ICFSEB

05/21/2026

👏 Thank you, Indiana Funeral Directors Association!

🗣️ The Conference is proud to have presented on the importance of funeral service regulation, licensure, and the role of the National Board Exam at the 145th IFDA Annual Convention this week in Noblesville, IN.

🌟 We also dished out several of our new “NBE Certified” tumblers to the esteemed crew of NBE passers at Mid-America College of Funeral Service and IFDA President Raymond White!

05/15/2026

🚨 Applications are now open for The Conference’s Delegate Grant Program for Regulatory Board Service 101 in Vail, Colorado on August 26!

🧠 This all-day training session led by Conference Legal Counsel Dale Atkinson is designed specifically for funeral service regulatory board members and administrators looking to strengthen their understanding of professional regulation and public protection.

🫵 Selected grant recipients will receive funding from The Conference to cover travel and lodging expenses to attend the meeting.

Topics include:
• Why government regulates the funeral service profession
• Legislative and regulatory interpretation
• Licensure processes
• Applications & renewals
• Due process
• Board authority
• Enforcement
• Communication & outreach (internal and external)
• And more!

🗣️ This session offers valuable insight into the responsibilities and challenges of funeral service regulation for all levels of board members and administrators. Spots are limited. Click the link below to apply!

https://theconferenceonline.org/rbs-application/

04/21/2026

🗣️ Last call!

✍️ The Conference’s Q&A with candidates will be TODAY at 1:15 p.m. CT

⏳ See y’all soon!

🗣️ Let’s talk about the National Board Exam!

💻 Join Conference staff for a live Q&A Zoom session designed to familiarize funeral service candidates with the exam process. We’ll cover everything from how the exam is developed to what you can expect on test day—plus the study tools that can help you succeed.

❓ Have questions? We have answers.

✍️ Sign up today! Space is limited.

Convene with The Conference Q&A
April 21, 2026, 1:15 p.m. CT
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FIOdlmT6Tw-8iOIvlBuW0Q #/registration

04/20/2026

🚨 ICYMI: The Conference is hosting our first virtual learning session on April 21 at 12 p.m. CT.

💻 The session will focus on conflict identification and resolution for regulatory boards. It will be led by Dale Atkinson, Conference legal counsel and regulatory expert.

✍️ Sign up today! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8po9zcQsQZ-qpxdzL7R11w #/registration

04/17/2026

👏 The Conference staff had a fantastic time at the 64th ABFSE Annual Conference in Houston, TX.

📚 We’re always proud to support and collaborate with such dedicated educators on the future of funeral service.

🏆 Funeral service regulation isn’t the only thing we champion. Our very own Anna Scott Chesshir is the 2026 ABFSE co****le tournament winner!

👋 See you all next year!

04/16/2026

🥳 Congrats to the winners of the ICFSEB raffle: Michael LuBrant and Rebecca Gardner!

👋 Thank you to all who stopped by our booth at the ABFSE Annual Meeting in Houston. We had a great time connecting with so many funeral service educators and professionals.

⏳ We’re looking forward to seeing you all again next year!

04/07/2026

🗣️ Let’s talk about the National Board Exam!

💻 Join Conference staff for a live Q&A Zoom session designed to familiarize funeral service candidates with the exam process. We’ll cover everything from how the exam is developed to what you can expect on test day—plus the study tools that can help you succeed.

❓ Have questions? We have answers.

✍️ Sign up today! Space is limited.

Convene with The Conference Q&A
April 21, 2026, 1:15 p.m. CT
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FIOdlmT6Tw-8iOIvlBuW0Q #/registration

03/25/2026

📢 Introducing The Conference’s 2026 Board of Directors!

👏 Please join us in congratulating our Executive Officers:

Chris Howard (Missouri), President
Kortney Adams (Nova Scotia), Vice President
Matalie Mickens (South Carolina), Secretary/Treasurer
Karen Carruthers (Alberta), Past President

🤩 We also want to extend a warm welcome to our newly elected board members — Amy Acord Elston (North Carolina), Mark Evely (Michigan), and Jonathan Rideout (Kentucky) — who begin their three-year terms.

📈 Together, these dedicated leaders bring a wealth of experience and commitment to strengthening public protection through funeral service regulation.

03/17/2026

🥳 Congrats to our Spring 2026 Harvey Leavitt, III NBE Scholarship winners!

📚 The scholarship allows recipients to sit for both sections of the National Board Exam with the examination fee waived (a $570 value).

💻 View the winning responses via The Conference website: https://theconferenceonline.org/spring-2026-harvey-leavitt-iii-nbe-scholarships-awarded/

03/17/2026

"It is my hope and my wish that your heart will break into a thousand pieces as you reflect on what you've done, and the scope of the harm you've caused,"

This statement delivered in court reflects the devastating impact that a lack of regulation caused hundreds of families in Colorado.

For years, funeral homes in Colorado operated under minimal regulatory oversight, lacking licensure & inspection requirements. This will change at the start of 2027 because of Senate Bill 24-173, which established licensure the state had been missing.

Effective regulation is crucial to protecting the public and upholding the integrity of the funeral service profession.

Read more on the latest about Return to Nature Tragedy and Colorado's new funeral service licensure legislation:

Carie Hallford was sentenced Monday morning to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 18 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

01/12/2026

🚨Don't forget to register for The Conference's 122nd Annual Meeting in Louisville, KY!

🗣️ Join fellow funeral service professionals as we cover a variety of relevant topics affecting the profession.

💻 Sign up today and see more information on our website: https://theconferenceonline.org/annual-meeting-homepage/