About: Julia Elliot

"Did you hear?” seemed to be the common refrain on the exhibition floor, education sessions, escalators, and elevators. What was everyone seemingly talking about? Three days before the show’s opening, Foundation Partners Group announced that Mark Krause, president of Krause Funeral Homes & Cremation Service Inc. in Milwaukee, had agreed to sell his firm to the company and join Foundation Partners as vice president of industry relations and government affairs.

Foundation Partners VP of Government and Industry Relations Reflects on Issues From NFDA's 2024 Advocacy Summit.

After a busy few years of mergers and acquisitions in the deathcare industry, in 2023 an inflationary environment and rising interest rates contributed to a marked reduction in deal activity. As we begin 2024, however, all signs point to an increase in M&A activity and great opportunities for funeral business owners looking to transition to a new chapter of their lives.

It's no secret that consumers' increasing preference for cremation is impacting the traditional funeral home business model. Because cremation services generally produce lower revenue, many funeral home owners are expanding their product and services offerings. Others are discovering ways to serve the needs of new groups within their communities.