Leadership & Recognition

Member Recognition

Each year during our Annual Convention, NYSFDA celebrate our members and their dedication to the funeral service industry through milestone awards. We also honor those we've lost during our Service of Remembrance. Help us recognize our members and their contributions to the industry and our association!

Funeral Director Career Milestones Award

Funeral Home Milestones Award

For more information about the nomination forms, contact info@nysfda.org at 800.291.2629.

Service of Remembrance

During our Annual Service of Remembrance, we pause and reflect on the lives of NYSFDA members who have passed away. If you know of an NYSFDA member who has recently passed, please share the information with NYSFDA staff so that we can honor them and pay our respects during this special event, held each year at our Annual Convention. Email info@nysfda.org with the member's name and link to their obituary (if available). Please note, we honor those we've lost from June 1 of the previous year through May 31 of the current year. For example, June 1, 2024-May 31, 2025.

Edward J. Garrity Leadership Award

The Edward J. Garrity Leadership Award was established in 1996 to recognize funeral directors who embody the crucial characteristics of distinguished volunteer leaders, i.e., integrity, strength of conviction, and dedication. President Ed Garrity, who died while serving in office, exemplified every one of these essential qualities. The award is presented during the Annual Convention Banquet.

Criteria:

  • The nominee cannot be the current NYSFDA President, President-Elect or Immediate Past President. It’s not necessary to have served as President to be nominated.
  • Only awarded to individuals affiliated with a current NYSFDA member funeral firm and the firm must be a member for a period of at least ten (10) consecutive years.
  • Only awarded to individuals who have served in offices, on the board or committee positions at the State level.
  • The individual must have shown leadership and commitment to NYSFDA’s goals and objectives and to the enhancement of funeral service over an extended period of time.
  • The individual has consistently considered the merits of issues and the broad implications of them, not just as they may impact their own funeral service operation.
  • The person has exhibited the strongest ethical conduct throughout their leadership tenure.
  • The individual has played an integral part in the development and implementation of a project that has had a positive impact on the funeral service industry.

The Nomination Process:

  • No later than three (3) months prior to the Annual Convention, nomination forms will be mailed to all parties believed to have possible input into this process.
  • Nominations must be submitted to the award committee no later than two (2) months prior to the Annual Convention.
  • The award committee is currently comprised of at least one (1) person from each region. The committee will oversee the entire nomination process.
  • If nominations are received, the committee shall meet and select the recipient at least six (6) weeks prior to the Annual Convention.

Please submit nominations to Kelly Deitz at Kelly@nysfda.org by June 5 of each year.

See who has previously received this prestigious award.