Preston Hanley Honered by NFDA; Inducted into Hall of Excellence

Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC, recently received the 2012 Pursuit of Excellence Award, marking the 10th consecutive year the company received the national recognition. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) presented the award as part of its annual conference.

“This year’s award is even more special than usual,” D. Neale Hanley, Sr., owner, said. “We were also honored by being inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence. It’s a recognition that further demonstrates our consistent commitment to compassionate care and service excellence. We are dedicated – as a team – to providing care that goes beyond expectations for the families and communities we serve.”

The 2012 NFDA International Convention & Expo was recently held in Charlotte, NC, where Randall Earl, NFDA president, presented the honorary plaque. Hanley and his wife, Pat, and daughter, Tammie Hanley Vocatura, were there to accept the award on behalf of the entire staff at Preston-Hanley.

Preston-Hanley has been serving Central Illinois for over 75 years. Locally owned and operated, the company has chapels in Pekin and Creve Coeur, operates its own crematory in Pekin, and serves the community with Prairie Haven Cemetery. Preston-Hanley is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and Cremation Association of North America.

About the NFDA, Pursuit of Excellence Award

Headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., the National Funeral Directors Association is the world's leading funeral service association, serving 18,500 individual members who represent nearly 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and 43 countries around the world. Only 164 funeral homes in the United States received the 2012 Pursuit of Excellence Award, with 22 inducted into the Hall of Excellence. Each year, the Pursuit of Excellence Award is presented to firms that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities. To earn the prestigious award, the funeral home must meet or exceed business standards set forth by the program and demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, such as compliance with state and federal regulations; providing ongoing education and professional development opportunities for staff; offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families; maintaining an active level of involvement within the community; participating and actively serving in the funeral service profession; and promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Participants are also required to adhere to a Pledge of Ethical Practices.

LtoR: Pat Hanley; Randall Earl, NFDA President; D. Neale Hanley, Sr.; and Tammie Hanley Vocatura