Nearly 600 people attended the 2021 Iowa Funeral Directors Association Convention and The Premier Midwest Funeral Service Expo May 18-20 in Des Moines. Speaker topics included bereavement education, business and management practices, regulatory updates, and technical skills and training. In addition was the annual IFDA Golf Outing, the governor’s proclamation, a preconvention seminar by Alan Feirer, breakout sessions, the annual business meeting, Presidential Banquet and Awards Ceremony, IFDA member achievements, the Service of Remembrance and special presentations by Leili McMurrough and Dominick Astorino. iafda.org.

New IFDA officers and district governors for the 2021-22 term were installed as follows:

President Benjamin J. Eldridge, Eldridge Family Funeral Homes, Paullina

President-Elect Paul A. Fouts, Fouts Funeral Home, Woodbine

Secretary-Treasurer Marcus L. Vigen, Vigen Memorial Home, Keokuk

Immediate Past President Ryan G. Tucker, Kaiser-Corson Funeral Homes, Denver

District 1 Elizabeth M. Markham, Conway-Markham Funeral Home, New Hampton

District 2 Jacob L. Wittrock, Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids

District 3 Bill Reece, Reece Funeral Home, Ottumwa

District 4 Ronald J. DeMarce, Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home, Red Oak

District 5 Justin W. Rasmusson, Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home, Nevada

District 6 Sean D. Smith, Porter Funeral Home, Rock Valley

District 7 Jessica S. Ubben, Lentz Funeral Home. Algona.