Welcome to the inaugural 2025 edition of Directors Digest!
2025 marks my 10th year as executive director of the MFDA. Looking back over the last decade-plus, I am heartened by how far the Association has come. Working together, MFDA has achieved much over this time, including increasing its associate membership numbers, growing annual convention participation, expanding member services, and strengthening our partnership with NFDA. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of the NFDA Board, the Association has bucked the national trend by growing at a time when many state funeral services associations are contracting.
Looking forward, 2025 has started out to be another great year for Montana’s premier funeral Association. MFDA has once again retained the services of Brad Longcake to serve as the MFDA lobbyist for the 2025 Montana Legislative Session. Brad is no stranger to the MFDA, having been the Association’s lobbyist during the 2023 session, wherein he helped push through legislation to revise internship criteria.
As the 2025 Montana Legislative session kicked off on Jan. 6, by the time you read this, Brad will have hit the ground running on behalf of MFDA’s membership. The MFDA Board is pleased to partner with Brad and feels confident that MFDA’s policy agenda will receive favorable treatment by Montana’s legislators.
Looking further into 2025, at the request for MFDA’s membership, the Association is pleased to announce that the annual convention will return to Billings. The annual convention and tradeshow will be held at the Northern Hotel from June 22-24, 2025. Coming off the 2024 convention, wherein the Association experienced high member and associate member participation, as well as high sponsorship levels, MFDA expects the June convention to be one of its most widely attended yet. So, save those dates on your calendar and join us for big fun, engaging speakers and good times in Montana’s Magic City. And, as a reminder, your personal interaction at the convention with your industry peers is the highest member benefit MFDA can, and does, provide.
There are some additional things to note as we move through this new year. MFDA member and associate member renewal packets were mailed out in December. If you have not renewed your membership, what are you waiting for? Get those renewals back in. If you did not receive your 2025 membership packet, please contact me or Terri James to get your membership renewal information.
Further, as you likely know by now, in November, I was fortunate to be elected to serve as Montana’s State Auditor. My four-year term of office kicked off on Jan. 6. I very much appreciate the support I received from the MFDA board and membership during my run for office. With agreement of the MFDA board, for now, I will continue on with the association until such time a replacement is hired.
Speaking of tradeshows and conventions, NFDA has announced that its national convention will be held in Chicago this year. The national convention is slated for Oct. 26-29. NFDA’s convention is the world’s largest funeral service expo. So, mark your calendar now to attend that event. And we will see you in the Windy City this fall.
Finally, I write this article on the heels of the very successful Mid-Winter Conference. The Conference brought together industry folks and members of the legislature to discuss matters of importance to Montana’s funeral homes and providers. We hold this event every two years in Helena in order to both promote the Association’s membership and to bring public awareness of the unique services you provide to your local communities. You will find herein photos from that great event. Can you spot yourself in one of them?
I trust you will enjoy this edition of Directors Digest. MFDA staff are proud of the continued quality of this publication. And, to this end, we encourage you to let us know of all the “doings” and “recognitions” at your funeral home so that we can include them in the magazine.
We thank you for all you do on behalf of your communities, your customers and your colleagues. MFDA is here to partner with you and to advocate for you.
From us to you and yours, wishing you a happy, fun and productive year.
Regards,
James Brown
