Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has released “Green Funeral Service Questions and Answers,” an informative document designed to enhance the understanding of funeral directors about what it means to be “green” in funeral service.

NFDA’s “Green Funeral Service Questions and Answers” offers definitions of a green funeral home, a green funeral, green burial and a green cemetery. It also addresses issues such as how a funeral director can facilitate a natural burial if there are no green cemeteries in his or her community; formaldehyde-free methods of preserving a body for viewing; ways to discuss green funeral options with consumers; and strategies for creating a green funeral home.

“Every week, reporters from newspapers, television and radio stations, and online news sources are writing about green funerals,” said James Olson, CPC, chair of the NFDA work group that developed the document. “Media coverage is driving consumer interest in green funeral and burial options. NFDA developed ‘Green Funeral Service Questions and Answers’ so that funeral directors can begin to understand this new frontier of funeral service. This document will help them answer consumer questions and determine how they may begin to offer ‘green’ services to the families they serve.”

According to the document, there are many “shades of green” possible when planning a green funeral, based on the consumer’s preferences, funeral home and cemetery capabilities, and local laws and regulations. The document reads, “As with the concept of ‘green’ in general, green in funeral service means practicing environmental consciousness and being eco-friendly. It encompasses green funeral homes, green funerals and natural or green burial. Any funeral home can be ‘green’ in practice. You have the opportunity to adopt green practices to meet the needs of the families you serve and to improve your business operations.”

Funeral directors can obtain the full document under the “Resources” section on NFDA’s Website. A consumer-friendly version is also available on NFDA’s Website.

“Green funerals are an emerging alternative to the funeral services we’re used to providing. This document is meant to be a starting point for helping funeral directors understand green funerals,” Olson noted. “Funeral directors may have questions about issues, such as public health issues and the environmental impact of green funerals, that we’ve not been able to address in this document. NFDA is researching these issues and will continue its efforts to educate funeral directors as new information becomes available.”

NFDA is the world’s leading funeral service association, serving 19,000 individual members who represent more than 10,200 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit the NFDA website.

NFDA has opened registration for the 2009 Family Business Conference.

Brookfield, Wis. – Registration is now open for the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2009 Family Business Conference, April 6-7 at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona. Those looking to ensure the success of their family-owned funeral home, such as owners, next-generation staff members, CEOs and managers, are encouraged to attend this executive-level conference.

During this interactive two-day conference, attendees will examine best practices for business continuity and growth; competitive advantages inherent in the resources and challenges unique to family businesses; unconventional practices that build lasting family business legacies; and strategies to help prepare the next generation for future leadership roles.

“[The Family Business Conference is] a good seminar that blends theory and practice to develop future business leaders who will continue the family business for generations to come,” said Dan Eckhoff of Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Sioux City, Iowa.

For the fourth consecutive year, NFDA’s Family Business Conference will be led by internationally-recognized family business expert Ernesto J. Poza, graduate of Yale University and Sloan School of Management at MIT. Professor of Global Family Enterprise at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and president of E.J. Poza Associates, Inc., Poza is a top-rated speaker, author and consultant to family-owned businesses. His work has been featured by CNN, NBC, NPR and in publications such as Business Week, Family Business magazine, Forbes and Fortune.

The registration fee for NFDA members is $525 for the first registrant; $425 for each additional registrant from the same firm. The nonmember fee is $625 for the first registrant; $549 for each additional registrant from the same firm. Those who register on or before March 4 can deduct $50 from the registration fee. All conference registrations must be made by March 20.

Campus accommodations are available at the Thunderbird Executive Inn and Conference Center. To guarantee the reduced NFDA rate of $120 (plus tax) per night, reservations must be made by March 4. Attendees should call 602-978-7987 to make their reservation. Additional information and registration forms can be obtained by visiting www.nfda.org/familybusiness.phpor calling your personal NFDA member services representative at 800-228-6332.

NFDA is the world’s leading funeral service association, serving 19,000 individual members who represent more than 10,200 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

The National Funeral Director’s Association has entered into a partnership with CCR America, LLC, a national collections agency that focuses on funeral homes.

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) recently entered into a new endorsed-provider partnership with CCR America, LLC, a national collection agency that works exclusively with funeral homes. This partnership offers NFDA members a money-saving pricing structure for CCR America’s services as it works to collect debts during these challenging economic times. The company also works in select countries outside of the United States.

CCR’s exclusive focus on the funeral service profession has lead to a proven track record of collecting debts from families that have lost a loved one while preserving a funeral home’s reputation and relationship with families. CCR’s gentle approach to funeral home collections has resulted in above-average results – up to 80 percent of the total amount recovered is returned to clients.

CCR offers a broad range of collections-related services, including:

• Skip Tracing and Asset Determination: As part of the collection process, CCR will locate the person responsible for payment of the debt and determine their ability to pay by confirming employment, banking and property ownership.
• Comprehensive Reporting: CCR provides real-time, online client status reports via its Website. CCR also provides a client acknowledgement report at the beginning of the process, account progress reports and a closed-account report after collecting the debt.
• Legal Consultants: While CCR is typically able to collect an account without involving an attorney, when necessary, their network of attorneys can assist with accounts that require litigation.
• Credit Reporting: CCR is a member of the country’s two largest credit-reporting databases, Trans Union and Equifax, and will report the debt to these entities.

CCR also offers collection services in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. NFDA members can call their personal NFDA member services representative at 800-228-6332 (international members should call +262-789-1880) for more information about CCR and their debt-collection services.

NFDA is the world’s leading funeral service association, serving 19,500 individual members who represent more than 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.