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2021-2023 Graduating Class Honored as New Participants Welcomed CHICAGO, Ill. – May 10, 2023 — Members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ Leadership Academy created another memorable Leadership Conference in Chicago, April 25-28. The event kicked off with...
2021-2023 Graduating Class Honored as New Participants Welcomed CHICAGO, Ill. – May 10, 2023 — Members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ Leadership Academy created another memorable Leadership Conference in Chicago,...
On March 19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued guidance to states naming mortuary workers as “critical infrastructure workers. Many states have adopted the DHS recommendations. One thing this order suggests is that critical infrastructure workers should...
On Wednesday March 25th, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that there will be a state mandate to ban all public gatherings of over 10 people. This will become enforceable by law. The official directive can be read below with more information available here....
A message from Kenny Culpepper, President of AFDA, to thank and commend all funeral homes for their diligent service and support during this very uncertain time. He makes some crucial recommendations for funeral directors, including practical advice to pass onto...
Dear AFDA members, We recognize that we are all dealing with an unprecedented situation. Not only is it unprecedented but it is evolving quickly. AFDA has been in close contact with national and state leaders to discuss the impact of this virus upon our members, the...
We regret to inform you that the Annual AFDA convention, scheduled to be held April 17-18th in Hot Springs has been canceled as precautionary measure to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Our board did not come to this decision lightly. It was initially our...
DEERFIELD, ILL. —February 12, 2020—Selected Independent Funeral Homes Educational Trust announced the recipient of the 2020 scholarship to the Selected Leadership Academy. This scholarship, valued at more than $5,000, was generously sponsored by a grant from...
DEERFIELD, ILL. — February 5, 2020—Selected Independent Funeral Homes Educational Trust has just appointed Bea Pedersen as its first-ever Executive Director. Ms. Pedersen has served the Trust for the past two years in the role of Development Director, a position for...
DEERFIELD, ILL. —January 26, 2020— Thanks to a generous offer from long-time supporter, Physicians Mutual, the Selected Educational Trust raised nearly $10,300 – a record high in donor revenues for the month of December from generous donors eager to help the Trust...
HOPE, AR – April 4, 2019 Herndon-Fuqua Funeral Home, owned by Vickers and Thomas Fuqua, recently donated a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Hearse to the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Funeral Service Education Program. The Fuquas own and operate Texarkana Funeral Homes...
Congrats! Great job, HB1815 passed in both the House and Senate! Now, the bill goes to the Governor's desk for signature. Great job to our members for helping call legislators to make this happen!
Join us on March 29th, 2019 in historic downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas at the Arlington Hotel for our annual Convention. 2019 Convention Registration
Members of the Arkansas Funeral Directors Association recently attended the NFDA Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC. Bobby Burns, Ladonna Smith, Renata Jenkins Byler, and Chad Gallagher representing the AFDA Board were joined by Bill Booker, Sumner Brashears, Courtney...
BOBBY BURNS, Funeral Director at Smith-Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe, has recently been elected President of the Arkansas Funeral Directors Association for the year 2018. Burns is in the fifth year of the six-year tenure as a chapter officer. He previously served as...
This past weekend, the Arkansas Funeral Directors Association held our annual convention March 31 - April 1 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Rogers, Arkansas. The convention kicked off with a cocktail reception and was followed by an awards banquet held in the Commerce...
If an email seems suspicious, chances are it is. AFDA was recently alerted to a suspicious email that read: HELLO,I FOUND YOUR CONTACT IN THE FUNERAL HOME DIRECTORIES. I JUST LOST MY MUM. SHE DIED ON A BUSINESS TRIP TO LONDON.I WANT YOUR FUNERAL HOME TO TAKE CARE OF...
With the new year, it’s important to set and keep goals for your funeral home, but remember to take care of yourself, too. Funeral directors have a busy schedule that can get rather hectic. By finding ways to relieve stress both physically and mentally, funeral...
2017 is the perfect time for your business to grow and succeed! Here are some marketing tips to get your business moving in 2017. Lets Get DigitalIf your business isn’t invested in Digital Marketing, then you are way behind and being missed by most potential...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...