Meet The Team
One of the things that set East Coast apart from all others is the strength of design experience within our sales team. Steve, Jamal, Donna, Pamme. Laurie, and Alison all come to the wholesale side of the business from decades in the retail and event side. First and foremost they are DESIGNERS. They know what it means to sell a “look” and then keep within your budget. When you need to change directions mid-stream it is not a problem. They understand flowers- from the feel to the smell to the life cycle to the cost. You can be confident in their recommendations because they have been there and used it. It’s what separates East Coast from the other wholesale houses out there.
Leadership
Steve Geruso - Founder
Steve is the owner of East Coast and brings a lifetime of passion for this industry to the table every day. His experience as a designer and years in the trenches of the “shop” came together to provide the boutique wholesale experience to Connecticut and New York. When you meet him and take a tour, you’ll see why East Coast is the unique place it is. The focus of East Coast is providing the highest quality, consistent product available in the industry. Steve is focused on the high standards and expectations of our client’s clientele and is NOT interested in being just another warehouse in the mix. Steve has a personal relationship with each of our clients and his door (and phone) is always open to you. Steve’s positive attitude and desire to provide excellent service sets the tone for all of us here. Once you have met Steve- you’ll get it.
Jamal Ansari - Owner
Jamal is the SVP of Operations at East Coast. His relationships with the farms and Dutch auction houses are what make East Coast the premier wholesale source in the area. Watch Jamal spend his days and you will see a little touch of Wall Street, a bit of real estate and the local guy all rolled into one skilled buyer. Jamal’s ability to procure product from all over the world is the reason East Coast is in a class by itself. The relationships that he builds and maintains throughout his global visits and daily interaction ensure that you can order with confidence. In the case of a wrinkle in the process, be it a customs hold up or a farm’s inability to fulfill the order, Jamal’s relationships makes it possible to regroup and get you back on track.
Sales Team
Richard Wright - Local Vendor Manager
Richard comes to East Coast from the venerated Greens Farms Cut Flower Exchange in Westport, CT. A veteran of wholesale flower sales, Richard is our guy for our local vendors. Blooming branches and our local farms are where Richard’s strengths really shine. In addition, Richard’s relationship with farms from Maine to the Carolina Coasts is what provides us with the most gorgeous, varied holiday green selection in the business. Richard also spearhead’s our supply department. If you need it, and we don’t have it here- Richard can find it for you.
Laurie Tomaszek
After a brief time away, we have Laurie back. Laurie has literally spent her life in a flower shop. This industry is her chosen profession and we get all the knowledge she brings to the table- shop, event and industry experience, as well as an amazing design aesthetic. Laurie is one of those genuinely happy and kind people. Her clients love to have her on their side. She is quick and efficient and excels on keeping her clients on track, on trend and on budget.
Plant Team
Lou Milazzo - Plant Department Manager
As the manager of the plant department, Lou is undefinable. First, he knows his stuff. He has a real eye for the unusual and never ceases to have something on the shelves that everyone stops to ask about. Second, Lou has been around a long time- he ran his own second-generation flower and plant business- and that experience shows. His relationships with his suppliers are built on those years, and East Coast benefits from it.
Office Staff
Samantha Dorsey - Office Manager
Sam’s the front line here at East Coast. She is the first on the phones and runs the office so EVERYBODY gets to talk to her. She is a multi-tasking fiend and we are pretty sure efficiency is her middle name. Sam is always quick with a smile and a laugh- another person that sets us apart from the rest. Her faithful beagle Hunnie has been a regular here at the warehouse, and may be the team member our clients most look forward to seeing…
Our Drivers
Arthur, Nick, Jon, Paul, Kenny & Norman
We love our team of drivers. They are kind and approachable and best of all- dare we say it- able to switch gears. They support each other and help to- here comes another- roll with any changes they need to make in routing and timing so that we can get your product to you in a timely fashion. And just like the postman, neither rain nor snow…
The Packing Team
Faustino, Mariano & Elmer
Faustino, Mariano and Elmer. Always ready with a smile and a knack for getting EVERYTHING loaded into your car, the guys help to keep the machine at East Coast running smoothly. Their diligence and vigilance in unpacking product and staging it, then rotating and managing the cooler insure that East Coast is always stocked with the freshest, highest quality product. Their keen eyes make sure that our standards are upheld from when the product arrives at our warehouse until it is packed and loaded onto our trucks and brought to your door.