Article Presented by:
Wesley Berry, AAF
Every year football fans eagerly await the latest inductees to the NFL Football Hall of Fame. Likewise, every year, people in the floriculture business look forward to the latest Floriculture Hall of Fame awardee. This year, the Society of American Florists' Floriculture Hall of Fame named Jules "Toots" Armellini, AAF, as its latest inductee.
Armellini is the founder of Armellini Industries in Miami, Florida and has been in the flower business for more than 60 years. Among his greatest achievements is the design of an educational program that directly resulted in the creation of specialized trailers for the flower industry. He also helped create some of the first refrigerated trailers made for transporting flowers, design wooden decking to keep excess pressure off of boxes of flowers and improve air circulation, and pioneer satellite tracking for flower trucks.
Armellini began his floral career in 1945 when he and his wife, Sarah, started their very first flower shipping business in Vineland, New Jersey. At that time the business primarily transported flowers for Armellini's brothers Henry and William who needed their flowers shipped into New York City and Philadelphia. The beginnings were certainly humble with a simple barn serving as the terminal and using a 1939 Chevy truck to haul the flowers.
Armellini called the business "Armellini Express Lines" and over the years it grew from just one truck to over 150 trucks. It provided jobs for 850 people. The growth of the business is attributed to always using the latest technology available, which not only kept his business booming, but also contributed to the floral industry as a whole.
David Armellini, Jules Armellini's son, said, "We've always told my dad that he's the king of common sense. My father will tell you working hard is how he got [it]."
Indeed, it was Armellini's early decision to dedicate himself to working hard, providing great customer service, and using the latest technology that made Armellini's business a success. As he added more and more trucks to his fleet, Armellini expanded his territory into the New England states and, in 1953, he began transporting flowers from Florida's farms. Then, in 1978, he and his family made Florida their home.
In addition to his induction to the Floriculture Hall of Fame, Armellini has received many other awards, including the Governor's Business Leadership Award, the SAF's Paul Ecke, Jr. Award, the Tri-County TEC Employer of the Year Award, Kiwanis Award, Crystal Star Award (Floral and Nursery Times), Leland T. Kintzele Award (Wholesale Florist and Floral Suppliers Association), Businessman of the Year Award (Stuart, Florida Chamber of Commerce), and Man of the Year Award (Florida Import & Export Organization).
With all those awards to his credit, it seems the only award Armellini hasn't received is an induction into the NFL Football hall of fame!
About the Author:
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. He also works with funeral-homes.net to provide useful information about funeral homes across the nation. He has been recognized by florists nationwide as a leader in the flower business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com
