Jayme Cameron was elected as the 64th General President of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc. in August 2013 with “A Dawn of a New Day” as her vision and mission during her tenure.

Cameron is not a novice to the mortuary business as she is third generation operator of a funeral home Michigan.

“I am third generation in my family business,” said Cameron. I started when I was 12 doing insurance claims. I am 41 years- old now.”

After 29 years she has risen to the challenge of becoming the president of an organization she has been hanging around since she was a little girl. She is the youngest woman to serve as president and the sixth woman to hold the position.

“Five women have been national president prior to me. They were strong women but it is not as difficult as some said it would be,” said Cameron.

The NFDMA just finished their annual conference and Cameron emphatically said it was the best she has attended in the past 16 years. She has spent the past year on the road traveling the country trying to reach out to association members, showing them that she values them as members.

“My goal is to increase membership and reactivate members,” said Cameron. “People are excited, people are joining and participating!”

Madame President believes that it is necessary that everyone works together. Even when they disagree they must learn to agree to disagree.

As far as industry goes, the African American mortuary business is still in good standing.

“Primarily African Americans are leading in the industry. We still have full service funerals versus other races where cremation is big,” said Cameron. “Our mortuaries are in the position to help educate others, to celebrate the lives of loved ones.”

With a booming industry at her feet and an organization that holds 3,200 African American funeral homes across the country Cameron just wants to operate with love while pushing her organization to embrace, engage, equip and empower into a new day.

Prior to running for office Ms. Cameron was very active in her state and national associations. She held the position of State Secretary (1999-2004) and Vice-President (2004-2007) of the Michigan Select Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc. She has served the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association in the capacity of Membership Committee Co-Chair (2002-2004) and Membership Chair (2004-2007). She also has been a proud member of the NFD&MA Choir, a member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice where she earned her CFSP designation in 2003 and a member-at-large of Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity.