New leadership focused on member recruitment and spreading the word about member benefits
DEERFIELD, Ill. — April 9, 2013 —Selected Independent Funeral Homes has announced the election of new officers and the appointment of new board members to help lead the world’s largest and oldest association of independently owned funeral homes. Selected’s Board Member Appointment Committee chose the new Directors, who together with the newly-elected Officers, will be installed later this year at the 95th Annual Meeting, Oct. 16-19 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown in Austin, Texas.
Larkin Tapped as President and Tannahill Elected Secretary-Treasurer for 2014
Lance C. Larkin is President and CEO of Larkin Mortuary, a century-old family run firm located in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he has served the community for the past 39 years. As Selected’s President, Larkin plans to focus on member recruitment by supporting new Membership Development Director, Mark Cuddy, and encouraging current members to spread the word about Selected’s many benefits.
“I’m very humbled and looking forward to continuing to serve with our great Board of Directors to keep Selected on the path of excellence and growth,” said Larkin. “We have a dynamic, new strategic plan, and we are headed in the right direction.”
Bruce Tannahill is President of Tannahill Funeral Home Ltd., in Owen Sound, Ontario. He served on the past board of Selected Resources, Inc. and has held leadership positions in numerous community service organizations. In addition to making member recruitment a priority, Tannahill feels that fostering networking opportunities available to Selected members will add value to the organization and build relationships amongst members.
“We’ll be working even harder to not only attract new, high-quality members but also to encourage active involvement among all members by helping them discover new friendships within Selected,” said Tannahill. “When people find they have trusted friends they can count on, they’re more inclined to participate.”
New Board Representatives to Include Higgins and Mitchell
Mark Higgins is President of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service & Crematory in Durham, N.C. Higgins served for 10 years as a consultant and marketing director for Selected (when it was known as National Selected Morticians) before acquiring majority ownership in Hall-Wynne in 1992. He is very active as a volunteer and speaker within the community and will serve as the new Group 3 representative.
“I hope to be a faithful steward of the members in Group 3, ensuring that the Board and Headquarters are attentive to their needs and that our offerings are relevant and unique,” said Higgins. “I also have a responsibility to make sure everyone knows what Selected offers and encourage members to get engaged and receive the most value for their membership.”
Higgins believes that in order for current members to be successful today, they need to stay sharp and take advantage of all the knowledge and services available through Selected. He added, “This association is more critical today than ever, because we all need to be able to exchange ideas and solutions with colleagues in order to navigate rapid change. And Selected does this more than any other organization, with great use of technology with its website, electronic discussion forum and best practices exchange.”
J. Mitchell is Funeral Director in Charge at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore, Texas, a family-owned firm founded in 1938, where he serves alongside his mother, India Rader Stroope, as co-owner and operator. The firm has been a Selected member for 64 years. Mitchell will represent Group 5 and hopes to serve other small-to-medium sized firms in need of new ideas to better meet the needs of the changing market.
“Since my grandfather, LeRoy Rader, was invited into membership our firm has reaped the benefits of this association and the time is now for me to give back,” said Mitchell. “Selected is fiscally sound, and the Board and Staff have put together an ambitious yet realistic set of goals and objectives that should put it in an excellent position to maintain and grow its membership.”
The entire 2013-2014 Board of Directors of Selected Independent Funeral Homes includes President Adam B. Robinson Jr., Pine Bluff, AR, Group 5; Secretary-Treasurer Richard C. Tetrick, Elizabethton, TN, Group 3; President-Elect Lance C. Larkin, Salt Lake City, UT, Group 6; Secretary-Treasurer-Elect W. Bruce Tannahill, Owen Sound, ON, Group 1; James H. Busch, Cleveland, OH, Group 2; R. Bradley Speaks, Independence, MO, Group 4; and Ex Officio Thomas M. Belford, Omaha, NE, Group 4..
For more information on Selected’s programs, becoming a member of Selected Independent Funeral Homes or to locate a member, visit Selected’s website at http://www.
