After earning an Associate Degree in Commercial Art at Ivy Tech in Evansville, Indiana, John attended a floral design school short program in 1973. He relocated permanently to South Florida in 1974 and worked in a shop.

John gained more experience in the floral industry by working at the wholesale level for nine years. First, he was an in-house designer and display artist then a buyer and manager.

Mr. Klingel was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in 1980 in Washington, D.C. " I feel that everyone wants to be recognized as a professional in what they do so passionately and AIFD offers that and so much more."

Serving as President of the Florists’ Association of Palm Beach County and Director for Florida State Florists Association John was also Palm Beach County and Fla State Designer of the year.

Freelance floral design was a part of his professional life before purchasing a retail florist in the south county area in 1994. "That was when my real education in the industry began." FLORISTS REVIEW magazine profiled John’s shop on Valentine’s Day About his rosy success story.

In 1999 Mr. Klingel was invited to join the ranks of Professional Floral Communicators—International(PFCI) at the Society of American Florists in Tucson, Arizona. John became a member of the American Academy of Floriculture(AAF) in 2001.

John is now a former shop owner having sold his florist in January 2000 to pursue continuing education in the floral industry through seminars and floral design classes. "I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with others. Mentoring brings me a sense of fulfillment"

Having most recently participated as one of the floral designers for the FTD Selection Guide in Chicago John’s work now appears in shops all over the country.  John serves as one of the members of FTD's Education Team. 

The prestigious Sylvia Cup was awarded to John at the Society of American Florists Convention in Palm Beach. The Sylvia Cup is the only design competition held by SAF and is considered one of the foremost design competitions in the nation.