Welcome to the Alabama Funeral Directors Association

Jimmy O’Bryant, Jr., CFSP Elected 2010-2011 AFDA President

We have just returned from the Grand Hotel. Thankfully there was no OIL in the bay, only a little boom. The hotel and the grounds were as manicured and well kept as in the past.  I hope everyone had a great time of rest and relaxation. Many of you have commented about how much you enjoyed the scavenger hunt, fishing in the bay, Monte Carlo night, and the other activities. My hats off to Denise for her hard work in organizing one of the best conventions we have ever had.  I also want to thank all the sponsors for your support, without you we could not have done it. 

Now that the fun is over it’s time to get to work. The executive board is attending the NFDA Leadership conference in Cambridge, MD and the SMORT team is having a training exercise in Hartselle, AL.  

I have attended several leadership conferences and have met officers from other state associations, compared to other states AFDA is a strong association and has so much to offer its members. I want to encourage you to get involved in our association and see what AFDA has to offer.  

In the political arena I am asking you to support Koven Brown, Jimmy Martin and Leslie Vance in anyway you can. We need these men in our state legislature. As funeral home owners, their voice for the funeral industry would be an asset to all of us. 

The NFDA Convention will be held in New Orleans this year, make plans now to attend and join us for Alabama night October 11th. This year we will be issuing tickets for those attending Alabama night. Be sure to let Denise know if you plan to attend. If you’ve never attended an NFDA convention you have missed a lot. There are many educational seminars and the expo is amazing. 

Again I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as president of our association.

Jimmy O’Bryant, CFSP    

Mr. Robby Bates, CFSP, NFDA Representative-at-Large (Texas Association) administered the oath of office to Mr. O’Bryant and other elected board of director members. 

Other Officer installed were:

President-Elect:  Randy Anderson, CFSP, Radney Funeral Home,
                        Alexander City, AL

Vice President:   Mark Dryden, Dryden Funeral Home, Heflin, AL

Sec-Treasurer:    Don Daniels, CFSP, Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home,
                        Greenville, AL

Immediate Past President:  Mike Perry, Usrey Funeral Home,
                                       Talladega, AL 

Board of Directors:

District 1:            Kenny Blythe, Limestone Funeral Chapel, Athens,  
                          AL

District 2:            David Benefield, Benefield Funeral Home, Lineville,
                          AL

District 3:            Benjie Hughes, CFSP, Hughes Cremation Center,
                          Daphne, AL

District 4:            Bill Trant, Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home, Opelika, AL

AFDA Mission Statement

“That the Alabama Funeral Director’s Association encourage and promote only the highest of professional standards for men and women engaged in the funeral service profession; strive to provide continuing educational forums for exchange, development and dissemination of knowledge and information beneficial to its members and the public; and cooperate with other organizations, public and private to achieve our mission.”