Hitomi Gilliam
AIFD
Hitomi Gilliam AIFD is a Japanese Canadian Flower Artist. She has guest-designed and have taught extensively throughout North America and around the world – England, Northern Ireland, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico.
She began her career in horticulture as a greenhouse grower of bedding plants and a landscaper. She became a Farmer/Florist, when she opened a retail flower shop (27 years as Satsuki Florist) to sell her farm-grown plants and flowers. She currently works with her son, Colin Gilliam in an Education based business, DESIGN358 founded in 2008. They currently host in person design workshops and educational events as well as virtual online courses and workshops.
Hitomi has lectured at Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), Chicago Botanical Gardens, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens (Nashville), Museum of Fine Art Boston, Minneapolis Institute of Art,
Bouquets to Art at DeYoung Museum (San Francisco), Houston Museum of Fine Art, New Orleans Museum of Fine Art, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Honolulu Academy of Art, Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse), The Walters Art Museum (Baltimore), Longwood Gardens, Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens (Richmond, VA), Detroit Institute of Art, Vero Beach Museum of Fine Arts, The Strong Museum (Rochester, NY), North Carolina Museum of Art (Raleigh, NC), and Columbus Museum of fine Art. She has also presented at the Philadelphia Flower Show, Newport Flower Show and Singapore Garden Festival.
She was one of the 5 commissioned inter-disciplinary artists to show her floral art installation ‘RISE’ at ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ Art Show at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York City (April 2018).
She is an Education Specialist for Teleflora and was selected as one of the 3 judges for the 2020 Tournament of Roses Parade Floats in Pasadena, CA.
Ken Senter
AIFD
During his lifetime of being in the floral industry, Ken, has spent his entire career learning Floristry and helping to educate his fellow florist. He started his journey with a BS degree in Floriculture from Texas A&M in 1975 and immediately open a retail flower shop in College Station. Ken and his wife, Donna Senter AIFD own The Senterpiece A wedding and Event Company in Houston, Texas.
Ken has designed and commentated floral programs across the USA, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia and Korea. In 2016, he represented the United States in the “Gateway to the Americas Cup” International floral design competition, held in Vancouver as a designer. In 2018 and 2022, Ken served as the United States Judge during the “Gateway to the Americas Cup” International floral design competition held in Orlando, Florida. He has competed many times including winning the SAF Sylvia Cup in 1986, consider the most prestigious floral design competition in America. He has also won the California Top Ten competition and twice was a gold medalist in the AFS National finals. He has place in the top three in over 20 floral competitions. Most recently Ken started and ran the Jim Johnson Cup to help give designers a platform to compete and to honor Mr. Johnson. Last summer he was one of 3 judges selected to judge the America’s Cup Competition.
He has always been involved not only as a designer but someone who loves to work behind the scenes to help promote the floral industry. He has also served as President of the South-Central Chapter of AIFD and has served on the AIFD National Board. Ken, recently served as AIFD National Membership Chair. While serving as Chair, he visited Korea this past fall to present a class on the Principles and Elements to the Korea AIFD Association. His true passion is to help designers achieve their goals and to help reach their dreams.
Ken has been invited twice to help decorate the flowers in the White House. One of those visits was to help decorate for the Singapore State Dinner. At the 2021 Florida State Florist Convention, he was inducted into the FSFA Hall of Fame for his years of dedication to the industry. This year Ken was named as a Trustee to the AIFD Foundation.
Jacob McCall AIFD
AAF PFCI CFD FSMD
Known for his cutting edge trends and color expertise Jacob McCall was inducted into the prestigious American Institute of Floral Designers in 2010 and later inducted into the American Academy of Floriculture in 2012. A powerhouse educator, competitor, judge and certified evaluator with over 25 years of experience!
Jacob has presented two main stage programs at the AIFD national symposium and currently travels throughout north and South America educating consumers and peers. Jacob represented the USA in the Interflora World Cup that was held in Berlin, Germany in 2015. Jacob also represented the USA in the 2011 America’s cup that took place in Brazil. Competing against nine other countries he placed first runner up! He also won Iron designer of America for two consecutive years.