6 New MFDA Initiatives

MFDA’s Career Center provides options for both employers and job seekers to use with a 50% discount for MFDA members. Monthly emails and social media posts promote job postings. Continued partnerships with our endorsed preneed insurance provider Funeral Directors Life, endorsed commercial insurance provider Federated Insurance, and support of the Children’s Grief Connection. Attended the MN School Counselors Conference to promote mortuary science as a career option for students, and the MN Hospice & Palliative Care Conference to connect and collaborate with attendees about our funeral home members. Produced our quarterly Bulletin newsletter, MFDA Membership Directory, and customizable brochures/forms. 9 11 10

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Want to renew your membership online?

Visit www.mnfuneral.org and sign-in to your MFDA membersonly account.

Need your log-in info? Call Miki at 763-416-0124 or email mtufto@mnfuneral.org

6 New Initiatives Your MFDA Membership Will Provide in 2020!

1. Complimentary legal counsel for MFDA Members. MFDA has recently retained Michael D. Sharkey, Licensed Funeral Director and Attorney with Cousineau, Van Bergen, McNee and Malone, as its General Counsel. Beginning in 2020, Mr. Sharkey will serve as a resource to the association as well as our members. 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.

The most important part of this arrangement is MFDA has budgeted an amount that will cover the cost of a call. There are many benefits to this arrangement, but primarily Mr. Sharkey’s ability to troubleshoot mortuary law legal issues on a very short timeline and interfacing with difficult families so that the funeral home can maintain its reputation in the community.

2. Continued representation through our professional lobbyists, Cook Girard Associates, in 2020.

Throughout 2019, MFDA built relationships with many new legislators, furthered existing relationships, and policymakers are eager to assist MFDA with our needs at the capitol. With changing workforce and regulatory trends, it is critical to maintain communication with those who craft policy, and MFDA has a daily presence at the capitol.

3. MFDA’s new Online Community is a place for member funeral directors to connect with peers, ask questions, find resources, participate in conversations, and hear the latest news from MFDA! All funeral director staff will have access as MFDA members.

4. Continue to provide a direct voice to the Minnesota Department of Health Mortuary Science Section through regular meetings with MDH and MFDA staff.

5. MFDA Public Relations Committee to continue to focus on public awareness campaign to focus on MFDA member funeral homes to be used via social media and other advertising outlets.

6. Continue to address workforce challenges through advisory committees and tasks force. We are working on legislation that may assist in the workforce shortage and will partner with the U of M Mortuary Science to conduct a survey on how our membership prefers this legislation.

Minnesota Funeral Directors Association

2020 Calendar of Events

APRIL 29-May 1 NFDA Advocacy, Washington DC

MAY 27 NFDA Certified Crematory Operator Training, Mystic Lake Center, Prior Lake

MAY 27-29 MFDA 130th Annual Convention, Mystic Lake Center, Prior Lake

JULY 23 MFDA District 10 Mortuary Open, Valley Golf, East Grand Forks

AUGUST 2-5 NFDA Leadership Conference, Charleston, SC

AUGUST 11-13 InSight Certified Celebrant Training

SEPTEMBER TBD Southern District Meetings (1, 2, 3); Northern District Meetings (9, 10, 11)

OCTOBER TBD Central District Meetings (4/5, 6/7, 8)

OCTOBER 7-8 MFDA Preneed Insurance Course, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West, Plymouth

OCTOBER 18-21 NFDA International Convention & Expo, New Orleans, LA