Executive Director’s Report

By Darlyne Erickson. CAE

MFDA Takes Lead in REGIONAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) have initiated four regional task forces made up of representatives from State Funeral Directors Associations around the country. The four regions, East, South, West and Midwest, will each share a leadership academy with curriculum specific to funeral service in that specific part of the country. As MFDA’s executive director, I will be coordinating with the Midwest Region Leadership Academy with five to seven other associations interested in partnering with us. This will be a much more cost-effective way for MFDA to sponsor several young funeral directors each year to develop into future leaders in their communities, their funeral homes and in the association. The program will be written and facilitated by Bruce Matza and Chad Weinstein, who conducted the MFDA Academy several years ago. Along with Bruce and Chad, we are working on the following areas to create the Midwest Region Leadership Academy: • refine the application process • help steer customized to regional priorities for curriculum decisions • solicit regional sponsorship to keep the program cost low for participants and help grant write • help recruit participants and produce a successful program for future leaders. We hope to have the Midwest Region Leadership Academy up and running during this calendar year.

The four regions, East, South, West and Midwest, will each share a leadership academy with curriculum specific to funeral service in that specific part of the country.

2022 MFDA BULLETIN ADVERTISING RATES

Bulletin is published quarterly by Minnesota Funeral Directors Association. It mails directly to all MFDA members and is also available online for viewing. This publication features topics relevant to the funeral industry and is a great way to reach Minnesota funeral directors and staff.

FALL 2021

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BULLETIN PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FOR MINNESOTA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Rising to the Challenge

MFDA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT EXCELLENCE IN MN FUNERAL SERVICE MFDA Allied Non-Members MFDA Allied Non-Members

Greetings valued MFDA member! We hope you feel MFDA is here for you and Minnesota funeral service. We look forward to your investment in the future of funeral service by renewing your 2022 MFDA membership. If you have any questions regarding membership, please contact MFDA at 763-416-0124 or email kathy@mnfuneral.org. Darlyne Erickson, CAE MFDA Executive Director

Kelly Kelly MFDA Board President How your investment as a member of the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association supported your funeral home and your staff in 2021 and will continue to be supportive as a member in 2022:

Legal

2021 & 2022: Our MFDA General Counsel Michael Sharkey provided legal guidance for MFDA members. Mr. Sharkey serves as a resource to the association as well as our member funeral directors as a member benefit. Specifically, those firms who need mortuary law specific legal guidance, (often on short or even emergency notice) can spend up to 30 minutes getting answers they need. If a call will take more than 30 minutes of guidance, the member will be advised to retain Mr. Sharkey privately.

Legislative

2021: We continued representation of the funeral industry through our professional lobbyists, Cook Girard Associates. MFDA’s Lobbyist Joe Sellwood has built relationships

with many new legislators, furthered existing relationships, and policymakers are eager to assist MFDA with our needs at the capitol. Mr. Sellwood Business Card (horizontal) (3-1/2 w x 2-1/4 h) $75 $150 $100 Non-Members $200 continued to request greater clarity and guidance from the Department of Health. In situations where new regulations were untenable, Cook Girard Associates quickly worked with MDH and the Governor’s Office to find solutions for funeral directors and the families they serve. Throughout the past two years, the MFDA Legislative Committee has 1/4 page (3-1/2 w x 4-3/4 h) $125 $250 $150 $300 been working on crafting changes to 149A. SPRING 2018 Legislative Update 1/2 Page (7-1/2 w x 4-3/4 h) $200 $350 $250Also Inside: 2021 MFDA Convention Wrap-Up • U of M Mortuary Science Updates Working closely with Dr. Michael LuBrant and the University of Minnesota, the Legislative continued on page 8… $400 By Judy Cook, Cook Girard AssociatesFull Page (7-1/2 w x 10 h)7046 East Fish Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55311 Change Service Requested $350 $700 $400 $800 Minnesota Funeral Directors Association

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7046 East Fish Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311 Phone: (763) 416-0124 | Fax: (763) 416-0124 Email: info@mnfuneral.org | www.mnfuneral.org