La Feria Resident Named Louisiana State Florist of the Year

by Tony Vindell/LFN

A La Feria resident is representing the Sportsman’s Paradise State after being named designer of the year by the Louisiana State Florists Association.

Abel González Mencio took the number one spot during a competition in which each of 10 designers had one and a half hours to come out with four floral arrangements.

The 55-year-old man was invited to the event held March 25-26 at the 80th anniversary of the Louisiana State Florists Association Convention at the Evangeline Downs Hotel and Casino in Opelousas.

“I feel real good about it,” he said. “The most important thing is I am now representing the whole state of Louisiana for an entire year.”

Not bad for the Harlingen native who started his career delivering flowers and who moved to La Feria about 10 years ago.

González Mencio said he was invited to the convention after taking third place in the Texas State Florists Association Designer of the Year Competition held earlier this year at the Texas State Capitol Rotunda in Austin.

He said he began working in the florist industry when he was 18 and has been doing it on and off ever since.

Although he now works for a company that sells LED lights, he is planning to work full time in his own design studio called Casa Granada Floral.

Winning the competition earned González Mencio a spot at the Mid America Cup to take place in Little Rock, Ark., where a national prize will be up for grabs.

He said he enjoys living in La Feria because he likes the small town atmosphere and quiet living the city offers.

He said his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Raul D. González of Harlingen, gave him a lot of support when he started working in the floral business.

González Mencio’s goal is, “To achieve my American Institute of Floral Designers credential knowing that I stand among the very best in the world, affording me the recognition among my peers in the floral industry.”