AIFD News > AIFD Announces 2008 AES Results

(Baltimore, MD) — Seventy-three of 142 candidates who participated in the American Institute of Floral Designers' (AIFD) Accreditation Evaluation Session (AES) in Chicago, were successful in their quest to become AIFD Accredited, it was announced by AIFD today.

Held July 1 immediately prior to AIFD's acclaimed National Symposium, the AES provides the Institute a forum in which candidates seeking to become Accredited Members of AIFD can be evaluated based on ten points of professional floral design including mechanics, balance, color, theme, line and creativity.

The candidates who were successful in their AES evaluations will be invited to be inducted as members of AIFD during it's 2009 Symposium which will be held July 11-16 in Kansas City, Mo.

"To receive the AIFD accreditation is a very prestigious honor awarded only to those who are able to achieve a successful AES evaluation and who have indicated their desire to help promote the art of professional floral design," noted the Institute's president Walter Fedyshyn AIFD of Anthony Gowder Designs in Chicago.

"AIFD has high standards, and even though we are very anxious to grow membership, we will never lower the standards we have set for Accredited Membership," said Membership Chairman Ted Bruehl AIFD of The Chocolate Rose in Irving, Texas. "AIFD strives to hold the bar high and motivate designers to achieve that mark."

During an AIFD AES, candidates are provided all their flowers and materials and are given four hours to create five designs (funeral, base arrangement, flowers-to-wear, bridal, and designer's choice). The specific type of design for each of these categories, i.e., standing easel in the funeral category, is not made known to the candidates until right before they begin their designing. The candidates are also unaware of what flowers and materials they will be provided.

AIFD's influence in the floral industry is felt worldwide as is indicative of the 73 candidates who were successful in their AES evaluations: 36 were from the United States, 23 from Korea, six from Canada, three from Mexico and one each from the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan.

States adding AIFD members were: California (2), Florida (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (5), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Maine (1), Maryland (2), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), North Carolina (4), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1) and Wisconsin (3).

For further information on AIFD's Accreditation process please click here.

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Gail Anderson
Sydney School of Floristry
New South Wales
Castle Hull NSW, Australia

Jose Luis Silva Davila
Smithers Oasis de Mexico S.A. de C.V.
Santa Catarina, Mexico

23 from Korea, six from Canada, three from Mexico and one each from the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Gail Anderson
Sydney School of Floristry
New South Wales
Castle Hull NSW, Australia

Jose Luis Silva Davila
Smithers Oasis de Mexico S.A. De C.V.
Santa Catarina, Mexico