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From the PresidentFrom the Executive DirectorBenjamin J. EldridgeEldridge Family Funeral Homes / 217 E Logan Street / Paullina, IA 51046p 712.448.3820 / ben@eldridgefamilyfuneralhomes.comSuzanne M. Gebel, CAEIowa Funeral Directors Association / 1454 30th Street / Suite 204 / West Des Moines, IA 50266p 515.270.0130 / p 800.982.6561 / f 515.270.1569 / sgebel@iafda.org / www.iafda.orgAs summer seems to always fly by, I hope everyone ismaking best of it and you can enjoy getting back togetherwith family and friends. After our successful convention inMay, remember that IFDA will continue to offer many webinarclasses throughout the year. Always be on the lookout forthe reminder emails to get registered for the great presenterswe can provide.IFDA’s officers and executive director will travel to Charleston,SC for the NFDA Leadership Conference at the end of Julyinto early August. Since it was canceled last year due tothe pandemic, it will be exciting to get together with leadersfrom many states. One person it will be nice to hear from isBob Harris. Bob will be teaching some of the sessions and,as you know, Bob was a key part of helping IFDA create ourstrategic plan. It will be exciting to talk to him on how goingthrough a pandemic did not stop us from staying on the pathand still being able to move forward with important items onour strategic plan. Our IFDA staff, board of governors andexecutive committee have spent countless hours to ensurethat we kept on track as much as we could without beingable to meet in person.One of our biggest achievements outlined in the strategicplan was hiring our Education Director, Kori Mahieu. As Istated earlier, Kori has done a great job putting togethergreat continuing education classes that we continue to offervia webinar.During this Legislative Session, our voice has continued to beheard through our Legislative Counsel, Mike Triplett. Alongwith Mike, we met with the Acting Director of the Departmentof Public Health, Kelly Garcia and thanks to our work withKelly the backlog has not gone beyond three days and hasnot reached the 17-day wait families had a year ago.IFDACommunique6IFDA CommuniqueOur benefits to membership remain strong because we areproviding many resources, such as continuing education.It was clear through the pandemic that being a member ofIFDA meant getting up-to-date answers on social distancing,guidelines, gathering capacities, conducting funerals, andkeeping supplies on hand. All these things have beenaccomplished through our strategic plan as we worked toincrease communication and VALUE to our members.As I continue to serve as President of IFDA, I am gratefulfor the people before me and am excited to work with thegreat staff and Board of Governors we have in place. Theyall have persevered through the pandemic and have shownlegendary status in my eyes. I also commend the membersof our association on staying on the path during this pastyear as it was not ever easy, but it showed that we truly havelegendary funeral professionals in our state!As I stated I will share quotes throughout the year thatmotivate me to be a better person and a better director, I willleave you with this quote “You dream. You plan. You reach.There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There willbe mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidenceand trust in yourself and those around you, there are nolimits.” – Michael PhelpsHope you are having a great summer, and remember to askyourself how can I “Be Legendary”?Imagine my surprise when I opened theIFDA mail one day in early June andfound an unemployment claim for me. Istared at it for awhile trying to figure outhow something like this could happensince, of course, I did not file the claim.My social security number was correct aswas my date of birth and even the spellingof my name (sometimes “Suzanne” and“Gebel” are difficult for some people tospell correctly).unemployment claims but agreed tocheck my policies for coverage. Hefound that I did have a small amount ofcoverage for identity theft if I need it. I alsowent to the Urbandale Police Department(since I live in Urbandale) and filed areport. The officer told me that I wasn’teven the first person that day to comein and file a similar report and that theyare doing about 15-20 of these fraudulentunemployment claims per week.On the form was an opportunity for theemployer to protest the claim. So, Icompleted the form as the employer andwrote “this is me – I did not file the claim”and signed it. I faxed it back to IowaWorkforce Development (IWD) with a pitin my stomach.I reviewed all that I had done with theofficer to stop any further theft of myidentity and she said that she would turnmy case over to a detective. The next daythe detective called and said that the theftof my identity was like others he had seenin that it’s part of the Equifax data breachthat occurred in 2017 when nearly 150million Americans’ private records werestolen. The address on my claim at IWDwas in Nigeria.Immediately, I froze all inquiries on mycredit with the three credit bureaus –Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.A credit freeze prevents lenders fromchecking my credit report or an attempt toopen a new account. (There is a way forme to unfreeze my credit with the threebureaus when the need arises.)A week went by, and I didn’t hear fromanyone at IWD, so I called them. Whenthey finally returned my call, I was toldthat my identity had been stolen andthis was currently a “rampant problem”with unemployment claims across thecountry. The nice lady on the other endof the phone told me that whoever hadfraudulently filed this claim had severalpieces of my identity correct and thatI needed to do everything possible tofurther protect myself.I also was told that IWD had NOT paidany money for the claim. When I askedthe nice lady for the address of the inquiry,she said she couldn’t share it with me andwould turn my issue over to their frauddepartment where they are processingmany fraudulent claims like mine.She said IWD could share additionalinformation with law enforcement if I fileda police report.The next day, I called my insuranceagent and told him what had gone onand he hadn’t heard of the fraudulentWhy am I telling you all of this? I watchmy bank accounts and credit cards everyday – I know when something is amisswith them and I’m truly careful with mypersonal information. I shred my mail.Even with all the precautions I take everyday, my identity was stolen. It’s a hugehassle and it feels awful to know that acriminal has my information.The US Government offers theserecommendations to avoid becoming avictim of identity theft: Don’t carry your Social Security cardin your wallet, and only give out yournumber when you’re certain of theperson’s legitimacy. Likewise, don’t share personalinformation like your address orbirthdate, unless you know theperson you’re giving it to and why. Beespecially aware of this when usingemail. Collect your mail daily and place ahold on your mail when you are awayfrom home for more than a couple ofdays. Missing mail may be a sign thatsomeone is attempting to obtain yourpersonal information. If your bills orfinancial statements are late, don’thesitate to contact the sender and goto your post office to find out if anyonehas put a hold on your mail. Make use of the security features onyour mobile phone, like requiring apasscode for access. Information sent over wi-fi can beintercepted. To prevent this, use afirewall and a virtual private network(VPN). This is especially importantwhen you’re using a public wi-finetwork. Various types of malware can interceptyour passwords and personal data. Tohelp prevent this, employ anti-virussoftware on your PC, laptop, or tablet. Shred receipts, credit offers, accountstatements and expired credit cards.This can prevent dumpster divers fromstealing your personal information. Use long passwords with lots of caps,special characters, and numbers soa thief won’t be able to guess it. Andchange your passwords if a companythat you do business with experiencesa data breach. Freeze your credit files with Equifax,Experian, TransUnion, and the NationalConsumer Telecommunications andUtilities Exchange. This can be donefree of charge. Credit freezes can helpprevent someone from applying for acredit account or utility service in yourname.Learn from my situation and do as muchas you can to protect yourself – justremember, as in my case, it’s not alwaysenough – hackers don’t quit until theyget what they want. As an employer,if you see a fraudulent unemploymentinsurance claim come across your desk,notify the affected employee immediatelyso they can begin to go through theproper steps to protect anything furtherfrom happening to them.Hope you’re having a great summer!Enjoy all the sunny days and make asmany memories as possible!July/August7

Ryan Tucker Recognized By Senator Ernstin the United State SenateOn May 11, 2021, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst (R) stood beforethe United States Senate and recognized IFDA ImmediatePast President Ryan G. Tucker for his year as President ofIFDA.A CommitmentYou Can Count OnHelping protect your industry yesterday, today, and tomorrow.We’re in it for the long haul.Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf ofIowans across our State to recognize the distinguishedcareer, dedication, and lifelong hard work of Mr. RyanG. Tucker as he concludes his time as president of theIowa Funeral Directors Association, IFDA.As many who know him will tell you, Ryan grew up witha spirited commitment to his community, his family,and to others. A native of Sumner, it did not take longfor Ryan to begin working in the trade. As a studentat North Iowa Area Community College, Ryan startedas an employee at Fullerton Family Funeral Homein Mason City. He would go on to study at WorshamCollege of Mortuary Science, earning an internshipin Fort Dodge under a former IFDA president, ScottGraham.His experiences early on in his career have led himto where he is today, as co-owner of Kaiser-CorsonFuneral Home in Waverly, Readlyn, Shell Rock, andDenver, serving Iowa families with his critical work.Ryan assumed his role as president of the IFDA ata time unlike any other, as the COVID-19 pandemictragically took hold early last year, but, in the face ofenormous challenges and uncertainty, Ryan displayed steadfast leadership for his colleagues that surely allowed forcountless families to find comfort in such difficult times.Ryan guided the IFDA through the pandemic, being especially focused on ensuring the hard work of our State’sfuneral directors could continue with safety top of mind. At the pandemic’s start, Ryan issued daily briefings to IFDAmembers that became vital. He provided information about best practices, updates on policies and proclamations bythe Governor and State government, and materials to make sure that Iowa funeral directors could continue to servefamilies while adhering to public health limitations.Ryan’s lifetime of work, his dedication to his craft, and his leadership in a uniquely challenging time have allundoubtedly made a positive impact on the lives of countless Iowans. As he takes the next step in his distinguishedcareer and steps down as president of the Iowa FuneralDirectors Association, we wish him, his wife Kayla, andhis two sons, Colby and Griffin, all the best, and we thankRyan for everything that he has done for our State and ourcommunities.Tawnia Steinhoff712-249-6240Renee DA CommuniqueScan to read our latest articleon a risk management topicimpacting business leaders.Ryan was presented the Congressional Record duringthe 2021 Presidential Banquet on May 18, 2021, by IFDAExecutive Director Suzanne Gebel.Commercial Insurance Property & Casualty Life & Disability Income Workers Compensation Business Succession and Estate Planning BondingFederated Mutual Insurance Company and its subsidiaries* federatedinsurance.com Ward’s 50 Top Performer A.M. Best A (Superior) Rating21.04 Ed. 6/21 *Not licensed in all states. 2020 Federated Mutual Insurance CompanyJuly/August9

Funeral Directors Should Be Proactive toThwart Unemployment FraudIn late May 2021, the Des Moines Register reported that Iowa has paid 29 million to 30 million in fraudulentunemployment insurance claims since the COVID-19 pandemic began.According to the article, some organized crime rings have targeted state workforce agencies with fraudulentclaims since the start of the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.Congress increased the amount of money unemployed workers could receive, making jobless benefits moreattractive. Plus, as millions of people filed claims, busy state employees had less time to weed out suspiciousapplications.Other states, such as New York and California, have had 1 billion in fraudulent claims.On May 4, Iowa Workforce Development Deputy Director Ryan West said about 37,000 fraudulent unemploymentinsurance cases had been filed since the beginning of the pandemic. Additionally, some local police departmentshave reported an increase in reports of unemployment insurance fraud, though many don’t track year-over-yeardata for those specific allegations. But the Ames Police Department, for example, reported it received 36 casesfrom April 2020 to March, compared to none in the same period a year earlier.Unemployment Insurance Fraud Follow-Up: What To Do If You Have Been AffectedHere are some additional steps you can take to protect yourself if you receive a fraudulent unemploymentinsurance claim:1. File a police report with your local police department. Get a copy of the report that you can provide tocreditors and credit agencies.Change passwords on your email, banking, and other personal accounts.Make a list of credit card companies, banks, and other financial institutions where you do business.Tell them you are a victim of identity theft and ask them to put a fraud alert on your account.2. Complete the following form. Iowa Workforce Development’s Online Identity Theft Form3. Order your credit report from each of the three national credit reporting companies. These reports arefree after you place an initial fraud alert. You can also get a free credit report at: www.annualcreditreport.com.4. Create an identity theft affidavit online at www.identitytheft.gov5. Place a 7-year fraud alert on your credit file by contacting one of the three national credit reportingcompanies: Equifax (800) 525-6285 Experian (888) 397-3742 Trans-Union (800 )680-7289Finest Quality Pouch Desktop Laminators6. You can also freeze youcredit files. For moreinformation go to: nique10IFDA CommuniqueCall 800-821-1333Important Reminder: Beware of InvoicesEmailed to YouAs a reminder, when you receive an email from any vendor with an invoice requesting payment to their bankaccount, be sure to at least do the following to avoid a loss of your funds: Review the sender’s email address to look for any typos or anything unusual which might indicate ahacker or virus is involved. Contact the vendor and your IT department/provider if you have concernsabout the authenticity. If you see a change in the vendor’s bank account information, contact the vendor directly, to verifythe change is valid. Hackers have been known to intercept emails and replace the correct bankinginformation with their own, in order to divert funds to a hacker‘s account. If you are suspicious about an email for an invoice and there is an attachment – DO NOT OPEN theattachment. Contact the sender and ask them to verify the attachment or to send an invoice to you inanother manner.IFDA Scores Victories in the StateLegislatureThe 2021 session of the Iowa Legislature adjourned for the year late in the evening of Wednesday, May 19,2021.IFDA scored two major victories on the final day. The Senate unanimously passed HF 367 and sent it to theGovernor for her signature. This bill that has been an IFDA priority for years exempts from the personal incometax liability of Iowa taxpayers the interest and earnings of funds held in a preneed burial trust account. Sen.Amy Sinclair (R-Allerton) led an efficient debate on the issue in the Senate. We are grateful for all the supportthat the Legislature showed on this issue throughout the year.This bill was signed by the Governor on June 8, 2021, and it is effective for this tax year. Your families will seethe benefit of this in the state tax returns they file in 2022.The final bill out of the building on Wednesday had a minor provision that clarified an earlier IFDA-priority bill. Ifyou remember from earlier editions of the Insider, IFDA supported SF 307, which required counties to pay forthe transportation for an autopsy an amount equal to the IRS mileage rate; however, we could see a scenariounder that bill where a county would pay mileage and nothing else. The new language clarifies that the countymust pay the IRS rate for the transportation to and from the autopsy “plus any other associated fees.” IFDAthanks Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny) and Speaker Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) forincluding this language in SF 615 and appreciates the work of Rep. Gary Mohr (R-Bettendorf) and Sen. TimKraayenbrink (R-Fort Dodge) and their staffs.Because this provision was included in an appropriations bill, it was subject to the line-item veto provisions ofthe Iowa Constitution. IFDA sent a letter in support of this language to Gov. Reynolds, and she signed the billon June 9, 2021.We are grateful for the support of Governor Reynolds and her staff throughout the 2021 session.In other news, the Legislature did not take any action this session to change Iowa’s congressional and statelegislative districts, specifically because the Legislative Services Agency does not have the data necessary toaccomplish this task from the US Census Bureau. The Legislature will reconvene in special session at somepoint later this year to consider bills to create the new map.lamcraft.comJuly/August11

Iowa Board of Mortuary Science HoldsQuarterly MeetingThe Iowa Board of Mortuary Science (BMS) met on Thursday, June 3, 2021, via Zoom. Those members present:Seth Williams, Marty Rieken, John Linge, Chantelle Lundberg, Kelsey Hastings, and Mollie Pawlosky. DavidLangkamp was absent.IOWA PREPAID FUNERAL TRUSTMEMBER SPOTLIGHTThe Board approved the minutes from the March 4 meeting and then voted to have Seth Williams remain asChairperson and John Linge of Cedar Memorial remain as Vice Chair for the year. Susan Reynolds announcedthat” all state employees have to go back to work” on July 1, 2021, therefore the Board decided to hold the nextBMS meeting in-person.Susan Reynolds shared statistics about licenses – 939 active funeral directors, 515 establishments, and 68crematories.There was an intern application review and the Board moved that administrative rules that had been noticed andreviewed would be adopted.The only public comment was from IFDA Executive Director, Suzanne Gebel. She told the Board membersthat IFDA held an in-person Convention last month where nearly 600 people attended. The Association hostedindividuals from 23 states at the Convention, including attendees, exhibitors, and speakers.Gebel also asked for an update on the “blanket endorsement” that the Board Executive grants to individualsapplying for internships from “certain” states. After much discussion, it was determined that this item would beadded to the September meeting agenda.The next BMS meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 2, 2021, at the Lucas State Office Building in DesMoines.The Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk was constructed in 1929 and was one ofthe first buildings in Iowa to be built for use strictly as a funeral home. In1994, Vigen Memorial Home expanded to include a branch in Kahoka,Missouri.Thank you, Vigen Memorial Home, for beinga part of our growth and success!ILES TRADE SERVICESDunn’s Funeral Home& Crematory2121 Grand AvenueDes Moines, Iowa 50312Fax 515-244-2144prep@ilescares.comIFDACommunique12IFDA Communique1-800-366-2124Experienced EmbalmersNew High Efficiency CrematoryIn 1989, the Iowa Funeral Directors Association established a preneedfund in the trust department of an Iowa banking institution so familiescould prepay their funerals without worrying about their investment.Today, thousands of Iowans participate knowing their money is safeand available when needed.Iowa Prepaid Funeral Trust will spotlight amember firm in each edition of theCommuniqué - a small way to sayThank You!Will your funeral home be next?July/August13

Abby Goodenow First Recipient of theInspire Award In Memory of Indy ThurmAbby Goodenow of Ewing Funeral Home in Britt is the first recipientof the Inspire Award in Memory of Indy Thurm. Abby received heraward at the 2021 Presidential Banquet in May.Although the IFDA Officers know who made the nomination, theindividual asked to remain anonymous.Highlights of the nomination:Often times in life we are drawn to and admire thosearound us who practice their craft in such a way that makeseverything they do look effortless. Artists, athletes, andmusicians have a way of doing this in an instant, whenin reality, these skills and talents have been cultivatedover decades with countless personal and professionalchallenges.Abby Goodenow conducts herself in such a way that thosearound her, whether they are families she serves, membersof the community at large, or are her co-workers, view herin that light. Abby has a disarming way of making everyonearound her comfortable and confident.Abby’s skills in the arrangement room, and when addressingfamilies prior to visitations and services have blossomed inrecent years. These skills did not come as naturally to heras her talents in the “back room,” and her deep wisdomallowed her to recognize that she needed to work atimproving her communications and interpersonal skills.With that in mind, Abby has taken it upon herself to seek outcontinuing education that specifically addresses soft skillsand communication. She has stretched to grow in waysI wouldn’t have believed in just a few short years. Abbyhas attended training from the InSight Institute, becominga certified celebrant, and has served in that capacity anumber of times. Abby earned the Certified Funeral ServicePractitioner designation from the Academy of ProfessionalFuneral Service Practice and is currently the only femalemember in Iowa.Abby has persevered in funeral service despite having hadto face some of the deepest losses anyone of us couldimagine facing, including the sudden tragic death of herlittle sister in 2017.All of this, along with the way Abby conducts herself, arewhat has led me to nominate Abby Goodenow for theInspire Award in Memory of Indy Thurm. Abby’s attitudeand actions make families feel special and she consistentlyraises the level of performance of her co-workers, bothlicensed and unlicensed. Through her own desires, Abbyhas inspired all in her life to chase excellence and improvedaily.There is no one more worthy of this award than AbbyGoodenow.The Inspire Award in Memory of Indy R. Thurm was created by IFDAImmediate Past President Ryan Tucker and his wife Kayla and theirsons - Colby and Griffin. Indy was born with hypoplastic left heartsyndrome, a congenital condition inhibiting normal heart formationand function. Her short-lived journey and subsequent funeral servicehas led and INSPIRED the Tucker family on a mission to foreverremember Indy. “All she knew was love”IFDACommunique14IFDA CommuniqueINSPIRE Award:The INSPIRE Award is awarded annually to one Iowa licensedFuneral Director or Funeral Home who has shown exceptional,selfless service above and beyond the call of duty. A single act oracts of servitude, a continued community program and being afuneral service role model are examples of a professional that wouldbe considered for the award. Funeral directors and funeral homesare encouraged to open their eyes and heart and nominate a worthycandidate.Requirements: Must be a member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association Must be an Iowa licensed Funeral Director in good standingor an Iowa Licensed Funeral Home in good standing with theIowa Board of Mortuary ScienceNominations: Nomination must be completed on the form available from theIFDA office or the IFDA website Those nominating a Funeral Director or Funeral Home for theINSPIRE Award must be a member in good standing of theIowa Funeral Directors Association. An essay of up to 1,500 words as to why the Funeral Directoror Funeral Home should be recognized. Any supporting documents (news clipping, family testimonials,letters of recommendation etc.) Nomination must be completed and submitted to IFDA no laterthan MARCH 1, 2022, to be considered for the 2021 award. You may only nominate one person/entity per year Anonymous or self-nominations are not acceptedRecognition:The recipient of the IFDA INSPIRE Award will be presented a customengraved award. An article will be published in the IFDA Communiqueas well as the IFDA Insider showcasing the Funeral Director/FuneralHome accomplishments with supporting information from theapplicant. News releases will be sent to the appropriate media.Selection:The first review of redacted submissions will be completed by agroup appointed by the IFDA Board of Governors at their March 2022Board meeting. The topthree submissions fromthe initial review will bereviewed and scored byan o

As summer seems to always fly by, I hope everyone is . making best of it and you can enjoy getting back together . with family and friends. After our successful convention in May, remember that IFDA will continue to offer many webinar classes throughout the year. Always be on the lookout for the reminder emails to get registered for the great .