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About the Episode: In May of 2023, the NFDA hosted its latest Future’s Forum, a highly focused, forward-looking session held on an as-needed basis to tackle serious challenges impacting funeral service providers. The goal of Future’s Forum 2023 was to develop new growth and innovation strategies funeral providers could use to overcome current revenue challenges, increasing costs and staffing shortages. In the spirit of that theme, host, Gabe Schauf is sitting down with Brie Smith, Erica Hill, and David Hernandez Jr to learn how they are looking to the future and modifying and innovating at their funeral homes for the better.
About Brie: Brie Smith is the longest-standing Senior Executive at Return Home, initially serving as Director of Services and COO, and now leading community outreach efforts. She has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Washington State since 2014, after graduating with honors from Mesa Community College’s mortuary science program.
Brie began her career in the funeral industry in 2011, quickly developing a passion for helping those in grief. Known for her compassionate guidance and deep commitment to sustainable death care, Brie actively promotes the science behind natural body decomposition. Outside of work, Brie enjoys gardening, whale watching, and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband Zach and their dog, Pepper May.
About David: David Lee Hernandez Jr. embarked on his professional journey soon after graduating from Calvary Christian Academy in Philadelphia. A native of Northeast Philadelphia, he relocated to Morganville, New Jersey, and began his career in funeral service at Waitt Funeral Home.
In 2009, he ventured into ownership, acquiring his first funeral home. Since then, his firm has expanded into New Jersey’s largest network of family-owned funeral homes, operating under the banner of Jersey Memorial Group. His holdings include funeral homes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
David is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), and his firm has received many NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Awards, been inducted into the Hall of Excellence, and has been nationally recognized with the Best of the Best Award from NFDA as the country's top funeral home operator three times.
Beyond his professional commitments, David and his family actively engage in ministry at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge. He relishes spending quality time with his wife and children, prioritizing an active lifestyle, and enthusiastically supporting his children in their athletic pursuits.
About Erica: Erica Hill‘s experiences with loss led her to transform her creative career in video production, retail and philanthropy to create a contemporary funeral home brand with the main location in Brooklyn, NY. At Sparrow A Contemporary Funeral Home, people’s unique lives are uniquely celebrated with the people who love them most. Now a licensed funeral director, Erica helps people tell their final story with heart at both Sparrow and The Alpha Society by Sparrow in Los Angeles.