New Remembering A Life Conversation Cards Introduced to Help Funeral Professionals Work With Families to Plan Meaningful Funerals

Suite of Conversation Cards Now Covers Every Step of the Journey: Preplanning, Funeral Planning and Aftercare 

Brookfield, Wis. – Remembering A Life, the consumer education initiative of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), has introduced two new decks of conversation cards that funeral directors can use to inspire the families they serve to plan meaningful tributes to loved ones. 

Remembering A Life Funeral Planning Conversation Cards are brand new to the Remembering A Life Conversation Card suite. These conversation cards help families and friends create a safe, comfortable environment for having a conversation about a person’s final wishes and help them plan a meaningful tribute for themselves or a loved one with the guidance of a funeral professional.

This deck of 52 thought-provoking questions will help get the conversation started and help put family members and friends at ease while talking about a topic that may generate a variety of emotions. Questions cover five key areas.

• Talking About Death
• Your Body
• The Service
• Honoring Your Life
• The Details 

Each card goes beyond the question itself, offering thoughtful prompts and helpful information to guide a discussion. Families will find insights about the value of a viewing, the benefits of preplanning and why connecting with an NFDA-member funeral home can make a difference. 

“Inspiring people to have meaningful discussions about death and funerals isn’t easy,” said Gail Marquardt, vice president of consumer engagement for NFDA. “These decks help family members and friends create a safe, comfortable environment for having a conversation about a person’s final wishes and guide them in working with a funeral professional to plan a meaningful tribute for themselves or a loved one.” 

Funeral professionals can use the cards as a preneed tool, during the arrangement conference as conversation starters or as a giveaway for a workshop or open house. 

Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards have been reimagined and redesigned with new content and additional prompts to help family and friends get to know each other better so when it’s time to create a tribute for a loved one, they are better prepared to make it meaningful. Each of the 50 questions invites people to share stories about meaningful moments, relationships, objects, adventures, accomplishments and more. Additional prompts invite them to further explore their answers to each question, encouraging them to share their stories with others, pull out meaningful mementos or do an activity related to their answer. 

“Funeral directors have embraced Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards since they were introduced nearly ten years ago,” said Marquardt. “We were excited to give them a new look and include expanded content to further enrich families’ experiences with the cards. The questions and prompts in this deck help families create a service that beautifully reflects an individual’s interests, passions, relationships and accomplishments.” 

For funeral professionals, Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards are the perfect preneed and storytelling tool. Funeral professionals can use the cards as a preneed/lead generation tool, as conversation starters during the arrangement conference and in the funeral home waiting area. The cards are also the perfect thank-you gift for visiting a funeral home open house or preplanning workshop. The new decks complete a set of three conversation card decks that also includes 

Remembering A Life Journey Cards, which feature 52 ideas for remembering loved ones in meaningful ways. This deck helps family members and friends as they explore their grief journey, offering simple yet meaningful ways to keep a loved one’s memory close. All three decks of conversation cards are available at NFDA.org/Store. The decks are $10 each for NFDA members and $15 each for non-members. Quantity discounts are available, and decks can also be customized with a funeral home logo. Funeral professionals attending the 2025 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Chicago can visit the Remembering A Life booth (1831) for free sample packs and can purchase full decks at the convention as well. For more information about the Remembering A Life resources available to funeral professionals, including the Remembering A Life Idea Guide for Funeral Professionals, visit NFDA.org/RememberingALife. 

About Remembering A Life

Remembering A Life helps individuals and families remember their loved ones in meaningful ways, helping to keep the memory of loved ones alive and assisting family members and friends in moving forward in their grief. Remembering A Life educates families about the value of a funeral and helps them find an NFDA-member funeral director (RememberingALife.com/FindAFuneralHome) to help them create a meaningful service. The initiative also helps them as they begin the grief journey following the death of a loved one. Resources include the Remembering A Life website (RememberingALife.com), a podcast, book club, blog, conversation cards and thoughtful gifts for grieving family members and friends. Remembering A Life is a consumer education initiative of the National Funeral Directors Association. Follow Remembering A Life on Facebook and Instagram. 

About the National Funeral Directors Association

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association representing 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 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 NFDA.org.

Funeral Women Lead Partners with Buried in Work™ to Spotlight Women in End-of-Life Professions

August 5, 2025 — Funeral Women Lead is proud to announce a new partnership with Buried in Work™, a national platform focused on estate and end-of-life education, to spotlight women making an impact across the end-of-life professions.

This collaboration is part of Buried in Work’s newly expanded Careers in End-of-Life Professions Information Hub, which showcases over 20 careers that support individuals and families through death, loss, and planning. The Women in End-of-Life Professions Spotlight Series highlights leaders, changemakers, and unsung heroes working in funeral service, hospice, mortuary science, grief counseling, elder law, estate planning, and more.

“Too often, the essential work women do in deathcare goes unnoticed,” said Lisa Baue, founder of Funeral Women Lead. “This partnership is about elevating those stories. The embalmers, the hospice nurses, the grief educators, the attorneys, and so many others who help people navigate the hardest moments with grace and grit.”

Individuals can submit nominations (including self-nominations) using the form at BuriedinWork.com/women. Selected nominees will be featured on Buried in Work’s national website, email campaigns, and social media platforms.

The Careers in End-of-Life Professions Information Hub also features:

• Career spotlights across funeral service, health care, legal, and planning professions
• A national list of accredited mortuary science & funeral service programs
• A list of scholarships related to end-of-life professions
• A comprehensive listing of certifications and licences related to end-of-life professions
• A free events calendar spotlighting industry events
• A free national jobs board (currently in beta)

Whether you’re a student exploring your path, a career changer, or a professional looking to connect with others in the field, the partnership between Funeral Women Lead and Buried in Work™ is designed to inspire, inform, and support the next generation of leaders in end-of-life care.

About Funeral Women Lead:

Funeral Women Lead is on a mission to unleash the greatness of women of the funeral and deathcare professions. It is the first nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing women in funeral and deathcare. Through leadership training, mentoring, wellness programs, and advocacy, it aims to create a more inclusive, empowered future for the profession.

Learn more at: https://funeralwomenlead.org

About Buried in Work:
Buried in Work is a platform and publishing initiative dedicated to making estate planning and end-of-life tasks more accessible, human, and even a little less morbid. Its resources include practical guides, planning kits, national directories, and expert insights on death, legacy, and everything in between.

Learn more at: 

Directors Investment Group Earns Great Place to Work Certification™ for Fourth Consecutive Year

ABILENE, TX — Directors Investment Group (DIG), parent company to Funeral Directors Life, Passare,
Claimcheck, and other subsidiaries, has spent the better part of four decades building a unique culture.
After undergoing a rigorous and extensive certification process, DIG is proud to announce that it has
been recertified as a “Great Place To Work” through May 2026!

“To be recognized as a great workplace for the fourth consecutive year is an honor and a testament to
the culture we’ve intentionally built over the years,” said Kris Seale, DIG President & CEO. “This
achievement isn’t just about having amazing programs or benefits; it’s about our people. We extend our
gratitude to Great Place To Work® for this recognition!”

This prestigious recognition is based on a comprehensive write-up and current employees’ experience
working at DIG. To acquire recertification, DIG’s employees completed an anonymous survey ranking the
company’s culture, leadership, benefits, and other factors. The survey feedback and Great Place To
Work’s extensive data-driven methodology revealed that 96% of employees said DIG is a great place to
work, compared to 57% at an average U.S.-based company.

For the past eight years, DIG has also been named on Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Texas™ list.
Additionally, DIG has received recognition on Fortune’s Best Medium Workplaces™ list and its Best
Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance™ list.

“Our team shows up every day with purpose, passion, and a commitment to serve our clients,
community, and each other,” Seale continued. “To quote Nehemiah 6:3, we believe that ‘we’re doing a
great work, and we cannot come down.’ That shared mission is what makes DIG truly special.”
To learn more about DIG, visit dig.family or view our Great Place To Work® profile.

About DIG

At Directors Investment Group (parent company to Funeral Directors Life, Passare, Claimcheck, and
other subsidiaries), our mission is to be known as “the best, most-respected provider of service to our
industries.” We serve funeral homes nationwide, offering various services to clients, including sales
programs, training, technology, marketing, and financial services. To apply online, visit us at dig.family.

About Great Place To Work®

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking
research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform
and For All™ Model help companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary
workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified or receiving recognition on a coveted Best
Workplaces™ List.

If you have been involved in leadership for any length of time you will find that any decision that you make, even if you think it is the greatest decision in the world, will not be taken as beneficial to all parties.  Someone down the line of employment will wish the decision had been in the other direction.

I think of this when I remember decisions that I made that included team-wide financial bonuses for reaching certain numbers of death calls per year.  For instance, I operated with individual employee financial bonuses (in addition to salaries) of $1,000 for our business reaching 250 calls, $2,000 for reaching 275 calls and up to $6,000 per employee for reaching 325 annual calls.

I was somewhat taken aback in the years when we did 325 calls that some on the staff thought they had worked too hard and said that they would rather have time off than a financial incentive.  You see, my parents had instilled a work ethic in me where I saw work, and the financial benefits from it, as one of the imperatives of the job and you took time off when you were not busy. . . . .In my rural area I assimilated the thought to the farmer who had to “cut hay when the sun was shining” — because you cannot cut it when it is raining or wet.

In any regards, that is just an example of differing people having different attitudes about how life should be lived.  In my world, my profession paid for my life and leisure activities. . . . . I think some people look at it just the opposite, their life and leisure are supported by their profession. . . .i.e. what comes first in your life? — Your profession or your activities.

Whichever it is — that is okay.  It’s just a matter of how we look at life that differs.

So, we are all not wired to work 40 or 60 hours per week if we can live our lives, and be more balanced as a human being if we can work less. . . . The question is, “Can we bring enough income in if we don’t work that 40-hour week?”

Here’s a recent article about the country of Iceland that in 2019 adopted the 4-day work week working 35-36  hours per week instead of the traditional 40 hours per week.  And, Iceland did it without a drop in weekly income.

Here’s what the article goes on to say about the experience so far:

“Initial fears, similar to those observed during similar debates in other countries such as Germany, focused mainly on a potential collapse in productivity or the complexity of wage compensation. However, the Icelandic experience has swept away these fears. Reports, particularly those analysed by think tanks such as Autonomy, show that productivity has not only been maintained, but has even improved in some cases.

 

How can this be explained? The answer lies largely in the significant improvement in workers’ well-being. The reduction in working time has resulted in a significant drop in stress levels and fewer cases of burnout. Employees report a greater ability to reconcile their professional imperatives with their personal lives. This reality directly echoes the priorities expressed by Generation Z, a large proportion of whom (around 81% according to certain studies) are convinced that shorter working hours are synonymous with greater efficiency, and plebiscite mental health as an essential criterion.”

So, I’m a Baby Boomer and my self-health is maintained partly by being productive through my work.  Why else would I spend hours writing a blog at age 67 when I could be on the golf course or at the coffee shop?  However, as the younger generations are telling us, that is not always the case with them.  They seem to be healthier with a more work-life balance that allows them more time to enjoy non-working hours.

I think the Death Care profession needs to take a real hard look at this dilemma.  Funeral service is a very rewarding career, emotionally, if you have the time to enjoy those rewards.  Young people seem to want to go into funeral service but then leave prematuraly because they don’t seem to think they have the down-time to enjoy the positive self-images they have built up.

Funeral business leaders need to acknowledge this among today’s young professionals.  If we are going to acquire and retain the best and brightest for our profession we need to come up with the ability to offer 4-day work weeks to our professional personnel.

The challenge will be doing it in a world where revenues per case are stressed.  It’s pretty simple that Death Care businesses need to use the technology available to us to hasten this advance.  How can we alter what we are doing to use less human hours per death? . . . . Online arrangements, use of non-professional staff where applicable, shorter office hours, and possible job-share duties come to mind.

Maybe we need to forego weekly schedules and look at 6 or 8-week block schedules as a way that might help us do this.

I don’t have the answers but I do believe that some funeral businesses will go to a 4-day, 36-hour week for professional employees on a regular basis.  And when that happens, the rest of us will probably have to follow suit or be left with those professional employees who are not our number one choices.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily:  It’s tough for me to come to grips with this situation because I always just worked until the job was finished.  That’s not always the way of the world any more though.

Just last week I had the opportunity to be on the University of Minnesota campus for a reunion.  I planned my visit to arrive early for two reasons —- First, I wanted to avoid heavy traffic and Secondly, to give myself some time to visit my old office and say hello to some of the administrative staff that I worked with.

I arrived at the McNamara Alumni Building where my office had been on the 6th floor.  My first surprise was that the elevators did not work without a pass-key, an obvious security feature that didn’t surprise me so much.  I pulled out my cell phone and rang the “Office Receptionist Desk” but was greeted with a message that told me the phone was disconnected.  Finally, I phoned the cell of Head of the Administration in that office and he answered.  He proceded to tell me that they all work from home now most of the time and there was no one who I wanted to say “Hello” to that was in the office . . . and he was at home as well.

I was absolutely stunned because in my day – only four years ago – I spent all kinds of time in that office and relied on the knowledge of the administrative assistants many times during the day to get my work accomplished.  In essence, I learned last week that a lot of the employment rules had changed in a short period of time.

And, I think you are going to see that in funeral service. . . So be ready.

More news from the world of Death Care:

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

Everstory Partners Earns 2025 Great Place To Work Certification™

(May 22, 2025) – Altamonte Springs, FL – Everstory Partners is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for 2025. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Everstory and its family of brands.

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

“Over the past 24 months, we have been investing in our team — listening, learning, and evolving together,” said Everstory Chief Executive Officer Lilly Donohue. “I am incredibly proud to lead this company and to work alongside such dedicated and passionate individuals.”

A few of the initiatives Everstory has implemented during this time:

• Increased the company-wide minimum wage.
• Launched Everstory University to enhance professional development.
• Implemented user-friendly technology platforms streamlining workflows.
• Launched advisory councils where our general managers, sales managers and funeral home managers provide insights and advice, ensuring the company makes informed decisions for its business and its people.
• Held town halls and implemented direct access to its executives for transparent communication.

“Every step has been focused on creating a better workplace,” Donohue added. “These efforts exemplify our dedication to an open, collaborative culture because we believe by fostering a supportive and engaging environment, we can truly be the best in family service.”

To be certified, the company earned the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture with approximately 80 percent of Everstory’s 2,600 employees returning surveys sharing their thoughts on working at the company.

“Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place To Work. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Everstory Partners stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees.”

Everstory Chief People Officer Karen Sheean added: “Employee engagement is a key component of a multi-year commitment to listening to and understanding the voices of our employees through this program. We are thrilled to become Great Place To Work-Certified™ in our first year, however, we recognize that the real work is just beginning.”

“We owe our continued success to our team of dedicated employees at all of our Everstory locations and Support Center. We celebrate and thank them for all they do in earning this incredible recognition,” Sheean said.

Explore a Career at Everstory Partners

Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: www.everstorypartners.com/careers

About Everstory Partners

Everstory Partners’ mission is to create supportive spaces where individuals and families can find solace, meaning, and hope in the midst of loss. Since 1999, the company has grown to include 463 cemetery, funeral, and crematory locations serving more than 65,000 families a year across the United States (including Puerto Rico) on both a pre-need and at-need basis. Everstory is the brand promise, created in April 2023, to destigmatize death care with a unique blend of long-standing traditions of caring for the deceased with a fresh perspective that death is a natural and beautiful part of the human experience that should be planned and celebrated.

About Great Place to Work Certification™

Great Place To Work® Certification™ is the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified.

About Great Place To Work®

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List.

Buried in Work Introduces the Estate Planning Pyramid and End-of-Life Planning Pathway

New Tools Provide Families and Professionals with a Clear, Actionable Framework for Planning Ahead

Potomac, Maryland — Buried in Work (www.BuriedInWork.com), the trusted platform for simplifying estate planning and end-of-life organization, today announced the launch of its Estate Planning Pyramid and End-of-Life Planning Pathway. These new frameworks provide clear, practical guidance to help families and professionals move through critical planning steps with confidence. The End-of-Life Planning Pathway guides individuals through simple, thoughtful steps to plan for care, resting place, and remembrance. The Estate Planning Pyramid shows how core documents, strong organization, and advanced strategies work together to build a complete, lasting estate plan.

Developed for families preparing their own plans and for the professionals who guide them, including attorneys, financial advisors, healthcare providers, and end-of-life specialists, the Estate Planning Pyramid and End-of-Life Planning Pathway offer a modern roadmap to help ensure that no important details are overlooked.

“Estate planning and end-of-life preparation have traditionally been complicated and confusing,” said Adam Zuckerman, Founder of Buried in Work. “Our Pyramid and Pathway transform that experience into something people can move through clearly and confidently, step by step, with the right level of support at every stage.”

The Estate Planning Pyramid organizes planning into three focused tiers:

• Core: Essential documents and information every adult should organize
• Comprehensive: Expanded planning to protect assets, clarify wishes, and ease transitions for loved ones
• Advanced: Advanced strategies designed for families with complex needs or significant assets

The End-of-Life Planning Pathway provides a practical, human-centered sequence of steps across three key pathways:

• Pathway 1 | Advance Care and End-of-Life Planning: Make care and end-of-life decisions with clarity and confidence.
• Pathway 2: Final Resting Place Planning: Select the resting place and arrangements that reflect your wishes.
• Pathway 3: Final Tribute Planning: Plan how you want your life and legacy to be honored.

Both frameworks are designed to empower individuals to take control of their planning and to support service providers in offering clients a more guided, comprehensive approach.

About Buried in Work

Buried in Work is reshaping how families and professionals approach estate planning and end-of-life organization. Through practical resources, step-by-step guides, and innovative tools like the Estate Planning Pyramid and End-of-Life Planning Pathway, Buried in Work makes it easier for people to plan ahead, protect their loved ones, and leave nothing important unsaid.

To learn more, visit www.BuriedInWork.com.

December 23, 2024

Grief is a journey that no one wants to traverse, yet it is a path many will find themselves on when a loved one passes away. As we contemplate the profound impact of loss, it’s vital to recognize how we can reach out and support our friends during their times of sorrow. Understanding our role can foster connection and compassion, especially in a world filled with emotional challenges. When we think about navigating this sensitive subject, finding the right balance between offering support and respecting personal space is essential, particularly as families often seek services from adjacent resources, such as Rochester, NY funeral homes. Understanding Grief and Its Phases Before we can effectively support our grieving friends, we should take time to understand the grieving process itself. Grief is not linear and encompasses various emotions and phases: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The upheaval following a loss can bring about tumultuous feelings, and it’s important to remember that your friend may oscillate between these stages throughout their journey. A critical way that we can help is by being present. Sometimes, your friend may need a listening ear more than they need advice. Allowing them the space to express their thoughts and feelings without judgment can be incredibly beneficial. It may be helpful to encourage them to share funny or touching memories they have of their loved one, a practice that can provide moments of solace amidst the turmoil. Offering Practical Support Helping a friend through grief also means offering practical assistance. Grieving can be an exhausting and overwhelming experience, leaving little energy for everyday tasks. Offer to help with simple chores—cooking meals, running errands, or helping keep things organized at home. Sometimes, just knowing someone is there, offering to shoulder some of life’s burdens, can alleviate the stress your friend is feeling. In addition to offering tangible help, suggesting options from local services can also ease the burden. For instance, if your friend needs support in navigating funeral logistics, it’s wise to mention reputable funeral homes, that they could consider, like Rochester Cremation. Knowing that compassionate professionals are available can bring reassurance and peace to their difficult journey. Creating a Comfortable Environment for Healing When it comes to helping a grieving friend, creating an environment that allows for open conversation is critical. While checking in on them is appreciated, remember to approach them sensitively. Each day might feel different for your friend, so the time you spend together should evolve based on their needs and feelings. Inviting your friend out for a walk—some fresh air can aid in emotional healing—might help distract them from their grief, although it’s essential not to force social interaction if they seem disinterested. The simplest gestures, like a text message to let them know you’re thinking of them, can go a long way, even if they don’t respond immediately. Respecting Boundaries and Understanding Signs of Need While offering support, it’s just as vital to acknowledge when to step back. Everyone’s process is unique, and not everyone is comfortable discussing their grief openly. Pay attention to their cues; if they seem withdrawn or if they indicate a desire for solitude, honor that choice. Encourage professional support if needed. Whether it’s suggesting a grief counselor or attending a support group together, prioritizing their mental health by finding professional help can be a game changer. Informing them about available local resources shows that you care and are looking out for their well-being. The road following a loss is fraught with challenges. Yet, knowing we can play a role in transforming a friend’s grief reality can inspire hope. In conclusion, as we support our friends during these heartbreaking times, let’s embrace compassion and understanding, remembering our larger community as we navigate the journey together. If you have questions regarding resources or services through Rochester, NY funeral homes, reach out for help. The existence of compassionate professionals at places like Rochester Cremation highlights that support is always within reach.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company Named Best Places to Work 2024

Madison, Wis. (January 31, 2025) – National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) wrapped up 2024 with being recognized as one of the Best Places to Work 2024 by Madison Magazine.

The Best Places to Work award is based on an employee engagement survey administered by Quantum Workplace, a third-party human resources technology provider that measures employee feedback on six key areas: communication and resources, individual needs, manager effectiveness, personal engagement, team dynamics, and trust in leadership.

“It’s an honor to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Madison again. We believe our dedicated team members are our greatest resource and strength,” said Joe Celentano, President & CEO, at NGL. “It isn’t often that companies are in business for more than a century. We credit our longevity to providing valuable insurance products, paying policyholder claims quickly, and employing compassionate, thoughtful staff.”

According to Quantum Workplace, the Best Places to Work survey is administered annually and honors superior organizations where voices are heard, cultures are thriving and employees are engaged. The Best Places to Work award is given to the top 10 businesses in the size categories of small, medium and large.

Employees share that NGL is a great workplace because of their supportive colleagues and the benefits provided. “There are many career opportunities to help our team members thrive and achieve their goals,” shared Cara Capretta, NGL Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. “Additionally, our comprehensive total rewards package is designed to offer exceptional financial, health and wellness solutions. We continually look for opportunities to engage and support our employees.” 

Celentano continued, “A focus on transparent communication through a variety of channels provides the opportunity for continuous feedback. Open and constructive dialogue is encouraged through Town Halls, employee gatherings, meetings with leaders and surveys to help us better understand employee needs and thoughts. This allows us to listen and evolve policies and initiatives, turning feedback into actionable items. Our commitment to enhancing and improving areas that are important to our employees is one reason NGL is one of the best places to work in Madison.”

NGL is a life and health insurance company specializing in individual and group products. We offer a suite of innovative insurance products for life’s journey, giving our customers financial stability, careful guidance and peace of mind. With more than 115 years in the insurance industry, we take pride in being there for our customers when they need it most.

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company named Best Places to Work 2024

Madison, Wis. (January 31, 2025) – National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) wrapped up 2024 with being recognized as one of the Best Places to Work 2024 by Madison Magazine.

The Best Places to Work award is based on an employee engagement survey administered by Quantum Workplace, a third-party human resources technology provider that measures employee feedback on six key areas: communication and resources, individual needs, manager effectiveness, personal engagement, team dynamics, and trust in leadership.

“It’s an honor to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Madison again. We believe our dedicated team members are our greatest resource and strength,” said Joe Celentano, President & CEO, at NGL. “It isn’t often that companies are in business for more than a century. We credit our longevity to providing valuable insurance products, paying policyholder claims quickly, and employing compassionate, thoughtful staff.”

According to Quantum Workplace, the Best Places to Work survey is administered annually and honors superior organizations where voices are heard, cultures are thriving and employees are engaged. The Best Places to Work award is given to the top 10 businesses in the size categories of small, medium and large.

Employees share that NGL is a great workplace because of their supportive colleagues and the benefits provided. “There are many career opportunities to help our team members thrive and achieve their goals,” shared Cara Capretta, NGL Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. “Additionally, our comprehensive total rewards package is designed to offer exceptional financial, health and wellness solutions. We continually look for opportunities to engage and support our employees.” 

Celentano continued, “A focus on transparent communication through a variety of channels provides the opportunity for continuous feedback. Open and constructive dialogue is encouraged through Town Halls, employee gatherings, meetings with leaders and surveys to help us better understand employee needs and thoughts. This allows us to listen and evolve policies and initiatives, turning feedback into actionable items. Our commitment to enhancing and improving areas that are important to our employees is one reason NGL is one of the best places to work in Madison.”

NGL is a life and health insurance company specializing in individual and group products. We offer a suite of innovative insurance products for life’s journey, giving our customers financial stability, careful guidance and peace of mind. With more than 115 years in the insurance industry, we take pride in being there for our customers when they need it most.

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

Funeral Director Daily does a good job of notifying our readers when the large corporate companies acquire new funeral homes.  It appears that these transacations are a consistent regular occurrence, although there are some ebbs and flows to the pipeline of deals.  We also know that large corporate consolidators and their purchases are not the only place that acquisitions and mergers are taking place in the funeral home space.

When I peruse the internet for articles that would interest Funeral Director Daily readers I notice mergers, acquisitions, and bolt-on purchases for hub and spoke firms happening often.  There is a lot of that happening around the United States in our profession.  It is just not something that we bring to our readers every day because the interest in the individual transactions is truly local and maybe regional in scope, but not national news in our profession.

What is “National” in scope about these transactions is that they are happening.  It’s been said for a long time in our business that there will be a large amount of funeral home owners wanting to retire with no family interested in following in their footsteps as the world of funeral home ownership changes.. . . . . . .From what I read and hear, I think that time is upon us.

Here are a couple of articles that I recently came upon that show some of the different types of transactions that are going on. . .

Funeral Director Daily take:  Charles Dickens wrote his classic “A Tale of Two Cities” in 1859. . . that’s a long time ago.  However, I think about that story when I read about funeral homes being bought and sold.  You see, I think the “Tale or story of your funeral home” might be the deciding factor in who will acquire it if you decide to sell and retire.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

What matters to the different potential buyers is if you are located in a metropolitan city, or a suburban city, or a growing regional center. . . . or are you in a small isolated community with not much growth potential?  Wherever your funeral home is located the case can be made that when put it up for sale you will, more than likely be a target for some company. . . . but the tale, or story, of your funeral home will determine who that company is.

Metropolitan, suburban and regional center funeral homes in growing areas probably have great value and bring in multiple offers, but a single funeral home in a one fuenral home community that is holding its own with population stability will, more than likely, have some value to a neighboring community funeral home as well.

It appears to me that the companies that operate as “multiple funeral home” owners are continuously looking for more locations to ramp their economies of scale.  Every owner wants, for eonomies of scale, to have a situation where their case load per director is growing. . . And, I think as preneed sales become increasingly more important to funeral homes that will move firms to grow even faster to ramp up their numbers.

However, on the other hand, I’ve noticed some operators stop acquisitions for acquisitions sake. . . .These type of operators are making sure that each and every location that they purchase can carry profitability on its own.  That’s important too. . . especially as fixed costs are rising and one does not want to get caught with a business with high fixed-costs where the average retail sale is going down — especially if the business is not adding volume.

Anyway, I’m seeing businesses change hands.  And, the transactions are probably more complicated than they were ten years ago.   What’s at stake — especially if one makes a purchase mistake — is also larger and could be business and life altering if going-forward assumptions are wrong.  If I was looking to buy or sell I’d make sure that I had an expert such as Johnson Consulting Group in my corner.  They should be your first call when looking to expand or retire.

More news from the world of Death Care:

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

Make These 2025 Hiring & Retention Trends Work for Your Funeral Home

Year after year, respondents to the Connecting Directors Deathcare Survey rank hiring and keeping the right employees as one of their biggest challenges. Industry supporters are working hard to tackle this issue from all angles, from easing educational and licensing requirements to helping businesses identify potential applicant groups, but the problem persists. 

Deathcare is unique, and certainly requires employees to possess a special set of personal and professional characteristics. Even so, it should be possible to glean tips or lessons from human resources experts’ latest surveys and predictions for hiring and retention trends in 2025. Here are a few of those trends — and ways they can help any funeral home, crematory, or cemetery to fill a position (or keep someone from leaving).

Forbes recently shared the results of two separate surveys that prove that helping your employees become lifelong learners will help them remain YOUR  employees, rather than someone else’s. From these surveys came two facts to remember:

Encouraging your team to continue learning and growing has to become a priority, and there are lots of ways to facilitate this — and it doesn’t always have to cost your firm an arm and a leg. For example, you could establish a mentorship or job shadowing program or peer-to-peer knowledge exchange; chances are you’re already doing this informally to some degree, but formalizing and promoting this as a benefit can help recruitment. 

Additionally, letting your folks out of the funeral home to attend industry conventions, workshops, or seminars can do wonders for morale in addition to skill-building. Deathcare organizations offer all sorts of scholarship opportunities (watch Connecting Directors for industry press releases when these become available), and you could help them apply or provide a recommendation. Another option is to set up a time after-hours at the office or elsewhere to watch online webinars with your team (snacks and cocktails might be a nice addition!). When your folks know you support their growth and learning, they’ll know you care about keeping them.

Deathcare is probably one of the handful of careers that isn’t threatened by the specter of artificial intelligence; AI can never take your jobs. However, AI and other technologies can certainly make several aspects of your workload easier, safer, and more streamlined in ways that your current and potential employees will certainly appreciate.

Think about it: AI-powered obituary writers, programs that create designer-level memorials and videos at the touch of a button, online arrangement tools, and API-connected case management software that lessens data entry time can be game-changers, not only for your team, but also for families. Also, tech-based chain of custody systems can ease worries about potential mistakes. 

“Work-life balance” and “remote work” are two phrases most deathcare professionals would not use to describe their favorite employment perks —  because their jobs usually don’t seem to offer either one. Deaths don’t only occur during office hours, and despite all the emerging technology, most people still prefer to attend arrangement meetings and funerals in person. However, along with mental well-being and a higher salary (we won’t go into that one), these are today’s job-seekers’ most desired benefits, according to Gallup.

Believe it or not, it is possible for funeral homes and cemeteries to provide versions of these benefits to their teams. Offering a “flexible” schedule that allows employees time to attend to personal needs by coming in later and covering more of the evening hours, working in four-hour blocks instead of strict eight-hour shifts, offering four-day work weeks, and rotating on-call hours and weekends. Sure, traditional office hours are the easiest to schedule, but as long as families are properly served, does it really matter if someone leaves from 2 to 3 p.m. to attend a kid’s school play? “Flexible” is a word that carries a lot of weight in a job description.

As for mental health support, simply recognizing that the people on your team need it is a huge step. The days of sucking up your feelings and internalizing your concerns are gone; applicants for deathcare positions are well aware of the mental and emotional impact of the job, and they want to know that you’re aware, too. If your health insurance plan doesn’t cover therapy or other mental health benefits, which is ideal, encourage your employees to take advantage of the mental health support offered by industry organizations like CANA’s virtual Funeral Professionals Peer Support meetings, NFDA’s SupportLinc Member Assistance Program, or the Funeral Service Foundation’s self-care resources. 

According to Korn Ferry, a global talent group, skills-based hiring, or prioritizing the critical skills that will help a business innovate and grow, was a “go-to” hiring strategy for 2024 that will only gain momentum in 2025. However, employers must first identify the specific skills that are most critical to each job before you can evaluate an applicant’s level of proficiency. This can be accomplished by creating thorough job descriptions that are customized to your facility’s specific needs. Start with a template (like this one from the Society of Human Resources Professionals) and pull ideas from other current online postings for similar jobs (like the ones on Deathcarejobs.com). Then, add your own requirements based on your observations of a typical day on the job, the skills possessed by your star employee, or just things you know you need.

When it comes time to screen applicants and conduct interviews, use the job description to identify which requirements are the “critical skills” that will best help your business grow. While resumes, mortuary school transcripts, and personal recommendations can help you gauge a person’s aptitude, there are other tools that can help you determine if someone possesses the other qualities you need, including personality assessments (16pf, DiSC, Myers-Briggs, CliftonStrengths, and Enneagram are just a few), communication skills assessments, cognitive ability assessments (Wonderlic), honesty and integrity tests (Stanton Survey), etc. The Funeral Service Foundation’s quiz “Is a Career in Funeral Service Right For You?  is also a great all-encompassing option for applicant testing.

Even though taking the time to test or further evaluate applicants for critical skills elongates the hiring process, it does help you weed out applicants that may give great interviews, but may not be good employees in the long run.