OFFICE OF THE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR

Carol Thomas Williams, CFSP

Welcome to our 83rd Annual Convention. Y’Lonne Hodges and I hope your stay here in Calloway Gardens will be enjoyable as well as educational. The Education and Research committee is working hard to prepare an educational agenda that will increase our knowledge on the growing trends in the funeral industry. It is our goal that each member and guest will benefit from the educational venues that will be offered to you this week. We are planning twelve hours of continuing education.

We welcome our students from Gupton-Jones College and Ogeechee Tech. On Monday, May 12, 2008, you will be enjoying a wonderful lunch sponsored by Gupton-Jones College and Pierce Chemicals. You will have the opportunity to participate in an informative discussion on “Professionalism in the Funeral Industry”. We are asking the members of this association to please plan to attend so that you can join in the discussion and to meet with our future partners in the industry.

The educational committee will continue to reflect on our past, to mirror our present and carefully view our future. It is imperative that we constantly remind our members of our mission statement. The statement sustains that, “the Georgia Funereal Service Practitioners Association, Inc. is committed to providing outstanding leadership to its members and promoting the development of funeral service professionals by providing educational opportunities and experiences to our colleagues to enhance professional growth”. Again, it is the committee goal to provide an educational agenda that will enhance the professional growth of our members and this association. The Educational and Research Committee will continue its commitment to our mission statement. 

I welcome you to Calloway Gardens. I hope that you brought with you questions, concerns and information to share. This will be a time for sharing. We learn from each other. The weather will be perfect and we assure you that your trip will not be in vain.