Vertin is pleased to congratulate its affiliate funeral homes that have earned the 2020 Pursuit of Excellence Award:

  • Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory, Alexandria, MN
  • Johnson-Hagglund Funeral and Cremation Service, Litchfield, MN
  • Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge, MN
  • Pedersen Funeral & Cremation Service, Morris, MN
  • Vertin-Munson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Wahpeton, ND.

This esteemed award is presented by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) every year to select funeral homes that meet a set of professional standards and demonstrate outstanding service.

“Receiving the Pursuit of Excellence award makes me extremely proud of all of the staff here,” said Lance Ehrlin, Funeral Director at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home and Cremation Service. “It just goes to show that our service doesn’t stop after the funeral is complete and that we are constantly trying to find new and unique ways to better serve our families.”

To earn the Pursuit of Excellence Award, funeral homes excel in various areas such as community involvement, professional development, and programs and services. Amanda Moen-Lee, Funeral Director at Pedersen Funeral Home, said, “Funeral service is so much greater than merely a church service. We do everything with purpose and walk alongside our families, well after the funeral itself.”


This year, funeral homes have worked harder and used creativity to continue providing meaningful, healing services for their communities throughout the global pandemic. “Livestreaming gives all family and friends an opportunity to feel like they are a part of a service, which we believe is extremely important,” said Lance. The staff at Pedersen have also taken steps to ensure their community is supported. Amanda said, “In 2020, we’ve had to look outside the box to serve families to the very best of our ability given the circumstances. We are so proud of the work that we do and are honored to be recognized with this year’s NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award. It means a lot to know our efforts make a difference!”

To learn more about the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence program and the 2020 honorees, visit https://nfda.org/membership/recognition-programs/pursuit-of-excellence/pursuit-honorees.

For more information about Vertin, contact Leah O’Leary at leah.oleary@vertin.com.