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Expo Designer Bios 

We are excited to introduce you to this years presenters! 

 

Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD CFD AAF PFCI AzMF

As an award-winning floral artist, floral industry educator and influencer, Joyce has never faltered in her love of flowers and the enjoyment of teaching. Spanning her floral career of several decades, Joyce has spent the greater part of her career experiencing floral retail shop operation, floral design theory, traveling the globe creating with flowers and becoming one the floral industry’s sought-after educators and presenters. Joyce’s passion for floral design and knowledge has been featured in many media outlets focusing on trade editorials and design photography. Her college degree in Floriculture has been enhanced by additional accolades from:
  • American Institute of Floral Design
  • AIFD Certified Floral Designer
  • AIFD Certified Judge and Evaluator
  • American Academy of Floriculture
  • Professional Floral Communicator International
  • Arizona Master Florist
  • 2013 SAF Sylvia Cup Competition Winner
  • 2014 SAF PFCI Tommy Bright Award
  • 2018 AIFD Distinguished Service Award
  • 2020 Legacy Award from Arizona State Florist Association
  • 2022 Fellow Award from the American Institute of Floral Designers
Joyce has had the privilege to participate in special events at the White House and Presidential Inaugurations, the Pasadena Rose Parade and being the featured keynote speaker at many educational presentations that have been enjoyed in all 50 states, Canada and around the globe. Currently she is the floral installation team leader for Accent Décor’s Las Vegas and High Point showrooms. Joyce has served as president and other leadership positions of multiple local, state, regional and national floral organizations. Though Joyce now resides in Tucson, Arizona she is still a “mid-west farm girl” at heart
 

 Angelyn Tipton AIFD, CFD, GMF, PFCI

Angelyn's life story is filled with a deep-rooted connection to the floral industry. Growing up in her mother's flower shop, she became immersed in the world of flowers from a young age. At 16, she officially joined her mom's business, taking on the roles of designer and delivery person, providing her with valuable hands-on experience. Her journey in the floral industry expanded as she attended various conventions, including the Georgia State Florist Conventions, FTD, and Teleflora National Conventions. Over nearly four decades, Angelyn has dedicated herself to staying updated on the latest floral trends through continuous education. Her active involvement in associations such as the Georgia State and Florida State Associations, along with her role as 

a Certified Evaluator for GSFA, showcases her commitment to the floral community. Angelyn's involvement in prestigious events like decorating floats at the Rose Bowl Parade for Fiesta Floats, working on projects for well-known entities like Miracle Grow, City of Torrance, Kaiser Permanente, and the Chinese American Heritage Foundation, highlights her expertise and creativity. Currently serving as the Manager of Education at Floriology Institute, Angelyn plays a crucial role in guiding students through their floral education journey and helping them prepare for certifications. As an instructor at the institute, she contributes to shaping the next generation of floral designers, fueled by her passion for education. Her active membership in the American Institute of Floral Design, where she holds the position of President on the Southern Board, is a testament to her leadership and dedication to the floral design community. Angelyn's freelance work has taken her across the country, earning her awards for both wedding designs and floral competitions. Her impressive portfolio extends to television and movie projects, as well as features in industry magazines. Notably, her work has been published in the AIFD's Artistic Floral Design Book and the AIFD Guide to Floral Design Vol. III. On a personal note, Angelyn is happily married to Donald Tipton and is a proud mother of three children—Jonathan, Andrew, and Katherine. Beyond her accomplishments in the floral world, Angelyn is a 14-year cancer survivor.

 

Renato Cruz Sogueco AAF, PFCI

Renato Cruz Sogueco, AAF, PFCI, serves as Vice President of Digital Strategy and Education at BloomNet, a premier florist services company. His primary role is to serve member florists by developing innovative services and solutions focusing on digital marketing strategies, such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), social media, content strategy, mobile strategy, and video content creation to help them build website traffic and engage customers. He serves as lead educator on topics such as new technology, digital marketing strategy and business, consumer and demographic trends at the Floriology Institute in Jacksonville, FL., and on Floriology’s new video-based online learning platform, FloriologyNow. He is also an industry thought leader on nascent developments of sustainability and artificial intelligence, and how entrepreneurs can leverage these trends to engage more customers and transform their businesses. He is author for hundreds of articles featured in many floral industry publications such as Floriology Magazine, Society of American Florists’ (SAF) Floral Management, Texas State Florists Association’s (TSFA) Texas in Bloom, and leading non-profit association publications such as the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Association Management magazine and blogs for the MIT Enterprise Forum. 

Prior to his current role, Renato served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Society of American Florists (SAF), the floral industry’s trade organization providing marketing, technology and government relations for flower growers, suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers. During this tenure, he served as liaison for SAF’s Wholesaler and Retailer Councils, and the Technology Committee. He also served as member and eventual Chairperson for the ASAE Technology Council and ASAE Young Professional Committee. Renato is an inductee to the SAF’s American Academy of Floriculture (AAF), is an active member of the Professional Floral Communicators International (PFCI), is a recipient of the 2022 SAF Paul Ecke Award, presented to someone devoted to profession, industry and community, an inducted scholar of the ASAE Diversity, Executive Leadership Program (DELP), and past member and current volunteer for the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation, an organization devoted to honoring fallen veterans with a gift of flowers at National cemeteries across the US, including Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Currently, Renato is a trustee of American Institute of Floral Designers Foundation Investment Advisory Committee, member of the 1800Flowers Enterprise Sustainability Council and member of the 1800Flowers Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

 

Ace Berry AIFD, CFD, TMF

Ace Berry AIFD, CFD, TMF, worked in the oil fields of Texas for five years before finding his true passion...FLOWERS!!! Ace opened his own floral shop in Fulshear, Texas, in July 2016. He earned his Texas Master Florist certification in 2012 and was Unit President for Teleflora in 2013. Ace has a passion for the industry and believes in paying it forward through mentoring new designers, educational programs, and classes. He has traveled the world, taking classes and working with some of the best designers in the world. Ace was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers in Denver, Colorado, in 2015.

In 2017, Ace won Houston Designer of the Year, and in 2018, he was the second runner-up for Texas Designer of the Year. In 2019, Ace became the Texas Designer of the Year. That same year, he was inducted into PFCI. In 2020, Ace was cast on the reality show "Full Bloom," a floral competition on HBO Max, where he was the runner-up. In 2022, Ace was one of the featured designers at Fleuramour in Bilzen, Belgium.

The latest project Ace is working on is “Urban Fiori,” a concept that combines floral art, retail life, and events. Ace is very excited to play a part in the future of this amazing industry.

 

 

Alan Masters AIFD PFCI CFD

Alan Masters AIFD, PFCI, CFD, has been designing for 41 years, beginning when he was a junior in high school. Starting at a small hometown florist in

 Lufkin, Texas, he was inspired by Theresa McNeese to become the best and hone his God-given talent and skills. When prodded into attending an educational program in Houston by his then-employer, Past President of TSFA Debbie Gordy AIFD, Alan realized there was much more to the floral industry than he had previously understood. It was at this program in 2008 that Alan fell in love with education and became obsessed with gaining as much knowledge as possible in the floral industry, a quest which continues to this day.

In 2013, Alan began competing in design competitions, starting with The Texas Cup competition held in Mesquite, Texas, at the Texas State Florist Convention, where he placed second. In February of 2014, he competed in the Rodeo Cup at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and again placed second, this time out of forty contestants. Fulfilling a lifetime dream in July 2014, Alan joined 143 other designers from around the world and five others from the Houston area in Chicago, Illinois, at the "Transition, Transformation" AIFD Symposium 2014, where he tested for his accreditation as a Certified Floral Designer and received an invitation to join the elite family of designers who are AIFD. Alan and 69 of those designers were invited to join AIFD and were inducted in the pinning ceremony in Denver, Colorado, in July of 2015.

He is the 2015 Houston Cup (Designer of the Year) winner, the 2016 Texas Designer of the Year, and the 2016 NAFA Designer of the Year, winner of the inaugural Jim Johnson Cup, and the 2017 Louisiana Designer of the Year. In February of 2017, Alan was invited to design in the Rotunda at the Texas State Capitol building along with five other designers, each interpreting one of the six flags that have flown over the state of Texas. He currently serves on the Teleflora South Texas Unit Board and is President-Elect of the South-Central Regional Chapter of AIFD.

Alan has a newfound passion for education, as he currently teaches floral design to ninth through twelfth-grade students at the Career and Technical High School in Pasadena, Texas. He also travels and teaches at state conventions, garden clubs, and wholesale shows around the United States and has most recently been traveling to do weddings in New Jersey and New York.