Selected Independent Funeral Homes(SIFH) recently hired Liz Centi as member engagement director and Robyn Brownlow as member services and meetings assistant.

Centi, who will work remotely from Altamont, New York, has more than 15 years of experience working for a variety of membership-driven organizations across various industries. Her primary focus will be on creating strategies to increase both membership engagement and retention.

Brownlow will work at Selected’s office located in Lincolnshire, Illinois, coordinating and supporting meetings, as well as assisting staff with data entry, processing, reporting and overall organization. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

In other news, SIFH will hold its 2023 NextGen Seminar January 29-February 2 in Grand Cayman after a three-year delay due to the pandemic. The seminar will feature two speakers. Marguerite Ham, founder of Igniting Success and dean of the SIFH Leadership Academy, will explore how to navigate critical conversations, build connected teams through dynamic leadership and maintain the health and well-being of staff members. Jonathan Lewis of McKee Wallwork + Co will examine how to foster healthy cultures from the inside out and help identify what a leader can do to overcome myriad recruitment and retention challenges.

Participants will also have a chance to address various issues during the “Next Practices Exchange” session, facilitated by NextGen co-chairs Mackenzie Rediske, Uht Funeral Home, Westland, Michigan; and Jonathan Kepner, Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, Huntersville, North Carolina.

SIFH also will recognize its 2023 NextGen Professional of the Year with its award that highlights career achievements, community/organization involvement and awards/achievements of funeral professionals under age 50.

Finally, the SIFH Educational Trust announced the recipients of its 2022 Spring Cycle Second-Career Scholarship Program:

• Nia Collins, Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science

• Luke Foreman, Dallas Institute of Funeral Service; awarded the Michael R. St. Pierre Memorial Scholarship

• Kami Gremillion, Cypress College

• Courtney Richards, American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service

• Christopher Wagner, American Academy McAllister Institute; awarded the Mark L. Justen Memorial Scholarship

The SIFH Educational Trust awards these scholarships to individuals entering funeral service later in their career journey and who currently attend funeral service school. Since its launch in 2010, the trust has awarded 53 scholarships totaling more than $75,000. selectedfuneralhomes.org; selectedtrust.org