How do you think the industry will change in the next 3-5 years? It depends on how well we do at listening. If we listen and adapt, funeral service will remain relevant and vibrant with a connection to our consumers and communities. If we fail to listen and adapt, we may find ourselves as order takers offering disposition only, losing our connection to the community and helping people heal from tremendous loss and grief. Cremation rates will continue to rise throughout the country, but that doesn’t have to replace rituals or gatherings. Cremation and service can coexist. How long have you been an MFDA member, and why did you get involved in the association? What are the benefits of membership? I have been a member since I was licensed in Montana 10 years ago. Our organization has always been a supporter of MFDA. Membership is a great way to build community within the industry. MFDA is a huge advocate for funeral professionals in Montana. They not only provide useful continuing education but also provide legislative advocacy to protect us as licensees. Without MFDA, funeral service in Montana would look different. There are folks out there who want to get rid of licensing, and MFDA has been there to protect our position. MFDA also supports a standard of ethics that promotes the best in funeral service. We want the public to look at our member firms and vendors as advocates and community members who are there to help. How did you get involved in a leadership role within MFDA? I was nominated by my peers. I wasn’t necessarily looking for a position at the time but was honored that my peer group within the association had respect and trust in me, so I accepted the nomination, and the rest is history. What are your goals as president? My number one goal is to help our industry remain relevant. We need to be an association that provides value to our members and vendors. We need to provide services that the membership wants and values. We have done well in the past, but we can improve. I want our members to look at their return on investment and feel good about what we have provided them. I also want to be a resource for young people who are contemplating a career in funeral service. What help do you need from members to accomplish those goals? The number one ask of our members is to communicate. I am of the opinion that we cannot improve if we don’t hear what we are doing right or wrong. My office and phone are always available to listen to what our members value. We may not have the resources to do everything, but we can allocate resources to what is most important to our members. What do you plan to do to help members? I will do my best to listen and provide solutions. This may be something small, like answering questions about regulation or licensing, or it may lead to something legislative or to a new program that we may offer. Have you had any mentors, and what did you learn from them? I have had many great mentors. They have helped me better understand people. If you can learn to understand people — who they are, what makes their world turn, find their motivations, and so on — you will be successful. There are many ways to do things, and everyone has something to offer. Synergy has been a part of my vocabulary since my teens. I was taught early that working together produces far more results than even the combined total of us all working individually. Synergy, however, requires trust, which is uncommon in the world today. We need to get back to a place in society where we can trust each other. When you mentor others, what are three pieces of advice you would share? My advice is simple: 1. The only right way to do something is to do it well. It doesn’t matter who or what you want to become, just do it well. Directors Digest | 11
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