Memorial Business Journal Becomes New NFDA Member Benefit

Brookfield, Wis. – Edward J. Defort, veteran funeral service trade publication editor and writer, has been named the new editor-in-chief of The Director magazine, the official publication of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). As editor-in-chief, Defort will be responsible for overseeing the editorial direction and production of The Director, the world's leading funeral service trade publication.

"Ed's award-winning coverage of the profession has earned him the respect of many people in funeral service," said NFDA CEO Christine Pepper, CAE. "His high journalistic standards and commitment to helping funeral service professionals understand the important issues impacting the profession will help the association further its mission of being a source of expertise and professional resources for all facets of funeral service."

Fourteen years ago, Defort entered the funeral profession when he joined Kates-Boylston Publications. He rose from managing editor to publisher/editorial director where he oversaw the production of American Funeral Director, American Cemetery, Funeral Service Insider, an annual directory and a number of ancillary products and conferences. Defort also won several national awards for journalism excellence including First Place for the Best Spot News or Exclusive Single News Story from the Newsletter & Electronic Publishers Foundation (now the Specialized Information Publishers Association).

In 2009, Defort launched Memorial Business Journal, an independent weekly, electronic, subscriber-based newsletter. As the founder and managing editor of that publication, he had sole responsibility for the operation of the weekly newsletter covering the deathcare profession, including editorial production and distribution, marketing and development of the publication's website.

NFDA has also acquired Memorial Business Journal, and it will be offered to association members as a new benefit of membership. As with The Director, nonmembers may purchase a subscription.

"The Director already has an excellent reputation," said Defort. "I am looking forward to helping NFDA take it to the next level in providing useful information that supports members' business operations and helps them provide meaningful service to families. I am excited to bring Memorial Business Journal with me to NFDA. I believe it will complement what NFDA offers through The Director and will allow NFDA to provide members with more news, information and in-depth analysis more frequently."

Defort noted that he looks forward to connecting with readers of both publications and using their feedback to help improve The Director and Memorial Business Journal. "It's my goal to provide useful content to readers. I look forward to working with members and getting a better understanding of the kinds of information that would be most useful to them."

NFDA is the world's leading funeral service association, serving 19,000 individual members who represent more than 10,200 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy Division office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

# # #

Contacts:
Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536; Emilee High, 262-814-1547