Carlos Black and Christopher Costello Elected 2025-27 At-Large Representatives to NFDA Board of Directors

Brookfield, Wis. – Carlos D. Black and Christopher Costello have been elected to serve as at-large representatives on the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Board of Directors. They will begin their two-year terms of service immediately following the 2025 NFDA International Convention & Expo, taking place October 26 though 29 in Chicago, Illinois. 

On August 5, during the NFDA Leadership Conference in Napa, California, state association representatives elected the new at-large representatives. State association representatives are the voting representatives from each state who cast a ballot on behalf of their state for the at-large representatives on the NFDA Board of Directors. 

Carlos D. Black brings more than 30 years of experience in funeral service, having advanced from funeral attendant to general manager. He currently serves as General Manager of Small’s Mortuary Inc., which has multiple locations in Mobile, Alabama. A licensed funeral director in both Alabama and Texas, Black is known for his operations management skills, commitment to professional development and passion for community engagement. In addition to his funeral service credentials, Black is an ordained minister serving at Beth Eden Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, a role that complements his compassionate leadership style and dedication to ethical service. Throughout his career, he has championed excellence in operations, mentorship of emerging professionals and advocacy on behalf of the profession. 

“If elected to the Board of Directors,” Black stated in his campaign biography, “I will bring leadership and operational expertise, a commitment to mentoring the next generation of funeral professionals, and a strong voice for advancing policies and practices that protect and elevate our profession.” 

Christopher Costello is a licensed funeral director with Mothe Funeral Homes in New Orleans, Louisiana. A fourth-career funeral director, Costello’s professional journey has included roles as a chemist, educator, business leader and consultant. This diverse background gives him a distinctive perspective on innovation, problem-solving and public service in funeral care. Costello’s commitment to service is evident in both his professional and volunteer work. Costello was a member of the 2024-25 class of the NFDA National Emerging Leaders Program and is currently serving on the NFDA Convention Education Task Force. Over the years, he has held positions ranging from volunteer to board officer across a variety of community and professional organizations. With 30 years in New Orleans, he is deeply connected to his local community and the families he serves. 

“My experience outside of funeral service helps me bring fresh thinking to the challenges our industry faces,” said Costello. “I’m energized to offer insight from other sectors and help identify solutions that will strengthen NFDA and advance funeral service nationwide.” More information about Black and Costello can be found on the NFDA website, NFDA.org/Elections. 

NFDA Board Leadership

As announced in June, the following individuals were elected by NFDA members to serve as officers on the 2025-26 Board of Directors:

• President-elect: Chris E. Christian, CFSP, CCO, Christian-Sells Funeral Home, Rogersville, Tennessee
• Treasurer: Steven Spann, CFSP, CCO, Spann Funeral Home, Dickson, Tennessee
• Secretary: Ellen Wynn McBrayer, CFSP, CPC, CCO, CCSP, Jones-Wynn Funeral Home & Crematory, Villa Rica, Georgia 

Following his term as 2024-25 President-elect, Daniel J. Ford, CFSP, CCSP, of Alderson-Ford Funeral Home in Cheshire, Connecticut, will lead NFDA as the 2025-26 President. Current NFDA President Christopher P. Robinson, CFSP, CCO, Robinson Family Funeral Homes, Easley, South Carolina, will continue on the Board with a one-year term as the 2025-26 Immediate Past President. Also continuing their service on the NFDA Board are 2024–26 At-large Representatives Carlton Maye Jr., MBA, CFSP, CCO, of Statesboro, Georgia; and Ladd Pulliam, CFSP, CCO, of Richton, Mississippi. 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving nearly 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and more than 40 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

American funeral home and cemetery operator Carriage Services recently shared the results of their 4th Quarter and Year-End financials with the public.  In doing so, and in spite of a continuing COVID “pull forward” impact resulting in modest declines in funeral contract volume experienced during the year, the company reported total 2023 revenues 3.3% over the prior year.  Revenues for the year of 2023 came in at a total of $ 382.5 million as compared to 2022 revenues of $ 370.2 million.

The revenues for the 4th Quarter of 2023, which may be an indicator of an abatement of the “pull forward” pandemic death rate effect, came in at $ 98.8 million compared to 2022’s 4Q revenue of $ 93.9 million — an increase of 5.2%.

According to the earnings press release from Carriage Service, which you can access here, these results of increased revenue came even though the company had a “modest decline in funeral contract volumes” believed to be caused by the pandemic death “pull-forward’ effect.

In prepared remarks in the press release by Carriage Services President and CEO Carlos Quezada it was stated, “This success in growing our top line stems from our targeted efforts to better leverage our pricing power, which drove improved average revenue per contract. . . . This momentum, marking four out of five consecutive quarters of solid performance, instills confidence and excitement in our core initiatives as we advance into 2024 and focus on fulfilling our new purpose statement, which is ‘Creating premier experiences through innovation, empowered partnership, and elevated service.’”

The approximately $12 million in revenue increases can be accounted for in this manner according to the press release:

• A 9.4% increase in the average price of preneed interment rights sold
• An 8.6% increase in the number of preneed interment rights (property) sold
• A 0.9% increase in average revenue per funeral contract
• A 2.4% decrease in the number of funeral contract volume

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  Even though Net Income for 2023 dropped about $8 million for the 2023 calendar year for Carriage Services, there is a lot to like about this report.  Profits generally declined because the company’s interest payments went to about $36 million per year from about $25 million per year  —  Which in my opinion has a lot to do with interest rates, in general, rising over the past couple of years.

When you look back to 2019, the last year of complete results prior to the pandemic, total revenues for the company have jumped almost 40% — from $274.1 million in 2019 to $382.5 million in 2023.  And, Adjusted Net Income has jumped to over $34 million from about $22.5 million over the same time period. . . . even while the company is paying almost double in interest costs.  If interest rates drop as expected in the near future, the pandemic “pull-forward” effect continues to be reduced, and the company can continually control their operating costs, even better times may be ahead for Carriage Services.

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