The Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association announced Wednesday that the 2027 Floral Distribution Conference will take place at the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami.

The announcement was made during the WFFSA Business Session at FDC 2026 by WFFSA President Fredrick Melero of Choice Farms, who shared the news with attendees gathered for the conference’s final day.

The move to MACC marks a significant next chapter for WFFSA’s premier annual event. With expanded exhibit space and enhanced meeting facilities, FDC 2027 will provide additional room for supplier displays, networking

The American Floral Endowment has appointed Art Van Wingerden, chief operating officer of Metrolina Greenhouses, as its chairman-elect.

Van Wingerden will begin a two-year term as chairman in September 2026, succeeding current Chairman David Garcia of Pete Garcia Co. Garcia will continue his service for an additional two years as past chairman.

The appointment comes as the endowment celebrates its 65th anniversary.

As COO of Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, North Carolina, Van Wingerden helps guide one of the largest greenhouse operations in the country. Founded in 1972 and family-run

Bill LaFever, president of the Bill Doran Co., has received the 2026 Leland T. Kintzele Distinguished Service Award from the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association.

The award was presented during the group's Floral Distribution Conference in Miami. It recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the floral industry and honors the integrity and leadership of Leland T. Kintzele, who served as WFFSA president from 1963 to 1965.

LaFever is a third-generation floral industry leader. His grandfather founded the Bill Doran Co., and his mother, Patricia LaFever, later led

BioWorks Inc., a biological products company for the horticulture industry, has named Chris Rose as interim general manager, effective immediately. The appointment marks a leadership transition aimed at accelerating sales and expansion.

Rose, a biologist, has been with the company since 2013. He has held leadership roles in operations, research and development, and marketing. He succeeds Bill Foster, who led the company for decades.

The company said its next phase will focus on expanding into open-field specialty crops such as grapes, almonds and berries, as well as strengthening its position in

J Schwanke and RJ Pole will launch the new "Behind the Bloom" podcast with special guest Lane DeVries on Feb. 16. New episodes are available first on Schwanke's YouTube channel and uBloom.com.

In the debut episode, Schwanke and Pole speak with DeVries about his career, his leadership role at CalFlowers and his new book, "The Pursuit of Purpose." The "Behind the Bloom" podcast is currently ranked No. 127 in the United States. The podcast is sponsored by CalFlowers and Chrysal.

Season 1 of 'Life in Bloom' and Companion Podcasts Now Free on YouTube

All 13 episodes of Season 1 of "J Schwanke's Life

Ball SB, Details Flowers Software and the Society of American Florists launched Stem Wars, the newest installment in their annual design contest series. The March Madness-style competition invites florists to showcase their creativity using new Ageratum and Didiscus varieties from Ball SB.

Building on the success of previous contests, including Sunflower Madness in 2022 and Duel of the Delphiniums in 2025, Stem Wars was created to give florists another opportunity to highlight their design skills, connect with peers across the floral community and compete for prizes. Participating designers