Cindy Hanauer tapped to help lead United floral membership programs
Cindy Hanauer tapped to help lead United floral membership programs
Floral industry veteran Cindy Hanauer will work with the United Fresh Produce Association team as an expert strategist for the association and its new Floral Advisory Board to help develop programs and services for members across the floral supply chain, according to a news release.
“I am so grateful for United Fresh and its trade show partnership with the International Floriculture Expo, and look forward to working with the association and the new Floral Advisory Board,” said Hanauer in the release. “We’ll be working together to initiate brand new ways to support the industry from the very beginning at farm level, through the supply chain and on to the thousands of floral sellers in our stores who are inspiring our consumers on a daily basis to purchase floral products.”
In her work for United Fresh, Hanauer will help organize and staff the new Floral Advisory Board made up of leading floral retailers and suppliers. The new board will focus on understanding challenges and opportunities for the floral industry, and developing programs and services to help enhance the industry’s overall growth. The Floral Advisory Board will hold its first meeting at the United Fresh Midwinter Leadership Forum in La Quinta, CA, Jan. 12-13.
Hanauer has held key positions in mass-market floral during her 40-year career, working for leading supermarket floral retailers including the Kroger Co. and Winn-Dixie stores, as well as online retailer 1-800-Flowers. She is currently the founder and owner of Grand Central Floral, a web-based platform for the education, communication, inspiration and training for all channels of the floral industry.
Hanauer is a veteran speaker, trainer and frequent contributor to many industry organizations such as IFE, PMA, SAF, WF&FSA, TPIE, Super Floral Retailing and The Produce News. She is a fourth generation florist with a family lineage in the floral business dating to 1875 and has even been recognized with a tulip breed (“Bright Light”) named in her honor at the 2012 International Floriculture Expo.
“I’m thrilled to have such a respected floral industry leader as Cindy to share her expertise as we launch our new member services for the floral sector,” said Tom Stenzel, United Fresh president and chief executive officer, in the release. “With Cindy’s expertise, we look forward to rapid expansion of programs to serve our floral members, and a top-notch launch of our new floral show partnership with IFE in June 2015.”