Leadership Conference
Agenda at a Glance
Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer
General Counsel, NFDA
Chris has been serving funeral service for almost 20 years. He was in-house counsel for SCI from 2003-2008 before he started in private practice representing funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories of all sizes across North America. Chris was General Counsel for the Texas Funeral Directors Association and General Counsel and on the Board of Directors for the Cremation Association of North America for over 7 years each. Chris founded The Farmer Firm eight years ago and served as outside general counsel to many successful businesses. As NFDA’s General Counsel, Chris provides counsel on litigation, regulatory matters, business matters, buying and selling, employment law, and any other legal matters our profession faces.
Chris has been serving funeral service for almost 20 years. He was in-house counsel for SCI from 2003-2008 before he started in private practice representing funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories of all sizes across North America. Chris was General Counsel for the Texas Funeral Directors Association and General Counsel and on the Board of Directors for the Cremation Association of North America for over 7 years each. Chris founded The Farmer Firm eight years ago and served as outside general counsel to many successful businesses. As NFDA’s General Counsel, Chris provides counsel on litigation, regulatory matters, business matters, buying and selling, employment law, and any other legal matters our profession faces.
Bob Harris
Bob Harris
CEO, Harris Management Groups
Bob has 30+ years of experience working with associations, chambers, and other nonprofits. There are more than one million nonprofit organizations in the USA and Bob has studied thousands of them to develop best practices. He started his career in Washington DC working with Presidential Classroom. He went on to build an association management company in Tallahassee, FL. He’s been dubbed the “Martha Stewart of association management” for providing tips and templates for making management easier. These are available free on his website at www.nonprofitcenter.com. Bob is on the faculty for the US Chamber of Commerce and has authored books on association management. To improve management, he created the Association Self-Auditing Process, used by more than 20,000 organizations. Bob believes that nonprofit organizations should be as efficient as any commercial business.
Bob has 30+ years of experience working with associations, chambers, and other nonprofits. There are more than one million nonprofit organizations in the USA and Bob has studied thousands of them to develop best practices. He started his career in Washington DC working with Presidential Classroom. He went on to build an association management company in Tallahassee, FL. He’s been dubbed the “Martha Stewart of association management” for providing tips and templates for making management easier. These are available free on his website at www.nonprofitcenter.com. Bob is on the faculty for the US Chamber of Commerce and has authored books on association management. To improve management, he created the Association Self-Auditing Process, used by more than 20,000 organizations. Bob believes that nonprofit organizations should be as efficient as any commercial business.
Wes Henderson
Wes Henderson
Founder, Angel’s Envy | True Story
Wes Henderson is the Founder of Angel’s Envy Bourbon, creating a one-of-a-kind spirit that is acknowledged as the most successful Kentucky bourbon start-up in modern bourbon history. In this role, he built Angel’s Envy into a global brand, creating some of the finest award-winning whiskeys, and he is recognized as a pioneer of the craft whiskey movement, particularly the introduction of secondary barrel finishes of American whiskeys. Before co-founding Angel’s Envy, Wes was a self-described “serial entrepreneur” for 30-plus years. Independently, and with his family, he is the creator of several other alcoholic beverages and consumer products, creating billions of dollars of brand value.
Wes Henderson is the Founder of Angel’s Envy Bourbon, creating a one-of-a-kind spirit that is acknowledged as the most successful Kentucky bourbon start-up in modern bourbon history. In this role, he built Angel’s Envy into a global brand, creating some of the finest award-winning whiskeys, and he is recognized as a pioneer of the craft whiskey movement, particularly the introduction of secondary barrel finishes of American whiskeys. Before co-founding Angel’s Envy, Wes was a self-described “serial entrepreneur” for 30-plus years. Independently, and with his family, he is the creator of several other alcoholic beverages and consumer products, creating billions of dollars of brand value.
Martha Thayer
Martha Thayer
Owner, Mortuary Training
Martha Thayer is the founder of Mortuary Training and works with funeral homes and associations on communication, training, policy, and professional practice. A longtime mortuary science educator with emeritus status, she pioneered the first fully accredited online mortuary science curriculum in the United States. She presents nationally on topics including AI, workplace challenges, and the evolving demands of funeral service.
Martha Thayer is the founder of Mortuary Training and works with funeral homes and associations on communication, training, policy, and professional practice. A longtime mortuary science educator with emeritus status, she pioneered the first fully accredited online mortuary science curriculum in the United States. She presents nationally on topics including AI, workplace challenges, and the evolving demands of funeral service.
Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE
Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE
Senior Vice President, Advocacy, NFDA
In her role as NFDA’s federal lobbyist Lesley Witter oversees all government relations efforts, political action committee activities, legislative and regulatory programs, the work performed by law firms and outside lobbyists on behalf of the association and its members. Lesley is a Certified Association Executive and has a bachelor’s degree in government and international relations and a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University. She has been with NFDA since 2007.
In her role as NFDA’s federal lobbyist Lesley Witter oversees all government relations efforts, political action committee activities, legislative and regulatory programs, the work performed by law firms and outside lobbyists on behalf of the association and its members. Lesley is a Certified Association Executive and has a bachelor’s degree in government and international relations and a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University. She has been with NFDA since 2007.
Chris Yonker, CFBA
Chris Yonker, CFBA
Founder, The Center for Conscious Living and Development
Chris Yonker specializes in helping family enterprises navigate the intricate and unique aspects of both being related and owning a business. He is a Certified Family Business Advisor accredited through The Family Firm Institute. Chris helps to consciously navigate the challenges of succession, leadership transitions and family conflict, while creating long-term strategies for business continuity.
Drawing upon more than 25 years of driving change and leading sales with 3M, and over a decade in Family Business and Executive consulting, Chris has built a process that has become his special sort of alchemy. His strategy helps clients move beyond the obstacles family organizations face that often prevent them from leading deeply fulfilling lives, both individually as well as collectively. Many of Chris’s clients say the process of working with him leads to profound healing within their families, bringing a sense of deep peace, better relationships and higher levels of happiness alongside a thriving organization.
Drawing upon more than 25 years of driving change and leading sales with 3M, and over a decade in Family Business and Executive consulting, Chris has built a process that has become his special sort of alchemy. His strategy helps clients move beyond the obstacles family organizations face that often prevent them from leading deeply fulfilling lives, both individually as well as collectively. Many of Chris’s clients say the process of working with him leads to profound healing within their families, bringing a sense of deep peace, better relationships and higher levels of happiness alongside a thriving organization.
Chris Yonker specializes in helping family enterprises navigate the intricate and unique aspects of both being related and owning a business. He is a Certified Family Business Advisor accredited through The Family Firm Institute. Chris helps to consciously navigate the challenges of succession, leadership transitions and family conflict, while creating long-term strategies for business continuity.
Drawing upon more than 25 years of driving change and leading sales with 3M, and over a decade in Family Business and Executive consulting, Chris has built a process that has become his special sort of alchemy. His strategy helps clients move beyond the obstacles family organizations face that often prevent them from leading deeply fulfilling lives, both individually as well as collectively. Many of Chris’s clients say the process of working with him leads to profound healing within their families, bringing a sense of deep peace, better relationships and higher levels of happiness alongside a thriving organization.
Drawing upon more than 25 years of driving change and leading sales with 3M, and over a decade in Family Business and Executive consulting, Chris has built a process that has become his special sort of alchemy. His strategy helps clients move beyond the obstacles family organizations face that often prevent them from leading deeply fulfilling lives, both individually as well as collectively. Many of Chris’s clients say the process of working with him leads to profound healing within their families, bringing a sense of deep peace, better relationships and higher levels of happiness alongside a thriving organization.
Travel and Transportation
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors!
