Innovation Abounds in the Expo Hall at the 2010 NFDA International Convention & Expo

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is seeking assistance from the funeral service community in selecting the recipient of the 2010 Innovation Award. The NFDA Innovation Award, established in 2009, promotes the importance of creativity and innovation among funeral service suppliers and vendors, and recognizes excellence within the funeral service supplier community. The winner will be announced on October 11 during the Opening Session of the NFDA International Convention & Expo, which will take place October 10-13 in New Orleans, La.

Earlier this year, funeral service vendors and suppliers had an opportunity to submit a product or service that became commercially available after January 1, 2008, for consideration in the 2010 NFDA Innovation Award competition. A distinguished panel of funeral directors evaluated and scored the 46 entries on four specific criteria, and selected five finalists:

American Airlines Cargo: Customized Military Cart – entry excerpt: "American's employees have a deep care and concern for our fallen military heroes, and have taken it upon themselves... to design and fabricate special carts that provide a much more dignified mode of handling these special shipments. One special cart was recently produced at our Tucson facility [and] provided an excellent example of this work by dedicated and caring AA employees."

Argent International: ThanoSeal – entry excerpt: "ThanoSeal is a pre-cut, clear polyethylene tape to be used as a wound closure and sealer for needle sticks, carotid arteries [and] anywhere [bodily] fluids may leak. ThanoSeal is pre-cut in various sizes and shapes: 2"x2", 4"x4", 2" ovals and 4"x25' rolls. This ThanoSeal tape will minimize time [needed] to prepare a body for showing... most importantly, ThanoSeal will halt any leakage post-embalming."

Barrier Products: BioSeal System Human Remains Sealing Station – entry excerpt: "[The] BioSeal System is addressing the health, safety and infection control issues involved in mass-fatality response. The BioSeal Human Remains Sealing Station is the only product in the world that is designed to solve the worker fatigue and emotional health cost[s] that result from being required to seal hundreds of human remains each and every day at a temporary morgue."

The Dodge Company: The Dodge Waterless Aspirator – entry excerpt: "The Dodge Waterless Aspirator is the first electric aspirator available to funeral service which utilizes the technology of the peristaltic pump. The peristaltic pump, which is primarily used in the medical field in dialysis and heart/lung bypass devices, eliminates the need for aspirated material to pass through a motorized mechanism or impellor. The aspirator creates a vacuum by compressing flexible tubing, using a series of three rollers which rotate in a housing at a high rate of speed. This allows the isolation of the aspirated material from any moving part of the mechanism, eliminating the possibility of contamination or clogging, a common problem with all other electric aspirators."

Duncan Stuart Todd, Ltd: PrepArm HVAC Product for Preparation Rooms – entry excerpt: "PrepArm is a ventilating product for localized air extraction in the preparation room... PrepArm consists of a lighted transparent exhaust hood attached to arm sections that swivel by means of jointed elbows. The flexible arms function much like an overhead light in a dental office so that the embalmer can easily move the exhaust hood over the area in need of air extraction."

Funeral professionals have until September 17 to review the finalists' entries and vote for the product or service they believe is the most innovative of the year. Votes will be combined with the judges' scores to determine the winner of the 2010 NFDA Innovation Award. Members of the funeral service community should visit www.nfdabizexchange.org/2010innovation to view the finalists' entries and cast their vote. This page also contains the entries of all 46 Innovation Award competition participants.

The NFDA Expo is Lagniappe, Y'all (Filled With a Little Something Extra)
The Expo at the 2010 National Funeral Directors Association's (NFDA) International Convention & Expo is the world's largest annual funeral service trade show featuring the newest and most exciting products, services and innovations from around the world. The Expo Hall at the NFDA convention will be open on October 11, from noon-5p.m.; on October 12, from noon-5 p.m.; and on October 13, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

New this year, lunch in the Expo Hall is on NFDA. Full-conference registrants will receive three $10 food vouchers (one per day) to be used in the Expo Hall at food stations and concessions. One-day registrants will receive one $10 food voucher. (Vouchers are limited to paid registrants only and do not include complimentary or student registrations.)

The Exhibitor Business Exchange sessions make their return to the NFDA Convention in New Orleans. During these 40-minute presentations, exhibitors will demonstrate how their products and services can help attendees solve their most pressing business challenges. A schedule of presenters will be posted on the convention website, www.nfda.org/neworleans2010.

Comprised of nearly a dozen countries and associations, the Global Village is a resource where funeral directors can learn more about funeral service in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. Attendees can learn more about issues such as repatriation and global funeral customs.

Complete information about all aspects of the 2010 NFDA International Convention & Expo can be obtained by visiting www.nfda.org/neworleans2010 or by calling the association at 800-228-6332. Information about the Expo Hall, including a map and an up-to-date listing of all exhibitors, can be found by clicking the "Expo" link.

Sponsors that have generously supported NFDA in 2010 are: American Airlines Cargo, Aurora Casket Company, Batesville Casket Company, Director's Select Retirement Plan, Doric, Federated Insurance, Funeral Call, Homesteaders Life, Hunter Warfield, JCPenney, Kodak, Louisiana Funeral Directors Association, Madelyn Company, Memorial Streams, Memories by Design, Messenger and Nomis.

NFDA is the world's leading funeral service association, serving 18,500 individual members who represent more than 9,900 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.

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