Greetings Alabama Funeral Directors.

Summer is almost over and we all are excited about cooler weather, football and conventions.  I hope that all of you are planning to participate in the NFDA Annual Convention and Expo in Chicago.  There will be many opportunities to better yourself and your business through the numerous seminars, networking opportunities, and the Expo. We have a super Alabama Night planned on Monday, October 24 at Joe’s Seafood, Steak and Crab House.  Be sure to get your ticket for this night of food, fun, and fellowship. 

In November we will have our District Meetings.  The northern districts will meet on November 8 at the All Steak Steakhouse in Cullman and the southern districts will meet on November 15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Clubhouse in Greenville.  Mr. Charles Perine from the Alabama Board of Funeral Service will be present at both meetings to discuss implementation of the new funeral law.  Please mark your calendars for these important events. 

We are also in the planning process for the Mid-winter meeting in January.  The board has voted to host a Funeral Service Professionals meeting prior to the Mid-winter meeting to benefit your staff members who normally do not get to attend AFDA meetings.  If the interest is there, we will have this seminar on Saturday night and Sunday prior to the Mid-winter meeting.  Please make this opportunity available to your staff members as it will certainly give them an opportunity to better themselves and therefore your business.   

At the Mid-winter meeting the By-laws committee will be recommending that the Strategic Planning committee be made a standing committee.  Please give your utmost consideration to supporting this recommendation.  The Strategic Planning committee is charged with examining current issues and making recommendations to the Executive Board and other committees.  Having this committee in place will help to keep AFDA moving in a positive direction and will allow for the input of members from every district as each district has two representatives on the committee.  This committee is not a Long Range planning committee and has a different purpose than the long range planning committees of the past.  Thank you in advance for considering this important recommendation. 

Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve as your president.  I will continue to work for the betterment of AFDA and funeral service in the state of Alabama. 

Randy Anderson, CFSP
President
Alabama Funeral Director's Association