By Nita Robertson

Leanne Kesler AIFD, CFD, PFCI, AAF, FDI receives a prestigious lifetime achievement award

Congratulations to Leanne Kesler on receiving the prestigious Tommy Bright Award from the Society of American Florists (SAF)! As the owner and education director of the Floral Design Institute, Leanne is honored with SAF’s highest accolade, recognizing her lifetime dedication to educational excellence in the floral industry.

Leanne has been active floral designer, speaker, educator and floral business consultant for over 40 years. She has helped create and maintain a wonderful learning atmosphere where both the complete beginner and the most advanced floral designers feel comfortable, and are able to develop their individual skills and talents to the maximum potential.

Founded in 1969 and purchased by Leanne Kesler AIFD and David Kesler AIFD in 1988, Floral Design Institute® has grown into one of the leading accredited floral design schools in the world. Starting in 1988 with a modest vocational school that trained just 45 students annually, The Kesler’s has transformed the Floral Design Institute into the largest private floral design training and certification institution in the U.S., boasting thousands of graduates and millions of global followers. They are true leaders in floral education.

Leanne’s pioneering achievements include launching the first hands-on distance learning program in floral design in 1998, which has now evolved into a comprehensive online program with students worldwide. She was also the first to create free online floral design training videos, now utilized by flower shops, high schools, community colleges, and universities, reaching an audience of over five million annually.

Thank you for your dedication to floral education!