Cast Your Vote Now! NFDA Innovation Award Will Be Presented at 2015 Convention
Innovation abounds in the Expo Hall at the 2015 NFDA International Convention & Expo
Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) invites funeral service professionals to select the recipient of the 2015 NFDA Innovation Award. Established in 2009, the NFDA Innovation Award recognizes and promotes creativity, innovation and excellence among funeral service suppliers and vendors. The winner will be announced on October 19 during the Opening General Session of the NFDA International Convention & Expo. The NFDA Convention will take placeOctober 18-21 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Earlier this year, funeral service vendors and suppliers had an opportunity to submit a product or service that became commercially available after January 1, 2014, for consideration in the 2015 NFDA Innovation Award competition. A distinguished panel of funeral directors evaluated the 26 entries and selected five finalists:
MobileFH™ by ASD – Answering Service for Directors
MobileFH™ is the first telecommunication solution that allows funeral professionals who rely on mobile phones to control their outgoing Caller ID without the need for an Internet connection.
Retractable Safety Scalpels – #4 Fitment by Cincinnati Surgical
Cincinnati Surgical offers a wide range of color-coded retractable safety scalpels that feature a stronger temporary forward lock position, an additional notch to hold the blade more securely in the passing position, and a rear permanent lock to be engaged prior to disposal in a sharps container.
Pulse Business System Dashboard by FrontRunner Professional
The Pulse Business Dashboard enables funeral home staff to track important business information – records, website analytics, revenue, event details, and more – in one web-based system that can be accessed anywhere, anytime and from any device.
Free-Standing Digital Lobby Directory Sign by Greene Valley Media Co./FuneralScreen
The Free-Standing Digital Lobby Directory Sign enables funeral homes and cemeteries to transition away from outdated and impersonal lobby and room signage to state-of-the-art dynamic signage that personalizes the service from the moment families and guests enter their business.
Tribute Video Direct Delivery by Tukios, Inc.
Tukios has developed the only way to systematically deliver tribute videos – developed on any computer, anywhere in the world – to a specific television in the funeral home.
Funeral professionals can visit www.nfda.org/innovationaward (click the “2015 Finalists” link on the left side of the page) to read more about the finalists and vote for the product they believe is the most innovative of the year. The website also contains a full list of Innovation Award competition entrants. Voting closes September 21.
Discover More Innovative Products and Services in the NFDA Expo Hall
The Expo Hall at the 2015 NFDA International Convention & Expo is the world’s largest funeral service trade show and features the newest and most exciting products, services and innovations from around the world. The Expo Hall will be open on October 19 and 20 from noon to 5 p.m.; and on October 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.
The International Pavilion is a one-stop international resource in the Expo Hall for finding answers to questions about funeral service around the world, including repatriation. Nearly a dozen countries and funeral service associations will be represented, making the International Pavilion a must-visit area for anyone who is doing business with funeral directors in other parts of the world or wants to learn more about repatriation and global funeral customs.
NFDA will recognize the funeral service suppliers that have the best booths in the Expo Hall, as determined by attendees’ votes, in the Best of the Booths contest. Attendees will have an opportunity to vote for the booths they think are the most creative, use the best visuals, have the most enthusiastic staff and have the best giveaways. Attendees can pick up a ballot in the Expo Hall. The winners will be announced during the Closing General Session on Wednesday, October 21.
The NFDA International Convention & Expo is the world’s largest gathering of funeral directors. It offers funeral service professionals unprecedented opportunities for learning, networking and discovering new products and services. The latest information, including details on how to register for the Convention and reserve hotel rooms, can be found by visitingwww.nfda.org/indy2015 or calling 800-228-6332. Those who wish to attend convention can save up to $100 on the registration fee when they register on or before September 11.
NFDA thanks its 2015 International Convention & Expo sponsors:
- Platinum: Federated Insurance, FCA US LLC
- Gold: Batesville, Frazer Consultants, NGL Insurance Group, Physicians Mutual
- Silver: ASD – Answering Service for Directors, Aurora Casket Company, Bass-Mollett Publishers, Carriage Services, Everpresence, The HELPCard, Homesteaders Life Company, Implant Recycling, Live Oak Bank, Madelyn Company, Messenger, Nomis Publications Inc.
- Bronze: ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust, Doric, Forethought Life Insurance Company, HeavensGate Funerals, Hunter-Warfield, Inman Shipping Worldwide, LoveUrns, Link Manufacturing, LoveUrns LLC, Wilbert Funeral Services Inc., Wuxi ANA Industries
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 19,700 individual members who represent more than 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and 39 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.
