World Federation of Rose Societies – Executive Committee
PRESIDENT
Diane vom Berg
AUSTRALIA
My interest in roses escalated after attending a garden show , seeing new varieties of Roses and my garden of roses grew very quickly. I joined the Rose Society of South Australia on the advice of a friend and have served on Council since 2005 in the roles of Councilor, Vice President and President.
As President I look forward to working with the Executive and Standing Committees, attending conventions and events, engaging with Member Countries and participating in the exchange of information about the rose and the friendship it brings with other rosarians throughout the world all for our favorite flower “The Rose”.
vombergs@bigpond.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Derek Lawrence
UNITED KINGDOM
For Derek, being appointed Executive Director of the WFRS in June 2015, was beyond his wildest dreams. Like many other leading organisations, the World Federation of Rose Societies faces many challenges in future years. However, he is confident the Federation will continue to grow and flourish throughout the 21st Century. He feels the beating heart of the WFRS is testimony to the immense enthusiasm and genuine friendship, that shines through the entire worldwide Membership.
dereklawrence@talktalk.net
TREASURER
Sushil Prakash
INDIA
I am an ardent rosarian and have been growing roses for the past 40 years. Recently being elected as Treasurer of the WFRS, I am delighted to serve the Federation. I am a Mechanical Engineer by profession and my passion towards Roses will make me contribute to the cause of Roses across the globe. I am sure that as part of WFRS, we will continue to strive collectively to spread the Rose culture in all its forms. I assure you of transparency and openness.
sushil.prakash@omegarenk.com
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Henriane de Brey
BELGIUM
Born in a rose bed , WFRS President 2018-2022 , Henrianne is proud to continue to promote the rose around the world and looks forward to work closely with the Executive committee to progress the WFRS in its Marketing and business development approach.
VP – AUSTRALASIA
Gavin Woods
AUSTRALIA
Gavin’s journey with Roses began in the 1970’s when he began exhibiting at a local level. With the hobby now a self-absorbing passion, Gavin has immersed himself into the world of exhibiting, administration and promotion of the rose. Along with partner Kim, travel has become an important part of spreading the “Gospel of the Rose”.
Gavin is immensely proud to have been selected to represent Australians as a WFRS Vice-President and looks forward to working with the Executive to progress the Federation.
www.growingroses.com.au
gbwoods@gmail.com
VP – AUSTRALASIA
Doug Grant
NEW ZEALAND
Doug is a scientist for a research and development company in New Zealand specialising in the genetics and breeding of onions and Cucurbit crops.
In his spare time he is an amateur rose breeder. His roses have received awards in Rose trials in New Zealand including the New Zealand Rose of the Year.
douggrant99@gmail.com
VP – NORTH AMERICA
Diana Antonition
BERMUDA
Born and raised in Bermuda, I have been a member of The Bermuda Rose Society (BRS) since 2006. In May 2011, was elected Vice President of BRS and subsequently President in May 2013. Having achieved all BRS mandated requirements, was awarded “Accredited Judge” status in April 2013. June 2018 was elected WFRS Vice President for the North America Region.
VP – NORTH AMERICA
Robert Ardini
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Robert is a former advertising executive, has traveled to all seven continents, and is a Juilliard-trained pianist. In 2020 he ran for the U.S. Presidency. His campaign prevailed well into the Primary season, and was one of the last remaining candidates in the race. Roses are his passion. He is a Life Member of the American Rose Society, served on the Board of Directors, and Chaired the 1992 Centennial Committee. Robert joined his local rose society – the Long Island Rose Society – at the age of 17. His first World Rose Convention was in 1994 in New Zealand. He can be found on Facebook as Robert.Ardini and on Twitter as @RobertArdini. He resides in New York.
robertardini@yahoo.com
VP – SOUTH AMERICA
Inés Díaz de Licandro
URUGUAY
Board member of the Asociación Uruguaya de la Rosa and member of other national and heritage associations, Uruguayan delegate and Vice-Chairman (2019-2022) at the Heritage and Conservation Committee. Inés has a rose garden in Punta del Este with over 700 plants; she undertook a research about heritage roses in more than 50 Uruguayan cities where 2.000 rose bushes have been located. Honorary and volunteer advisor of the historic Rosedal Juana de Ibarbourou, in Montevideo.
She intends to spread the love for the rose especially among young people, to promote the preservation of rare rose varieties and to increase the participation of Southamerican countries in the activities of the WFRS.
inesdiazrial@gmail.com
VP – AFRICA
Vivienne Black
SOUTH AFRICA
I have attended conventions in South Africa, Beijing in China, Lyon in France and in India, and will be attending the convention in Copenhagen, Denmark in June 2018. I was invited by Spek Roses to attend the trials in The Hague. I have visited the Damascena rose farms in Bulgaria, and attended I.F.T.EX International Trade Expo in Nairobi, Kenya, where I visited many rose farms. I have attended the Chelsea Flower Show with Keith Kirsten to view David Austin Roses.
VP – EUROPE
Mireille Steil
LUXEMBOURG
Spending my childhood in the countryside of Luxemburg, in a garden full of flowers, I always loved roses. In 2009 I joined the Luxemburg Rose Society. I regularly participate as a judge in the European Rose-Trials. Elected President of the Luxembourg Rose Society in 2015, I was able to achieve, in 2017, our greatest dream with my association, a rose-garden for the old and new Luxemburgish Roses, the “Roseraie Château de Munsbach”.
VP – EUROPE
Angela Bokor
ROMANIA
Having been a member of the Romanian Rose Society for many years, after attending a few international meetings I realised that roses can make the world a better place.
Accepting the position of Vice-President of WFRS for Eastern Europe, I look forward to working with all rose enthusiasts to promote The Rose.
VP – EUROPE
Inger Schierning
DENMARK
From March 2009 I have served as President of The Danish Rose Society, and as a board member of the Nordic Rose Society, an umbrella society for all five Nordic rose societies. From May 2015 elected WFRS VP for Europe l – positions I still hold. In June/July 2018, after 6 years of carefully planning, I had the great pleasure to convene the 18. WRC “A Fairytale of Roses” incl. the WFRS golden 50 years jubilee with more than 600 delegates. Since 1990 I’ve been invited to judge roses at international rose trials, first in Europe and later around the globe from the year 2000. My first World Rose Convention was “Rose World” in 1994 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Much of my life I was, and will forever be involved with the most iconic flower – The rose.
i.schierning@gmail.com
VP – CENTRAL ASIA
Vijay Kant
INDIA
Vijay Kant hails from Hyderabad, India.
He has been a member in various capacities of the Hyderabad Rose Society (HRS) and Indian Rose Federation (IRF) for over five decades now.
He retired in incumbency of Deputy General Manager – Horticulture from a public sector defence organization in 2006. He currently serves as Secretary of HRS & IRF and consults for horticulture needs with various organizations.
He is thrilled and looks forward to the new role of Vice President-Central Asia of WFRS.
vijaykant2512@gmail.com
VP – FAR EAST
Shiwei Zhao
CHINA
Shiwei first met Helga Brichet in Beijing and began his relationship with WFRS. He attended all the world rose conventions and some regional and heritage rose convention since 2006 in Osaka. He was the director of Beijing Botanical Garden and the secretary-general of Chinese Rose Society. He was involved with the organizing of the regional conventions held in China. He is a professor of horticulture and is leading a team of rose breeding and research in Beijing Institute of Forestry and Landscape Architecture and a number of rose varieties were bred.
Chairmen 2022 – 2025
PROMOTION
Henrianne de Briey
BELGIUM
Elected President of the WFRS in 2018. Daughter of WFRS Founding President Lily de Gerlache. “Born in a bed of roses”, I followed and helped my mother in almost all of the rose exhibitions organised by the Belgian Royal National Rose Society, my first contact with the WFRS was at the Benelux World Convention in 1997.
I look forward to working with our members around the world to promote and encourage a love of roses.
AWARDS
Daniel Boulens
FRANCE
Member of the French Roses Society for many years, I was the director of the Department of Parks and Gardens of the City of Lyon, and its famous and awarded rose garden in Tete d’Or Park.
I was totally involved in the organisation of the WFRS LYON 2015 convention.
Judge in many international roses trials.
CLASSIFICATION & REGISTRATION
Markus Brunsing
Markus is a landscape architect and head of the Garden Department of the City of Baden-Baden. He has worked professionally with roses for about 20 years. He is responsible for the rose gardens “Gönneranlage” and “Rose Novelty Garden Beutig” in Baden-Baden and furthermore he is director of the International Rose Trials in Baden-Baden. From 2012 to 2018 Markus was Chairman of the International Rose Trials Committee. In 2022 he was appointed Chairman of Classification and Registration.
markus.brunsing@baden-baden.de
INTERNATIONAL JUDGES
Pauline Martin
Pauline is excited about being appointed as WFRS Chairman of International Judges. She has been involved with roses for over 50 years and latterly has been heavily involved in setting standards for judging at UK rose shows. She is an accredited judge both in the UK and the USA. Pauline and her husband Ray run the amateur shows in the UK and have been actively showing roses for over 45 years. She is looking forward to supporting members of the WFRS to establish some common standards.
paulinemartin50@hotmail.com
INTERNATIONAL ROSE TRIALS
Marga Verwer
During a holiday in the UK in 1987 I noticed the beauty of roses. Back home we decided to plant roses in our garden, for which my boss advised me to become a member of the Rose Society. After a few years I became a treasurer, and 12 years later a coordinator promotion. From then on I became more active internationally by attending WFRS conventions and I started judging at rose trials. This resulted in my so beloved WFRS job as chairman of the Trials committee.
marga.verwer@ziggo.nl
CONSERVATION & HERITAGE
Behcet Ciragan
SWITZERLAND
My interest in roses started with our own garden in 2003. As an honorary admin of HelpMeFind since 2007 I learned most of what I know about Heritage Roses, researching and adding content to this global website. In 2017, I was elected President of the Swiss Rose Society with its over 1500 members. We are working on the image of roses by actively propagating mixed rose and perennials gardens in publications and projects. Looking now forward to contribute to the understanding of Heritage Roses worldwide.
EDITOR
Steve Jones
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Steve and his wife Susie live on 2.2 ha in the gold rush country in California, United States. He grows over 450 roses of all types, especially ramblers and climbers. Steve is a past President of the American Rose Society and World Federation of Rose Societies. Currently he serves as the editor of the World Rose News.
PUBLICATIONS
Angelika Throll-Keller
Being appointed as Chairman of Publications at the World Rose Convention in Adelaide in 2022. Angelika is very happy to continue the successful work together with the Executive committee, the editor of the World Rose News and the social media team as well as with the other chairmen. She is graduated as UNIV Horticultural Engineer and is editor of several rose books.
Photo: © Nathalie Dautel, Baden-Baden/Stadt Baden-Baden, Germany.
a.throll@beste-natur.de
THE BREEDERS CLUB
Jean-Luc Pasquier
SWITZERLAND
I saw my appointment as Chairman of the Breeders Club at the 2018 World Convention in Copenhagen as a great honour. It is a huge pleasure to have the privilege of rubbing shoulders with these personalities who make the roses we love. My aim is to serve these men and women, so that their creations can shine within the competitions, and that their interests are best served by the Breeders Club. Photo: © Dom Smaz
www.jlpasquier.ch
pasquier@jlpasquier.ch
