News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact
Megan Harms / IFDA
515.270.0130 / mharms@iafda.org
May 19, 2014
IOWA FUNERAL DIRECTORS LEARN LESSONS FROM NEWTOWN AT
ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The 2014 Annual IFDA Convention in May featured speakers
from around the country this year at the Iowa State Center and Gateway Hotel in Ames, IA. In a
moving session on Wednesday, May 14, attendees learned how the leaders of the Connecticut
Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) rapidly mobilized to respond to the tragedy at Newtown’s
Sandy Hook Elementary in December 2012. CFDA’s President (Pasquale Folino), Executive
Director (John Cascio), and Communications Director (Laura Soll) recounted how more than 160
Connecticut funeral directors stepped forward to work together and support each other during
that unimaginable week.
Other speakers at the 134th Annual Convention presented current information on
bereavement education, business and management practices, regulatory updates, technical
skills and training and additional topics related to the funeral service profession. The IFDA
Convention provides funeral directors with a forum to receive and exchange information so they
may return home with new ideas that will allow them to better serve the families in their
communities.
Funeral directors arrived in Ames on Monday, May 12, for the 10th Annual IFDA Golf
Outing at Coldwater Golf Links. Golfers enjoyed the only four hours of sunshine on Monday to
play 18 holes of golf with colleagues and friends. IFDA and other sponsors provided door prizes
for attendees and awarded cash to the top three teams.
Tuesday morning’s opening ceremonies featured Governor Branstad’s Iowa Funeral
Directors Week proclamation. Keynote Speaker Mary Byers, author and business coach,
followed with “Tough Talking: Initiating and Managing Difficult Conversations”.
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IOWA FUNERAL DIRECTORS LEARN LESSONS FROM NEWTOWN AT ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION – PAGE 2
Following the keynote presentation, Byers instructed funeral directors on developing a
one page strategic plan for their businesses. The annual IFDA Business Meeting was the last
morning session at the Scheman Building before the Wilbert Luncheon, which was during the
Premier Midwest Funeral Service Expo in Hilton Coliseum.
The Expo opened with a welcoming luncheon followed by an afternoon of cocktails and
networking. Over 60 exhibitors presented everything new and improved in funeral service while
funeral directors researched the exhibitors and navigated the hall with the Guidebook app on
their smartphones.
Tuesday evening started with the Celebration of Life honoring IFDA members and their
family who passed away within the last year. Representatives of the deceased were presented
with a memorial candle and ornament and enjoyed and video memorial. Following that was
the Presidential Banquet and Awards Ceremony, which highlighted the “Driving for Excellence”
golf theme and honored the achievements of IFDA members throughout 2013. Those honored
included scholarship recipients, 40- and 50-year licensees, and Award of Excellence recipients.
New officers and governors for the 2013-2014 term were inducted as well. Below is an updated
list of the IFDA Officers and District Governors after the inductions at Tuesday’s Presidential
Banquet:
IFDA OFFICERS
President: Jayme E. Lentz / Lentz Funeral Homes / Algona
President-Elect: Martin A. Rieken / Rieken Vieth Funeral Home / Oakland
Secretary-Treasurer: Patrick A. Leonard / Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory / Dubuque
Policy Board Representative: Lynn E. Ochiltree / Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare / Winterset
Immediate Past President: Michael P. Jones / Pauley Jones Funeral Home / Harlan
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IOWA FUNERAL DIRECTORS LEARN LESSONS FROM NEWTOWN AT ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION – PAGE 3
IFDA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
District 1 Vacant
District 2 David M. Fry / Fry Funeral Home / Tipton
District 3 Charles J. Yoder / Yoder-Powell Funeral Home / Kalona
District 4 William J. Armstrong / Watson-Armstrong Funeral Homes, Inc. / Mount Ayr
District 5 Paul A. Fouts / Fouts Funeral Home / Woodbine
District 6 Justin P. Hillman / Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home / Pella
District 7 Chad Schuchert / Schuchert Funeral Home / Spirit Lake
District 8 James M. Fullerton / Fullerton Funeral Home / Mason City
Wednesday started in Hilton with the second day of the Premier Midwest Funeral Service
Expo. Continuing education took place in the Expo Hall and Hilton’s Pete Taylor Media Room.
Harold Ivan Smith, author and bereavement specialist, trained attendees in helping
dysfunctional families through the loss of a loved one. The seminars moved to Gateway for the
evening, and funeral directors discussed ways to make the funeral profession more inclusive at
“Women in Funeral Service: A Panel Discussion for MEN (and Women)”.
Thursday’s “Embalming the Difficult Case” seminar from 4th generation funeral director
Jack Adams brought the 2014 IFDA Convention and 15 hours of continuing education
opportunities to a close.
The IFDA staff has already received a lot of good feedback and is glad to have
completed another successful convention.
The Iowa Funeral Directors Association “promotes and supports funeral service
excellence” by representing over 700 Iowa licensed funeral directors and promotes high
standards within the field of funeral service through continuing education programs, legislative
representation and service to Iowa communities. For consumer information regarding funeral
service, please log on IFDA’s website at www.iafda.org.
Photo: Connecticut Funeral Directors Association leaders Pasquale Folino, Laura Soll, and John Cascio offer Iowa funeral
directors lessons from the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Photo: The Premier Midwest Funeral Service Expo in Hilton Coliseum.
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