PRESS RELEASE
Lincolnshire, Ill. — Selected Independent Funeral Homes has announced the election of new Board Officers to lead the world’s oldest association of independently-owned funeral homes. Selected’s new Board Officers were officially installed on October 2 as part of the association’s first-ever virtual Annual Meeting.
Paul C. St. Pierre of Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory in Greenwood, Ind. will serve as the President. St. Pierre and his family have a strong connection to Selected, with his father Michael St. Pierre serving as President (1991) and his great grandfather being an active part of the organization at inception.
“The funeral services profession is changing quickly, and we need to be ready to adapt quicker,” stated St. Pierre. “Selected will be ready to support our members with those changes and provide the tools they need to be effective. The only way to feel the Selected connection is to share with your peers.”
Among the many benefits of Selected membership, St. Pierre feels the connections he makes with his peers is the most valuable to him. He is actively involved in Selected programs, is member of the F-Troop Study Group, regularly attends Annual Meetings, has served on the Programming Work Group Committee and sat on the Educational Trust Board. He is currently President of nine funeral homes in central Indiana and is active in his community.
Eric R. Trimble of Trimble Funeral Home & Crematory in Moline, Ill. will serve in the new position of Board Chair. Trimble is President of their 146-year old firm and states that Selected has been an important part to their firm’s culture “forever”.
“We’re seeing things evolve so rapidly in the profession. Selected is uniquely positioned to help our members to better help their communities however they need,” said Trimble. “Being independently-owned, we answer to the families we serve and as long as we address their needs and values, we will stay relevant.”
Trimble said he most enjoys attending the Group Roundtables and Annual Meetings and participating in several programs including Selected’s Management Comparative Program, Selected Transfer Services, the Discussion Forum and the Educational Trust Job Fairs.
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with the Board to help direct Selected and the funeral profession into the future,” said Trimble. “At this point in my career, to pay it forward to the profession is important to me.”
Trimble is past President of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association, served on the American Board of Funeral Service Education, served two terms on the Illinois Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing and Disciplinary Board and has been a speaker at several professional conferences.
With the installation of the President and Board Chair, new Board members Al Asta, W. Byron Calhoun, Steven Pierce and Erich Schepp were also inducted.
The entire Board of Directors includes President Paul C. St. Pierre, Greenwood, Ind., Group 2; Board Chair Eric R. Trimble, Moline, Ill., Group 4; Erich A. Schepp, Fayetteville, N.Y., Group 1; W. Byron Calhoun, Cleveland, Ohio, Group 2; Robert D. Nunnaley, Carthage, N.C., Group 3; Steve Pierce, Kansas City, Mo., Group 4; Josh Blake, Waco, Tex., Group 5; Al Asta, Phoenix, Ariz., Group 6.
For more information on Selected, becoming or locating a member, visit Selected’s website at selectedfuneralhomes.org or call 800-323-4219.
