Tribute Technology and Homesteaders Partner to Simplify Preneed Policy Management for Funeral Homes

Waunakee, Wisconsin – October 23, 2025 — Tribute Technology is partnering with Homesteaders Life Company, one of the most trusted names in funeral service, to make it easier for funeral homes to manage preneed policies.

The planned integration, coming in 2026, will connect Homesteaders’ policy data directly with Tribute Management Software, allowing funeral directors to see and link matching preneed policies right from a case. Policy information will update automatically each night, so directors always have the most current details without sorting through paperwork or entering data twice.

“At Homesteaders, we’re committed to offering financial support, expertise, and partnerships that bring value to funeral professionals and the families we serve together,” said Steve Shaffer, Homesteaders President, CEO and Board Chair. “This planned integration with Tribute Technology helps simplify the preneed management process, giving funeral providers easier access to the information they need so they can focus more fully on designing meaningful experiences for the families they serve.”

For funeral homes, this will mean fewer errors, faster workflows, and peace of mind knowing every available fund is captured and applied correctly. Families will benefit too, with less back-and-forth over documents and a smoother, more professional experience.

“Funeral directors carry an enormous responsibility, and every minute spent searching for paperwork is a minute taken away from serving families,” said Courtney Gould Miller, President of Commercial Markets at Tribute Technology. “This upcoming integration with Homesteaders takes something complex and makes it simple. It’s about giving time back to the professionals who give so much of themselves every day.”

This is the first of several planned integrations designed to connect Tribute Management Software with multiple preneed partners. Together, these systems will help funeral homes work more efficiently and better support the families they serve.

About Homesteaders Life Company
For nearly 120 years, Homesteaders Life Company has provided products and services to help people design a better farewell. Rooted in financial stability and a deep commitment to the funeral profession, Homesteaders partners with funeral providers of all sizes to help them grow their businesses through innovative preneed solutions.

About Tribute Technology
Tribute Technology builds technology that helps funeral professionals focus on what matters most—supporting families. Serving more than 9,000 providers worldwide, Tribute’s connected tools for management, websites, marketing, online planning, and payments simplify daily work and strengthen the relationships that matter most. Learn more at www.tributetech.com.

Graphic Caption
Through a new partnership, Tribute Technology and Homesteaders Life Company will connect preneed policy data directly to Tribute Management Software—streamlining workflows and helping funeral homes better serve families.

Last year, almost exactly one year ago this week, Funeral Director Daily published this article announcing that Park Lawn Corporation had the regulatory approvals to sell the company to Veridian Holdings L.P. which was a business made up through a partnership of Homesteaders Life and Birch Hill Equity Partners.

Recently, Birch Hill Equity Partners as announced in this article from Yahoo Finance, partnered with Brookfied Asset Management to take Canadian mortgage firm First National Financial private in a structure that appears to be very similar to the Park Lawn transaction.

Again, much like the Park Lawn transaction, the acquired firm took a position that the transaction was good for the shareholders as they are quoted as commenting, “First National Financial says the deal came after a strategic review and that it offers compelling value and liquidity to shareholders”.

You can access the Park Lawn Corporation website here.  As a private company we no longer have access to their financial documents to learn how they may be doing from that perspective but press releases since the sale date have indicated that Park Lawn has added facilities through acquisition in North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, and Colorado.  You can access Park Lawn Corporation press releases here.

Related — Here is the website for Birch Hill Equity Partners

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Tribute Technology and Chptr Partner to Launch Tribute Spotlights: A New Way to Honor Loved Ones Through Local TV Stations 

WAUNAKEE, WI — Tribute Technology, a leader in digital solutions for the funeral profession, has partnered with Chptr, a next-generation storytelling platform, to launch Tribute Spotlights, a first-of-its-kind service that allows families to honor their loved ones through local television broadcasts in over 200 markets. 

By expanding memorialization beyond traditional formats, this exclusive partnership provides a meaningful and far-reaching way to celebrate life, reinforcing the role of funeral homes as trusted partners in remembrance. 

“With the decline of newspapers, families have lost a way to share news of a death with the entire community and tell the story of their loved one through the obituary. Online obituaries are important as the home of condolences, but it’s only useful if the public knows that the death has occurred,” said Courtney Gould Miller, president of commercial markets at Tribute Technology. “Tribute Spotlights broadcasts the deaths in the community and the event information, reminding the public of the value of commemorating lives lived and increasing attendance at the funeral.” 

Funeral homes and families alike benefit from Tribute Spotlights. For funer professionals, the service offers a seamless way to enhance their offerings wit adding additional work. Each Tribute Spotlight prominently features the funeral home’s branding, reinforcing its role in honoring lives and strengthening its presence in the community. By airing twice daily for up to 10 days, these digital tributes are not just told, but shared far and wide, helping to inform communities of upcoming services and ensuring loved ones are honored with dignity and respect. 

For families, Tribute Spotlights provide a new and deeply personal way to memorialize those they have lost. Unlike traditional static obituaries, these televised tributes allow for a visually compelling and shareable way to tell a loved one’s story. Families receive

a lasting digital keepsake that can be revisited and shared, ensuring memories are preserved for future generations. 

The visibility of these broadcasts also encourages greater community support, increasing attendance at services and allowing more people to come together to celebrate a life well lived. With a simple and stress-free process, families can create a meaningful tribute without the burden of additional planning. 

“At Chptr, we believe stories should live forever,” said Rehan Choudhry, CEO and founder of Chptr. “This partnership allows families to share their loved one’s memory in a way that transcends time—through television, digital platforms, and the collective memory of their community.” 

Local television remains a trusted and widely watched source of community information. By featuring these televised tributes, stations can engage viewers with meaningful, locally relevant content while generating advertising opportunities that support their operations. Tribute Spotlights also creates a new revenue stream for local TV stations, providing valuable human-centered content that resonates with their audiences. 

Tribute Spotlights are now available to funeral homes nationwide. To learn more about offering this service to families, visit https://www.tributetech.com/tribute-spotlight 

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About Tribute Technology 

Tribute Technology’s mission is to bring the best technology to all funeral homes, to help communities around the world celebrate life, and to pay tribute to loved ones. Over 9,000 end-of-life providers already use Tribute Technology’s software and product offerings, includi websites, marketing services, management software, online planning, personalized memorial keepsakes, payment processing, and other solutions. Tribute Technology is focused on innovating to help funeral directors save time on tasks, so they can focus more on connecting with the families who have lost a loved one. The company aims to give funeral directors everything they need to run their business in one place, making their lives easier.

About Chptr 

Chptr is a storytelling platform for the modern age, dedicated to preserving and sharing legacies in ways that transcend traditional memorialization. By transforming memories into beautifully crafted narratives, Chptr helps families and communities honor the past, connect in the present, and ensure stories live on forever. Through broadcast video technology and immersive storytelling, Chptr seamlessly bridges the gap between personal history and public remembrance. Learn more at http://www.chptr.com.

Finding the Best Banking Partner for Your Funeral Home

When it comes to choosing a banking partner, funeral directors and funeral home owners often weigh the benefits of local banks, large national banks, and specialized financial institutions like Live Oak Bank. Each option has unique advantages and challenges, making it essential to match your banking needs with the right financial partner.

Local Banks: Personal Connections with Limitations

Local banks excel in personal relationships. These community-centered institutions foster trust and loyalty, often built on years of interaction with local professionals and residents. Many funeral home owners value the familiarity and close-knit connections local banks provide. However, as your business grows, you may encounter limitations. Smaller banks often have reduced lending capacities and fewer resources, which may restrict your ability to expand or handle complex financial needs. Additionally, the proximity that strengthens relationships can sometimes blur boundaries, as some funeral professionals feel uncomfortable with their financial details being too accessible within a small community.

National Banks: Broad Resources but Limited Focus

Large, national banks bring extensive resources and broad services. Their ability to handle high-volume transactions and offer diverse financial products is unmatched. Yet, the sheer scale of these institutions can dilute their focus on specific industries like death care. Some funeral directors report feeling lost in the shuffle, where personal relationships take a back seat to operational efficiency. National banks may prioritize broader initiatives over niche markets, leaving funeral professionals feeling underserved when it comes to industry-specific expertise.

Live Oak Bank: A Unique Balance

Live Oak Bank offers a tailored approach that bridges the gap between the personalized service of local banks and the resources of large financial institutions. With no physical branches, Live Oak leverages technology to deliver seamless banking experiences. This model ensures privacy, a vital consideration for funeral directors who prefer to maintain professional discretion within their communities.

Live Oak’s specialization in industries, including death care, allows it to provide unparalleled expertise. The bank’s deep understanding of funeral home operations, paired with national reach and significant financial assets, ensures it can support businesses through growth, acquisition, or operational challenges. Clients appreciate the bank’s ability to feel like a local partner while offering the financial firepower of a large institution.

The Role of Technology and Relationships

Advancements in technology have reshaped banking, reducing the need for physical branches and enabling remote banking services like mobile deposits and virtual consultations. For funeral home owners, this translates to less time spent on administrative banking tasks and more time dedicated to their core responsibilities. At the same time, Live Oak Bank’s emphasis on relationships remains central. By understanding your story, challenges, and goals, the bank can craft tailored solutions that align with your business vision.

Making the Right Choice

Ultimately, the choice between a local bank, a national bank, or a specialized institution like Live Oak Bank depends on your business’s needs. For those in the death care industry, finding a banking partner who understands your unique challenges and opportunities can make a significant difference in long-term success. With Live Oak Bank, funeral professionals can experience the best of both worlds: personalized service and industry-specific expertise backed by substantial resources.

Choosing a banking partner is a significant decision. By aligning your priorities with the right financial institution, you can position your business for growth, stability, and success.

For more information on Live Oak’s products and services contact Andrew Kennedy, VP of Funeral Home and Cemetery lending, at andrew.kennedy@liveoak.bank. 

In life’s most challenging moments, selecting the right support for end-of-life services is crucial. It’s a time when compassion, understanding, and expertise stand out as guiding lights. For those considering Greece, NY cremation services
, knowing why to choose a respected funeral home to guide you through the process is essential.

Holistic Care in a Time of Need

A funeral home does much more than manage end-of-life services; it serves as a sanctuary for mourning, reflection, and celebration of life. Opting for a reputable funeral home over other options means embracing a comprehensive approach to memorializing loved ones.

One key benefit is the holistic care provided. Funeral homes
deliver a suite of services that extend beyond the practicalities of cremation. Their offerings often include counseling, assistance with paperwork, and coordination of memorial events. This all-inclusive approach is designed to ease the burden during a time of loss.

Tailored Services for Every Family

Each farewell is deeply personal. A distinguishing feature of funeral homes is their dedication to personalization. They listen, advise, and tailor services to reflect the unique life your loved one lived. From crafting meaningful memorial ceremonies to offering a variety of commemorative options, they ensure that each service respects individual wishes and cultural traditions.

Community Ties and Compassionate Support

There’s an unrivaled comfort in dealing with those who understand the community’s heart. As pillars in their localities, funeral homes carry a legacy of caring for families through generations. Their long-standing connections offer a depth of understanding and empathy that goes beyond transactional relationships.

Navigating through the labyrinth of emotions and decisions, funeral professionals stand by your side. They’re equipped to answer questions and provide guidance so that families can focus on healing and remembering.

Experienced Stewards of Lasting Memories

With years honed in the art of memory preservation, funeral homes combine tradition and modernity. Their services are infused with respect for timeless rituals while also providing contemporary memorialization options. The experience of dedicated directors ensures the proper handling of all aspects, ensuring that legacies are honored and cherished.

An Advocate for Your Wishes

In a world where choices can be overwhelming, a funeral home acts as an advocate for your wishes. Professionals are there to navigate the complexities of cremation services
, ensuring that every detail is managed with precision and according to your specifications.

Rochester Cremation: Your Compassionate Choice

At Rochester Cremation, we understand the profound responsibility that comes with providing Greece, NY cremation services. Our approach is rooted in a deep respect for life and a commitment to support families with approaches that are caring, comprehensive, and personalized.

As you consider the journey ahead, know that our doors are open, and our experienced team is here to walk alongside you, every step. For more information on how we can assist you during this vital time, please reach out to us. Together, we can honor your loved one in a way that is true to their spirit and comforting to those they leave behind.

Funeral Director Daily learned last week that well-know Death Care industry executive Jared Dance has formed a business that intends to help funeral homes and cemeteries with marketing and management.

In an e-mail press release we received this announcement, “J. Dance Consulting LLC is excited to announce its launch as a specialized consulting firm serving funeral homes, cemeteries, and the broader death care industry. Led by founder Jared Nash Dance, whose career spans more than 20 years, including extensive work in the death care space, the firm provides customized solutions to help these vital organizations grow their reach, enhance operations, and build stronger connections with their communities.”

We also learned of the following services that J. Dance Consulting LLC plans to offer to its clients:

• Strategic Go-to-Marketing Planning
• Digital Marketing and Lead Generation
• Community Engagement & Event Support
• Operational Excellence Consulting

Jared Dance

Dance has indicated that he plans to take a tailored appoach with his future clients. . . . . That approach will include J. Dance Consulting LLC’s  “hands-on, customized approach ensures that every strategy aligns with the specific needs and sensitivities of the death care profession. Jared’s deep understanding of the industry makes J. Dance Consulting a trusted partner in driving measurable growth and meaningful impact”.

In his own words about his newly created company Dance made this comment, “I deeply respect the funeral and cemetery profession and its critical role in supporting families during some of their most challenging times. My mission with J. Dance Consulting is to help these organizations thrive by enhancing their marketing efforts, improving operational efficiency, and building stronger relationships within their communities.”

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

The death of a partner is one of life’s most profound losses, leaving a void that can feel overwhelming and insurmountable. Coping with being alone after such a loss is a deeply personal journey, but you don’t have to face it entirely on your own. Here are some steps and strategies to help you navigate this challenging time and find a path towards healing and renewal.

1. Allow Yourself to Grieve

Grief is a natural response to loss, and it’s essential to allow yourself to experience it fully. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and the process is different for everyone. It’s important to:

• Express Your Emotions: Cry if you need to, talk about your feelings, or write them down in a journal.
• Accept Your Feelings: Understand that it’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions, from sadness and anger to guilt and even relief.

2. Seek Support

You don’t have to go through this alone. Reach out to friends, family, or support groups who can offer comfort and understanding. Consider:

• Joining a Support Group: Connecting with others who are going through similar experiences can provide solace and a sense of community.
• Professional Help: A counsellor or therapist can offer guidance and support as you navigate your grief.

3. Establish a Routine

Creating a daily routine can provide a sense of normality and stability in your life. It can help you manage your time and keep your mind engaged. Consider:

• Setting Small Goals: Simple tasks like making your bed, cooking a meal, or going for a walk can give you a sense of accomplishment.
• Staying Active: Regular physical activity can improve your mood and overall well-being.

4. Honour Their Memory

Finding ways to remember and honour your partner can bring comfort and help you feel connected to them. You might:

• Create a Memory Book: Collect photos, letters, and mementos that remind you of your time together.
• Celebrate Anniversaries: Mark important dates by doing something meaningful, like visiting a favourite place or lighting a candle in their honour.

5. Rediscover Yourself

The loss of a partner often changes your identity and your sense of self. This can be an opportunity to rediscover who you are and explore new interests. Try to:

• Pursue Hobbies and Interests: Engaging in activities you enjoy can bring joy and help you reconnect with yourself.
• Volunteer: Helping others can provide a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

6. Take Care of Your Health

Grief can take a toll on your physical health, so it’s important to take care of yourself. Ensure you:

• Eat Well: Maintain a balanced diet to keep your body nourished.
• Rest: Get enough sleep and allow yourself time to rest.
• Avoid Harmful Habits: Try to avoid excessive alcohol or drug use as a way to cope with your emotions.

7. Be Patient with Yourself

Healing from such a significant loss takes time, and it’s important to be patient and compassionate with yourself. Remember that:

• Grief Doesn’t Follow a Timeline: Everyone’s journey is unique, and it’s okay to grieve for as long as you need.
• Progress Can Be Non-Linear: You might have good days and bad days, and that’s completely normal.

Conclusion

Coping with the loss of a partner is an incredibly challenging experience, but it’s possible to find a way forward. By allowing yourself to grieve, seeking support, establishing a routine, honouring your partner’s memory, rediscovering yourself, taking care of your health, and being patient with yourself, you can begin to heal and eventually find hope and meaning in life again. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help, and you don’t have to face this journey alone.

If you are looking to arrange a Derbyshire funeral in Ripley, Heanor, Belper, Crich or the surrounding areas of Derbyshire, please do not hesitate to contact Archway Funeral Service.

Live Oak Bank: A Trusted Partner for Funeral Homes

Live Oak Bank is not just a lender; it’s a partner that truly understands the unique needs of funeral homes, offering more than just financial support.

Tailored Financial Solutions

Live Oak is committed to providing the right amount of support without overwhelming its clients. Tim Bridgers, head of Funeral Home Lending at Live Oak, highlights their careful approach: “We’re not trying to hurt the seller and we’re not trying to hurt the buyer… if we fund this loan right and it’s too much leverage for the business based on the cash flow, then we’re really setting that business owner up for failure in the future.” This philosophy ensures that funeral homes receive financial assistance tailored to their specific needs and capacities.

Beyond Loans: Comprehensive Support

Live Oak offers a wide range of services to help funeral homes manage their finances efficiently and plan for future growth. From operating accounts to high-yield savings options, Live Oak aims to be a one-stop financial partner. This approach helps funeral homes maintain financial health and prepare for long-term success.

A Partnership Based on Understanding and Trust

Choosing Live Oak means partnering with a bank that has a deep understanding of the funeral service sector. “It’s important for a funeral home owner to have a banking relationship with a bank that understands their business,” Tim explains. This insight allows Live Oak to offer personalized advice and solutions, ensuring that funeral homes have the tools they need to thrive.

Commitment to Transparency

Live Oak’s approach is grounded in transparency and a dedication to the success of its clients. Tim Bridgers emphasizes the bank’s ethos: “Our level of transparency comes from… the non-commission based environment that we have here.” This non-commission-based model ensures that all advice and services provided by Live Oak are in the best interest of the funeral home, fostering a relationship built on trust and mutual success.

Conclusion

Live Oak Bank stands out as more than just a lender; it is a dedicated partner to funeral homes. With a focus on tailored financial solutions, comprehensive support, and a commitment to understanding and transparency, Live Oak Bank helps funeral homes navigate their financial journey and achieve their long-term goals.