EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Together, We Are Stronger! By Terri James, Executive Director, MFDA What a wonderful year we have had so far as we celebrate the Montana Funeral Directors Association’s 125th anniversary! The District Meetings held in May were a great success, with strong attendance from our members. A sincere thank-you to our district governors for their hard work and dedication in planning these events. I would also like to extend my gratitude to US Alliance for sponsoring all of the dinners and beverages. Our partnership is invaluable to our association, and we truly appreciate their continued support. If you haven’t tried the new trust yet, I encourage you to! The convention was an incredibly uplifting event. I find myself smiling whenever I reflect on it — not only because it was enjoyable and educational, but because it provided such a wonderful opportunity for members to reconnect, build relationships and strengthen the bonds that make our association so special. It was a true honor to present awards recognizing some remarkable milestones, including Gary Croxford’s 55 years as an MFDA member. Gary, you are a tremendous asset to our association, and your dedication is truly inspiring. We also celebrated the incredible 45-year journeys of Steve Schnider and Joe Stevenson — two exceptional individuals whom I deeply admire. Be sure to check out the photos from the awards ceremony on page 10, which capture the spirit and magic of that special evening. Congratulations to all of our award recipients! The awards ceremony also included a heartfelt vendor appreciation award for Dennis Beverlin of Precoa. His dear friend, Joe Stevenson, graciously joined me in presenting this special recognition. Dennis has been a cherished part of MFDA conventions and conferences, and his presence has always brought warmth and friendship to our gatherings. From the moment I joined the association nine years ago, Dennis and I have developed a genuine friendship that I will always treasure. Dennis, you will be greatly missed, my friend. We also presented a special Lifetime Recognition Award to Rick Evans. Rick has been a dedicated member of the MFDA Board of Directors, serving two terms as president. He has also represented Montana on the NFDA Policy Board. I invite you to view the special photo section on page 10, which captures the ceremony celebrating Rick with his family and his employees. It was a fitting tribute to his many years of service and dedication. Following our celebration of members’ milestone achievements, we expressed our gratitude to Bri Mulvaney for her dedicated service as MFDA president over the past year. It was truly a pleasure to work alongside her leadership. Thank you, Bri, for your hard work, commitment and service to our association. Following the presentation of a plaque from NFDA and MFDA to Bri, we were honored to have Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobson swear in our new board members: President: Rick Walter Vice President: Jim Asper Treasurer: Chris Holt Secretary: Kassity Sorlie Immediate Past President: Brianne Mulvaney District Governors: Donna Dawson Austin Asper Jessie Sather Courtney Molloy Brooke Gierke Future Development Leader: Katie Scot On behalf of our board of directors and membership, I would also like to recognize our wonderful vendors. Each of you helped make this year’s convention and trade show a special event. Thank you for supporting our association and joining us in Butte. We sincerely appreciate your partnership. Following the convention, I traveled to Louisville for the NFDA Leadership Conference, where MFDA was proudly represented by President Rick Walter, Chris Holt and me. Chris successfully ran for a position on the NFDA Board of Directors, marking another incredible achievement for our association. Chris was elected from a field of four candidates, making him only 6 | MONTANA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
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