When a family chooses to donate a loved one’s body for education or research, they do so with the hope that they will help others. Regrettably, many are unknowingly contributing to a for-profit industry in which the body of their loved one could be traded as raw material in a largely unregulated national market. Congress is taking a significant step toward protecting the dignity of donors and offering peace of mind to families with the introduction of the Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2021.

It’s the month of June, and host Gabe Schauf speaks with four Mortuary Science School graduates from across the country to discuss why they entered funeral service and what they anticipate going into the future.

NFDA CEO Christine Pepper and NFDA Board President Bryant Hightower discuss what’s ahead in 2021 with our host, Gabe Schauf. Christine and Bryant share their thoughts on topics ranging from technology to advocacy to education in this episode of A Brush with Death. Tune in to hear their thoughts about what’s in store for funeral service professionals – and for those who support them. Serving our families and communities will remain the focus of the profession, but the methods and processes are forever changing.

Guests Tim Bridgers, Senior Vice President of the Funeral Home and Cemetery Lending team at Live Oak Bank, and Kathleen Ervin, Senior Account Manager with Heartland Payment Systems (formerly known as TSYS), join our host, Gabe Schauf to discuss funeral finance issues.

With cremation rates hitting 55% nationwide, NFDA recognized the need to offer a Cremation Certification Program developed by funeral directors for funeral directors. Mike Nicodemus, Vice President of Cremation Services, joins Gabe Schauf to discuss how this program provides attendees with the framework to run an impeccable, successful operation. While the Cremation Certification Program has been a staple of NFDA’s outstanding education options, it is now offered virtually giving attendees access to critical information without the need to travel. Past attendees Francheskia Fenderson and Brandon Rogers-Plott join in to talk about their experience and the value it has brought to their firms.

Our guest on this episode of "A Brush With Death" is Justin Baxley, a licensed funeral director and VP of business development for Foundation Partners.  A private funeral company based in Florida, Foundation Partners operates 140 funeral home locations across the country.  Justin describes how their firm is embracing new ideas and new technologies to serve families and communities during these trying times.

As funeral directors we are what some would call the “subject matter experts” in the death care industry. We have learned to embalm, make arrangements, provide services and help those in need. We know how to serve those families come through our door. The question is, how do we get them through the door in the first place?

Lacy Robinson, CFSP most recently served as the Director of Member Development for the National Funeral Directors Association, developing and facilitating training programs for NFDA members. She talks with host Gabriel Schauf about how funeral homes can communicate the added value they can bring to the cremation discussion, whether the initial inquiry is via a phone call or during the arrangement conference. Robinson emphasizes that any meaningful cremation discussion should be a conversation about honoring the life of a loved one.

Host Gabriel Schauf and attorney Michael Sharkey, CFSP, CCO, explore legal issues confronting funeral directors and their businesses. Learn how to reduce the potential for lawsuits and to discover best practices that can help keep your funeral home out of court.