Losing a loved one is undoubtedly one of the hardest experiences we can endure. After such a devastating event, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and lost. For some, starting fresh in a new place can provide comfort and help ease some of the pain. Here are tips...
Ben Wright
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How to Start Fresh in a New Place After a Loss
Losing a loved one is undoubtedly one of the hardest experiences we can endure. After such a devastating event, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and lost. For some, starting fresh in a new place can provide comfort...
What to Do When One Parent Needs Assisted Living and the Other Doesn’t
Aging is not for the faint of heart. And watching your loved ones age can be difficult, too, especially when you realize that one parent needs assisted living and the other doesn’t. While the decisions that follow will not be easy, there are some ways to navigate this...
Effective Strategies for Caregivers Balancing Work and Family
As a caregiver for a senior loved one, finding equilibrium between your caregiving responsibilities and personal endeavors can seem daunting. Luckily, there are actionable strategies that can greatly benefit your overall health and happiness. These insights from...
2023 AFDA Convention
2022 AFDA Convention
2019 AFDA Convention
2018 Advocacy Trip to Washington DC
2018 AFDA Convention
2017 Advocacy Summit
2017 AFDA Convention
Things to Begin Now So Your Business Thrives in 2017
As 2016 winds down, it’s time to start planning for 2017. For business owners this means getting financially prepared for the new year by following 25 ways in order to keep your business up-and-running for the long haul. 1. Revisit your business plan. If...
McConnell Funeral Home Fire
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those at McConnell Funeral Home in Greenwood who suffered a fire early this morning. Staff members were inside the building when the electricity went out. When they went to check the breaker box, they smelled smoke coming from the...
10 Strategies for New Year Planning
By the way, this list isn’t just for a new calendar year – you can revisit this list at any time and create a real turning point in your business if you’re willing to reboot, reinvigorate, and reimagine your business success. Here are strategies for business New Year...
Why is Social Media Important? 7 Reasons you Can’t Ignore
When building your social media strategy for your business, it helps to learn from what other people in your industry are saying and doing. When it comes to your social media marketing plan, there's no point in re-inventing the wheel. Instead, take advice from...
Social Media is No Longer Optional For Small Businesses
Social media matters! For companies of all types and sizes, having a social media presence can be the difference between success and failure. Most businesses understand that if you wish to reach your prospects and customers, an online presence is the foundation of the...
What is Facebook Reach?
Let’s assume your Facebook business page has 324 fans (people who have Liked you page). You make a post on your page, so you assume that all 324 fans will see your post. You are wrong. Less than 6% of your current fans will have the content you post...
27-Year-Old Funeral Director Could Revolutionize The Death Industry
When Ryan Cattoni was starting out in the funeral business, his dream job wasn't legal. Eco-friendly flameless cremation, the growing industry the 27-year-old funeral director wanted to go into, didn’t exist in Illinois before he started doing it. Currently only...
Roller Funeral Director Makes Career of Trending to Others
Rick Henry of Conway has a deep, soothing voice that exudes empathy, and he’s had more than one person in his life comment on the sound of it. “It’s not trained; it’s not staged — it’s me,” he said. His voice matches his caretaker personality, which led him to become...
Could the EPA Ban Formaldehyde?
The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was signed into law on June 22 and received exceptional bipartisan and diverse support from members of Congress, the chemical industry and environmental groups. This new law...
Branding in Funeral Service
In the 2006 movie Borat, the main character, a fish-out-of-water journalist from a fictional Eastern European country, visits a supermarket and tries to make sense out of the myriad packages in the cheese aisle. "What is theese?" he asks the store manager....
How the New Department of Labor Overtime Regulations Affect You
Recently, the AFDA reviewed the new Department of Labor guidelines for "white-collar" workers (your professional, administrative, etc. staff) who make less than $47,476. The bottom line is that if any white-collar employee is making less than this amount they must be...
To Mail Cremated Remains – or Not?
Over the years, I have received numerous phone calls and have been involved as an expert witness in a lawsuit regarding whether or not the funeral home should continue to mail cremated remains. There is no question that funeral directors hang their hats on the...
Department of Labor Issues Final Rules for Overtime Regulations
On May 18th, the Department of Labor released the long-anticipated final rules defining overtime exemption requirements, including guaranteed salary requirements for white collar exemptions for executive, administrative, professional and highly compensated employees....
Embrace Change
There always has been and always will be a need for individuals to care for the dead. These specialized, caring professionals are funeral directors. Over the years, we have attained numerous titles, including funeral functionary, mortician, and undertaker. And...
Challenge to Corpse-abuse Law Rejected
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza on Tuesday rejected a former funeral home manager's challenges to the legality of the state's corpse-abuse law and cleared the way for prosecutors to use evidence obtained from the inspection of the Jacksonville mortuary...
Change Is Essential to Your Organization
The difference between embracing change and chasing it is the difference between an employee and a leader. The typical employee is there to support change. Managers are there to embrace change. Leaders are the ones actually pursuing and driving this change. However,...
Members in the News: Holifield Honored
AFDA Recap of Hill Visits
On April 28, AFDA members visited our congressional delegation to discuss pending federal legislation and issues important to our industry. Attendees on behalf of AFDA were: Bill Booker, Courtney Crouch, Sumner Brashears, Robert Eichelberger, Don Martin and Doug...
Advocacy Summit
AFDA Responds To Latest Development In Funeral Home Case
Dear Friends, Please see below the Association’s statement on the most recent development in the Jacksonville case. AFDA is watching this case closely and is committed to helping funeral homes maintain the highest standards. Our association also believes that industry...
2016 AFDA Convention
Arkansas Funeral Directors Meet for Annual Convention
Brenda BeltraniLegacy [email protected] For Immediate Release: ARKANSAS FUNERAL DIRECTORS MEET FORANNUAL CONVENTION LITTLE ROCK, ARK--This past weekend, the Arkansas Funeral Directors Association held their annual convention...
Statement from the Arkansas Funeral Directions Association on Attorney General Action
LITTLE ROCK—The Arkansas Funeral Directors Association today expressed support for Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s decision to file a lawsuit against the Arkansas Funeral Care facility in Jacksonville for violating both the law and ethical obligations funeral care...
2015 AFDA Convention
AFDA Statement Regarding Arkansas Funeral Care
The findings of the Arkansas Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors is shocking and disturbing. First and foremost, the caring and loving funeral professionals of Arkansas feel a great deal of sympathy for the families involved and our member funeral homes are ready...
2014 AFDA State Convention
Convention Wrap Up
Thank you to everyone who helped make this years convention one of the largest in recent memory. We hope you enjoy the photo album and share with us some of the memories that were made in Bentonville. A special thanks goes to Randy Anderson from the National Funeral...