Who We Are
The Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, began handing out 10,000 flowers to visitors at Arlington National Cemetery in 2011. In 2022, 240,000 flowers were placed at ANC, with an additional 200,000 flowers sent to various cemeteries throughout the country.
The Board’s goal is to honor all interred veterans across the country.
What We Do
Every year the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation works with private, public, and corporate sponsors to organize, with support from volunteers, flower tributes for interred veterans.
The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation events connect communities to honor their heroes and the sacrifices they and their families made for our country.
OUR TEAM
The full-time staff works year-round to ensure successful Memorial Day Flowers events across the country.

Ramiro Penaherrera
Executive Director
After twenty-five years in the flower industry, Ramiro changed flowers for avocados and co-founded Memorial Day Flowers.

Bernardo Beate
Director of Operations
Formerly the COO of an Ecuadorian software company, Bernardo joined the Foundation in 2018.
Board Of Directors

Brenda Gray Reny
Co-Chair of the Board of The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Steve Dionne
Co-Chair of the Board of The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Johan Sohn
Board member of The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Joaquín de la Torre
Managing Partner for Ball SB LLC (a joint venture with Ball Horticulture Company)

David Murphy
Regional Financial Services Executive

Jeanne Taggart Boes
General Manager, Chief Operations Officer - San Fransisco Flower Mart LLC
Ms. Boes’ background is forged from both inside and outside the floral industry. Her experience in this industry dates to 1989. Working inside the wholesale market in San Francisco affords her vision into every segment of the floral industry, growers, wholesalers, transportation, retail florists, and event designers. The SF market is essentially a snapshot of the floral industry.
Advisory Council

Dean Rule
Board member of Expoflores, Co-Founder of The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Abraham Bacarra
Scoutmaster – Troop 976

Mikel J. Burroughs
Advisor to MDFF

Sophia Romero
Latam Flower Procurement – The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Lourdes Reyes
Advisor to MDFF

Ami Neiberger-Miller
Media Relations Director – The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation

Mimi Martinez
Marketing Director – Chrysal USA

Stephen Armellini
CEO – Armellini Logistics

Ryan Black
Sales Director – JetFresh Flowers
