For Immediate Release: October 21, 2024

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) today announced 1Director as the winner of the prestigious 2024 NFDA Innovation Award, which is sponsored by ASD – Answering Service for Directors. This groundbreaking all-in-one funeral home management software has been recognized for its originality, standing out among finalists Clear View Caskets and Nemu. The announcement was made earlier today during the Opening General Session of the 2024 NFDA International Convention & Expo in New Orleans.

Since its inception in 2009, the NFDA Innovation Award has celebrated creativity, innovation, and excellence among funeral service suppliers and vendors. This year, 1Director has set a new benchmark for efficiency and organization within the profession.

1Director: Revolutionizing Funeral Service Management

1Director redefines how funeral homes operate by offering a seamless, integrated platform that streamlines the entire funeral planning process. From case management to personalized websites, real-time family collaboration, stationery design, memorial video creation, calendar coordination, online arrangements, custom documents, and payments and accounting, 1Director enables funeral directors to manage every aspect of their services in one comprehensive experience. This innovation not only enhances operational efficiency but also significantly improves communication and satisfaction for families during their most challenging times.

Finalists Showcased Cutting-Edge Innovations

In addition to 1Director, the 2024 NFDA Innovation Award finalists included Clear View Caskets with their INVISION TECHNOLOGY, a state-of-the-art switchable technology that allows families to control the visibility of a casket’s interior, and Nemu, an intuitive app designed to simplify the process of dividing family heirlooms. Both products showcased remarkable advancements in funeral service, yet it was 1Director’s ability to transform and streamline funeral home management that captured the judges’ attention.

Funeral service suppliers were invited to submit innovative products or services that became commercially available after January 1, 2023, for consideration in this year's competition. A distinguished panel of judges evaluated the entries based on criteria such as originality, quality, and design, ultimately selecting 1Director as the product that best exemplifies the future of funeral service.

All finalists, along with more than 20 additional contenders, are being showcased in the Expo Hall at the NFDA International Convention & Expo, taking place from October 20-23 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore these pioneering products and engage with the companies driving innovation in the profession. For more details about 1Director and other innovative products showcased at the NFDA International Convention & Expo, visit NFDA.org/InnovationAwards.

NFDA thanks ASD – Answering Service for Directors for sponsoring the Innovation Award. NFDA also extends its gratitude to the 2024 Inspiration Award judges:

• Benny Capaul, Capaul Funeral Home, Ida, Michigan
• Brian Van Heck, Posey Funeral Directors, North Augusta, South Carolina
• Katey Houston, Return Home, Auburn, Washington
• Kevin Smith, Berceuse Funeral and Cremation Traditions, Hampton, Virginia
• Matt Bailey, Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Wallingford, Connecticut
• Mike Burns, Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Timothy McLoone, William R. May Funeral Home Inc., Glenside, Pennsylvania
• Valerie Janusz, Prasser-Kleczka Funeral Home, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Welton Hong, Ring Ring Marketing, Las Vegas, Nevada

NFDA is the world's leading and largest funeral service association representing nearly 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.

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