EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:
The association offers continuing education forums at various
times throughout each year, featuring presentations on topics
that are timely, cost effective, and highly informative to
funeral directors and embalmers. The majority of these programs
are approved for CEU credit by the Georgia State Board of
Funeral Service.
The GFDA Annual Conference, usually held
in late spring or early summer, provides the opportunity for
members to keep abreast of the rapidly changing funeral service
environment through seminars led by industry renowned professionals.
The association also holds either District
Meetings in the fall and/or a Mid-Winter Conference in January
or February. These meetings provide opportunities for members
to gather and discuss the most current issues involving the
association and the funeral service profession. The Mid-Winter
Conference affords continuing education and forums for discussion
on current issues and legislation.
PUBLICATIONS: GFDA publishes a newsletter
that is distributed to all members throughout the state. The
“GFDA Newsletter” provides a forum for information
about association activities and funeral service for dissemination
to the membership.
In addition to editorials by the President
and Executive Director, the newsletter contains valuable third
party, legislative, compliance-related and funeral service
management articles. The newsletter is available to the general
membership for open letters, comments, praises or suggestions
regarding association activities and serves as the conduit
for updates on GFDA Committee activities.
STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION: GFDA maintains
a government affairs lobbyist who continuously monitors legislation
of interest to the funeral service profession. Our lobbyist
works closely with the Executive Board and Executive Director
to monitor legislation and express views of the association
to elected leadership of Georgia. Additionally, the lobbyist
maintains close working relationships with state regulatory
agencies, related funeral industry organizations, the insurance
industry, and the business and legal communities. On the national
level, GFDA corresponds with members of the Georgia Congressional
Delegation regarding federal issues of concern to the funeral
profession.
The association maintains the Georgia Funeral
Directors Association Political Action Committee (GFDA PAC).
The GFDA PAC forms the basis of contributions to political
campaigns and allows the association to take a proactive stance
in the elective process in Georgia. Through the GFDA PAC,
the association lends our support to candidates who are advocates
of GFDA views and opinions as regards funeral service profession
legislation.
NATIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION: GFDA,
through a choice/federated membership structure, maintains
a close working relationship with the National Funeral Directors
Association (NFDA), the largest funeral service organization
in the world. NFDA offers a wide range of services and benefits
to its members, including input on key federal legislation,
federal compliance information, public relations tools, “The
Director Magazine” subscription, workshops, and more.
GFDA is represented on the NFDA Policy Board,
an advisory committee to State Associations and members. Additionally,
GFDA has its own delegates and alternate delegates to the
NFDA House of Delegates, the governing body of NFDA at the
annual meeting.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: GFDA, through its Executive
Committee and Executive Director, serves as a resource center
for information on all aspects of funeral service. Calls are
fielded daily from members, non-members and the general public
requesting assistance, from employment opportunities to public
awareness questions to consumer concerns. GFDA serves as a
clearinghouse for the public on questions about all aspects
of funeral service, and strives to answer all questions in
a courteous manner while providing a greater understanding
of the funeral service profession.
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