Mr. McKinley will present a demonstration of the concepts of synergistic floral designs. Synergy is the interaction of two or more small designs that produces a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. Using common household items, a few garden flowers/foliage, and some small branches, a long-lasting, reusable, and highly sustainable floral design can be created. Several synergistic designs will be presented to illustrate their diversity and use.

Mr. William J. McKinley AIFD, CFD, ICPF, is the emeritus Endowed Chair of the Benz School of Floral Design and Instructional Professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University.
After retiring from Texas A&M in January of 2025, Bill remains an active member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) and was honored with the organization’s Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry in 2010 as well as the Award of Distinguished Service to AIFD in 2022. He was inducted into the Illinois State Florists’ Association Hall of Fame in 2009. Bill is the coordinator for AIFD’s online education courses and recently chaired the revisions task force for The AIFD Guide to Floral Design book. Mr. McKinley is an AIFD Certified Evaluator/Judge (CEJ) and teaches that curriculum to aspiring Certified Evaluator Judges. He is a frequent speaker at local, regional and national floral organizations.