National Academic Advising Association

The Learning Resources Network (LERN) is a leading organization in the field of lifelong learning programming and continuing education. With a focus on providing valuable resources and insights, LERN brings together the best experts and professionals to discuss and explore the latest trends and directions in the industry. Through their annual conference and extensive research, LERN offers valuable information on topics such as artificial intelligence, marketing strategies, and staff shortages, helping organizations stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of education and training.Generated from the website

Through the latter part of the century, KLA continued to strive toward a better business atmosphere for ranchers and feeders. In 1975, KLA pushed a bill through the Kansas legislature calling for prompt payment on fed cattle by packers. The organization led the charge for similar federal legislation the following year despite opposition from the packing industry. KLA fought regulation of the trucking industry in 1978 because the changes would have been unrealistic for hauling livestock. In 1986, Kansas voters approved a constitutional amendment crafted by KLA and other farm groups calling for use-value appraisal on ag land and exempting farm machinery and livestock from the property tax rolls. This helped keep the state's business climate on a level playing field with other states and is considered to be the biggest tax victory in KLA's history. The organization celebrated its centennial in 1994, with special activities taking place throughout the year. A book was written to commemorate the group's 100th year in existence by Jim Hoy, a native of the Flint Hills who is on the faculty at Emporia State University. KLA is one of the nation's most respected state cattlemen's organizations. The leadership of KLA was instrumental in recommending and implementing the merger between the National Cattlemen's Association and National Livestock and Meat Board. Through creation of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association in 1995, the industry streamlined operations at the national level, mirroring a unified organizational structure that has served KLA well for more than 100 years. Today, KLA represents the state's multi-billion dollar cattle industry at both the state and federal levels. KLA members are involved in all segments of the livestock industry including cow-calf, feedlot, swine, dairy and sheep. Dues paid by the membership fund legislative, educational and communications activities. KLA Leadership Following are the 2008-2009 KLA Officers. To contact either the president or president elect, e-mail kla@kla.org. Please designate the KLA officer to which you would like the message addressed. Mark Smith has a stocker cattle program, feeds cattle and farms in Wallace and Greeley counties. His cattle business is dictated by market conditions. He owns a cow-calf herd and, in the past, has purchased cull cows to breed, calve and sell. Smith has a growing yard to start cattle for summer pasture and winter grazing. The farming business produces corn and wheat. His family earned the National Cattlemen's Beef Association ( NCBA ) Environmental Stewardship Award in 1994 for the enhancement of natural resources. He has been presented many regional awards for grassland and soil conservation and preserving wildlife habitat. Smith's leadership capabilities are well-documented. He has represented Greeley County on the KLA Board of Directors, is a past vice chairman of the KLA Natural Resources Committee and was chairman of the KLA Stockgrowers Council in 2007. Smith served the past year as KLA president elect. He represents KLA on the NCBA Board of Directors. Smith also is active in his community. He has served on the Greeley County School Board and as a past local 4-H beef leader. Smith serves on the Fort Wallace Memorial Association Board of Directors. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1976 with a degree in social science. Smith also earned a degree from Kemper Military College in Boonville, MO. Smith and his wife, Cindy, have two adult daughters. Angie works in the healthcare industry and is married to Edward Robson, who is employed in the Smith family's grain storage business. Valarie Smith is a Western State College of Colorado graduate and currently is pursuing a master's degree in art therapy. Ken Grecian and his wife, Barb, own and manage a grain and cow-calf business in Graham County. They background calves at home from the Angus-based herd and retain part interest when the cattle are sent to a commercial feedyard. The cattle

The mission of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association (KFDA ) is to cultivate and promote the art and science of the funeral service profession; to elevate and sustain the professional character and education of funeral directors and embalmers; to promote communications, good will and mutual improvements; to protect the health and welfare of the general public; to encourage the enacting and enforcing of proper and just law relative to funeral and burial practices within the State; to represent and safeguard the common interests of its members and to foster and maintain among them high professional ideals and ethics. Shun Newbern, CFSP, has over 20 years of funeral service experience, embalming in excess of 15, 000 bodies. As a licensed funeral director and embalmer for Rose Hills Mortuary, in Whittier, California, he assists in supervising a staff of 30 at a high volume location that handles 5, 200 cases annually. He received his mortuary science degree from San Francisco School of Mortuary Science. He has most recently been a presenter for the American Society of Embalmer's, NFDA, ICCFA and One Legacy Tissue Services and has written a series of articles on embalming and prep room management in the American Funeral Director, Funeral Home and Cemetery News, The Director, ICCFA, the Morticians Journal, and Mortuary Management. Challenges in Embalming & Treating the Decedent - The speaker will examine embalming and treating remains under challenged conditions. Embalming the tissue is just one aspect of treating the decedent. The remains also must be restored with natural contour of the face and the hands that may be distorted and swollen. We will examine the procedures used during embalming cases and set a higher standard of performance. The Embalmer and His Staph? - This session will cover a much higher standard of care in cleaning and sanitation. You will learn the risk that the funeral home staff takes when they enter the embalming room. An update on communicable disease from the Center of Disease Control and other agencies to create a safe work environment will be covered, as well as embalming infectious decedents. Embalming Skills for Every Embalmer - The session will cover a much higher standard of care in embalming various types of cases without increasing the cost of operating the mortuary. Body preparation from feature setting to eliminating odor will be touched on. Keys to a Successful Viewing - This session will cover the psychological effects that an open casket has on a grieving heart and how our role in that experience is extraordinary. The viewing for many cultures is the most important aspect of the funeral planning process. If the viewing does not go well, the service will not go well. The speaker will demonstrate the basic and some advance techniques in conversation, implementation and presentation leaving a mark on the family that cannot be erased. KFDA Members must be "logged in" to take advantage of the new features in the "Members Only" section of the KFDA website. There is limited information available to the general public. Our new website includes: Important Notices pertaining to funeral service, KFDA Journals, Forms for Your Business, and the new Job Bank to name just a few. This information is only available to members. If you've never logged in before and you do not have your user name and password, give Debbie a call. She will give you your user name and reset your password and make sure that you are able to login so you can begin to take advantage of all the new features.