Jun 5, 2013

AFE to Host Fundraising Dinner, Establishes Memorial TributeSource: AFE

The American Floral Endowment’s (AFE) annual fundraising dinner will take place Sept. 19, 2013, at the Sheraton Wide Horse Pass in Phoenix, Ariz.

At the dinner, AFE will kick off its new awareness campaign video, release the findings from the Purchasing Barriers study and recognize donors.

Each year the dinner helps raise awareness and support for AFE’s research.

The dinner is held in conjunction with the Society of American Florists’ annual convention.

Ross H. Pierce Memorial Tribute

A memorial tribute has been established within the AFE honoring Ross H. Pierce, a floral industry leader who founded Tennessee Wholesale Florist in Chattanooga, Tenn., as well as founding Americana Inc. Pierce died May 6, 2013 at age 90.

Floral distribution group Americana Inc. established the tribute for Pierce, who began his career in the retail floral industry in his hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., after serving in the U.S. Army during WWII.

In 1953, Pierce cofounded Tennessee Florist Supply Inc. and was president/CEO until 2000. In 1956, he moved and opened Tennessee Florist Supply of Bristol before confounding Tennessee Wholesale Florist in Chattanooga in the late 1950s.

Pierce served as a board member for the Society of American Florists (SAF) and the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association (WF&FSA). President Jimmy Carter also presented Pierce with the Honorary Presidential Award for his contributions to the floral industry.

For more information about AFE and the memorial tribute, visit www.endowment.org.