The annual Great Lakes Floral Expo in Grand Rapids, MI, drew 500 floral professionals to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel March 1-3 for a bevy of awards, designer contests, five main stage presentations, seven hands-on workshops, nine business sessions and a tour of four area floral businesses.

The Olympic-themed expo drew growers, wholesalers and florists from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Bob Patterson, president of the Michigan Floral Association, which sponsors the weekend, termed it “a marvelous investment in the future of your business,” in a news release.

John H. Dane, who began work as chief executive officer at NORCAL on Aug. 6, 2012, has left the organization after about seven months. The board president of the California association of flower growers and shippers, Patricia Mullen of Mayesh Wholesale Florists in Los Angeles, told The Produce News in a phone interview March 21 that the organization would begin a search process to replace Mr. Dane.

NEW YORK — Amy’s Orchids is back in business after a hiatus of more than a year due to the worst floods in Thailand in 50 years and a poor economy. Amy, who goes by one name, said the reopened firm has offices in Thailand and Virginia and will still sell mainly to selected wholesalers and supermarkets. She was interviewed at the World Floral Expo show, here, March 13.

The Produce Marketing Association’s newly rejuvenated floral council has scored a hit with its first major project, a floral pavilion at the PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans Oct. 18-20. At the March 6 meeting of the 30-member council in Dallas, the group learned that the floral pavilion had been expanded to hold 10 more companies, and space has been sold out.

Building customer relationships starts with excellent customer service, which is the number one priority of every Hy-Vee employee. “A helpful smile in every aisle” is our brand, most especially in the floral shop. As florists, we touch every life-event that our customers experience, from the beginning of life to the end and everything in between. Flowers can say it all, so it is extremely important that we get it right every time for our customers.

Back in the 1970s, I was driving along a freeway near Columbus, OH, in midwinter. The highway was covered with several inches of snow and the pavement under the snow was icy, so it was good to see a salt truck and snowplow working ahead of me on the road.