Kansas Association of Floral Designers

What Is KAFD
KAFD is an acronym for Kansas Association of Floral Designers. KAFD is the branch of the Kansas State Florists’ Association that is dedicated to the furthering of the floral design education of member shop employees. The goal of KAFD is to establish the highest possible standards of the professional floral design in the state of Kansas.

Who can join KAFD?
Any floral designer who is employed by a flower shop that is a member, or an individual that pays their dues and is a member in good standing of the Kansas State Florists’ Association is eligible to join KAFD.

Does it cost to join KAFD?
Yes. There are annual membership dues of $10.00 per member. The money is used to maintain a mailing list of all KAFD members and allows members to receive KSFA mailing directly to their homes. The operating costs of KAFD are currently paid from KSFA operating funds.

Why should a designer join KAFD?
KAFD members will be provided the opportunity to attend floral design schools and seminars to improve or refine their design skills. KSFA will annually sponsor design competitions for KAFD members. KSFA will track the performance of each designer in each competition or program they participate in.

KAFD members will be asked to showcase their talents and further the organization by helping the KSFA in hosting any organized floral exposition, convention or trade show that the KSFA may from time to time participate in or be a part of.

Annually the KSFA will recognize a member of KAFD as the “Kansas State Designer of the Year”. The recipient for the designation will receive the “Sunflower Award”. The Sunflower Award consists of a $500.00 scholarship, an expense stipend to a nationally recognized design school, seminar, or symposium; a trophy or wall plaque, and the invitation to be the KSFA sponsored designer at the following year’s design shows.

As the individual abilities of KAFD members grow, KSFA will recognize their abilities and talents. A lapel pin bearing the KAFD emblem will be awarded to each member who successfully accumulates the required number of “Achievement Points”. KSFA hopes that the members of KAFD will commit themselves to the attainment of the designations of KAFD DESIGNER, KAFD SENIOR DESIGNER, and KAFD MASTER DESIGNER, and in so doing help floral designers from Kansas become the leaders in the industry.

Entries for KAFD contest must be turned in on time. It will be acceptable for someone other than the contestant to submit the entry. Contestant must be in attendance at the program.

KSFA desires that floral designers of “ALL” talent and experience levels join KAFD. The experience of exchanging information, design techniques, and sharing real life experiences from each other's shops foster a sincere environment of goodwill between florists across the state.

ACHIEVEMENT POINTS: Achievement Points are the units of measure that the KSFA will use to track the progress of designers who are members of KAFD. Achievement points are earned and compiled by entering KSFA design contests and attending and participating in KSFA design seminars, shows or functions.

Each competition or function will have an achievement point value assigned to it. Generally placing 1st in a design contest will earn the designer 20 points; 2nd place will be worth 15 points, etc. Each KAFD member that successfully enters the design competition will earn 1 point.

* Best of Show – 25 points & Cash Prize
*1st Place – 20 points
*2nd Place – 15 points
*3rd Place – 10 points
*Honorable Mention – 5 points
(Awarded when score is within 2 points of 3rd place)
*Successful Entry – 1 point

Tie Breaker Rules
If two or more arrangements have the same point total (point total is the sum of the total points on the judge’s sheets, which the sum or the different parts on the individual judging sheets), then--- The designer with the highest number for the sum of the different judges’ scores for---DESIGN, MECHANICS AND DELIVERABILITY ranks higher than the others involved in this tiebreaker. If #1 does not resolve the tiebreaker situation, the designer with the highest number for the sum of the different judges’ scores for ORIGINALITY ranks higher the others involved in the tiebreaker. If #1 and #2 do not resolve the situation, the designer with the highest number sum of the different judges’ scores for JUDGE’S MERIT ranks higher than the others involved in the tiebreaker.

BEST OF SHOW AWARD
For KAFD Design Contests, the Best of Show ribbon and points go to the one arrangement/piece with the highest point total for all entries in all categories and levels of that one contest. It does not matter how many categories you enter in any given contest as to whether you can win Best of Show because it is awarded solely to the one arrangement with the greatest number of points and not a total of the points of several arrangements.

ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION
When a member of KAFD has accumulated a sufficient number of achievement points the KSFA will publicly recognize the individual and present to them a KAFD lapel pin. There are three levels of professional designation with KAFD.

KAFD DESIGNER:
Upon accumulation of 150 Achievement Points the member is awarded a KAFD lapel pin, and the right to use the KAFD designation on professional correspondence.

KAFD SENIOR DESIGNER:
Upon accumulation of 250 Achievement Points, member is awarded a jeweled KAFD lapel pin, a framed Certificate from KSFA, and the right to use KAFD Senior Designer designation on professional correspondence.

KAFD MASTER DESIGNER:
The highest level of achievement in KAFD is the level of Master Designer. A member must accumulate 400 Achievement Points to attain the classification. KSFA will award the designer a plaque and Master Designer lapel pin and grant the right to use KAFD Master Designer designation on all professional correspondence.

KSFA/KAFD DESIGNER OF THE YEAR:
All KAFD members are automatically eligible to be named Designer of the Year by the KSFA. The designer that has demonstrated the greatest commitment to professional development through program attendance, and who has also entered (including at least one (1) hands on contest) and accumulated the most Achievement Points in a calendar year, (January 1st – December 31st) will be named Designer of the Year. The Designer of the Year will be awarded a scholarship for $500.00 that may be used for any industry school. Additionally the designer will receive a stipend not to exceed $125.00 to help offset the cost of attending the school. A trophy or plaque entitled the “Sunflower Award” will be presented to the Designer of the Year, and the designer will be requested to be a participant of KSFA design panels at the following year’s shows. A Designer of the Year is allowed to continue to enter contests, receive points, ribbons and Best of Show awards, including monetary, throughout the year. If this designer is the top point winner at the end of the year, they forgo the right to this title, which goes to the next highest qualified point winner.

KSFA STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Each year KSFA has available scholarships to specific design schools. KAFD members are encouraged to apply for these scholarships. Contact any KSFA Board member or write to the secretary for a Scholarship application.