NFDA and Selected Independent Funeral Homes Announce Intent to Combine Organizations
Brookfield, Wis. / Lincolnshire, Ill. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and Selected Independent Funeral Homes (Selected) announced today that their Boards of Directors have signed a Letter of Intent to pursue the merger of the two organizations, creating a unified association designed to offer leadership development, professional education and peer engagement while preserving the unique strengths that have defined each organization.
The proposed merger reflects a shared commitment to the future of funeral service. For generations, NFDA has advanced the profession through advocacy, education, research and professional development, while Selected has fostered excellence among independently owned funeral homes through trusted peer relationships, leadership development and collaboration. Together, the associations seek to build on those legacies to better support funeral professionals, strengthen their members, and serve families and communities for generations to come.
The merger is intended to create new opportunities for learning, leadership and professional engagement while preserving trusted peer connections, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the programs and services members value most.
The associations also believe they will be better positioned to respond to the challenges facing funeral service such as economic turbulence, increasing regulatory complexity, workforce shortages and changing consumer expectations.
“Selected has been built on the belief that independent funeral homes are stronger when they learn from one another, challenge one another and hold themselves to the highest standards,” said Barbara Risher Welch, Selected President. “As we looked to the future, our Board asked a simple question: How do we preserve everything our members value while ensuring it continues to thrive for generations to come? We believe this proposed merger with NFDA gives us the opportunity to do exactly that, protecting the Selected community while expanding the resources and support available to our members.”
“Funeral service has always been strongest when leaders come together to prepare for the future rather than simply react to change,” said NFDA President Dan Ford. “This proposed merger reflects a shared belief that we can accomplish more together than either association can alone. We have an opportunity to build an association that is even better equipped to serve funeral professionals, the families who depend on us and the future of our profession.”
If approved by the memberships of both associations, Selected would eventually become a distinct designation and community within a unified NFDA association. The Selected Designation is intended to recognize funeral homes that meet the association’s longstanding standards of excellence while preserving the trusted peer community that has defined Selected for more than a century.
Throughout 2027, both associations would continue operating under their existing membership structures and program offerings while leaders and staff work together to design the integrated organization. A unified membership structure that maintains what members value while building for the future is anticipated to launch in 2028.
Eligible members of both associations will be asked to vote on the proposed merger later this year, in accordance with their governing documents, prior to an official agreement being signed.
Additional information, including frequently asked questions, is available at nfda.org/better-together.
About NFDA
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 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.
About Selected Independent Funeral Homes
Celebrating more than a century of service excellence, Selected Independent Funeral Homes supports and strengthens the top independent firms around the globe, empowering them to achieve their goals by creating business tools, developing education and connecting members to better one another. Its Annual Meeting serves as the premier gathering to shape the future of independent funeral service. For more information, visit the website and follow the association on Facebook, “X” and LinkedIn.
