Bruno grew up surrounded by flowers on his family's farm in Madeira, Portugal.  His approach to floral design is both sculptural and emotional, blending organic materials and found objects together to create works of art.  When he's not at his studio, Bruno can be found creating arrangements in front of a live audience in many places in the USA, Northern Ireland and the UK. 

Bruno has won the CAFA award at Canada Blooms Florist Alley in 2017 and 2018 and people’s choice award in 2018.  He has also won the Pacific Northwest Floral Design Competition in 2018.  He had the great opportunity to represent Canada in Singapore in 2018 in Windows of the World at their garden show. He won Floral Artist of the year 2019 at Canada Blooms, received second place at Maple Leaf Cup 2019 and won the CAFA award for most creative use of materials at the Maple Leaf Cup 2019.

Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, of Design 358, is an internationally recognized floral artist who has guest-designed throughout North America, England, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bermuda, Singapore, Australia & Colombia. She was a Silver & Gold Medal winner of the Great American Design Competition and served 6 years on the AIFD Membership Review Committee and Educational Committee.  Hitomi was the Program Coordinator for the 2022 AIFD ROOTS Symposium. She is also co-founder of FREESIA Challenge and FREESIA Summit for Sustainability Floristry with Colin Gilliam and Gregor Lersch.

In 1998, Hitomi became one of only eight people to receive AIFD’s coveted ‘Design Influence Award.’ As an educator, Hitomi presents numerous programs throughout North America as a Teleflora Educational Specialist, as well as conducting her own DESIGN358 workshops. She is also the recipient of American Horticultural Society’s “Frances Jones Poetker Award” for excellence in floriculture education.

Hitomi is also co-author of the Hawaii Neotropica Guide Book with Lois Hiranaga, AIFD. Hitomi also authored six floral design titles including textbooks. She is a winner of the Gold & Best of Show at “Windows of the World” competition representing Canada at the Singapore Garden Festival.

Lois Hiranaga AIFD has always been passionate about flowers. A native of the beautiful island of Maui, she grew up surrounded by flowers. Lois earned a degree in marketing and management from the University of Hawaii and has an extensive background in horticulture and co-authored the Neotropica Hawaii Tropical Flower + Plant Guide. She is an accredited member of the American Institute of Floral Designers and presented main stage programs at AIFD Symposium in 2011 and in 2022. Other appearances include presentations to the Garden Club of Honolulu, on the television program Cooking Hawaiian Style, and at workshops and webinars. In 2023, Lois had the honor of being one of three float judges for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. Her designs reflect a diversity of styles. She is known most for her use of intriguing combinations of tropicals and temperates to create that perfect color combination and textural blend. She is the owner of Lois Hiranaga Floral Design LLC, which is a Maui based studio specializing in destination weddings and corporate clients. A sampling of her work can be found on her website: https://loismauiflowers.com.

Helen Miller, AIFD, CAFA, CF has owned a successful retail florist shop in Adrian, Michigan for over thirty seven years.  Combining her love of nature and desire for further education within the floral industry, she has taught floral workshops and presented industry programs all over the United States.   

Education has always been Helen’s passion and she was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers and the Canadian Academy of Floral Art in 1997.  Helen is an active participant of The Great Lakes Floral & Event Expo and has traveled to Germany to study European Designs for Weddings with the world renowned, Greggor Lersch.  Helen obtained her Master Gardener’s Certification through the Michigan State University Extension Program to help her produce her own unique style of nature inspired designs. 

Helen is an active member of AIFD and served on the North Central Board. She was honored to present a main stage program at the 2015 AIFD Symposium. She is a member of Teleflora’s prestigious team of Education Specialists.  Helen is also a Syndicate Sales Design Team Member and has made educational videos, designs for their photo shoots and several Syndicate Sales product catalog.  She has had the honor of being a guest designer twice at the White House and one of those was for the Presidential Inauguration of George W. Bush, and is a Creative Consultant for several industry companies. 

Helen’s floral talent has been featured in many publications including Flowers&, Floral Management, Florist Review, and The Knot. Anyone who knows Helen knows how passionate she is about flowers and the floral industry.  She is sincerely committed to teaching florists about the latest techniques, trends, and creative designs so they may utilize them in their own daily endeavors

Sue began her floral business after opening a retail gift shop in 1992. During her first year, customers would always ask “do you sell flowers?” so in 1994 she started “selling flowers.” Being in retail since before graduating from high school, having her real estate license and going to nursing school, Sue realized that making flowers and seeing customers’ reactions was something she enjoyed. Sue began doing weddings and then was offered exclusive contracts at high end stores and hotels, but that was not the path she wanted to take. Starting as a self-taught florist, Sue wanted something more.

 In 2013 she achieved her CFD and in 2015 she was inducted as a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in Denver, Colorado. In 2016 she received her European Master Certificate (EMC) in Belgium. She has also competed in a few competitions and received top honors. Sue’s passion in floristry has taken her on a path of sharing the love of flowers. Sue loves helping others to achieve their goals. She has been honored to assist behind the scenes for many programs at  AIFD main stage programs and workshops, Fleuramour in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2022 at Alden Biesen Castle and is one of the presenters for the Hawaii Floriculture & Nursery Association (HFNA). Sue also presented on the main stage at the AIFD Symposium in Las Vegas in July 2022.