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Expo Designer Bios 

Jackie Lacey AIFD PFCI CFD

Jackie Lacey has over thirty-five years of experience in the retail floral market and floral education field. His portfolio includes an extensive background in the retail floral market and wedding/event design experience. Jackie now utilizes his experience to provide education and instructional design programs, market showroom set up, private retail consulting, product development as well as design and event planning. His current position as Director of Education and Industry Relations with Floriology, BloomNet and Napco and Senior Design Team Specialist and Senior Editor for Floriology Magazine keep him on top of market trends, current design trends, industry education and retail marketing. 

Jackie has won numerous awards in floral design competitions in both multi state, national and local floral associations.  Published articles have appeared on both his expertise and floral experience.  His work has been published in Floriology Magazine, SAF, “Flowers &”, “Modern Bride”, “Inside Weddings” and many others.  National Television exposure includes designing and participation for WE TV programs “Platinum Weddings” and “I Do Over” as a Celebrations.Com Floral Expert. Previous work for celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Diane Lane, Cheryl Ladd, Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere, Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio have come easily through participation with floral design on several major motion pictures. 

Continuing education through numerous stage presentations for multi–state Associations and national industry leaders such as SAF, AFE, Virgin Farms Direct, Smithers-Oasis, BloomNet, FTD, Fitz Design Team, Floral Strategies and John Henry Company allow Jackie to help the continued growth of the floral industry. Experience in floral design for the Tournament of Roses Parade floats, product development team for the largest Import/Export show in the world and set up and design for Gift Market showrooms only adds to the vast floral experience he can call on for every event.

He has served as a leader in numerous industry associations to include his position as 2019-2021 AIFD National President and member of the AIFD National Board of Directors, AIFD National Past Membership Committee Chairman, CFD Committee, International Committee, and previous member of the Southern AIFD Board of Directors. Recipient of the 2021 FSFA Lifetime Achievement Award and 2022 GLFA National Service Award. Jackie’s extensive travels across the country, Hong Kong, China, and Europe afford many opportunities for him to interact with designers of all levels and share this extensive background and experience to florists everywhere.

 

Vonda LaFever AIFD CFD PFCI

Vonda LaFever AIFD, CFD, PFCI is widely respected in the floral industry for  both her design skills and business knowledge. Vonda is not sure where the time has gone, but she has been in the industry over 40 years. In that time, she has had a lot of excitement! Vonda has owned and managed her own retail shop in Dixon, Illinois for 20 years. She was also a floral instructor at Kishwaukee College and assisted with SAIFD program. Vonda has been a Teleflora Unit President and a Teleflora Region Unit Director. In 2010 she was on the Academy Awards Design Team and in 2015 she was on the White House Special Events Design Team.
Vonda is very active in AIFD, the Membership Committee for 11 years including 2 on National Board Program Coordinator for 2015 Symposium Journey. Vonda presented a main stage program "Flower Shop of the Future'' at the 2018 National Symposium. Vonda is passionate about the industry, and proud to be amember of the prestigious team of Teleflora Education Specialists, teaching retailers throughout the United States. She is co-host of the podcast The business and Pleasure of Flowers and is the founder of Flower Clique, which provides tools and services for floral professionals looking to simplify and elevate their business the way they have always envisioned.
Vonda's design work has been featured numerous times in the national floral publication Flowers& and she has contributed as a feature author in the book Flowers Are Forever.