Rose Parade judges named

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses announced Tuesday the float judges for the upcoming 126th Rose Parade.

Els Hazenberg, Steven Wood Schmader and Eddie Zaratsian will score the 2015 floats, assessing the creativity, imagination and beauty of the entries, as well as their use of theme, humor, dramatic impact and entertainment value.

A Dutch freelance floral designer, instructor and judge, Hazenberg has taught the art of European floral design all over the world. She designed flowers for the Dutch royal family and received the Floral Nobel Prize in 2002 at the World Flower Council Summit in the Netherlands.

Along with late husband George, Hazenberg decorated Rose Parade vehicles for 30 years. She served as float judge in two previous parades, in 1984 and 2005.

Schmader is president and chief executive of the International Festivals & Events Assn. He previously served for 11 years as president of the Boise River Festival as well as the Humanitarian Bowl, now known as the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

In 2000, the Idaho Statesman named Schmader one of 10 influential individuals leading Idaho into the new millennium.

Creative director for L.A.’s Tic-Tock Couture Florals and an inductee into the American Institute of Floral Designers, Zaratsian is a go-to designer for Hollywood’s biggest celebrities.

Zaratsian’s work with Oprah Winfrey on the launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and on the Emmy Awards Governor’s Ball led to his being named in 2012 by the Financial Times as one of the top-five leading floral designers in the world.