Michigan Funeral Directors

2025_conv_logo

Funeral Directors from across Michigan will convene in Mount Pleasant at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort on May 12-14, 2025, for the Michigan Funeral Directors Association’s Annual Convention. 

Please join us for the MFDA Golf Outing on Monday, May 12, 2025, at Bucks Run Golf Club in Mt. Pleasant, MI, exhibitors are welcome to participate.

Check out the information below for more event details.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

For more information on the Mount Pleasant area, visit the Meet Mt. Pleasant website.

 

Registration Fees

Type Before May 6, 2025 Onsite/After May 6, 2025
MFDA Member $200 $250
Non-Member    $350 $400
MFDA Retiree/Spouse $100 $125
MFDA Past President $0 $0
Non-Licensed Spouse/Staff $100 $150
MFDA Student/Resident Trainee $25 $25
777 Club Member/Spouse  $0 $0
Golf Outing $200 $200

 

Registration

Online registration will open February 1, 2025!

Register for MFDA’s 147th Annual Convention to be held May 12-14, 2025, at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant, MI. Those who register prior to May 6 will receive $50 special discount.

Convention Registration includes: All educational programming, the exhibition, Service of Remembrance, Honors Reception and the MFDA Party.

Hotel Details

Host Hotel

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48858

Group Rate $149

Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort

 

To Register Online:

  • Reserve your room by clicking HERE
  • Select “Book Now” and then change the “Promo Code” to “Group Code” by selecting the drop-down arrow.
  • Enter the group code MFDA051125 and complete your reservation.
  • Make sure to select the conference dates in May 2025 to get accurate information.

To Register Via Phone:

  • Call the reservation department at 1-877-232-4532 and use the same group code MFDA051125.

Room Block Available Until April 4, 2025

2025 MFDA Convention Schedule of Events

Monday, May 12, 2025

Bucks Run Golf Club
1559 S Chippewa Rd, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

Bucks Run Golf course

9:00 am Registration
10:00 am Shotgun Start
Lunch on the turn
Golf is $200 per person or $800 for a foursome

Bucks Run Golf Club, Michigan’s premier golfing destination, sits on 290 acres of luscious bent-grass in scenic Mt. Pleasant, MI. The award-winning golf course features 18 holes spread across natural wetlands, wooded areas, river frontage, and picturesque lakes. The course is abundant with beautifully sculpted tee boxes and fairways, while the sand bunkers and rough prove to be both challenging and fair.

 

MONDAY, MAY 12, 2025

9:00 a.m.  Golf Outing Registration

10:00 a.m. Shot Gun Start

Bucks Run Golf Club

Bucks Run Golf Club

TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025
7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Exhibitor Move-In
7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. REGISTRATION OPEN

8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Annual Meeting

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Service of Remembrance

11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Workshop/Luncheon

Kelly Koerner

Presented by: Kelly Koerner

"Supporting Grieving Children & Teens"

Kelly Koerner, MA, LPC serves as the Program Director of Ele's Place-Capital Region. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, Kelly also has a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Adler University in Chicago, Il.  As the longest continuously serving employee of Ele’s Place, she has proudly held a number of positions within the organization, including Bereavement Coordinator, Program Volunteer Coordinator and Associate Program Director.  Prior to working at Ele’s Place, Kelly worked for a non-profit organization in Chicago supporting children and teens in foster care.   

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Keynote Speaker
Mark Dantonio

Presented by: Coach Mark Dantonio

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State University’s Hall of Fame football Coach. Coach Dantonio was the Head Football Coach at Michigan State University from 2007 to 2019, presiding over the most successful era in the program’s history.  He led the Michigan State Spartans to three Big Ten Conference championships and eight victories over archrival Michigan in 13 years.

2:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

GRAND OPENING OF EXPOSITION HALL

6:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.

WSU Reception

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. REGISTRATION OPEN
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.  Workshop
Stephen Kemp

Presented by: Stephen Kemp

"OSHA & Medical Waste Training"

Stephen R. Kemp, CFSP is owner of Kemp Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Southfield, Michigan. He was formerly an Instructor at Wayne State’s Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He is a graduate of Wayne State University and the University of Tennessee and was also a senior research Associate at the Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute.  He has presented many Research articles for the NFDA, NFDMA and other associations.  He also participated on a panel on Terrorism and Infectious disease agent treatment

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Workshop - EDRS

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop

Mark Klingenberger

Presented by: Mark Klingenberger

"Better Communication with Families"

Mark Klingenberger began his career in 1988 when he joined Hillenbrand Industries with Forethought.  He worked managing Premier Preneed for D.O. McComb and Sons Funeral Homes for 6 years before he joined Wilbert in 2005.  There he held several roles including the Vice President of Sales & Marketing.   He is currently managing Sales & Marketing for Brutsche Concrete.

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Past Presidents Luncheon (Invitation Only)
12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EXPOSITION HALL OPEN
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. MMSF Meeting
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Workshop
Dominick Astorino

Presented by: Dominick Astorino

"Defending the Truth: Embalming, Media & Bias"

Dominick J. Astorino is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the states of Michigan and Illinois and has taught in the mortuary science department at Wayne State University for the last 10 years. He is frequently invited to present lectures on embalming and restorative art across the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Most recently, he is the author of the new restorative art textbook entitled Postmortem Restorative Art: Principles, Methods, and Applications.

Workshop Sponsored by Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Honors Recognition Ceremony

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

MFDA Party

With Music from Frog and The Beeftones

Exhibit/Sponsor Registration

Click here to register!

Exhibitor & Sponsor Details

  • Booth size: 9' Wide x 12' Deep
  • Includes complimentary electrical
  • Booth Fees: $800

EXHIBIT HOURS

MOVE IN  

Monday, May 12, 2025

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

7:00 am – 2:00 pm

SHOW HOURS  
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 2:15 pm - 6:00 pm
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 12:30 am - 3:30 pm

 

REMINDERS

DEADLINES
  • March 7, 2025 - Exhibit and Sponsorship Contracts due
  • April 4, 2025- Hotel room block special rate ends
BOOTH LEASE* INCLUDES

 

  • Electrical outlet included (must bring your own extension cord/power strip)
  • Three (3) Full Convention Registrations
  • Draped Backwall & Sidewall (Burgundy/Black)
  • Carpeting
  • Listing in 2025 Convention Materials
  • Security

*For each additional booth purchased you will receive 1 additional convention registration badge.

*Separate from this Lease, you can rent tables, chairs and other items for your booth from Art Craft Display, or you may bring your own tables, chairs, etc. for your booth. Information will be sent after Booth Lease is confirmed.

BOOTH STAFF Exhibit & Vehicle Rates include the following number of Badges:
  • Booth = 3 badges (each additional booth purchased includes 1 additional badge)
  • 1 Vehicle = 5 Badges
  • 2 Vehicles = 8 Badges
  • 3 Vehicles = 10 Badges
  • 4 Vehicles = 12 Badges

 

Please contact Sandy West at swest@mfda.org for Exhibitor or Sponsor registration information.

 

2025 Service of Remembrance

 

2025 Honoree Achievements in Funeral Service

To ensure that everyone deserving of recognition at this year’s Honors Recognition Ceremony is included, please take a few minutes to review the list below. If you or someone you know is not listed, but should be, please contact Sandy West at the MFDA Office at swest@mfda.org or at 1-888-955-6332 as soon as possible.

25 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 2000)
Regina Burns-Goldsberry Robert J. Gilbert, CFSP, CPC, CMFP
Caren L. Crawford Michael S. Kolb, CFSP
Jeremy P. Davis Brian S. Merkle
Thomas F. Erickson Adrianna N. Schnell
Justin G. Garber Mary Ellen Wasik-Corio
40 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 1985)
Daniel J. Cook Michael O'Laughlin
Frederic DeGraaf Kevin K. Pike
Suanne M. Guarnieri David D. Rosier
Stephen R. Kemp, CFSP Dale A. Schmidt
Thomas P. Klein Paul C.Sterenberg
Geoffrey Larsen Daniel Vredeveld
Loren L. Lumley Kenneth W. Wolffis
John P. Murphy Firyal Yono
Ronald J. Novak Randall S. Young
50 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 1975)
Allen Avram James L. Rea
Joseph L. Barden Robert G. Rock
Lee A. Bobcean Kathy Rudy-Novak
Christopher Buhay Ross M. Schimmel
Jeffrey A. Caskey Nancy K. Travis
Paul E. Kubacki Gail A. Washington, CFSP
O.H. Pye, III Thomas E. Zerbel, CFSP
60 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 1965)
Dennis Brown Harold E. Labadie
William H. Fuller Jr. John W. Mitchell Sr.
Lee F. Hohner James A. Walsh
70 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 1955)
75 YEAR LICENSEES
(Received License in 1950)
Daniel Garrett  
Geraldine G. Griffin  
Leonard Stark  

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Platinum

   
   
   

 

Gold

   
   
   
   

 

Silver
Express Funeral Funding  
   
   
   
   

 

Bronze
Chicago Cremation Supplies  
   
   
   
   


*Indicates MFSSA Member
**Indicates MFDA Supplier Member