2027 WFDA Annual Sponsorship Opportunities
The WFDA is proud to partner with the best in our industry! This is a great opportunity to connect with our funeral directors year-round. Check out our three annual sponsorship levels and register today!
Download our Annual Sponsorship Kit here:
Stay tuned for more info on our 2027 Conferences!
Questions?
Call our office at (608) 256-1757 or email office@wfda.info
Lakeshore District Meeting: Office of the Hearing and Deaf
Join Steven Smart and Kim Barr to learn more about the use of hearing interpreters for funeral services.
1 CEU Cat 3
October 28, 2026
11:30 am
Dooley's On Main
315 N Main Street
West Bend, WI 53095
Hayward Fall Forum
Thursday, October 29, 2026 Hayward Funeral Home 15571 W County Highway B Hayward, WI 54843
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SCHEDULE
8:00 AM - Renal Failure Embalming - Dr. David Finkbeiner, WFDA Instructor
9:00 AM - OSHA Training
10:00 AM - Legislative Update + WAVE System Discussion - Rebecca Hogan, WFDA Lobbyist, Hamilton Consulting with special guest Fiona Weeks, State Vital Records Office
11:00 AM - Northwoods National Cemetery Veteran Burials - Bryon Gleisner, Manager of the Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw
12:00 PM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Legal Updates - Michael Sharkey, Esq., Sharkey Law PLLC
1:30 PM - President's Visit - Fawn Schaefer, WFDA President, Olson Funeral Home
2:30 PM - Fire Service Funerals & Honors - Brent Jones, Commander, Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Honor Guard
3:30 PM - Navigating Social Security & Survivor Benefits - Elida Elizondo, Social Security Office
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Things to Note
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Registration Fees
Northern District Members: FREE (promo code required)
WFDA Member: $100
Non Member: $200
Need a Hotel?
You can stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, located right across the street from Hayward Funeral Home.
15586 County Road B, Hayward, WI 54843
Phone: (715) 634-0700
Lakeshore District Meeting: Legislative Update
Meet with WFDA Lobbyist Rebecca Hogan of Hamilton Consulting to discuss current funeral service issues at the state level.
1 CEU Cat 2
11/10/26
8:30 AM
Luxembourg Cafe
100 Main St.
Belgium, WI 53004
La Crosse Fall Forum
Thursday, November 5, 2026 Fredrickson Funeral Home 4239 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, WI 54602-1681
Western District Members: FREE (promo code required)
Non-Member: $200
Central District Meeting: Connecting in Funeral Service - Leadership, Law, & Local Partnerships
Join us for an update from the last WFDA Board meeting and a discussion on how funeral homes can coordinate services with community agencies to serve families effectively.
5:00 PM
11/12/26
Mike's Italian Restaurant
630 W Pine Street
Baraboo, WI 53913
OSHA Training
WFDA Member: $60
Non-Member: $110
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 pm
This course fulfills your 2026 OSHA requirements + 1 CEU Cat 4
Approved for 1 OCI Credit
OSHA Video | Mark Arnold
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration/payment
**Disclaimer: This course requires a minimum of 12 registrants or else course will be cancelled and amount refunded
Fox River Valley District Meeting: Social Security for Funeral Directors
A representative from the Brown County Social Security office will discuss the ins + outs of SSA for funeral directors. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions!
11/17/26
6:00 PM
Brickhouse Craft Burgers & Brews
500 Grant St
De Pere, WI 54115
PRENEED COURSE
Instructor: Dr. David Finkbeiner
Dates: November 18-19, 2026
Location: Gunderson Funeral Home, 2950 Chapel Valley Rd, Fitchburg WI 53711
Hotel Accommodations: The Wyndham Garden Hotel is less than a mile away and has several restaurant options within walking distance. Wyndham Garden Madison Fitchburg - Guest Reservations
Schedule:
Wednesday, November 18 - 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, November 19 - 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Lunch will be provided as the course includes a working lunch both days
**Course requires a minimum of 10 people 1 week before or course will be canceled and amount refunded**
Fees:
WFDA Member: $350
Non-member: $425
Topics Covered:
Meet Our Instructor:
David R. Finkbeiner, M.D., CCSP
David is licensed in both Michigan and Wisconsin and is a Certified Cremation Service Provider. He is affiliated with the Lakeside Memorial Chapel, Inc. In addition, he is an emergency responder with the State of Michigan's Mortuary Response Team.
David is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in biology with a physiology emphasis and a minor in chemistry. During his time at NMU, he spent 2.5 years working on the synthesis of polyhedral borane anions with primary and secondary amine ligands. He was recognized for his contributions in chemistry research by the science faculty with an associate membership to Sigma Xi.
David received his Doctor of Medicine from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and participated in their Leadership in Rural Medicine Program. During at time in medical school he had the opportunity to work with the Chief Medical Examiner of Marquette County, Michigan. He presented his senior case study research at the Keweenaw Regional Medical Conference.
In 2023, David graduated from Wayne State University and received a B.S. in Mortuary Science. At Wayne State University, David was awarded the Mary L. Williams Science Award in Funeral Service, the Dr. Gordon Rose Scholarship, the National Funeral Service Foundation Joseph E. Hagan Memorial Scholarship and was a SCI Mortuary Science Scholarship Program recipient.
Southwest District Meeting: CPR Training
3 CEUs Cat 3
Join Missy Kliebenstein, the Grant Regional Employee Health Coordinator, for CPR/AED training.
November 19, 2026
4:00 PM
Grant Regional Education Center
500 S. Madison St.
Lancaster, WI 53813
Wednesday, December 9, 2026
2:00 - 3:00 pm
The 6th Annual WFDA Professional Women’s Conference is set for Wisconsin Dells this year with a NEW date!
This conference provides opportunities for women in funeral service to build valuable connections, partake in professional development, and address the unique challenges they face in a safe environment. This year, we are focusing even more on rejuvenation and building a strong community of female funeral directors.
We invite you to join our sixth anniversary celebration with two days of networking, continuing education, and relaxation in the Dells!
When:
Wednesday, March 10 - Thursday, March 11, 2027
Where:
Dellshire Resort
2277 Dellshire Drive
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Who:
All women in funeral service or related industries are welcome!
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Student Registration - $65
Registration for members and non-members includes lunch and dinner on Wednesday + breakfast and lunch on Thursday. Student ticket is for Thursday only and includes breakfast and lunch.
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Hotel Room Block:
Registrants of the WFDA Professional Women's Conference will get a special room block rate of $119 at the Dellshire Resort in Wisconsin Dells.
Available rooms: Double Queen or King Bed Noble Rooms
View website here.
To book your room, call the front desk at 608-810-6500 and tell them you are with the WFDA Professional Women's Conference to get the discounted rate.
**Must book your hotel room by Friday, February 26, 2027**
Call for Speaker Presentations
The PWC Planning Committee is now accepting abstracts for speaker presentations. Do you or someone you know have engaging educational content to share with our attendees? We would love to see it!
Click the button below to submit your presentation details and a PWC Committee member will reach out to you.
Want to Support the PWC?
Stay tuned for more info on how to contribute to PWC's mission! Giving opportunities will include:
WISCONSIN FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
11801 W. Silver Spring Drive, Suite 200
Milwaukee, WI 53225
(608) 256-1757 | FAX: (414) 464-0850
office@wfda.info
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All Rights Reserved.