Strategies in Adapting Operations: Panel Debrief

Chris Drummond is a third-generation florist and president of Penny’s by Plaza Flowers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a multi-store enterprise. He is SAF’s president and has served on the association’s Retailers Council. He has given numerous speeches for a variety of organizations, including Comcast Corporation, Family and Consumer Sciences Association of Philadelphia, and the University of Delaware.

Sarah Bagle grew up in the floral industry, surrounded by family with a passion for innovation and design. Since joining her family’s business in 2009, she has an instrumental in taking Accent Decor from a small company with a big idea to a growing business with over 100 employees and wide brand recognition. Bagle has helped foster Accent Decor’s mission to inspire the floral industry with containers that are as design-centric as the floral arrangements that grace them. She believes that Accent Decor’s success drives the opportunity to make a positive change in the communities that Accent Decor touches, from employees, to customers, to artisans across the globe.

AnnaBall is the president and CEO of Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois, a fourth-generation, company with 25 locations around the world that specializes in breeding, biotechnology, production and flower seeds and cuttings marketing. Ball earned a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University and is a trustee for the Morton Arboretum.

Charlie Cole is FTD’s chief executive officer. Prior to joining FTD in March 2020, he served as the first global chief eCommerce officer for Samsonite while simultaneously serving as chief digital officer for Tumi, which was acquired by Samsonite. Cole also has held executive positions and led digital transformations at Assembled Brands, Schiff Nutrition and Lucky Brand Jeans.

Lindsay Squires is the community development manager & events coordinator at Tagawa Gardens in Centennial, Colorado. Passionate about translating the strengths of her team into solutions for both the customer and the business, Squires seeks to learn and lead through change, infusing the legacy of the past into the transformations necessary to the future. With an ambitious vision for the life-giving work of the horticulture and floriculture industries, Squires believes that our businesses are poised to strategically contribute to the flourishing of our staff, customers, and communities, especially in times of adversity. Originally from a Nebraska farm, she received the Green Profit/RBI Young Retailer Award in 2020.