Selected Independent Funeral Homes Educational Trust recently appointed two new members to its board of trustees. Trustees serve three-year terms and work to guide the programming and fundraising efforts of the trust.

Tiffany Pape Hofer is a first-generation funeral director and owner of Luce, Luze & Reck Funeral Homes, with four locations in South Dakota. Pape Hofer has been an active supporter of the trust for more than 10 years and was integral in initiating policy changes to its Second-Career Scholarship Program earlier this year. “I am honored to join the board of trustees,” said Pape Hofer. “The trust’s vital work has a profound impact on the future of funeral service, and being a part of this makes me exceptionally proud.”

Courtney Gould Miller is chief customer officer at Tribute Technology, as well as a frequent author and speaker in the deathcare and end-of-life industries. Tribute Technology has shown ongoing support of the trust, including funding matching gift challenges in 2022 and 2024 that helped raise a total of $72,000.

“For me, it’s all about giving back to this profession that has given so much to me and countless others,” said Gould Miller. “I’m passionate about helping funeral professionals grow and succeed, and I look forward to working with the trust to create meaningful learning opportunities that will support our profession for the future.”

In other news (and as mentioned above), Tribute Technology helped the Selected Educational Trust raise more than $40,000 in donations from member firms, individuals and supporting organizations between August 16 and September 30, 2024. Combined with Tribute Technology’s generous pledge to match donations dollar for dollar up to $10,000, these gifts brought the donation total to more than $50,000. selectedtrust.org