The Flower Group Team

“The Flower Group team is a bevy of charismatic individuals who time and time again deliver excellent customer service, outstanding quality and superior knowledge of the international floral industry. Working with such a fantastic source for wholesale floral and supply products has enabled me to grow in my knowledge of floral options not only on a daily offering to my clientele but also on a seasonal and special event basis.

My business is built on providing incredible floral creations for weddings, funerals, special events and my walk-in consumer. The Flower Group has worked with me to ensure that my reputation is built on stellar quality, varied choice, and will source floral options for the discerning client. Many, many thanks on making the floral wholesale experience as pleasant as I have endeavored so to create the floral retail experience for my customers!

– Deborah Loewen
Blossom Floral Gallery
High River, ab

The Flower Group has been owned and operated by Jay and John Watson, a husband and wife team, since 1993. John became interested in purchasing The Flower Group after he became acquainted with the former owner through his father’s hiking club. He began working with the former owner to learn about the company until he was ready to run it himself. Jay, who was currently working for Canada Trust, quit her job to form a new kind of partnership with her husband.

The Flower Group began as a wholesale and retail flower business. They sold to other retail flower shops and also had a design department to serve the public. In 2000 they sold the design department and became strictly wholesale. Since then, The Flower Group has moved twice, built a brand new cooler, and has begun selling floral supplies in addition to fresh product.

Jay and John are extremely dedicated to both their staff and their customers. They have maintained long-term relationships through their strong moral values and sense of fairness. They dedicate their success to their staff and customers.

Staff Profiles

The Flower Group’s non-commission sales team is made up of people with strong customer service values and excellent product knowledge. Many of the staff members are former designers and all have been in the fresh flower industry for many years.

• Debbie Carmichael

  Senior Manager

  

  Debbie began her career in the retail floral industry in Winnipeg.  She has years of retail floral design experience and operated her own in home flower business.  Debbie manages and coordinates the activity in the operations area of the company.  She has the authority and experience to make decisions that will serve the customer well.  Debbie’s loyalty to the Flower Group, its owners, staff, and customers is without question.  She has been with the company since the beginning, in 1993.

• Margaret Kruisenga

  Sales Representative

  

  Margaret is the most experienced member of our selling team in the wholesale industry and has worked for The Flower Group for 13 years.  She has achieved a reputation for her ability to connect with the customer while providing the product and service they need.  Her warm, calm demeanor combined with vast knowledge makes her an excellent sales representative.

• Julie Smeed

  Manager

  

  Julie has flair for floral arranging and color coordination.  These attributes combined with attention to detail makes her very popular with customers.  Julie is in her 11th year with us, and as a manager within the sales team is a great problem solver and quick decision maker.  She can be relied upon to quickly understand and act upon customer needs.  Her sense of humor makes her friendly and fun to communicate with.

• Erin Linn

  Sales Representative

  

  As a member of the sales team, Erin serves the customers in the Fresh department, but also directs the Supply department.  Erin has established the Floral Supplies department enabling us to provide the same quality and value in supplies as in fresh.  Her friendly enthusiastic personality has led her to be very successful in her position.

• Kelly Crawford

  Sales Representative

  

  Soon to be an employee of 5 years, Kelly brought her experience of managing a group of retail floral shops to us.  In a no nonsense fashion, Kelly places importance on filling customer orders with attention to completeness, quality and color.  She is extremely organized and is excellent at managing special orders to ensure customers get the product they need.

• Starla Ahh

  Sales Representative

  

  Starla joined us as a new face to the floral industry.  Her warm personality and dedication to her work earned her a position on the sales team after 2 years.  As an important member of our sales team she is popular with customers and has taken on new responsibilities in fresh purchasing and the Supplies Department.