Monday

10:00 a.m.Board of Governors Meeting- Coldwater Golf Links / Ames, IA

11:00 a.m.Golf Outing Registration & Luncheon- Coldwater Golf Links / Ames, IA

12 NoonShotgun StartIFDA and Coldwater Golf Links invite you to enjoy an afternoon of golf with your colleagues.

5:00 p.m.Golf Outing Awards

6:00 - 7:00 p.m.Convention Registration and Check-In at Gateway Hotel*

7:00 p.m.Board of Governors Dinner Tuesday

7:00 a.m. - NoonRegistration and Check-In- Scheman Building / Iowa State Center

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.Opening Ceremonies

8:30 - 10:15 a.m.Keynote: The Inner Secrets of Outrageous MarketingRon Rosenberg / Quality Talk / 2 CE - Benton Auditorium / Scheman Building

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.IFDA Business Meeting- Benton Auditorium / Scheman BuildingIFDA Leadership will review the past year and outline strategies for 2009. This session is for members only. An agenda will be sent to members prior to the Convention.

11:10 a.m. - NoonDon’t Let Your Attitude Run Off Track... SMILELinda Darby-Sempsrott / Trigard / 1 CE

Noon - 1:00 p.m.Wilbert Luncheon

Noon - 1:00 p.m.Past President’s Luncheon

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.Convention Registration and Check-In at Hilton Coliseum*

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.Exhibit Hall Grand Opening*Join your colleagues in Hilton Coliseum to check out the newest products and services available for you, your funeral home and the families you serve.1 CE (max)

2:30 - 4:30 p.m.Cocktails on the Exhibit Hall FloorYour packet will contain two drink tickets! (if applicable) Be sure to take advantage of this fun time on the Exhibit Hall Floor!

6:00 - 6:30 p.m.Celebration of Life- Gateway HotelThis Celebration honors the IFDA members and family members who have passed away during the past year.

6:30 - 7:00 p.m.Cocktail Reception- Gateway Hotel

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.Presidential Banquet and Awards Ceremony- Gateway HotelPlan for a delightful evening to celebrate 129 years of IFDA, as well as the accompishments and milestones of IFDA members. Be sure to stay for the drawing!

8:30 - 11:00 p.m.Casino Night - Gateway HotelJoin us for an evening of luck and laughter as IFDA introduces Casino Night for your gambling pleasure.

Wednesday

7:00 - 9:00 a.m.Concurrent Continuing Education Sessions (Choose One) Session A: Roundtables Securities Bureau, Vital Records, Iowa’s Smoke Free

Air Act, Board of Mortuary Science, National Funeral Directors Association, State Medical Examiner, Iowa Estate Recovery Program and Iowa Lions Eye Bank 2 CE (max) Session B: Iowa Laws & Rules Kevin Patterson / Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) 2 CE

9:00 - 9:10 a.m.Break

9:10 - 10:00 a.m.Straight Talk - Organ & Tissue Donation and the Funeral DirectorDavid Walkinshaw / 1 CE

10:00 - 2:00 p.m.Convention Registration and Check-In at Hilton Coliseum*

10:00 - 2:00 p.m.Exhibit Hall*Visit with old friends and meet new exhibitors at the IFDA Exhibit Hall1 CE (max)

10:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Spouse Luncheon and Outing-Bus departs Gateway Hotel (see Convention Information section for more information)

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.Batesville Luncheon on Exhibit Floor

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.Convention Registration and Check-In at Scheman Building*

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.Concurrent Continuing Education Sessions (choose one) Session A: Pre-Need Due Diligence /Cremation Litigation Scott Gilligan / National Funeral Directors Association 3 CE Session B: Annual OSHA Training Mike Mittenzwei, CFSP / New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association 3 CE

5:00 - 6:30 p.m.Dinner Break

6:00 - 6:30 p.m.Convention Registration and Check-In at Gateway Hotel*

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.Concurrent Continuing Education Sessions (choose one of three) Session A: Funeral Rule Compliance Update Scott Gilligan / National Funeral Directors Association 2 CE

Session B: Pre-Need Insurance & Pre-Arranged Funerals Steve Whitaker / Homesteaders Life Company 2 CE Session C: Iowa Laws & Rules Kevin Patterson / DMACC 2 CE

Thursday

8:00 a.m. - NoonConvention Registration and Check-In at Scheman Building*

9:00 a.m. - NoonConcurrent Continuing Education Sessions (choose one) Session A: The Right Approach to the Difficult Case Ken Whittaker / Dallas Institute of Funeral Service 3 CE Session B: Case Studies in Agent Ethics Steve Whitaker / Homesteaders Life Company 3 CE

Total CE Hours14 hours + 1 hour for exhibits = 15

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Convention Schedule

This year, the IFDA Staff will again be available to check you in for the Convention at various places, including prior to the actual check-in the first day of the Convention. By checking-in or registering this way, you will avoid the long lines during the Convention!

Registration and Check-In…on the move andwhereyouare!Convention Registration will also be available at Hilton Coliseum during the Exhibit Hall Hours, at the Gateway Hotel prior to Convention functions held there, as well as at the Scheman Building during the continuing education sessions.

*Convention Check In andOnsite Registration MoreConvenient!

The Inner Secrets of Outrageous Marketing / 2 CE / Tues, April 14, 8:30 a.m.Ron Rosenberg / Keynote Speaker Marketing and customer service expert Ron Rosenberg will share 10 proven strategies for unprecedented business growth. In this highly interactive and entertaining session you will discover: The “secret question” that will completely change the way you look at your business; Why people say, “So what?” when they see your marketing materials; Three things you don’t know about your customers that are costing you money; The long-term value of a customer and its impor-tance to your bottom line; and 5 critical marketing metrics to let you know what’s working... and what’s not.Ron Rosenberg is an award-winning expert in marketing and customer service with strategies tested and proven in the real world. He has been featured in major publications and radio talk shows such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and ABC Radio. Ron is also an accomplished magician who performs exciting magical effects to drive home key points and keep the audience riveted to the program.

Don’t Let Your Attitude Run Off Track... SMILE! / 1 CE / Tues, April 14, 11:10 a.m. Linda Darby-SempsrottThis presentation has motivational quotes sprinkled throughout that Linda uses to inspire herself and her employees. We all need to be motivated now and then, and this presentation will be sure to keep the audience smiling! The presentation starts off with an introduction that covers the philosophy that attitude is choice. Linda then gives the audience tips to get their attitudes headed in the right direction.Linda Darby-Sempsrott has been in the memorialization industry since graduating from Illinois State University in 1984. As co-owner of her family’s business, along with her sister and brother, Linda works very closely with the sales and marketing for the Trigard product line. Linda’s current title is CEO of Trigard, and she is also co-owner of Sunset’s seven funeral homes and memorial park.

Roundtables / 2 CE (max) / Wed., April 15, 7:00 a.m.The roundtable sessions are back by popular demand! You must have your continuing education card punched after EACH roundtable session to receive con-ed. Each session is 0.5 hour con-ed. The speakers and topics listed below are subject to change. This year’s roundtables include:Securities Bureau / Dennis Britson; Vital Records / Victoria Hutton; Iowa’s Smoke Free Air Act / Brent Saron; Board of Mortuary Science / Ella Mae Baird and LuJean Welander; National Funeral Directors Association / Bob Rosson; State Medical Examiner / John Kraemer; Iowa Estate Recovery Program / Ben Chatman; Iowa Lions Eye Bank / Katie Charter

Iowa Laws and Rules / 2 CE / Wed., April 15, 7:00 a.m. Kevin Patterson This seminar will provide the required review of Iowa Laws and Rules to licensed funeral directors. The seminar will cover changes in the Iowa laws, which have occurred in the past several years, as well as proposed changes in the laws and rules. Kevin Patterson is a licensed funeral director in Iowa, Florida and Missouri. He is the chair of the Des Moines Area Com-munity College Mortuary Science program in Ankeny, Iowa. Kevin has been a faculty member at DMACC since begin-ning the program in 2004. Kevin currently teaches the Funeral Law course, which includes Iowa Laws and Rules.

Straight Talk: Organ & Tissue Donation and the Funeral / 1 CEWed., April 15, 9:10 a.m. David J. Walkinshaw, CFSP This seminar features IFDA’s newly developed brochure “Organ & Tissue Donation and the Funeral,” which is the first at-tempt by any funeral service organization in the country to directly address some of the many issues that surround this topic. This brochure is designed specifically to be neutral about donations, neither expressing a position in favor or against it, but instead to help the funeral director assist those they serve make informed decisions. David Walkinshaw has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1981. In 1990, David began a consulting practice to assist funeral directors with the management and financial issues involved in funeral home operations. He has been a trainer and lecturer on progressive funeral service and communication issues since 1992. David has been published in both Mortuary Management and the Director magazines and has been an Expert Funeral Service Witness.

Pre-Need Due Diligence/Cremation Litigation / 3 CE / Wed., April 15, 2:00 p.m. T. Scott GilliganIn this seminar, Scott Gilligan will review the NPS implosion that has adversely impacted many IFDA members as well as

Convention Seminars

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NFDA’s new guidelines on selecting pre-need trust providers and insurance companies. Scott will also discuss general cremation liabilities that funeral homes face on a day-to-day basis, with a review of recent litigation involving crema-tion.T. Scott Gilligan is an attorney with Gilligan Law Offices in Cincinnati, OH, and serves as the General Counsel to the Na-tional Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). He has authored the 2003 edition of Mortuary Law, a textbook widely used in mortuary colleges. He has also provided numerous seminars to funeral associations throughout the country.

Annual OSHA Training / 3 CE / Wed., April 15, 2:00 p.m.Michael MittenzweiThis seminar will cover everything funeral service professionals need to know about general worklplace safety, hazard communications, formaldehyde, bloodborne pathogens and such diseases as avian flu, tuberculosis, meningitis and CJD.Michael W. Mittenzwei, CFSP is a licensed New Jersey funeral director with over 20 years experience in funeral service. Michael is the primary membership contact in the field for the NFSFDA, conducting site visits to member locations and contributing supplemental field support. He assists with regulatory and professional needs of members including but not limited to FTC, OSHA and various state boards of mortuary science regulations.

Funeral Rule Compliance Update / 2 CE / Wed., April 15, 6:30 p.m. T. Scott GilliganIn the first part of this seminar, Scott Gilligan will review the top ten compliance issues under the Funeral Rule. The remain-ing portion will examine 26 different components of funeral home price lists. The seminar will emphasize well-designed or innovative price listings and will involve a discussion of pricing methods permitted and prohibited by the Funeral Rule.T. Scott Gilligan is an attorney with Gilligan Law Offices in Cincinnati, OH, and serves as the General Counsel to the Na-tional Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). He has authored the 2003 edition of Mortuary Law, a textbook widely used in mortuary colleges. He has also provided numerous seminars to funeral associations throughout the country.

Pre-Need Insurance & Pre-Arranged Funerals / 2 CE / Wed., April 15, 6:30 p.m.Steve WhitakerThis seminar is a review of pre-need contracts and their structure and insurance and FTC compliance issues. Steve will also review how insurance products are structured to address compliance and contract issues. Steve Whitaker, director of Educational Services, has been with Homesteaders Life Company since May of 1994. He is responsible for such things as the administration, development and implementation of continuing education courses for Homesteaders. Since he joined Homesteaders, Steve has taught several insurance and funeral service continuing edu-cation courses in several states.

Iowa Laws and Rules / 2 CE / Wed., April 15, 6:30 p.m. Kevin Patterson This seminar will provide the required review of Iowa Laws and Rules to licensed funeral directors. The seminar will cover changes in the Iowa laws, which have occurred in the past several years, as well as proposed changes in the laws and rules. Kevin Patterson is a licensed funeral director in Iowa, Florida and Missouri. He is the chair of the Des Moines Area Com-munity College Mortuary Science program in Ankeny, Iowa. Kevin has been a faculty member at DMACC since begin-ning the program in 2004. Kevin currently teaches the Funeral Law course, which includes Iowa Laws and Rules.

The Right Approach to the Difficult Case / 3 CE / Thur., April 16, 9:00 a.m.Ken WhittakerThis seminar will deal with several of the more difficult situations which embalmers face in preparing the dead. The intent will be to look at such challenges as the unsightly swollen condition, the problem of constant leakage that is difficult to stop/control, etc. Another segment of the seminar will deal with suggestions on how to solve some of the most difficult and unusual types of restorative and cosmetic cases.Ken Whittaker is approved by the Texas Work Force Commission for instruction in the subjects of Embalming, Restorative Art, Cosmetology, Speech Communications, The History of Funeral Service, Funeral Service Ethics, along with many other areas. He is licensed as both a funeral director and embalmer.

Case Studies in Agent Ethics / 3 CE / Thur., April 16, 9:00 a.m.Steve WhitakerThis seminar is a review of actual insurance cases and the ethical implications of decisions about how to handle them. It will also cover insurance ethics considerations when funeral directors/agents work with families who prefund funerals with pre-need insurance. Steve Whitaker, director of Educational Services, has been with Homesteaders Life Company since May of 1994. He is responsible for such things as the administration, development and implementation of continuing education courses for Homesteaders. Since he joined Homesteaders, Steve has taught several insurance and funeral service continuing edu-cation courses in several states.

129th Annual IFDA

April 14 - 16, 2009

ConventionRegistration

Booklet Convention

Information

Registration

Register by Friday,March27,2009, to save money!

Complete the enclosed form to register for the 2009 IFDA Annual Convention. The form must be filled out in its entirety and returned with payment to the IFDA Of-fice. In order to apply for the early registration discount, forms must be postmarked by March27,2009.

All other registrations will be accepted with a late fee at the IFDA registration desk at the Convention. Forms that are not completely filled out or not returned with a check will be considered a late registration and sub-ject to the late fee.

Please make checks payable to Iowa Funeral Directors Association or IFDA (we are unable to accept credit cards).

Exhibit Hours

The Exhibit Hall is located in Hilton Coliseum of the Iowa State Center. Admission into the Exhibit Hall, as well as all activities, is by IFDA name badge only.

Tuesday/April14,2009/1:00p.m.-5:00p.m.2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Cocktails on Exhibit Floor

Wednesday/April15,2009/10:00a.m.-2:00p.m.12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch on Exhibit Floor

ExhibitHallDrawingCardMany exhibitors are participating in a DRAWING CARD again this year. Once you collect initials from the en-tire set of designated exhibitors, turn your card in to be part of the cash drawing to be held at 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Look for the special signs of those exhibitors sponsoring this event. Attendees must be present to win during the CASH DRAWING!

Hotel Reservations

IFDA has selected The Gateway Hotel as the Head-quarters Hotel for the 2009 IFDA Annual Convention.

TheGatewayHotel2100 Green Hills Drive / Hwy. 30 & University Blvd.Ames, IA 50010p 515.292.8600 / p 800.FOR.AMESwww.gatewayames.com

Rates(single or double): $92/night for 2 Dble or 1 KingOther options available – check with Reservations Office at the Gateway Hotel

GeneralHotelInformation:Please make your reservation directly with the hotel. To receive the group rate at each of the locations, please tell the reservations personnel that you are with IFDA. Please consult individual hotels regarding check-in and check-out times, as well as guaranteed late arrival poli-cies.

Spouse Outing & LUncheon

Wednesday,April15,2009/10:45a.m.GatewayHotelIt’sAllAboutME!Carin Eckhoff invites you to join her in a new experi-ence at “It’s All About ME!” Boutique & Spa in down-town Ames. You will find this harmony business locat-ed in downtown Ames to be one of the most unique atmospheres in all of Central Iowa. Everyone who at-tends will experience a little ME! time – with friends. We will start with a warm paraffin hand treatment, followed by a relaxing back massage, and a make “under” with Bare Minerals makeup. You are sure to leave feeling refreshed and glowing! A light lunch and other treats will be included.

We will meet in the lobby of the Gateway Hotel at 10:45 AM on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 for 2½ hours “All about ME!” The cost of the Spouse Luncheon and Outing is $35 and is limited to the first 30 who register. Tickets must be ordered on the Convention Registration Form. If you have questions, contact Suzanne Gebel, IFDA Executive Director, at 800.982.6561.

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