North Central Midyear Chapter Meeting

North Central Chapter of AIFD Invites You to a Week End of Floral Education and Networking In conjunction with Chicago Flower and Garden Show (CFGS)! All members of the North Central Chapter AIFD will receive passes to the Chicago Flower and Garden Show for the weekend. Click here to download the event flier.

When: March 15 & 16, 2014

Where: Navy Pier – Chicago Flower & Garden Show and Embassy Suites Downtown/Lakefront

What: Dinner, Meetings & Educational Programs

Schedule:

Saturday, March 15 – Navy Pier

10 a.m. – CFGS opens to the public. Art of Floral exhibits opens with the show.
Overall Show Dates: Saturday, March 15 through Sunday, March 23
Overall Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday

2 p.m. –  Bobbi Cup Competitor Drawing
AIFD takes the CFG Show Main Stage with the introduction of The Bobbi Cup, and a lottery style drawing of the six competitors

2:30 p.m. –  “Design Reclaimed!” Deborah De La Flor AIFD, CFD,  PFCI will share her creative gifts and vast knowledge with the members of NC and the attendees of the CFGS
Deborah’s talent, innovative style and passion for flowers have made her a world-renowned floral designer. Even after more than 30 years her enthusiasm for the floral industry is unmatched. Her passion for flowers has taken her around the world sharing her love for the floral industry through design presentation, seminars, competitions & commentary. Deborah has been an FTD Design Instructor for many years. Her many accolades include Florida State Designer of the Year, representing the United States in the Interflora World Cup of Floral Design in Melbourne Australia 2004 and main stage presentations at the 2009 & 2012 AIFD Symposiums. In 1996 Deborah was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Design & in 2006 she was inducted into the Professional Floral Communicators International. Deborah’s ability to anticipate and influence the latest floral trends has led to her consulting for some of the biggest names in the floral industry. Her vast knowledge, down to earth demeanor & infectious enthusiasm make her a very sought after speaker for floral industry events. Deborah & her husband Gus have owned De La Flor Gardens in Fort Lauderdale Florida since 1986 and opened a landscape nursery in 2006.

4 p.m. – Bobbi Cup Competition and Judging on the CFG Main Stage
Commentators: Bobbi Ecker Blatchford AIFD, CFD, AAF, PFCI and Alice Waterous AIFD, CFD, CF, PFCI
North Central Chapter of AIFD Invites You to a Week End of Floral Education and Networking In conjunction with Chicago Flower and Garden Show!

5:15 p.m. – Announcement of the 2014 Winner of “Bobbi Cup” on the CFG Show Main Stage!

5:30 p.m. – AIFD members will then go on to our evening events. Our dinner and chapter meeting will held on Navy Pier, at Riva’s Crab House. 6 p.m. Cocktail Reception with a cash bar. 7 p.m. Chapter Dinner Banquet (Registration is available below) Members $55.00 (Active AIFD or CFD) Non members/Guests $65.00

8 p.m. – General Membership Meeting
Members not registered for our dinner can gather in the bar area just prior to 8 p.m. at Riva’s and then we will bring them into the Lakefront Room prior to calling the meeting to order. (Due to space constraints Riva’s management has asked that members not having dinner with the group wait to enter until the servers are finished.)

Sunday, March 16 – Embassy Suites
These educational and networking events will be held for members & guests on Sunday morning at the Embassy Suites Downtown Lakefront in the Ballroom.

8:30 a.m. – Complimentary continental breakfast and education sessions with keynote speaker, Shlomo Danieli from The Chicago Perishables Center, and Blooming of Beloit
Mr. Danieli has a very interesting and information packed presentation for us! We hope you ALL join us for this event! Breakfast is at no cost to members & guests. This is our gift back to you for all that you do to make our industry better! Shlomo has been involved in agriculture since the age of 14 when he began attending an Agricultural boarding school in Israel. Upon completing his Horticulture and teaching degrees at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he spent 11 years working for the largest Israeli during which time he earned his marketing degree. Shlomo moved to America in 1981 to start his own business. Shlomo began importing flowers from round the globe, introducing the US market to new varieties of flowers from growers in places like South Africa, Ecuador, and the French Riviera. While continuing his education Shlomo developed and introduced to the floral industry DASH board, the color matching catalog, which is a unique design tool to help the floral industry avoid color confusion. By the end of his studies, he purchased 100-acre farm in Beloit Wisconsin, Blooming of Beloit, returning to his first love of growing flowers.  Today, Shlomo Danieli, Inc. has grown to include an importing division, Alon Hagalil. Which focuses on marketing specialty cut flowers from places such as Israel, Thailand, Chile, and Columbia, an advanced line of specialty cut flowers naturally growing in Beloit, Wisconsin (Blooming of Beloit), a 100 acre farm, with over 40 employees, a color matching system specifically designed for flowers, DASH board, and The Israeli Herb Company which imports fresh herbs from Israel.

10 a.m. – Bruce Ecker, North Central States Territory Manager for Smithers Oasis North America and Floralife will share with us his fun and dynamic approach to care & handling of our most important investment – the flowers!
If you have never heard Bruce’s uniquely entertaining take on the care and handling process you have missed out! It is sure to be buckets of laughs!

11 a.m. – Mentoring Training for NCAIFD members interested in mentoring others
Chapter President, Eldon Haab AIFD, CFD, will lead this session. Please contact Eldon with any questions at Ejhaab@aol.com.

11:45 a.m. – Mentoring Orientation Meeting for anyone interested in being a mentor or mentoree
Chapter President, Eldon Haab AIFD, CFD, will lead this session. Please contact Eldon with any questions at Ejhaab@aol.com.

12:30 p.m. – Members and Guests are invited to return to Navy Pier for the afternoon with their CFG Show passes
Enjoy your visit to Chicago!

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS FLOWER SHOW PRODUCTIONS, BLOOMING OF BELOIT, PASSION GROWERS, SMITHERS-OASIS, THE SUN VALLEY GROUP AND MORE. . .

Registration:

Online registration is now closed. To register please call or e-mail Laura Parker AIFD, CFD at (248) 245-5348 or laura_parker821@yahoo.com.

A continental breakfast with a great speaker will be available Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. at no cost to members or guests. Please register if you are attending breakfast so we can plan appropriately!

NOTE: Registration must be postmarked by March 1, 2014 No Refunds will be given after March 7 due to contracts with caterer.

Hotel Information:

1. Hilton Embassy Suites Chicago – Downtown, 511 North Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
North Central Chapter Sub-block Reservation Code is “MYM”
Standard Suites $189 1 King Bed / Non-Smoking (Suites include living area with sofa sleeper) Full, Cooked-to-Order Breakfast, Nightly Managers Reception with Complimentary Cocktails, Soft Drinks, and Light Appetizers.
For more Information regarding this Special Offer or to make your reservation please call 312-836-590.

2. Additional Hotel Options – Many hotels are available at reasonable rates via online booking sites. We recommend you look for a hotel located in “The Loop – Downtown” for the best access to Navy Pier.

Navy Pier Parking*:
$14 Monday – Thursday before 5 p.m.
$19 Friday – Sunday before 5 p.m.
$10 After 5 p.m. seven days a week

No coupon or validation necessary
Valid at Navy Pier East or West Garages Only Discount based on time stamped on parking ticket when vehicle entered the Navy Pier Parking Garage.

*NOTE: Art of Floral Designers – A $10 discount rate is offered for designers of the Art of Floral Exhibit during the length of show. Prior to the Show opening for set-up of Art of Floral, parking is free with a voucher from the show office.