Annual Convention
May 20 - 23, 2024
IFDA Annual Convention & Trade Show
Embassy Suites by Hilton Conference Center Noblesville
13700 Conference Ctr Dr S, Noblesville, IN 46060317) 674-1900
Our room rate is $164 and room block link will be sent with registration confirmation
Jerrit Clayton Classic Golf Outing
for registration information and ways to donate/sponsor!
Benefiting the Indiana Funeral Education Foundation
What does the Education Foundation do you ask?
- Support the funeral service practitioners of today - helping them to better serve their communities.
- Ensure and secure future of the profession by helping recruit and train those wanting a career in funeral service.
The Indiana Funeral Education Foundation is committed to excellence in funeral service education and is proud to offer five (5) $2,000 professional development scholarships. These scholarships are available to any member of IFDA - licensed and un-licensed firm staff, individual, senior, and associate members.
The Indiana Funeral Education Foundation also awards four student scholarships for a total amount of $12,500
Annual Jerrit Clayton Classic Golf Outing - Benefiting the Indiana Funeral Education Foundation
May 20, 2024
12401 Lynnwood Blvd, Carmel, IN 46033
for registration information and ways to donate/sponsor!
Beverage Cart SponsorIn Memory of Ron King Indiana Funeral Supply Sales Club |
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Convention Agenda
Convention Registration
*with proof of another state membership, you may register using the member rate
LICENSED MEMBER REGISTRATION
Full Registration BY 4/26/2024 | $250 |
Full Registration AFTER 4/26/2024 | $300 |
One Day Registraiton | $250 |
NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION | |
Full Registration | $550 |
One Day Registration | $450 |
INCIDENTALS | |
Non-Licensed Registration (social events only) | $150 (full/one day) |
President’s Awards Dinner Only | $100 |
Mortuary Students/Interns | FREE |
GOLF OUTING - Plum Creek Golf Club
Annual Jerrit Clayton Classic Golf Outing | $175/person or $700/foursome* |
*Includes entry into closest to pin, longest drive and 2 mulligans per player (please complete golf registration form)
CLICK HERE for registration form
Convention Speakers
Andy Clayton, CFSP
Executive Director, Indiana Funeral Directors Association
Andy Clayton, CFSP, is a second-generation licensed Indiana funeral director and current Executive Director of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association. A graduate of Mid-America College of Funeral Service and Indiana University, he has been actively involved in funeral service since 1991.
Andy is a Past President of IFDA, 2013-14; a past member of the Indiana State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service; past Indiana Policy Board Representative to the National Funeral Directors Association; and a lifetime Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, CFSP, through the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice since 2002.
Vernie Fountain, CFSP
Owner, Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills
Internationally known speaker and instructor Vernie Fountain has been associated with funeral service since 1965. As a graduate of the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, Fountain became licensed as a funeral director in 1972 and as an embalmer in 1977. For eighteen years, until December 1995, he owned and operated Fountain Mortuary Service in Columbia, Missouri, which responded to over one-thousand deaths annually and had five divisions: Embalming and Transportation, Forensic and Clinical Autopsy/Investigation, Cemetery (Exhumations & Grave openings), Embalming Consulting and Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills.
He currently owns and operates Fountain Embalming Services, Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills and Forensic Investigative Resources of the Midwest (F.I.R.M.) a licensed and insured private detective agency that has a main focus of death investigations and exhumations. All are headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.
Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, which was founded in May 1990, is a full-time venture for Fountain as the Academy's founder and primary instructor. As a well-known speaker he travels throughout the United States and abroad speaking at State and National Funeral Directors and Embalmers conventions teaching post-graduate education to embalmers. His focus is on teaching highly specialized embalming and postmortem reconstructive surgery techniques that can be performed on the most massively traumatized case imaginable. FNA is dedicated to providing quality post-graduate embalmer education and the research and development of new techniques to treat the highly traumatized case with the goal of an open-casket viewing. Fountain National Academy offers several in-depth embalming and postmortem reconstructive surgery seminars at its training facility located in Springfield, Missouri. Professional embalmers from across the United States, England, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Korea, Grenada, Seychelles, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, Australia, South America, India, Nigeria, French West Indies, Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, Japan and the Philippines have attended these seminars. The Academy has a European representative in Ireland and an Australian representative located in Australia.
John T. Hill
Hill Mortuary Service & Seminars
John T. Hill is an Undertaker, licensed in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Washington D.C. and Virginia. He has earned many other titles in the Funeral profession: Restorative Arts Specialist, Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP), Member of the British Institute of Embalming (MBIE), Funeral Service Education Instructor, Chaplain, Celebrant, and Certified Crematory Operator (CCO).
He works at James Funeral Home and Northlake Memorial Gardens in Huntersville, North Carolina. He owns Hill Mortuary Service & Seminars, an embalming, restorative arts, and continuing education service and trade embalms for Rouse Mortuary Service in Greenville, NC on his days off. He is also a Mortuary Science Instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College in Fayetteville, NC and Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, GA.
He became a Restorative Arts Specialist by furthering his Mortuary Science education under Vernie R. Fountain. He has also received continued education in Anatomical Preservation and Dissection Theory.
His story is featured in the September 2022 issue of Southern Calls Magazine. He has a passion not only to serve families during their most difficult time, but to instruct and inspire current and future funeral professionals to better themselves and succeed.
Duane E. Hills
President, Joseph Gawler’s Sons, LLC
Graduated from Simmons School of Mortuary Science in Syracuse, NY in 1978.
Served my apprenticeship at Seager Jones Funeral Home in Bath, NY from 1978-1979
I became licensed in New York in November 1979.
I served as the secretary, treasurer and sexton of the Rural Home Cemetery in Big Flats, NY for 23 years. While in Big Flats I was very active in the Rotary Club, where I was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, the Fire Department, and the Historical Society as a board member and a member and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church.
I sold my funeral homes to the Loewen Group in February 1995 and was the GM of four funeral homes; Carpenter’s Funeral Home and Beilby Funeral Home in Corning, NY, Hills Funeral Home in Big Flats, NY and Ballard and Lindgren Funeral Home in Elmira Heights, NY.
I remained on as a GM with the Alderwoods group and then became an MGM of Western NY until the SCI acquisition and transferred to Lufkin, TX in February 2008 having the responsibility of Gipson Funeral Home, Oakley Metcalf Funeral Home, Cason-Monk Metcalf Funeral Directors and the Garden of Memories Memorial Park as the GM.
I transferred to Joseph Gawler’s Sons, LLC in August 2012 as an assistant manager of operations and was promoted to President in February 2013.
One of my key interests is American History and am a member of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia. I enjoy studying the American Civil War time period in particular.
In August 2022, I along with my coauthor Alice Adams published a book on the history of Joseph Gawler’s Sons and funeral service. The book is titled, “One Block West of the White House”. Our second book, “Washington’s Sinners & Saints: Lost in History was released in December 2023.
Eric Layer
Partner, McKee Wallwork
Eric Layer is the author of The Right Way of Death: Restoring the American Funeral Business to Its True Calling. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics, and a Master of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of York. Eric has spent his entire life around funeral service. His parents were married in the chapel of the mortuary where they both worked, and his childhood was marked by firsthand experience with the funeral homes and cemetery where his family built their careers. Today, he heads up a variety of consulting efforts as partner at McKee Wallwork, an internationally recognized organizational identity firm that specializes in bespoke solutions to unify and inspire leading companies from the inside out. Eric has consulted for globally recognized funeral brands and has played an integral role in their campaigns, products, and research efforts. He has presented in front of thousands of leading funeral professionals, including Selected Independent Funeral Homes, CANA, and numerous state and provincial associations.
Ryan Thogmartin
CEO/Owner DISRUPT Media | More Fans. More Conversations. More Leads.
Ryan Thogmartin is a driven entrepreneur who is passionate about creating positive change and making a difference. He is a forward-thinking leader who is constantly exploring new ways to innovate and break the status quo.
As the founder of UnKommon Empire and CEO of DISRUPT Media, a two-time Inc. 5000 company, he’s developed expertise in relationship marketing and lead generation, as well as cultivating change in stagnant fields. This work has helped businesses scale and create millions of dollars in revenue.
In addition to his work with DISRUPT Media, Ryan is a highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and coach. He’s given keynote speeches nationwide and has consulted with publicly traded companies. Ryan is known for inspiring and motivating audiences to think differently and take action.
Most importantly, he is a worship-driven believer, and a devoted family man to his wife and two daughters. When he is not working, he enjoys playing golf, personal development, and indulging in his love of stylish footwear.
Damon Wenig, MBA, CFSP
National FET and Preneed Director, The Krause Group
Damon Wenig, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and former funeral home operator is passionate about expanding the service people experience before, during, and after their funeral. Damon’s background in funeral service gives him a unique perspective on the remarkable work of the funeral director to make a meaningful difference in their community.
While still practicing as a funeral director, Damon also serves as the National Director of Preneed and FET at The Krause Group - a national leader in asset preservation solutions, resources, and education for long-term care, helping everyone to leave the legacy they deserve.
Damon holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from the University of Massachusetts, a Degree in Mortuary Science from Worsham College, and a bachelor’s degree in theology from Moody Bible Institute.
Convention Sponsors
MasterChoiceTitle SponsorLearn More | Atlantic Coast Life InsurancePresident's DinnerLearn More | Cincinnati Equitable Life Insurance CoWednesday Trade Show LunchLearn More |
The Decain GroupTuesday Trade Show LunchLearn More | Funeral Home GiftsMemorial BlanketsLearn More | funeralOneCoffee Cup SleevesLearn More |
Hilton Funeral SupplyConvention BagsLearn More | Homesteaders Life CompanyOpening PartyLearn More | Johnson Consulting GroupConvention PensLearn More |
MessengerMemorial Service Tribute Video & OrnamentsLearn More | Premier Preneed MarketingSpeaker Eric LayerLearn More | Saguaro Forensic Consulting Firm, LLCThursday Trade Show LunchLearn More |
Visit Hamilton County IndianaIce Cream Bar Thursday on the Trade Show FloorLearn More |