50 Year Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following individuals who, according to records from the State of Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, will celebrate their 50th anniversary of obtaining and maintaining their professional licenses in 2026. In recognition of this extraordinary milestone, the Ohio Funeral Directors Association (OFDA) will honor these individuals during the awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the Regent Ballroom at the OFDA 146th Convention and Exhibition.

Please note: Licensees reaching their 25-year milestone in 2026 will be recognized during the general session with a special acknowledgment. Those celebrating 25 and 10 years of licensure in 2026 are invited to visit the OFDA exhibit booth to receive their commemorative service lapel pin.

50-Year Award Recipient

City

50-Year Award Recipient

City

James Bishop

Newark

Brian Kelly

Lyndhurst

Elizabeth Ann Brown

Cincinnati

David Lindloff

Eaton

Mark Brown

Painesville

Donald M. LoPresti

Highland Heights

Robert Cisco

Celina

Donald Martens

Litchfield

James Craciun

Cleveland

Michael McCurdy

Beverly

James Jay Cremeens

Gallipolis

Deborah McPeek

Granville

Kenneth Davis

Fort Myers, FL

Thomas Miller

Whitehouse

Mark Ely

Dayton

Kevin Nelson

New Albany

Jerald Fiutem

Bridgeport

Terry Palmer

Chillicothe

Richard Geib

New Philadelphia

Douglas Parramore

Miamisburg

Randy Gilbert

Marion

Nicolas Previte

Highland Heights

Jay Goldfarb

Cleveland Heights

Thomas Rhoades

Pickerington

Dale E. Good

Parma

Trent Snyder

Mount Gilead

Robert Golubski

Cleveland

Steven Walton

Sycamore

Kathy Hanneman

Bowling Green

William Wappner

Mansfield

John Herzig

Dover

William White

South Euclid

Steven Hillard

Montpelier

Pamela Williams-Briggs

Mansfield

William Jakubs

Cleveland

Michael Yannucci

Piqua

Keith Jenkins

Westlake

Lynn Yockey

Cincinnati
 

NOTE: The 50-year anniversary is undoubtedly a milestone to celebrate. However, achieving this milestone is not an exemption for continuing education. Please read below for clarification and further information if you are considering applying for the CE Exemption Waiver.

Licensees who attain 50 years of licensure do not automatically receive the “50 Years of Licensure Exemption from Continuing Education” from the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors (OBEFD). Individuals must apply for the exemption at funeral.ohio.gov. Should you have any specific questions regarding the exemption, we encourage you to contact OBEFD directly.

Exemption Requirements:

  •  Licensees must wait until their full 50-year anniversary date before applying.
  • If a licensee holds both an embalmer and funeral director license, they will become eligible for the exemption on the anniversary of their most recently issued license.
  • Licensees are not permitted to serve as a funeral director actually in charge (AIC) of and ultimately responsible for a funeral home or an embalming facility.
  • Licensees must continue to pay renewal fees.