Sheboygan Falls, Wis. – Damon Wenig, Managing Funeral Director at Wenig Funeral Homes, is one of twenty funeral professionals selected to participate in the first National Emerging Leaders Program with the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). The program aims to help those still early in their funeral service careers become successful business and community leaders.
“I’m honored to be given this opportunity to learn and connect with other like-minded professionals,” says Damon Wenig. Damon’s passion for continuous improvement is what led him to apply. He knew this program provides a unique chance to work with peers who would raise the bar and leaders who would help him grow in his profession. He says, “Strategic collaboration from a diverse group of people always pays dividends. This alliance of death care leaders helps cultivate a new desire for innovation, allowing us to keep providing the highest level of service to our families.”
The first National Emerging Leaders Program begins at the 2021 NFDA Leadership Conference in August and ends at the following year’s conference. Any licensed funeral professional in the beginning stage of their career could apply. A committee narrowed down the large pool of applicants to just twenty individuals who will meet eight times a year in addition to attending the Leadership Conferences. The program’s curriculum and activities focus on developing a variety of leadership-related skills such as mentorship, employee relations, and communication. Damon, the son of funeral professionals John and Barb Wenig, understands the value of this exclusive opportunity. He says, “As death care professionals, we always need to come back to asking ourselves how this will allow us to better serve our families. My hope is that this program helps further establish best practices, systems, and skillsets to carry on the funeral service calling with excellence.”