May 14-Butte-Jessie Billquist District Governor

Metals Sports Bar

Cocktails 5:30-6 pm

No-host dinner 6-8 pm

Speakers

Dan Hollis and Jim Axelson discussing DMORT

May 15-Missoula-Fred Nelson District Governor

Garden City Funeral Home

Holiday Inn Downtown

Cocktails 5

Dinner 6

Speakers 6-8

Tyson Moore-

Board of Funeral Service Update

Monument Sales

Jim Brown

Association Update

State of Montana/ new rules and regulations

Join MFDA in Missoula for the 2024 Convention and Trade Show at the Holiday Inn Downtown.

Speakers to date

POUL LEMASTERS, Esq.

About — Lemasters (lemastersconsulting.com)

Poul began his career in deathcare more than 20 years ago as a funeral director and embalmer. He quickly recognized that the growing risk and liability in deathcare along with the lack of support and resources for those in this profession made for a deadly combination. So, he decided to go to law school—and he passed!

Today, Poul uses his unique background in both deathcare and law to provide resources and counsel to other deathcare professionals. He gets calls for assistance in risk management, daily operational conflicts, form and contract reviews, valuations, and regulatory matters. Basically, all the exciting issues our profession has to offer. Poul advises several funeral home, crematory, cemetery, and trade associations across the United States. He also shares his know-how with those in the field by serving as Cremation Coordinator and Advisor for ICCFA's Cremation Education Program.

You're always welcome to call Poul to learn about proactive prevention for your business, or for some reactive counseling after you get sued.

Dominick Astorino

Home (dominickastorino.com)

Dominick J. Astorino is on faculty at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago and the Wayne State University Department of Mortuary Science in Detroit where he writes and teaches courses in embalming, restorative art, and pathology. His academic background in biology, mortuary science, and forensic medicine combined with his ability to teach advanced techniques by applying basic principles make him uniquely qualified and have earned him accolades from students and colleagues alike.

His professional work in the field of restorative art and embalming has been highlighted in publications worldwide as well as by frequent invitations to present lectures across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Dominick believes in the power of education and the global value of the funeral service profession to society; he worked to create the Kenyan Embalming Education Initiative, which brought a standard of care, education, and supplies to the underprivileged mortuary workers in Kenya and presented the first formal embalming education seminar on the continent of Africa. He continues to work to improve mortuary care standards in countries across the world.

Dominick also provides expert witness, review, and consultations for legal proceedings related to mortuary science, has served on the restorative art curriculum review committee for the American Board of Funeral Service Education, and is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the states of Michigan and Illinois.

Tracy Rassley

Tracy is the Programs Manager for the Montana and Wyoming Chapters of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). After twenty-four years as a paralegal and volunteering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for almost seven years she has now been in her current position over a year. She has presented countless trainings for AFSP that include Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention, Supporting Those at Risk, It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health, and It’s Real: College Students and Mental Health. In addition, she is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainer.

What You Need to Know About a Death By Suicide and Loss Survivors

This presentation will provide you with information regarding suicide and suicide deaths. It will also go through some of the resources that we have available to funeral homes to provide support for family members of those who have died by suicide.









 



MFDA Convention and Trade Show

June 23-25, 2024

Holiday Inn Downtown, Missoula



2024 NFDA International Convention and Expo

October 20, 2024 - October 23, 2024

New Orleans