Pub. 3 2024 Issue 4

©2024 Directors Digest | The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. Directors Digest is published four times each year by The newsLINK Group LLC for the Montana Funeral Directors Association and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Montana Funeral Directors Association its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Directors Digest is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of the Montana Funeral Directors Association. While the Montana Funeral Directors Association encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. 14 20 04 President’s Message Wrapping Up 2024 By Steve Kirkegard, President, MFDA 06 Executive Director’s Report Championing Montana’s Funeral Industry By James Brown, Esq., Executive Director, MFDA 08 It’s 2025 Membership Renewal Time! 10 NFDA Update By Chris Holt, State Association Representative, NFDA 12 NFDA News Breaking News: FTC Issues Report on Undercover Phone Pricing Sweeps By NFDA 14 2024 NFDA International Convention & Expo Recap 16 2025 Mid-Winter Conference Let’s Work Together! 17 Deathcare OSHA and Compliance Course 17 Congratulations, Kelly Lasater! MFDA’s Dennis Schoepp Memorial Scholarship Winner 18 In Loving Memory Barry Dean Brekhus Scott Lukkason Jayson Daniel Watkins 20 Judy Martz Memorialized With a Bronze Statue By Mike Cuffe, Montana State Senator 22 Montana Board of Funeral Service Update By Rick Walter, Board Member, MFDA 23 2024 MFDA Members Directors Digest | 3

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