NFDA’s annual cremation event features new pre-conference seminar

For Immediate Release: December 10, 2018

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association is inviting funeral professionals to escape from the cold and snow and make their way to the beach for the 2019 Cremation Conference. Whether they own a crematory or use a third-party, attendees will walk away with strategies to transform the cremation side of their business and exceed the expectations of families that prefer cremation. The conference will take place February 22-24, 2019, at the Tradewinds Island Resort in St. Pete Beach, Fla.

NFDA has gathered an impressive line-up of cremation authorities who will impart the tools and knowledge funeral professionals need to provide exemplary service and increase the value – and profit – of their cremation business.

• What Cremation Families Really Want presented by Doug Gober, The Foresight Companies
• It’s Not “Just a Cremation!” Why a Business Perspective Matters Now More Than Ever presented by Adam Sanden, Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Mentor, Ohio
• Offering Online Cremation Arrangements: “To Be or Not to Be – That is the Question” presented by Jay Dietz, The Vertin Group, Breckenridge, Minn.
• Beyond Price: Your Guide to Mastering Cremation Phone Inquiries presented by Lacy Robinson, NFDA director of member development
• Smith Life & Legacy: Investing in Change presented by C. Lynn Gibson, Smith Life & Legacy Funeral Home, Maryville, Tenn.
• Bringing Ritual Back to Cremation presented by Mike Nicodeumus, NFDA vice president of cremation services
• Protecting Your Families and Your Firm presented by T. Scott Gilligan, NFDA general counsel

The Cremation Retreat will also feature a Strategy (Happy) Hour, a panel discussion during which attendees can ask the experts their most pressing questions and other surprises.

New this year, attendees can kick-off off their Cremation Conference experience with an optional half-day pre-conference workshop, Cremation Arranging Solutions: Beyond the Basics presented by Nicodemus and Robinson. This workshop is ideal for the funeral director who is frustrated with the increasing rate of non-ceremonial cremations; who is looking for ways to better communicate value without “selling”; or who wants to know how to respond when families say they don’t need a funeral director.

Nicodemus and Robinson will address these challenges and more in this information-packed seminar. Focused on the arrangement conference, attendees will discover a customizable approach to better communication beginning with establishing credibility and asking effective discovery questions. NFDA’s experts will ensure funeral professionals have the right language and confidence in place to navigate tough situations and respond to challenging questions.

Attendees can save $50 on the Cremation Conference registration fee when they register by January 18.

Boasting 20 resort acres, the Tradewinds Island Resort offers a variety of adventures, along with plenty of ways to relax in the sand. The resort features beach and water activities, sports and fitness opportunities, a premier spa and plenty of delectable restaurant options to meet your wants and needs. NFDA has secured a limited number of rooms at the Tradewinds Island Resort for the discounted rate of $194 plus tax (single/double) for Cremation Conference attendees. The deadline to book a room is January 18, 2019.

Complete details about the NFDA Cremation Conference, including the event schedule, speaker biographies, and information about how to register and make hotel reservations, is available on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/cremationconference.  

Cremation Conference attendees who want to extend their stay in Florida can join their colleagues for the 2019 NFDA Business Conference, February 24-26 at the Tradewinds Island Resort. During this highly interactive conference, attendees will learn from top national authorities who will help them make sense of their funeral home’s financial picture. They will also discover how to interpret and analyze financial statements; manage cash flow and expenses; consider acquisitions; learn key exit planning strategies to enjoy a fulfilling retirement; and so much more. More information about the Business Conference can be found on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/businessconference.

NFDA is the world's leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

# # #     

Contact: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536, jkoth@nfda.org