june 2018 - issue 2 the undertakings newsletter june 2018.pdf · sara ruth holman widow of norman...
TRANSCRIPT
June 2018 - Issue 2 The Undertakings
Inside This Issue
Article Page
The President Writes .................... Page 3
Denise’s Soapbox ......................... Page 5
2017-2018 AFDA Board of ............. Page 6
Directors
AFDA Calendar of Events ............ Page 7
In Memoriam ............................... Page 8
Important Stuff / New
Continuing Education
Requirements ............................. Page 10
New Members .............................. Page 10
AFDA Nominating Committee
Report ......................................... Page 11
AFDA’s Newest CFSP ................. Page 11
The AFDA Trust & You ............... Page 12
Oops ............................................. Page 12
AFDA Scholarship Information ... Page 13
AFDA Trust Forms ...................... Page 14
NFDA Slate of Candidates for
Office .......................................... Page 16
AFDA Officers Storm Capitol
Hill ............................................. Page 17
Time To Eat A Little Crow .......... Page 18
AFDA Disaster Response
Initiatives .................................... Page 19
NFDA Policy Board Report ......... Page 25
AFDA Trust Report ...................... Page 25
AFDA Birthdays ........................... Page 27
News From The American Board
Of Funeral Service Education .... Page 28
Serious Fun Awaits Your Participation ...
Join Us At The Marriott Grand, Point Clear, Alabama For
The 134th AFDA Convention
Page 3 The Undertakings - June 2018
The President Writes ...
Michael A. Morrison, CFSP, CCO
AFDA President
Does this sound familiar? I work so hard every day and
many nights. We never know when the next call is coming,
and I can’t be tied down to another service club. I’ve
worked hard for so long that I want some time to myself,
not being on some committee. What can AFDA really
offer my business? I can’t tell you how often those
thoughts have gone through the minds of so many Alabama
funeral directors … but then they got involved.
AFDA is not another service club to function as a feather in
your cap. It is not a scheme where only the higher ones
benefit from the hard work of the masses. AFDA is a group
of men and women, just like you, who care about their
industry and desire the very best for funeral service and
funeral service professionals. AFDA is your voice in the
legislature. AFDA is your watchdog in Montgomery and
Washington. AFDA is your trust provider in pre-need.
AFDA is your link to continuing education. AFDA is your
strong tie to, and the greatest benefit of, Alabama’s
unparalleled S-MORT team. AFDA is all of this and so
much more.
AFDA is a strong association, but only as much so as the
continued participation of its membership. One great way
to get involved and/or stay involved is joining us June
17-19 at Marriott’s Grand Hotel and Resort in Point Clear
for the AFDA Annual Convention. It is always a great time
of connection, education, and relaxation and I hope you
have made your plans to attend. In every event and for
every program (Mid-Winter, District Meetings, etc.), it
takes everyone, from vendors to owners, from educators to
employees, to make AFDA vibrant and effective. When we
are united we are stronger than any one voice. Together, we
are better!
I urge you, funeral home owner, to get
involved and serve in AFDA. It is only your
business that can benefit. If possible, allow
your staff to be involved as well. I urge you, funeral home
employees, to get involved and serve in AFDA. Your
professional growth and education is important. I urge you, past
board members, office holders, and membership, to step up once
again and serve in AFDA. Your past experience provides
valuable wisdom to help a younger generation learn how to lead.
I urge you, sideline membership, to get involved and serve in
AFDA. Joining is important, but participation is the critical
element. I urge you, vendors and partners, to recommit to sup-
porting AFDA for the purpose of strengthening relationships and
bolstering the value of membership. No one is not too old, or too
young. You are, however, too smart to pass on the opportunity to
make funeral service better for everyone in Alabama.
Consider this a “Macedonian call” to come help! AFDA is
strong, but you can help make it stronger. AFDA is good, but
your participation can help make it better. Together, we can
make a difference!
Yours,
Mike Morrison
Hope To See You At The Grand!
Page 5 The Undertakings - June 2018
Denise’s Soapbox ...
B. Denise Edmisten, CCO
May brings graduations. Graduations bring commencement
speeches. The speeches for centuries have had the same
theme of future, goals and diligence in effort. In other
words always THINK BIG.
Whether we are encouraging children leaving kindergarten
for the first grade, the high schooler about to learn the real
meaning of life or the college graduate stepping into their
place in society the center of the mark is BIG.
Let’s not stop with the children or the college grad. Let’s
look at word BIG.
I have some suggestions and ask each of you to examine
ways we can incorporate BIG into our personal and
professional lives.
BIG:
Believe in Good
Believe in Goals
Believe in Guidelines
Believe in Gentleness
Believe in Gifts
Believe in Going
Believe in Giving
Believe in Genuine
Most importantly, Believe in God as you believe God to be.
Think on these beliefs and add to the list. If we apply these
to our lives and encourage our family, friends and
employees, very possibly we will see changes in our lives
that point toward goals that are attainable and results that are
BIG.
Do you do the “Sexy” things first? Do you focus on the
product, the conclusion without giving much less
attention to the not-so-fun-to-do mechanics?
Mother Teresa is attributed with saying “ be faithful in small
things, because it in them that your strength lies.” What are the
small things in your personal or professional life?
Periodically, I find that I must step back out of an obligation to be
diligent and faithful in the “small things.” I have to assess where I
am and where the small and big things intersect.
Have you ever seen a runner strive so hard, run so hard that they
get ahead of themselves? They’ve pushed beyond their point of
control of gravity and though it may take many yards they tumble
to defeat. They had forgotten the intersecting line of small and
large.
The non-sexy, mundane tasks are often the very stabling forces
under the floor of success. The attention to the well groomed
look, the shined shoes, the manicured nails, the little things; then
on to the office - the files that are stacking up, the manner in
which a phone is answered, the very way a hand is extended and a
handshake given. These are the small things that are much.
Our professional life is not always based on what we do but how
we do it. Be faithful in the small things. __________________
Oops,
Wrong Office,
Denise!
Page 6 The Undertakings - June 2018
AFDA Executive Officers
Michael A. Morrison, CFSP, CCO ______ President
Morrison Funeral Home 825 North Main Street Post Office Box 513
Tuscumbia, AL 35674 256-383-7311
E-Mail: [email protected] Spouse: Holley Morrison
Heath Bowen, CFSP ________________ President-Elect John Ridout’s Funeral Parlors
2116 University Boulevard Birmingham, AL 35233
205-251-5254 E-Mail: [email protected]
Spouse: Jo Anne Bowen
Mike Yates, CFSP __________________ Vice-President Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel
Post Office Box 498 Gardendale, AL 35071
205-631-6252 E-Mail: [email protected]
Spouse: Amy Yates
Kendall Glover, CFSP _______________ Secretary- Treasurer
Glover Funeral Home 1468 Hartford Highway
Dothan, AL 36301 334-699-3888
E-Mail: [email protected] Spouse: Caroline Glover
Carrel-Ann Wyatt Spears _____________ Immediate Past
President
Wyatt Funeral Home Post Office Box 875
Opp, AL 36467 334-493-2506
E-Mail: [email protected] Spouse: Ferrell Spears
Geoff L. Halbrooks, CFSP ____________ Policy Board Representative
Peck Funeral Home 1600 Highway 31 Southwest Hartselle, Alabama 35640
256-773-2541 E-Mail: [email protected]
Spouse: Lisa Halbrooks
District Directors & AFDA Staff
Luther D. Watts ____________________ Director District 1 Bell Funeral Home
510 Main Street Post Office Box 1239 Sumiton, AL 35148
205-648-6611 E-Mail: [email protected]
Jimmy R. Stewart ___________________ Director District 2 Lemley Funeral Home & Crematory
6878 Second Avenue, West / Post Office Box 700 Oneonta, AL 35121
205-274-2323 E-Mail: [email protected]
Spouse: Mitsy Stewart
Buffy Johnston, CFSP _______________ Director District 3 Mobile Memorial Gardens 6040 Three Notch Road
Mobile, AL 36619 251-661-7700
E-Mail: [email protected] Fiancé: Steve Lyon
Jim Martin ________________________ Director District 4 Martin Funeral Home
1300 4th Avenue North Post Office Box 86 Clanton, AL 35046
205-755-3550 E-Mail: [email protected]
Spouse: Vickey Martin
Denise Edmisten, CCO ______________ Executive Director
Alabama Funeral Directors Association Postal Mail Box 380 / 7956 Vaughn Road
Physical Address / 7 Clayton Street Montgomery, AL 36116
334-956-8000 - Office / 334-322-3428 - Cell 334-956-8001 - FAX
E-Mail: [email protected]
Martha Till _________________________ Executive
Secretary
Alabama Funeral Directors Association Postal Mail Box 380 / 7956 Vaughn Road
Physical Address / 7 Clayton Street Montgomery, AL 36116
334-956-8000 - Office / 334-354-0593 - Cell
2017—2018 AFDA Board of Directors
Page 7 The Undertakings - June 2018
June 17 - 19, 2018
132 Annual AFDA Convention
The Grand Hotel
Point Clear, Alabama
July 4, 2018
Independence Day
AFDA Office Closed
July 8 - 11, 2018
NFDA Leadership Meeting
Grove Park Hotel
Ashville, North Carolina
August 20, 2018
North American Division of the British Institute of Embalmers’
2018 AGM
Embassy Suites Hotel
Arlington, Virginia
August 21 - 22, 2018
North American Division of the British Institute of Embalmers’
2018 Professional Enrichment Conference
Embassy Suites Hotel
Arlington, Virginia
August 23 - 25, 2018
Dodge Summer Version of
Wreaths across America Project
Embassy Suites Hotel
Arlington, Virginia
September 3, 2018
Labor Day
AFDA Office Closed
October 8, 2018
Columbus Day
October 14-17, 2018
137th Annual NFDA Convention
Salt Lake City, Utah
November 6, 2018
Election Day
November 21 - 23, 2018
Thanksgiving Holidays
December 12 - 15, 2018
Dodge Wreaths across America Project
Embassy Suites Hotel
Arlington, Virginia
December 24 - 25, 2018
Christmas Holiday
December 31, 2018 - January 1, 2019
New Year’s Holiday
January 21 - 22, 2019
AFDA Mid-Winter Meeting & Exposition
Birmingham, Alabama
Page 8 The Undertakings - June 2018
Sara Ruth Holman
Widow of Norman Holman, Sr.
Holman-Headland Funeral Mortuary
Headland, Alabama
March 22, 2018
John W. Trent
Brother of Bill Trant
And
Uncle of Coley Trant
Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home
Opelika, Alabama
April 21, 2018
Ottis L. Sheed
Blount County Cleveland Funeral Home
&
Holly Pond Funeral Home
Holly Pond, Alabama
May 2, 2018
Rick Brown
Formerly With Carr Funeral Home
Guntersville, Alabama
May 10, 2018
Imogene Nabors Seale
Mother of Connie Denty of
Bolton Funeral Home
Columbiana, AL
May 11, 2018
Should family and friends so desire, expressions of
sympathy may be made to the association’s scholarship fund, the
J. Whit Miles, CFSP Scholarship Fund C/O Alabama Funeral Directors Association
Postal Mail Box 380 7956 Vaughn Road
Montgomery, AL 36116
Please be certain to indicate to whom acknowledgements should be sent and include
the appropriate address.
In Memoriam
Celebrating The Lives of Our AFDA Members, Family Members & Friends
Those we love don’t
go away, they walk
beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but
always near, still
loved, still missed
and very dear.
Author Unknown
Page 9 The Undertakings - June 2018
Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc.
Alabama Eye Bank
Alabama Funeral Directors Association
Alabama Organ Center
Ambulance & Coach Sales
American Benefit Life Insurance Company
American Mortuary Coolers
AnswerTel
Applied Lighting
ASD Answering Service
Astral Industries
Atlantic Coast Life Insurance
Bass-Mollett Publishers, Inc.
Batesville Casket Company
Coats Clothing Co.
Contemporary Concepts, Inc.
Cost Segregation Services
Countryside Casket
Covington Casket Company
Crain MM Sales
Crescent Memorial
Custom Air Trays
Federated Insurance
FuneralOne
Funeral Services, Inc.
Funeral Trust of Alabama
Great Western Insurance
Harbuck Keith & Holmes, LLC
Homesteaders Life Company
IFDA (Independent Funeral Planning Alliance)
Matthews/Aurora Funeral Solutions
Messenger
Music City Mortuary
Pierce Companies
Pontotoc Box Company
Service Casket Company
Shields Southeast Sales, Inc.
ShivaShade
Southern Calls
Standifer Insurance Group
Thacker Caskets
The Bag Lady
The Dodge Company
The Red Book
Truitt Insurance & Bonding, Inc.
Vantage Products Corporation
Ward’s Transport & Supplies
WestMed Disposal, Inc.
Patrons
Brown Service Funeral Homes
Dennis Painter, NGLIC
Page 10 The Undertakings - June 2018
AFDA Mission Statement
“That the Alabama Funeral Director’s Association encourage
and promote only the highest of professional standards for
men and women engaged in the funeral service profession;
strive to provide continuing educational forums for ex-
change, development and dissemination of knowledge and
Important Reminder: Money Move
Dates …
One That Is Easy To Remember
Money moves are now once a week—
Wednesdays at 12:00 Noon
It’s Time To Roll
Out The AFDA
Welcome Mat For
Our Newest
AFDA
Member(s)
Associate Members
Family Care, LLC
Remember, it has been said time and time again over the
years, “Participate in your Association, know your fellow
members, share with them at social events, business
meetings, and workshops and you will never ask this
question, “What is this association doing for me?”
Because the more you put in, the more you will get out!
Always remember, this is your association. Let it work for
you!”
Welcome
Continuing Education Update
Two new requirements for continuing education for
license renewal include the addition of completion of
programs addressing the subjects of: (1) legal
information/matters, and (2) blood-borne pathogens
which must be completed prior to license renewal -
October 1, 2018.
According to Charles Perine, Executive Secretary of
the Alabama Board of Funeral Services, those who
individuals who attended the AFDA District meetings
in November 2017 have satisfied the required legal
issues continuing education requirement.
The AFDA is working with the Alabama Department
of Public Health and the Board of Funeral Services to
present a program on blood-borne pathogens at the
AFDA District meetings in 2018. This will mean
moving the District meetings into the months of
August or September.
Continued On Page 11
Page 11 The Undertakings - June 2018
AFDA Nominating Committee
Report March 23, 2018
The Nominating Committee for the slate
of officers (2018-2019) met via conference call March 22, 2018.
The following nominees are offered for election to office at the
Annual Membership Meeting of the AFDA, June 19, 2018.
Secretary-Treasurer .................. Buffy Johnston, CFSP
Vice President .......................... Kendall Glover, CFSP
President-Elect ......................... Mike Yates, CFSP
President: .................................. Heath Bowen, CFSP*
Immediate Past President ......... Mike Morrison, CFSP*
Other nominations except for President may be received by the
Nominating Committee until 30 days before the annual meeting
(May 19, 2018). After that date, AFDA Category I members
may make nominations from the floor until 15 days before the
annual meeting (June 5, 2018). If any nominations from the
floor are made, an additional report shall be mailed to the
membership 10 days prior to the annual meeting (June 9, 2018).
By-laws:
“Election shall be by ballot and a majority of the vote cast shall
elect, except the President-Elect who shall automatically move
to the office of the President and the President shall
automatically move to the office of Immediate Past President.”
Nominating Committee
Carrel Ann Spears, Chair
Lance Brooks
Mark Craddock, CFSP
Amy Justice
Jzyk, Ennis, CFSP, Ph.D. (Absent)
Come out and cast your ballot, June 19th!
Congratulations Go Out To
Christopher Lee Griffith, CFSP,
The Association’s Newest CFSP
It has been said time and time again that
“boasting is sometimes good for the
soul.” In this case, not only is it good
for the soul, but good for the Alabama
Funeral Directors Association (AFDA)
as well. Certification by the Academy of
Funeral Service Practice speaks well for the caliber of funer-
al service practitioners; individuals who are committed to
ongoing learning; not because they are required to do so to
satisfy state board licensing requirements, but more
importantly because they WANT to learn. They want to be
equipped with information that will help them better serve
their client families. And so it is with Christopher Griffith
of Bolton Funeral Home, Calera, Alabama.
Christopher, your AFDA colleagues are all proud of your
accomplishment. You see, they know that Academy
participation is a voluntary endeavor and requires 120 hours
of continuing education credit to be certified as a Certified
Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP)! Yes, 120 hours.
Congratulations!
Continued From Page 10—Important Stuff / Continuing
Education Update
Don’t get caught when license
renewal time rolls around. Make
sure you have participated in the
mandated programs addressing
legal information/matters and the
Blood-Borne Pathogen Standard.
Do yourself a favor; stay tuned for additional information.
Check your emails and the AFDA website for more
information on the venues, dates and times for the programs
on the Blood-Borne Pathogen Standard. Bottom Line: It’s
your license that needs to be renewed and won’t be unless
you have satisfied the necessary continuing education
program requirements.
Page 12 The Undertakings - June 2018 The AFDA Trust & You
A wise man once said, “We cannot accomplish all that we
need to do without working together.”
Bill Richardson
Helpful Hints For Using The Trust from the AFDA
Processing Department
The bottom line is that a little change on your part will not
only make it easier on our part, but lessen the chance for
error in processing trust accounts.
1. The Trust Office only needs one copy of your
contract, not the original and a photocopy.
2. Please prepare a transmittal sheet for each batch of
your contracts and/or payments. When we receive
payments or contracts without transmittal sheets, we
must stop what we are doing and prepare one with
your funeral home name and the required information
on the contracts, i.e. contract number, purchaser’s
name and amount of checks.
3. Sometimes your trust clients send their personal
checks directly to the AFDA Trust Office. We do not
have any idea of where these funds should be credited
without the name of the funeral home and other
identifying information.
4. If you permit your clients to send payments directly
to our office, please have them write the name of your
funeral home and the contract number on the memo
line of the check.
5. Please don’t wait until you are completely out of
supplies. Depending on the US Postal System is a
scary thing at best and could end up costing you
money.
6. Remember, you may contact us through the Trust
website: Funeraltrustofalabama.org. There is a direct
email link.
So, lets work together. Help us, help you.
Oops ...
Membership directories are always difficult to prepare as it seems that something gets past the “evil eyes” of our proof readers every time. This is not unique to the AFDA. I’m sorry to say, the 2018 MFDA Membership Directory contains at least one “oopsie”. Specifically, the e-mail address of Covington Casket Company was cut off during the publishing process.
The entry should have read:
Covington Casket Company, Inc.
Post Office Box 128
Andalusia, AL 36420
334-222-4365
Page 13 The Undertakings - June 2018
Administrative Systems, Inc. *
Alabama Eye Bank *
Astral Industries, Inc. *
Ambulance & Coach Sales
American Benefit Life insurance Co.
AnswerTel of Athens, Inc. *
Atlantic Coast Life Insurance *
Bass-Mollett Publishers*
Brown-Service Funeral Homes, Inc. *
Crescent Memorial
Covington Casket *
Federated Insurance *
Funeral Services, Inc.*
Funeral Trust of Alabama *
Heritage Memorial Funding *
Jefferson State Community College *
Matthews / Aurora Funeral Solutions *
Messenger *
Music City Mortuary *
Perkins Financial, LLC *
Service Casket Company *
Shields Southeast Sales *
The 770 Group at UBS *
Truitt Insurance & Bonding Company * UBS Financial Services
Bold / Indicates Preferred Provider
* / Indicates AFDA Associate Member
~ AFDA Associate Members & Preferred Providers ~
Indispensable Teammates On A Winning Team
Team AFDA
AFDA Scholarship Information
The Alabama Funeral Directions Association is committed to
excellence in funeral service education. Two AFDA $1,000.00
scholarships ($500.00 per semester) will be awarded to
qualified students whose plans are to complete their education
in an accredited mortuary science school and service the public
in their choice profession in the State of
Alabama.
All scholarship applicants must be sponsored by an
active member of the AFDA. All scholarships will
be awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship
Committee of the AFDA. Awards will be based
on application information, academic record and
evaluation. The decision of the Scholarship
Committee will be final. Should there be no
applicants or if the applications do not meet the standards set by
the committee, the committee reserves the right not to make the
award. All awards will be made prior to the beginning of a full
semester.
The student and the school will be notified by mail of the
award. Upon proper invoices from the accredited school, the
funds will be paid directly to the school on a pro-rata basis until
the award is exhausted. The scholarship award is to be used
exclusively for the payment of tuition of mortuary science
classes, and textbooks necessary for the mortuary classes. If for
any reason a recipient should drop a mortuary science required
class or discontinue their education in the field of
mortuary science, the unused portion will remain
in the AFDA Scholarship Fund.
For a scholarship application, please go to:
http://www.alabamafda.org/Portals/0/PDF/
Scholarship%20Application%203.pdf
Even though you personally may not be in need
of scholarship assistance, remember there are
plenty of aspiring funeral service practitioners in Alabama that
could use a little help. Give them a heads up and share
information regarding the availability of the AFDA Scholarship.
The application process is painless!
Page 14 The Undertakings - June 2018
~ Disclaimer ~
The Undertakings is published as a membership service of
the Alabama Funeral Directors Association (AFDA), Inc.
Portions of this newsletter are taken from other sources
which we believe to be reliable. However, The
Undertakings is not meant to provide a complete
authoritative statement on the subjects discussed. The
services of an attorney, accountant, or other professional
should be sought in legal, tax, and compliance matters.
Copyright © 2016—Alabama Funeral Directors Association.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced by any means without prior written permission of
the published.
The appearance, reference or advertisement of any
product(s) or service(s) in this publication shall not be
deemed an endorsement of such product or services by the
AFDA unless specifically stated. ⬧ ⬧ ⬧ ⬧ ⬧ ⬧
Perhaps We Can Help …
As you know, the Alabama Funeral Directors
Association initiated a new member service a
while back, one we feel you will come to
appreciate over time. Admittedly, you may not
need to avail yourself of our placement service at this time, but
should the need arise in the future,
remember us.
Specifically, AFDA member firms in need of a funeral
professional or support staff should e-mail their position
information to Denise at [email protected]. Likewise,
licensees or support staff need only to forward their respective
resumes to Denise.
Of importance is the fact that all information will be treated with
utmost confidentiality. Information will be submitted to
potential employers only upon your written authorization.
Files will be kept on file for 90 days, but the time limit may be
extended as appropriate. Should a position be filled or employ-
ment achieved, the association office should be notified
AFDA Trust Forms
If the AFDA
Trust is a vital
part of your
business, treat it as such! If you are running low on trust
forms, don’t wait until the last minute to place an order.
Plan ahead and remember to take into consideration
realistic shipping and turn-around times.
More importantly, do yourself a huge favor and place your
order directly with the trust office at
funeraltrustofalabama.net.
While Denise is always a backup for placing orders,
expedite your order through the trust office. Remember,
Denise isn’t in the AFDA office at all times and does have
other responsibilities. So it’s easy for voice mails to get
lost in the shuffle. Emailed paper trails of your order are a
good way to insure that you placed an order and hopefully
won’t run out of forms and be left wondering what to do
without a form.
Page 16 The Undertakings - June 2018
News From NFDA
NFDA Leadership Development Committee Announces List of Qualified Candidates for
2018 Elections NFDA is pleased to announce the 2018 NFDA Leadership
Development Committee’s list of qualified candidates for open
positions on the NFDA Board of Directors.
NFDA members will have an opportunity in August to elect
individuals to serve in officer positions on the Board of
Directors. Voting will take place August 1-14, 2018 (during the
2017 NFDA Election, association members approved changes to
the association’s Bylaws, which changed the balloting period
from 30 to 14 days).
Officers serve a one-year term that commences following the
2018 NFDA Convention. The individual elected to the office of
president-elect will automatically become president following
the 2019 NFDA Convention.
Secretary Candidates
Stephen R Kemp, CFSP, Kemp Funeral Home and Cremation
Services LLC, Southfield, MI
John “Jack” O. Mitchell IV, CFSP, CCO, CCSP, Mitchell-
Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc., Baltimore, MD
Treasurer Candidate
Randall “Randy” P. Anderson, CFSP, CCO, Radney's
Funeral Home Inc., Alexander City, AL
President-elect Candidate
R. Bryant Hightower Jr., CFSP, Martin & Hightower Funeral
Home Inc., Heritage Chapel, Carrollton, GA
During their meeting in July, the Policy Board will elect two
individuals to serve two-year terms (2018-20) that commence
following the 2018 NFDA International Convention & Expo.
The following individuals are at-large representative
candidates:
• Christopher P. Robinson, CFSP, CCO, Robinson Funeral Home, Easley, SC
• John W. Wenig, Wenig Funeral Homes, Sheboygan Falls, WI Visit www.nfda.org/vote to view detailed information on each of these candidates.
Don’t Miss Out!
As a valued member, you are NFDA … and that means you
have a voice in the governance of your association.
We need your help to ensure we have accurate information
for all licensed funeral directors at your firm so we can
communicate important information about the election and
voting procedures via email.
Please contact your member services representative at 800-
228-6332 to verify the information we have on file. NFDA
needs the:
Name and unique email address for primary contact (must be
a licensed funeral director) at your firm
Name and unique email addresses for all licensed funeral directors at your firm
Visit www.nfda.org/vote for more information, including voting procedures and timelines. Watch your email for more information about your opportunity to vote!
Page 18 The Undertakings - June 2018
It’s Time To Eat A Little Crow …
“Over the years, I have become quite the
connoisseur of crow. I was quite reluctant
at first – you can’t be serious, I gotta eat
some crow? Yes, son, grandson, nephew,
idiot, misfit – you gotta eat some crow. I
have gotten fat on crow.
I have sampled crow in just about as many
ways as Bubba Gump can serve up shrimp: crow sandwich,
pickled crow, crow salad, crow legs, broiled crow, grilled crow,
bacon-wrapped crow, crow’s feet, crow tartare, and even the
highly prized, crow beak bisque.
With all the choices, I find crow best served up fried. What do
you expect, I’m from East Tennessee. However, unlike every
other fried food in the world, fried crow is actually good for
you.
Learning to eat fried crow is learning to say ‘I’m sorry, I
screwed up, I want to fix what I broke’.
Most folks want to save face, blame others, and go on about
their business when they screw up. We generally prefer to hide
our mistakes… it is simply way too costly to own up to making
a mistake, particularly in a business setting.
Wrong.
Dead wrong.
We all screw up. Those that prefer to not admit
mistakes quickly station various defensive mechanisms
(e.g., Denial being a common go-to default defense
mechanism). …”
And so it goes. I find myself chomping on a little crow
today as I say “I’m truly sorry” to Steve Chenault for his
name being omitted from the listing of 50-year pin
recipients in the 2018 AFDA Directory of Members.
Though certainly not intentional, there are times when things
get changed in the midst of technological advances. And so it
was with Steve. That’s the only explanation I can offer.
Cyberspace gremlins are mischievous critters.
While not entirely responsible for the “mistook,” as your
executive director and the last line of defense, I believe it is up
to me to step up to the refrig and grab a leg of crow and start
chomping. Steve, please know that I am ever so sorry that your
name was not included. I have no explanation as to why it was
omitted, but since it has, I hope you will accept my apology.
Excerpts from Dr. J. Craig Wallace’s Writings
More Hill Activities / Some Work; Some Fun!
Page 19 The Undertakings - June 2018
The AFDA Disaster Response Unit And
Disaster Relief Team
Are Ready To Respond
While the team hopes and prays they are
never activated, they are ready should the
need arise.
This Is Why We Train
March 19, 2018
Six Confirmed Tornados In Alabama
Fortunately, there were no fatalities
SMORT - State Mortuary Operations Response Team
Preparing is planning whether planning an event or a
menu, but the Alabama SMORT (State Mortuary
Operations Response Team) prepares for those horrific
times when disaster strikes. The constant of disasters is
that they are always inconsistent; never the same kind of
catastrophe, never the same in duration; never the same in
area involved, and the response requirements always differ.
The Alabama SMORT, under the command of Doug
Williams, has been activated a few times in the past and
each incident has been totally different, but each time the
responders have been ready. The team is well equipped
and well trained, but the team is small in comparison to the
possible nature of disasters that loom in the future.
Tornados like the ones of April 2011 require many
responders. After the recovery has been completed, the
work of funeral service practitioners begins. Simply put,
we need more team members.
To be a team member is not difficult. While there are
NDMS (National Disaster Medical System) courses and
tests that must be taken as a form of education and prepara-
tion, that portion of training makes reaction time and
understanding of what must be done easier. There is an
average of 2 live training sessions per year. Won’t you
consider becoming an SMORT member? Contact Denise
or Doug and we’ll supply the necessary information.
Page 22 The Undertakings - June 2018
Yes, I think you will have
to agree,
we are ready,
but pray that we are
never activated.
Page 25 The Undertakings - June 2018
NFDA Policy Board
Meeting Update
Washington, DC
April 2, 2018
By
Geoff Halbrooks
The following summary of the brief,
one-hour, April 2018 meeting of the
NFDA Policy Board is provided for
informational purposes only. Official minutes of the
meeting are subject to approval by the Policy Board at the
July 2018 meeting. If you have questions about information
presented in this summary or require additional information,
please contact Carol Hendrick, Senior VP of Strategic De-
velopment, at 906-439-5587 or [email protected].
Thursday, April 26
Minutes. Minutes of the Last Meeting. Minutes of the
October 28, 2017 meeting were approved.
Introductions. New and alternate Policy Board
representatives introduced themselves. President-elect
Chuck Bowman introduced candidates for open positions on
the 2018-2019 Board of Directors.
Advocacy Summit Overview. Senior VP of Advocacy
Lesley Witter provided a final overview of all upcoming
summit activities.
Legal Briefing. General Counsel Scott Gilligan reported on
current legal matters, including:
• New nominees to the Federal Trade Commission*
• Continuing problems presented by Heritage Cremation
Providers
• Action to be taken by the New York Bureau of Funeral
Service to revoke licenses of 94 funeral directors, who
are AAMI graduates, if they do not retake and pass the
National Board Exam by December 31, 2018
A link to Scott’s April 2018 Legal Report is provided in the
Policy Board and State Executives sections of the NFDA
Website.
*Update: on April 26, the Senate confirmed five new
Federal Trade Commissioners. Scott’s update, And
Then There Were Five, has been posted in the Policy Board
and State Executives sections of the NFDA Website.
~ AFDA Trust Report ~
The Funeral Trust of Alabama
An Open Letter To The AFDA Membership
Hello from the Funeral Trust of Alabama!
As most of you are aware, the stock markets have been a little bit
crazy, seeing moderate gains and even greater losses. What we
all know is that our economy is growing under the current
administration, but our markets are apparently not sure just yet.
2017 was a great year for the Funeral Trust of Alabama (FTA)
and it continues to do well in 2018. Participation is good, but I
would like for it to be better. As funeral directors we need to
know that when our pre-need contracts are fulfilled that the mon-
ey is there to cover the cost. One thing that I know is that in the
long run, the FTA is just that kind of product; growth is a good
thing!
The Funeral Trust of Alabama is currently just north of 37
million dollars and growing. If you don't participate, I sure wish
you would give it a look. And remember, no insurance license is
needed and the FTA supplies all you need. Reports are provided
to DOI (Department of Insurance) and much, much more.
Help the Alabama Funeral Directors Association by giving the
Trust a try. Thanks.
Geoff
Geoff Halbrooks
Chairman of the FTA
Page 26 The Undertakings - March 2018
Lindley and Lindley Funeral Supply
One call, that’s all!
601-946-3430 • 601-946-3818
The Dodge Company Proudly Presents
the
2018 Summer Wreaths across America Project
The Dodge Company Proudly Presents
the
2018 Summer Wreaths across America Project
Dover, Delaware; Arlington National Cemetery &
Metropolitan Washington, DC
August 23-25, 2018
You say you never can get away for the December Dodge Wreaths across America Project,
well now is your chance to partake of many goose-bump memories in August. You see,
Dodge is sponsoring a summer event in August which will be much the same as the December Dodge Wreaths across America
Project. Admittedly there are just a few differences between the two events; one being temperature and the second the Saturday
Arlington Wreath Project. Curious? Would you like to join us in what promises to be a memory-making event and also will offer
continuing education credit? If so, please reach out to Sally Belanger at [email protected] or 207-841-6330. Sally is
ready to share the details with interested parties. Denise Edmisten also can share a little info as she has traveled with us on earlier
events. Rumor has it that she will be back again in August! Come, join us; you’ll be glad you did. Promise!
Page 27 The Undertakings - March 2018
AFDA Birthdays
Would you believe, it’s been almost a year and we
still haven’t been able to formulate a complete
listing of the birthdays of all our AFDA members,
but with your help will be able to do so in the very
near future. We even tried some tricky maneu-
vers, but now are resorting to pleading with you to
capture your birthday info.
That said, if you haven’t already done so, we’re
hoping that you will take a moment to e-mail your
birthday to the AFDA office. We’ll keep trying to
gather this information, but until we are able to do
so, we’d like to be the first to encourage those mem-
bers and friends with birthdays occurring between
now and the next edition of “The Undertakings,” to
share that information with either Denise or Mar-
tha. They will be quick to pass it on to Sally so
she may make certain all members are recognized
on their special day!
~ July ~
Name Date
Damon Kirkland .......................................... 2
Hope Etherton .............................................. 7
Sarah Chappell ............................................. 11
Earl Mitchell ................................................ 16
Iris McIllwain .............................................. 18
Donny Atkinson ........................................... 22
Gary Murphree ............................................ 27
Tommy Bowen ............................................ 29
~ August ~
Name Date
Martha Till ................................................... 1
Joey Baker ................................................... 4
Mike Perry ................................................... 11
J. Douglas Williams ..................................... 11
Austin Bowden ............................................ 21
Coley Trant .................................................. 21
Steve Smith .................................................. 25
Donald Phillips ............................................ 31
~ September ~
Name Date
Charlie Creel .............................................. 5
Mark Bement ............................................. 7
Tonya Perry ............................................... 11
Preston Sweatman ...................................... 13
Jim Martin ................................................. 17
Bill Lindley ................................................ 18
Aubrey Bushelon ....................................... 21
Donna Hughes ........................................... 22
Beth Clark .................................................. 23
Angela Rhodes ........................................... 24
Keary Chandler .......................................... 26
Carrell Ann Spears ..................................... 28
Page 28 The Undertakings - March 2018
ABFSE holds 56th Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA
American Board of Funeral Service Education President Karl
Kann (Worsham College, Wheeling, IL) presided over the
ABFSE Annual Meeting during the organization’s 56th Annual
Conference in Anaheim, CA.
Cypress College, Cypress, CA was the host school during the
conference which ran from April 10-14, 2018. Jolena Grande
(Program Director), Lori Collins, Damon de la Cruz, David
McCament and Stephen Nichols represented Cypress College
throughout the conference.
Forty-four of the 57 currently accredited programs of Funeral
Service/Mortuary Science in the US attended the Annual
Conference along with representatives of the four association
members, National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA),
National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association
(NFDMA), International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral
Association (ICCFA) and Cremation Association of North
America (CANA) and two candidate programs.
New officers were elected to lead ABFSE for 2018-2020.
President is Jzyk Ennis from Jefferson State Community
College, Birmingham, AL, Vice-President, Jolena Grande from
Cypress College, Cypress, CA and Secretary/Treasurer, David
Martin from Piedmont Technical College, Greenwood, SC.
Mark Evely, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI was elected
as Chairperson of the Committee on Accreditation and John
Fritch, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK will lead
the College and University Council.
ABFSE Committee on Accreditation (COA) reviewed specific
accreditation activities of 14 programs along with graduation
rates, NBE pass rates and job placement rates of all accredited
programs. COA Chairperson Venus Riley Smith (Jefferson
State Community College, Birmingham, AL), James Shoemake
(Dallas Institute of Funeral Service), David Martin (Piedmont
Technical College) and Gwen Mooney (ICCFA representative)
were recognized and thanked for their years of service to the
COA as their terms ended.
Enrollment and graduation statistics for 2017 were reviewed by
the COA and the summary data will be shared with the
programs and the public following the annual conference. Fifty-
nine accredited schools and programs operated during 2017.
Two programs closed during 2017, another is wrapping up
operations during 2018. The program at Northeast Texas
Community College was granted Initial Accreditation and
another program is currently in Candidacy status. In 2017, 1646
graduated from accredited programs across the country and
2411 new students enrolled. Females were 64.8% of the
graduates and 11% of all graduates had parents in funeral
service.
Updated curriculum outlines for Business Law, Chemistry and
Merchandising were approved and plans were made to initiate
review of the funeral service law, small business management
(w/accounting) and funeral service psychology and counseling
teaching outlines during summer 2018. ABFSE reviews teach-
ing outlines on an annual basis with input from the association
members.
The scholarship committee recommended 2 undergraduate
awards and 2 graduate scholarships. Names of recipients will be
reported on the ABFSE website upon confirmation with the
recipients.
The annual conference opened with an update on the ABFSE
Strategic Plan and Review of Standards. The Scholarship
Committee, Constitution & By-Laws Committee, Program
Committee, NBE Liaison Committee, Curriculum Committee
and COA Liaison Committee held their meetings.
Professional Development activities included “Advanced Em-
balming Made Easy; “Credit and Financing a Funeral Home”;
“Best Practices for Teaching Funeral Directing” and
“Assessment”. The International Conference of Funeral Service
Examining Boards (ICFSEB) provided an update of their
statistics, policies and job task analysis. The association
members, NFDA, NFDMA, ICCFA, and CANA provided a
summary of their education related activities.
ABFSE is currently in the midst of a ‘Review of Standards’.
Periodically, accrediting agencies must evaluate the standards
with which programs must comply. Comments from educators,
students, funeral service practitioners and the general public
were collected for the proposed update. The next round of com-
ments on the Revised Standards will be collected during sum-
mer 2018. Updated Standards are due to be approved at the 57th
Annual Meeting in Miami, FL.
Continued On Page 29
Page 29 The Undertakings - March 2018 Continued From Page 28—American Board of Funeral …
Attendees received a status report on the pending 6th edition of
the Embalming textbook and were treated to a reception
courtesy of Service Corporation International.
Twenty-six exhibitors participated in a mini-trade show which
included banking, education and grief related resources,
embalming chemical companies, providers of death care
products, potential employers and scholarship providers,
textbook providers, and cremation-oriented companies along
with the association members. A learner’s lounge was available
to provide educators with assistance using the new online
platform that will be used for self study submission.
Orientation for new members was included in the conference
agenda and Martha Thayer (Arapahoe Community College,
Littleton, CO) led a mentoring session designed to connect new
program directors and faculty with experienced colleagues.
On the final day of the Conference, 15 program representatives
attended a Self Study workshop to review expectations for the
process known as the self study. At least every 7 years, every
program undergoes a comprehensive review of its activities
which is evaluated by a team consisting of two educators and
one funeral service practitioner.
Formally established in 1962, ABFSE grew out of the efforts of
NFDA, ICFSEB and the associations of funeral service schools
and colleges. Today, ABFSE is recognized by the US
Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation as the accrediting agency for the colleges and
universities teaching funeral service/mortuary science education
in the US. ABFSE strives to cooperate with all groups and
agencies having an interest in the advancement of the principles
and standards of funeral service education.
ABFSE meets annually in April. A Directory of accredited
programs is available at www.abfse.org.
For further information, please contact ABFSE at 992 Mantua
Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097.
(816) 233-3747. Robert C. Smith III, Executive Director
Newly Elected Officers of the American Board of Funeral Service Education
Pictured left to right: Jzyk Ennis, President (Jefferson State Community College, AL); Francisco Solis Past-President
administered the Oath of Office (San Antonio College); Jolena Grande, Vice President (Cypress College, CA); Karl Kann,
Immediate Past President (Worsham College, IL). Not pictured: David Martin, Secretary/Treasurer (Piedmont Technical
College)