Only a couple of days until the 2022 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Baltimore. From October 9-12 funeral industry professionals from around the country will gather in Baltimore for networking, educational opportunities and innovation. As we celebrate our 25 years in Preneed, National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of this great event.

Members of our team are looking forward to being together to visit with old friends and make new friends. If you are attending the convention, there are a number of exciting activities taking place both inside of our booth (#814) and other locations during the convention time. A brief highlight of a couple of the activities are below.

Sunday, October 9

Mingle, network and share refreshments with other women in the funeral service industry. The sold-out Professional Women’s Conference (PWC) in Miami was such a success that we wanted to keep the momentum going by sponsoring the PWC Reconnect: Women Making Waves in Baltimore. Jennifer Kaset, Regional Vice President, Sales at NGL, attended the first ever Professional Women’s Conference and is organizing this inaugural event. “This is a great opportunity for women in the industry to come together to encourage, empower and be a resource for each other,” shares Jennifer.

Special guest Annette March-Grier, President and Co-Founder of Roberta’s House, a grief support center based in Baltimore, will be attending the event and sharing her inspirational story. Annette is a pioneer in bereavement care with a background as a mortician and registered nurse, as well as a family history providing free bereavement support through March Family’s Funeral Service.

Roberta’s House has served over 7,000 children and adults. The Center includes art activity rooms, library resource center, theatre, fitness room, game room and family counseling rooms. Through its 13 grief support programs, Roberta’s House serves an average of 2,000 families each year.

We will close the event by revealing the 2023 destination for the Professional Women’s Event. Click here to learn more about Women Making Waves in Baltimore event.  

Monday, October 10

Through a partnership with Funeral Service Foundation, NGL is committing $100,000 to establish two named scholarships in memory of Harry Pontone and Mark Hornibrook. Harry and Mark have had a tremendous impact on the funeral service industry, and we are honored to honor their legacies through these scholarships. These newly created scholarships will help expand the Funeral Service Foundation’s scholarship program for funeral service professionals.

Harry Pontone Memorial Scholarship Fund

Harry Pontone got his start in the funeral industry when he joined South Brooklyn Casket Company, which was founded by his father Thomas Pontone in 1931. Throughout the years the company expanded and combined to eventually become the second largest casket company with Harry as the President and CEO. Taking a personal interest in every client, he focused on finding ways to further help them. That desire led him to earn his funeral directors license to better understand the challenges and needs of funeral directors. He instilled his passion to serve others in his sons, with Scott Pontone following in his footsteps as he is now President of Trust 100 and owner of several funeral homes.

Mark Hornibrook Memorial Scholarship Fund

Mark Hornibrook was a compassionate and intelligent business leader who created industry-defining products and founded companies, including Precoa, one of the fastest growing Preneed companies in America. As one of the original architects of Preneed, his vision was to create a company that would offer a proactive approach to advanced planning and provide meaningful connection for thousands of families. The scholarship is available for individuals who are committed to advancing the profession and fostering a workplace that puts people first.

Harry and Mark impacted immeasurable lives and through these scholarships they will continue to enhance lives and better the funeral profession.

NGL is focused on helping others and passionate about serving people. These scholarships further define our commitment to the industry and to the dedicated professionals who serve families every day. We are proud to continue serving the profession through our contributions to the Funeral Service Foundation.

Annette March-Grier, President and Co-Founder of Roberta’s House and NFDA presenter of the session, “Standing for Something Larger Than Yourself,” will be in our booth at 12:15 p.m. for a special presentation. Join us at our booth to learn how NGL and Premier Preneed Marketing partnered together to make a difference for people in Baltimore on their grief journey.

Tuesday, October 11

Everplans Co-Founder and Co-CEO Abby Schneiderman, author of the Amazon bestselling book “In Case You Get Hit By a Bus” will be in the NGL booth (#814) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11 signing copies of her book. Everplans is a digital platform that helps people organize, store and securely share their most important information. From end-of-life wishes to legal and insurance documents to how you run your household – everything can be kept in an Everplan, ready for when your family might need it.

As an entrepreneur, innovator and visionary leader, Abby is committed to transforming people’s lives through technology. She is an industry expert in the areas of digital estate planning and technology. Additionally, Abby is a Forbes contributor and has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CNBC and the Huffington Post.

In addition to Abby signing copies of the book “In Case You Get Hit By a Bus,” Harris Scher, Senior Vice President, Sales and Strategic Partnerships at Everplans will be in our booth offering demos of Everplans and how the platform can be used to help families have the most vital, useful and heartfelt information in one digital location in case something happens to them.

Celebrate and Learn with Us

We are excited for these upcoming activities at the 2022 NFDA Convention & Expo and look forward to seeing you there!