PFCI, the Professional Floral Communicators International and a past president of the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Florists Association (WUMFA).

Nationally he has designed and judged across the country for garden clubs, wholesale houses, state associations, floral organizations and floral wire services. He has presented at several of the Art In Bloom weekends as a guest speaker and judge.

Kevin was a presenter at the 2011 Newport Flower & Garden Show “Entertaining Newport Style” in Newport, RI which drew more than 10,000 attendees. Kevin was a member of the design team for the Inauguration of President George Bush Sr. in Washington DC in 1989.

He was a design team captain for the Inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. He has presented international design programs and taught classes in England, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Kevin was honored to be a Judge for the 1997 Tournament Of Roses Parade in Pasadena California. In 1999 he was a member of the floral design team for the Fiesta Float Company.

If he gets free time he enjoys his hobby of garden railroading.

Feysa.net Aurora, Ohio

Frank has been involved in many facets of the floral industry for more than 30 years as a retail shop owner, event designer, educator, and commercial print designer. In addition to his specialty floral event company, he currently serves as a design director for the Smithers Oasis Company in Kent, Ohio. Frank’s work has been featured in many industry publications including Florist’s Review, Flora and Floriology Magazines. He has participated in many design events including Petals and Paintings at the Krannert Art Museum, Nature’s Creative Edge and several projects at the White House. Frank has traveled extensively to present design shows and hands on workshops, nationally as well as internationally, on a wide variety of floral subjects.

Frank was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers in 2002 and was named Ohio Florist’s Association Designer of the year in 2010. He has been active on a national level with the American Institute of Floral Designers, currently serving as vice president on the AIFD National Board and on the regional level was past president of the North Central Region. Frank recently chaired the 2014 Chicago American Institute of Floral Designers National Symposium, Transition Transformation.

Frank received a Bachelor’s Degree from Hiram College in Plant Biology and Spanish. He has had a lifelong interest in orchid cultivation and breeding and achieved accredited judging status from the American Orchid Society. Frank has had the opportunity to chair many national and international orchid shows.

mymothersbloomers.com Halifax, Nova Scotia

That Bloomin’ Neville…
 Neville MacKay is a highly talented retailer and floral designer well known throughout the Floral Industry for his creative flare, quality workmanship and entertaining personality. He’s affectionately referred to as “That Bloomin’ Neville!” (among other things!)

Neville’s caught the attention of many media outlets as a rare find in the retail world! He appears as an expert and entertainer on many national and local TV and radio shows across Canada, designs and presents shows across North America for Smithers Oasis (North America) and is an OASIS® Floral Products Design Director. Neville also owns and operates a cutting-edge floral and retail gift shop in an upscale Halifax location.

Besides running his upscale floral shop, My Mother’s Bloomers, Neville speaks Internationally and also hosts a tour to the UK. He’s designed floral arrangements for celebrities and heads of state including Rod Stewart, Glen Close, Paul McCartney and members of the British Royal Family. Neville writes for several publications internationally, including Canadian Florist Magazine. His floral works have been featured in many national and international magazines (including Smithers Oasis’ IDEA) and is an accredited floral judge through the Canadian Academy of Floral Art and the World Flower Council. Check out all things “Neville” on his face book page, Twitter, or on his website, mymothersbloomers.com.

Mostly, Neville LOVES flowers, and loves to share their beauty with everyone he can.

Department of Floristry Keller & Stein Canton, Michigan

Laura Daluga AIFD is a designer at Keller & Stein in Canton, Michigan. She is also the owner of the Department of Floristry, a design studio specializing in special events and corporate designs, floral sculpture, and fleur couture.

Laura is a fourth-generation florist, growing up playing with dropped stems in the flower shop owned by her parents. she is a millennial designer with education, experience and an open mind.
 
“I am passionate about integrating the mindset of millennials with today’s flower shops,” said Laura. Her goals are to make this communal, crowd-sourced and collaborative, rather than competitive, generation part of the next generation of flower shop owners.

She is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers, Certified Floral Designer, Coordinator Art of Floral Exhibit Chicago Flower and Garden Show, designer at Art In Bloom at the Milwaukee Art Museum and Fleurotica at the Garfield Park, and People’s Choice winner of the Iron Designers America for the International Floral Expo in 2016.

WHEN PASSION & CAREER COME TOGETHER With a passion for flowers, a sense of exploration and an eye for beauty, Donald has been in floral design for over 30 years, and is now the Creative Director of West Van Florist in Vancouver, Canada, Education Specialist at Floriology Institute of Jacksonville, Florida, as well as the Design Director at Smithers-Oasis North America of Kent Ohio.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE Deeply influenced by eastern and western cultures, Donald has his unique approach to floral designs and aesthetics which has caught a lot of attention from the industry and media. Throughout the years, Donald has featured in all sorts of floral shows and in many internationally renowned magazines.

LOVE WHAT YOU DO Donald’s humorous and friendly way of tutoring has made him one of the popular education specialists in the field, thrilling participants with his trendy ideas and techniques. To further share his passion with people, Donald has created a YouTube channel where he shares his floral journey, and gives many design ideas and much industry knowledge to the world.

CONSTANTLY GO BEYOND YOUR BEST Donald placed 5th in the 2019 World Flower Art Contest, held in 2019 in Bejing, China, where 33 stars of the world floral industry competed on stage and were united together under the concept “Live Green Live Better”. He followed up with 1st place in the 51st annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition, the longest-running, live, U.S. floral industry design competition, held in 2019 in Amelia Island, Florida.

Trend On Design Eden Prairie, Minnesota

As the owner of Trend On Design, in Eden Prairie, Minn., Schroeck lives by the mantra “educate, inspire, influence” and it shows. She is passionate about introducing even seasoned floral professionals to new products, current trends, creative mechanics and design techniques to become more innovative and profitable designers.

Sandy Schroeck is an award winning designer, trend watcher and international educator with extensive experience in the floral industry. Having gained professional retail and wholesale experience during her career, Sandy has a unique perspective for the promotion of successful floral and gift businesses. She is currently an education specialist for Floriology Now and a design director for Smithers Oasis. Sandy also works with Len Busch Roses as customer education coordinator.

With a strong belief of excellence in design, Sandy is a member of American Institute of Floral Design. She currently serves on the AIFD National Board as a director at large. Sandy has lead the AIFD national membership committee, symposium committees and is an AIFD certified evaluator. Sandy is also certified by the Professional Floral Commentators International. Past winner of the prestigious North Central AIFD Bobbi Cup.

Sandy uses her design expertise and passion to convert consumer and color trends into floral sales and with the knowledge that continuing education and a willingness to change are the keys for success.