Zetzsche wins 2013 PMA Floral Marketer of the Year Award in New Orleans
Zetzsche wins 2013 PMA Floral Marketer of the Year Award in New Orleans
Joe Don Zetzsche, director of floral for retailer H-E-B, with headquarters in San Antonio, was named Floral Marketer of the Year on Oct. 19 at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in New Orleans. Traci Adams, last year's winner, presented the award, now in its 33rd year, noting Zetzsche's boss had credited him with "transforming" the company's floral business.
Joe Don Zetzsche of H-E-B, shown here speaking at a corporate event, won the Produce Marketing Association's award for Floral Marketer of the Year at the PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans. He also took office as chairman of the association's Floral Council. The Floral Marketer of the Year award recognizes an outstanding individual who has demonstrated superior leadership in improving and advancing the floral mass-market industry, according to PMA officials. The presentation was made at the Floral Networking Reception.
Adams, vice president and general manager for floral at Safeway, also quoted a supplier who said Zetzsche's "unique leadership style has made H-E-B's floral department into one of the best, if not the best in the industry." She termed the award a recognition of leadership and innovation, adding that "those are two words often used to describe this year's award winner -- along with 'dynamic,' 'inspiring,' 'motivating' and 'out-performing' to list a few more."
Zetzsche grew up on a cattle ranch in Hereford, TX, a town of 15,000 in north Texas that is the county seat of Deaf Smith County. "I got out of there as fast as I could," he recalled in an interview, graduated from Texas Tech, then earned an MBA at Abilene Christian University. He joined H-E-B in 1989, operating a cash register as a checker and then working his way up the corporate food chain to become head of floral in 2008.
"Our winner wasn't born into floral -- in fact, he grew up on a cattle ranch," Adams said. "We hear he has a fondness for bacon and Corvette pace cars. A student of history, he enjoys living literally in the shadow of the Alamo. He found our industry through a crooked trail that took him throughout the store and store management before resting his boots in floral-and our industry is fortunate that he did." Zetzsche took office as head of the PMA Floral Council at the meeting.