WF&FSA netWORK, 3-20-07 Issue
WF&FSA's Free Electronic Newsletter
3-20-07 IssueWholesalers Gain Market Growth in 2006
Wholesalers gained 2.4% of overall market growth in 2006, according to the WF&FSA Industry Benchmarks Report. Operating expenses dropped from 31.8% to 31%. Wholesalers gained productivity with "Sales Per Employee" increasing by 7% to $221,574 in 2006 from $206,486 in 2005.
The reports are conducted quarterly and the full results are only available to participants. To participate, contact Ken Hess at khess@wffsa.org
Chuck Riccardi Appointed to WF&FSA Board
Chuck Riccardi, General Manager of Seagroatt Floral Company, Albany, NY, has been appointed Chairman of the Young Executive Committee and as a result will serve on the WF&FS Board of Directors. WF&FSA changed its Bylaws to assure that its Board of Directors would always have the benefits that Young Executives bring to the table. To read more about Riccardi, click here .
Management Institute to be Held in Charlotte in August
Management Institute is an interactive, educational and motivating program for emerging leaders in the floral industry. The Institute provides attendees with networking, professional training, industry-focused discussion groups, mentors and an interview with an industry icon.
WF&FSA's Young Executives invite you to attend Management Institute, August 16-18, 2007 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charlotte, NC. .
This year's training session, Negotiating Creative Solutions, is designed to strengthen negotiation, creative problem solving and communication skills. To read more click here .
Win a Scholarship to Management Institute
WF&FSA is accepting applications for the 2007 Mike Garcia Scholarship to Management Institute. The scholarship is open to all employees of WF&FSA member companies.
The scholarship, which pays registration and hotel expenses for one person, is offered in honor of Mike Garcia, a past chairman of the Young Executives Committee and former president of Plus One Imports, a division of the Pete Garcia Company. It was created to recognize, encourage and reward exemplary service by an industry member who exhibits enthusiasm, industry dedication and commitment to career achievement. Click here to read more.
Webinar Helps Wholesalers Demonstrate Value
WF&FSA is co-sponsoring a webinar to help wholesalers and suppliers demonstrate their value to their customers. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2007.
The presentation will focus on why customers need suppliers that can reduce their total operating costs. The webinar will show how to document your value quickly and easily. For more information, click here .
WF&FSA President's Club
WF&FSA would like to thank Golden Rose Canada, the most recent contributor to the President's Club which funds the Wholesale Marketing Campaign. For more information on the Campaign or to join the President's Club, click here .
WF&FSA Welcomes New Member
Oscar G. Carlstedt Co. is the most recent new member of WF&FSA. In addition to their headquarters in Jacksonville, FL, we would also like to welcome the following branch locations as members: Atlanta, GA; Memphis, TN; Birmingham, AL; West Palm Beach, FL; Greer, SC; Waycross, GA; Savannah, GA; Lexington, KY; Orlando, FL; Tallahassee, FL; Tampa, FL; Pensacola, FL; McComb, LA; Monroe, LA; Albany, GA; Hattiesburg, MS.
Free Classes on Import Regulations Offered to Farms
New regulations are stricter and have increased the documentation needed to bring flowers into the U.S. Regulations were not stringently enforced initially to allow time for the flower industry to comply, but as time passes the enforcement will increase. The farms must produce the correct original document or the shipment will not be permitted to enter the country.
Flower Transfer Inc., Ecuador Cargo Systems and Tampa Cargo have teamed up to provide seminars to help growers understand their responsibilities. These seminars are free and all farms are invited to attend. During the week of March 26 they will be sponsoring three seminars for the farms in Ecuador. They will be held at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel at 8:30 am and 2:30 pm on Monday March 26 and 8:30 am and at 8:30 am Tuesday March 27, 2007.
Anyone wishing to attend should contact Nancy Almeyda at 593-9-970-8584 or Pablo Padilla at 593-9-970-8578 at Ecuador Cargo.
NEW "Facing the Forces of Change" Report Available Now!
Facing the Forces of Change: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain by the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence, is now available. This all-new study provides practical insights into key trends impacting the wholesale distribution supply chain and is packed with specific action ideas and planning tools that executives can use today to lead the way in their supply chains. The author, Adam Fein, shook up a lot of WF&FSA members at our recent Convention and Floral Expo in Phoeniz, AZ. Now you can read for yourself what the future may have in store. As a WF&FSA member, you are eligible to save $48. Click here for more information.
DHL Express Discount Program for WF&FSA Members
Up to a 60% discount off the domestic Next Day book rates
Up to a 58% discount off the International book rates
Up to a 48% discount off the domestic 2nd Day book rates
Shipments up to 150 lbs.
DHL Ground Up to a 34% discount off the Ground book rates
Shipments up to 150 lbs.
Contact WF&FSA at (888) 289-3372 to get your DHL discount account number.
Flowers for Kids
In 2006, Flowers for Kids trained 322 retail florists to become certified Flowers for Kids teachers. In 2007, they have scheduled more than 400 new florists for training. Investing in kids today insures a better tomorrow.
FTD Closes Stock Offering
FTD Group Inc. finds demand for their stock and closes its public offering of 6 million shares for $17.50 per share. Underwriters exercised their over-allotment option for an additional 900,000 shares for $17.50 per share less underwriting discounts.
Colombian School Benefits from Wholesaler's Generosity
A foundation that works to improve the lives of Colombian children will receive a $10,000 boost from employees at the Bill Doran Company , headquartered in Rockford, IL, according to the SAF Wednesday E-Brief. Employees of the Bill Doran Company could automatically deduct a portion of their paychecks -- anywhere from $1 to $10 a week.
The school is sponsored by The Elite Flower in Bogot, Colombia, as the Fernando Borrero Caicedo Foundation. The money will go towards audiovisual equipment, computers, Internet connections, indoor recreation and sport activities.
FloraCulture International Free to WF&FSA Members
FloraCulture International will be automatically sent free to WF&FSA members. The magazine focuses on growers and wholesalers.
As of January 1, 2007, Jaap N. Kras took over the magazine from Ball Publishing. Kras was formally CEO of the VBN, the umbrella auction association. To learn more about the magazine visit their website at www.floracultureinternational.com
Smithers-Oasis Names Daly to Lead Floralife
Smithers-Oasis Co. has announced the appointment of Jim Daly to vice president and general manager of Floralife Inc., a company acquired by Smithers-Oasis in early Janaury. In his new position, Daly will be responsible for the day-today management of Floralife. To read more click here
CCFC Launches Redesigned Website
The California Cut Flower Commission launched a new redesigned website: www.CCFC.org . CCFC.org will feature monthly updates, a flower database, updates on the Commission's programs, a calendar of events, and regular email updates to industry friends and consumers.
U.S., Mexico Re-establish Agriculture Committee
The U.S. and Mexico have signed a memorandum of understanding to re-establish the U.S.-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture. The committee has served as a forum for trade issues concerning market access, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, biotechnology and animal and plant health. It could some day address plants coming into the U.S. in soil, which is currently prohibited. To read more click here .
West Coast Supermarket Union Contracts Expire this Year
Contract talks have begun between the union representing more than 120,000 West Coast grocery workers and major supermarkets. Both sides want to avoid a dispute like the 140-day strike and lockout of 2003-04 in Southern California. The first round is in the Los Angeles area, where the union represents about 65,000 employees of Albertsons, Safeway's Vons stores and Kroger's Ralphs stores. Their contract expired March 5. To read more click here .
RFID Chips to Get Smaller and Cheaper
Hitachi's latestRFIDchipis one-sixtieth the size of its Mu-chip predecessor. The new chip is thin enough to be embedded in a piece of paper, although, because of its minuscule size, it requires an external antenna to read information from it.
Intel has announced plans to enter the RFID arena, integrating enough RFID into one chip to slash reader prices from 50% to 60%. Intel claims its UHF RFID transceiver, called the R1000, has packed "approximately 90 percent of the discrete components found in a typical RFID reader radio onto a single chip."
Dona Abbott (Weder) Passes Away
Dona Abbott, a director of Highland Supply Corporation and an internationally recognized artist, died March 2 in Boulder, Colo., after a five-year battle with cancer. Abbott retired in 2000 as vice president of Highland Supply after 37 years.
Her family is creating a Dona Abbott Endowment for the Arts, and a Dona Weder Abbott Memorial Fund has also been established with the American Floral Endowment. Click here to get more information on making donations in Abbott's memory.
Maria Van Wingerden van den Ende Dies at 83
Maria Van Wingerden van den Ende passed away unexpectedly on, March 11, 2007. She suffered a severe stroke several days prior and never regained consciousness nor felt any pain. She and her husband Johnny, together with their five children, emigrated from the Netherlands to Carpinteria, CA in 1967, along with John's brothers Case, Hank, and Bill, his sister Annie and their spouses and children. The Van Wingerden family are well known for their flower-growing in the Carpinteria valley.
Puckett Receives Alabama Award
The Alabama State Florists' Association presented the Camellia Award to William F. Puckett, in recognition of his outstanding dedication, service and advancement of the floral industry. Bill is President of, Wm. F. Puckett, Inc., Barberville, Florida.