Board Member Spotlight: Erin Brotherton

Get to Know Erin Brotherton from DWF in this Board Member Spotlight

Erin Brotherton WffsaWF&FSA's governing body consists of five officers who make up the Executive Committee along with Board members. We are grateful for their dedication and contribution to the success of our industry. Get to know Erin Brotherton from DWF, in this Board Member Spotlight.

Congratulations on joining the WF&FSA Board of Directors! Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I moved from a small Florida beach town to Colorado 12 years ago and quickly found my way into the floral industry a few years later. At the audit/consulting firm I was with previous to DWF Wholesale Florists, I was helping one of our customers (DWF) define, post and recruit for a new position: Customer Experience Manager. After editing the job description and screening potential candidates, it was clear to me… I should be applying and not recruiting for this position. Here we are 7 years later and, thankfully, it worked out!

What do you look forward to when joining the board?

As a relatively small, competitive industry, I have always loved the transparency, comradery and advice we share with each other when we’re collaborating at events. I look forward to building on those relationships and the continued learning from our peers.

What motivates you about WF&FSA's work on behalf of the industry?

You always walk away from a WF&FSA event having learned something new, met a new friend, and even more energized to make a positive impact within the floral community. It is motivating to know WF&FSA is continually looking for ways to expand these opportunities and make them more accessible to wholesalers who aren’t able to attend FDC or DevX in-person.

What is one major challenge you feel WF&FSA faces at the moment, and one significant opportunity you hope WF&FSA will grasp?

The definition of a ‘traditional retailer’ is changing at a fast pace! How do we, as wholesalers, keep up with the needs of a continually changing market dynamic? There’s an opportunity to advance both ours and our customers’ businesses by utilizing new technology and embracing talent from outside the industry. WF&FSA provides a platform to facilitate both. For example, WF&FSA has done a phenomenal job growing the DevX forum to cultivate an education-rich environment where participants can learn from industry peers and build professional development skills. I am thrilled to bring colleagues with me in August so they can start building foundational relationships and observe the impact of the work they do on a daily basis.

What do you hope to accomplish as a WF&FSA board member?

My experience with WF&FSA has shown me an organization that’s invested in its members and continues to improve their offerings to support and develop the current and future needs of those involved. Since joining WF&FSA, I can personally recognize the investment, progress and contributions the association is providing its members and would love nothing more than to contribute to their founded success and provide opportunities for us to reach a greater audience.  

What's one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

I owned a boat before I ever drove a car! Living in a small beach community gave me the opportunity to start babysitting, at what feels like a shockingly young age now, and used my savings to buy a 10’ jon boat with 3 HP motor when I was 13.

 

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