The Society of American Florists will conduct a “retail growth solutions” mini-conference at the Hilton Rosemont in Chicago June 10-11. SAF believes it will be “36 hours that will change your life,” according to a news release. The two-day program will focus on increasing floral profits through pricing strategies, online branding, motivated employees and everyday designs.

VASIC is a newly invented, multi-purpose vase introduced by Wet Ahoy Industries in Burbank, CA, and it is currently available in four styles (daisy, heart, iris and lily) and seven colors (canary yellow, ruby red, tangerine orange, robin egg blue, hot pink, kelly green and white).

Wet Ahoy Industries believes that VASIC’s design, practicality, ease of use and durability will revolutionize the way flowers are presented.

Volunteers throughout the United States will place donated roses on the graves of the nation’s war dead for the fourth year in a row this Memorial Day, May 26, through the Memorial Day Flowers Program. The Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association is one of the official sponsors of the program nationwide and also at Arlington National Cemetery where Boy Scouts will place roses on veterans’ headstones.

The 2014 International Flower Trade Exhibition is set for June 4-6 at the Oshwal Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, and its exhibit space sold out in March with over 165 exhibitors, a 25 percent increase over last year, making it the fastest growing floriculture trade fair in HPP Exhibition’s 30-year history.

The show brings together flower buyers, growers, breeders and suppliers from around the world. The total exhibition area is over 107,000 square feet and organizers are considering expanding the space to accommodate more companies.

Chet Peckett, owner of Peckett’s Inc. in Apopka, FL, will receive the Wendell E. Butler Award for service to the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association at the association’s annual meeting June 21. The meeting is part of the FNGLA’s two-day convention at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Each May the Dramm Corp., a leading manufacturer of watering tools, donates financially to a chosen a non-profit organization. This year it is the Free to Smile Foundation, with a portion of May’s retail sales going to the organization, according to a news release.

The Free to Smile Foundation is based in Columbus, OH, and provides free surgery to children and young adults born with cleft lip and palate who live in underserved areas of the world.