Meet The FTD Sponsored Competitors

	Deborah De La Flor AIFD
2004 World Cup United States Contestant on behalf of FTD, Inc

More than 20 years ago Deborah De La Flor AIFD found not only a career in the floral industry, but a passion. Her resume includes such titles as the Greater Miami Designer of the Year, Florida State Designer of the Year, and the winner of the FTD Great Masters Design Competition in 2000. De La Flor took possession of the first runner-up title at the FTD America's Cup Finals in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. And in 2004, De La Flor will be sponsored by Florists' Transworld Delivery, Inc. (FTD) to compete in the 10th Interflora World Cup Competition in Melbourne, Australia.

In 1996, De La Flor was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). Her design outreach in the industry includes a role as an FTD Design Instructor offering innovative seminars at annual FTD International Conventions and local industry shows, a member of the Syndicate Sales Consultant Design Team and a Consultant to Vista Flor. Her educational outreach extends beyond consumer and industry design instruction at seminars, into vehicles including her published floral design book "Florsages, The Art of Floral Body Design", numerous creative features in industry publications and a video she produced on "Wedding Bouquets".

Creatively, De La Flor is a leader in the floral industry. Not only does her passion and presentation reach beyond the expectations of the floral industry, but always of the consumer. Educationally, her audience is held captive by her enthusiasm and knowledge.

De La Flor additionally co-owns a retail floral, gift and full-service garden center with her husband Gus, in Cooper City, Florida, USA.

	Anne Leeson AIFD, C.A.F.A.
2004 World Cup Canadian Contestant on behalf of FTD, Inc

Anne Leeson AIFD, C.A.F.A. was born and educated in England and moved to Canada in 1974. In 1987, Leeson began a career in full-time floral design.

Leeson's resume includes numerous Flowers Canada courses and design seminars, some with the world's foremost European designers such as Gregor Lersch and Tor Gunderson. In 1997 she received her Canadian Academy of Floral Art accreditation, C.A.F.A. and began her competitive career that year. Her successful competitive career includes taking a 1st place title in the Canada Blooms competition in 1998, winning the FTD Award and most recently winning the prestigious Maple Leaf Cup competition in Toronto in 2000. In 2003 she was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD).

Today, Leeson possesses more than 10 years experience as a Design Room Manager at Montes Place in Guelph, Ontario Canada. Over the last 5 years Anne has divided her time between her management position at Montes Place and presenting demonstrations and exhibitions across North America.

Anne enjoys the educational and teaching of floral design, and especially enjoys challenging others to realize their potential in all aspects of design and creative thought.

	Ivan Moreno
2004 World Cup Latin America Contestant on behalf of FTD, Inc

Ivan Moreno was merely 14 years when he began to work as a florist. Thanks to his talent and passion, Moreno took over design at a floral shop at the young age of 16. Currently, through more than 24 years of a floral career, he has not ceased in exploring, investigating and studying the floral art in all of its facets.

Moreno's talent as a decorating artist has been recognized in the industry of floral design, such as his appearance among the 30 best floral artist of the world, in the book World Flower Artist 2, that was published by Sodo Publishing (Japan), with the contribution of Florists' Review in the 2000. Moreno also won the first place in the Colombia CUP and an other competitions, leading him to his 2004 representation for Latin America in the Interflora World Cup in Melbourne, Australia.

Within his career he accepted consultant positions at multinationals such as Vista Flor Co., in the area of weddings and events. Moreno also has been involved in many other shows making special appearances in North, Center and South America throughout the last 10 years. His inclusion in floral publications include specialized magazines and newspapers of several countries like United States, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Bolivia and others.

Moreno's dedication has taken him to define the floral art as his lifestyle. In his presentation, the audience clearly visualizes his great passion for floral art. His work as educator has been exalted as the Studies Director of AQUARELLA, training and technology center to the study of the Floral art, as profession in Holambra, Brazil.