President's Message
As I begin to write this, I'm filled with excitement that soon it will be over! The holiday rush, that is! By the time you read this we will have begun a new journey together in 2011. I hope that everyone had a great New Year's celebration.
To start the year, Southern Chapter will again have a presence at the State FFA Career Development Event in Floriculture and Nursery Landscape in St. Petersburg, Florida on February 5. We will be coordinating a boutonniere practicum for FFA students under the direction of Merry Mott, FCHP, FNGLA, Director of Industry Certifications. Robyn Arnold AIFD, Sylvia Bird AIFD and myself are seeking anyone interested in helping create enthusiasm about our industry with these students. Remember, they are our future!! Contact me if you would like to be a part of this most educational learning experience.
Also, I would like for Southern to coordinate a public awareness exhibition this year. I can't recall our chapter doing this in the past, but the response in Boston at National was phenomenal. If anyone is interested in chairing an exhibition, please contact me, kcoblelefleur@aol.com.
Next, I hope you are getting geared up for Southern Conference in March in Charlottesville, Va. Carol Inskeep AIFD and David Powers AIFD have been working diligently finalizing all of the details. If you would like to be a part of this great educational weekend, please feel free to contact Carol (carolinskeep@hotmail.com), David (dlp801@hotmail.com) or myself.
As I speak about Conference, it reminds me of friendships. I feel that friendships are an important component of our membership in Southern Chapter. Our friendships are what bring us closer together. It is wonderful to get the opportunity each year to bond with old friends and most rewarding to make new ones. Just a call to or from an AIFD member can easily turn my day around. We look to each other for design ideas, business questions and advice, sometimes not even related to our trade. What else can we ask for from life than dear acquaintances with common interests? Southern Conference is one of the premiere educational opportunities our industry has to offer. I invite you to attend and, in the spirit of southern hospitality, rekindle existing friendships and create new ones that will last a lifetime.
Now that Conference is fresh in your mind, hurry and make your reservations for "Botanical Art" on March 25 – 27, 2011. Call a friend and remind them to do the same. I look forward to seeing everyone.
Fondly,
Kevin Coble AIFD, CFD
President, Southern Chapter
