Connecticut Funeral Homes Honored With National Awards

From NFDA: From Eight (8) Connecticut funeral homes have earned 2018 Pursuit of Excellence Awards from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). All eight are members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA). The national award is presented by NFDA annually to firms that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities.

Only 159 funeral homes in the world are being recognized with a 2018 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award for innovative community service programs, dynamic public relations efforts and professional integrity. The eight Connecticut recipients are:

· Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes Inc. in Naugatuck (first time recipient);

· B.C. Bailey Funeral Home in Wallingford;

· D'Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel in East Hartford;

· D'Esopo Funeral Chapel in Wethersfield;

· Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill in New Britain;

· Duksa Family Funeral Home at Newington Memorial in Newington;

· Howard K. Hill Funeral Services in New Haven; and

· Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home in Stamford.

NFDA-member funeral homes are inducted into the Hall of Excellence upon receiving their 10th Pursuit of Excellence Award. In recognition of their consistent display of professional and ethical excellence, four funeral homes will be inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence in 2018.

In addition, Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill in New Britain will be inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence this year. NFDA-member funeral homes are inducted into the Hall of Excellence upon receiving their 10th Pursuit of Excellence Award, in recognition of their consistent display of professional and ethical excellence. Of this year’s Pursuit of Excellence awardees, Duksa Family Funeral Home at Newington Memorial in Newington, D'Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel in East Hartford, and D'Esopo Funeral Chapel in Wethersfield, already are Hall of Excellence inductees.

All of the Pursuit of Excellence awardees will formally be honored on October 15 at an All-Star Recognition Ceremony during the 2018 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Salt Lake City from October 14-17.

To earn an NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, a funeral home must demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, including compliance with state and federal regulations; providing ongoing education and professional development opportunities for staff; offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families; maintaining an active level of involvement in the community; participating and actively serving in the funeral service profession; and promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Participants are also required to adhere to a Pledge of Ethical Practices.

The 129-year-old Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) is comprised of funeral directors at more than 220 funeral homes. Based in Wethersfield, Conn., the professional organization is committed to the promotion and advocacy of high ethical standards in funeral service. This includes the development and presentation of ongoing professional training opportunities for practitioners and educational programs for association members and the public. For more information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, call 860-721-0234 or 800-919-2332, or visit www.ctfda.org or Connecticut Funeral Directors Association.

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is the world's leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the U.S. and 39 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. It offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

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