Courtesy Photo Bannan Funeral Home team members pictured, from left, are Nicholas Esch, Chad Esch, and Aaron Meyer.

ALPENA — Bannan Funeral Home is proud to announce it has been honored with the 2025 Pursuit of Excellence Award from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). This recognition places Bannan Funeral Home among an elite group of just 271 funeral homes worldwide that exemplify excellence in service, innovation, and community engagement.

The Pursuit of Excellence Award is reserved for funeral homes that uphold the highest ethical and professional standards while delivering outstanding care to families and meaningful contributions to their communities. Honorees demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and must exceed stringent business standards across key areas, including compliance, staff development, family service and public outreach.

To qualify for this prestigious honor, Bannan Funeral Home met or surpassed comprehensive program criteria, including adherence to federal and state regulations, a strong focus on staff education, and active involvement in the community. The award also recognizes efforts to provide compassionate support to grieving families, share knowledge with peers in the profession, and communicate effectively through marketing, public relations, and educational outreach. All participants in the program must also commit to the NFDA’s Pledge of Ethical Practices, affirming their dedication to integrity, honesty and accountability.

“We are honored to recognize Bannan Funeral Home with the 2025 Pursuit of Excellence Award,” said Jessica Koth, NFDA Director of Public Relations. “This distinction reflects an unwavering commitment to integrity, innovation and compassionate service. The dedication shown by this firm to their community and to continuous professional growth sets a powerful example for funeral service everywhere.”

“Receiving the Pursuit of Excellence Award is deeply humbling,” said Bannan Funeral Home Owner/Manager Chad Esch. “This honor isn’t just about our funeral home, but about the families of Alpena and the surrounding communities who have trusted us for generations. Serving you through life’s most difficult moments is a responsibility we never take lightly, and this award reflects the heart and compassion of our entire team. We are grateful every day for the privilege to walk alongside our neighbors, and we remain committed to providing the care, dignity, and support you deserve.”

More information about the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award program can be found at NFDA.org/PursuitOfExcellence.

Bannan Funeral Home has been serving families in Alpena and the surrounding Northeast Michigan communities for generations, providing compassionate and professional care during life’s most difficult times. Offering a full range of services including traditional funerals, cremation, pre-planning and offering a simple transfer of an exciting pre-planned option. The funeral home is dedicated to honoring every family’s wishes with dignity and respect. Guided by a commitment to community and excellence, Bannan Funeral Home continues its mission of providing meaningful support and guidance to the families it serves.

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving nearly 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and more than 40 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org.