The Produce Marketing Association Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference aims to recognize and celebrate the undeniable value of women. Its mission to cultivate the potential of women in the produce and floral industry and inspire women to enhance their career skills has gained the attention of women in the industry, regardless of their career stage.

I was able to speak with Teri Rose, floral director at Kroger Co. in Cincinnati and a prominent leader in the floral industry, to get an overview of her experience at this year’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference in San Diego.

MP: Was this your first time attending the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference? What motivated you to attend the conference, and what were you hoping to gain from the event?

TR: Yes it was. As I’ve moved around to different positions in my company I haven’t taken a lot of time to focus on myself and attend developmental seminars or conferences, so when someone suggested I try this one, I agreed. My goal was to learn something new and develop my leadership skills.

Teri Rose, floral director at Kroger Co.MP: What were your key takeaways from the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference, and which key messages did you find to be most valuable to your profession as floral director?

TR: I found there are a lot of talented women in our industry looking to learn and improve their knowledge, so they can be recognized and continue to grow and contribute to their companies. As for me, I’ve learned if I run into obstacles preventing me from reaching my goals to remember to use resources that are available to me, including talented people in my network, to overcome those obstacles and succeed.

MP: What were some of the memorable points made by [featured speaker] Geena Davis? Was she inspirational?

TR: What stuck with me is how she never played sports due to her height and coordination challenges. When she was chosen for [an] acting role to play baseball, she found out she could play a sport and then went on to master archery.

That shows you can do anything you set your mind to if you’re determined and want it bad enough.

MP: Why would you recommend this event? And if you could share one piece of advice you learned from the conference, what advice would you share with your floral colleagues?

TR: It’s good to attend events such as this one, because it’s great to be around women from the same industry listening to what they do and what they are trying to achieve. It’s inspiring to meet so many driven individuals in one place. The speakers were outstanding and I learned something from each of them.

I would tell my floral colleagues to not limit their chances for advancement based on their current knowledge and experience. If they are a true leader they will be able to do any job.

Events such as PMA Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference, with the goal of giving women the opportunity to learn more about the industry, heighten their leadership skills, and develop relationships, allow the produce and floral industry to flourish and grow strong through its people.

Margi Prueitt is executive director at the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent and senior vice president of the Produce Marketing Association. She can be contacted at [email protected].