Professional Skills
Imagining the Unimaginable: Promoting Healing After the Death of a Child
Betsy Hawley, M.A., Executive Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition
Kristin James, LCPC, Executive Director, Greater-Ilinois Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition

The death of a child is difficult to even contemplate but, for nearly 45,000 families each year, it proves an unwelcome reality. Moreover, these deaths profoundly affect countless other siblings, grandparents, extended family members, friends, neighbors, and professional caregivers. Regardless of the age of the child or the cause of death, the stigma and fear associated with childhood death isolates families and limits their access to support. Funeral professionals are powerfully and uniquely positioned to impact the healing potential for grieving families, and the broader community, following the death of a child. During this workshop, Hawley will examine lessons learned from an innovative partnership between the Funeral Service Foundation, NFDA and the Collaborative of Pediatric Palliative Care Coalitions to improve the end-of-life experience for families and the community following the death of a child.

(1 CE hour)

Business Operations
Buying or Selling? Securing Your Legacy. Securing Your Future.
Tim Bridgers, General Manager, Live Oak Bank

Is your firm ready to grow but needs financing to acquire a funeral home, a crematory or an event center? While many current/future business owners have not undertaken a major financing process in a long time (or ever), buying your dream business can become a reality if you plan properly, remain aware of your options, and understand how to navigate the financing path. During this workshop, Bridgers will cover everything from valuations, cash-flow analysis, and pro-forma adjustments to different financing products and what they mean for you. Gain a bird's-eye perspective of the lender and how to win.

(1 CE hour)

Professional Skills
The Relevance of Restorative Art
Dominick Astorino, Adjunct Faculty, Wayne State University and Worsham College of Mortuary Science

Why is restorative art still important today? Is it necessary to offer trauma restoration services in today’s age and culture? This philosophical discussion has been presented on four continents and challenged the way funeral service professionals across the world think on this topic. It will examine the history, development, cultural shifts and current state of restorative art in our profession and reaffirm the value that seeing the dead has on individuals, communities, societies and your business.

(1 CE hour)

Business Operations
Hire Winners and Get Superstar Performance From Your Team!
Ron Rosenberg, President, Quality Talk, Inc.

You strive to find the best people to hire at your funeral home, take extra care throughout the interview process, and verify their credentials and references. But sometimes your staff – both new and experienced – simply don't perform up to your expectations, which can seriously impact the cohesiveness of your team and your relationships with client families. Plus, there's usually one employee who just doesn't fit in and, for one reason or another, makes work extremely difficult for everyone involved. Rosenberg will help you change all that. Explore several innovative strategies to hire loyal and professional employees every time and take your funeral business to new levels of success!

(1 CE hour)

Business Operations
Follow the Money: Thriving, Not Just Surviving
Douglas Gober, Partner, Foresight Companies, LLC

After nine years of assisting with funeral home transitions in America, we're seeing some patterns emerge. Successful small- and mid-sized firms are making investments and embracing strategies that were out of reach just a decade ago. The combination of vision and available investment sources have given some forward-thinking owners, and some prospective owners, a new level of optimism about the future. Examining these opportunities for growth can prove the difference between surviving and thriving.

(1 CE hour)

Professional Skills
All Stressed Out and Ready to Blow
Nancy Weil, Founder of Laugh Academy and OGR Member Resources Director

Do you know your personal stress triggers and the 10 tools to reduce stress the moment it occurs? Do you know how stress manifests itself in your body? What the difference is between eustress and distress? Delve into these questions and more with Nancy Weil. Explore how various personality types handle stress and identify your employees’ stress categories. Stress following the death of a loved one will also be discussed so that you can improve communications to meet the needs of every client family.

(1 CE hour)

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