Directors Investment Group (DIG), Abilene, TX, is honored to welcome Minnesota funeral home owner, Pat Patton, to its board of directors. DIG is the parent company of Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company, headquartered in Abilene, TX.

“We are excited to welcome Pat Patton to our board of directors,” said Kris Seale, DIG Chairman of the Board and President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life. “Pat has been a friend of mine for many years, and he has been a thought leader in our profession for a long time, holding several key leadership positions at state and national associations. As our company has grown to serve funeral homes beyond Texas, we knew that our leadership needed to reflect that shift. Pat comes to us from Minnesota, and we are looking forward to hearing from his unique perspective.”

Pat Patton currently serves as owner and funeral director at Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services in the Sauk Centre area of Minnesota but is planning to enter into retirement soon.

“Kris and I were talking recently about my plans after retirement. After a minute, I realized he wasn’t asking about my travel plans,” said Patton with a laugh. “When Kris asks a question, it’s usually because he has a plan already forming. He asked if I would be interested in serving on the board of directors for DIG, and I had absolutely no hesitation saying yes. I believe in the values of the company, the culture, and the leadership. This is a company that is looking ahead, thinking about the future, and it is an honor and a privilege to serve alongside this great group of leaders to benefit our entire profession.”

Pat has served as past member of the Executive Board of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and currently serves as Minnesota’s representative to the Policy Board of NFDA. He is a past president of the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association (MFDA) and is a member of the MFDA Service Corp. Board of Directors. Pat is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (B.S. Mortuary Science) and lives with his wife Sue in Sauk Centre, MN, who serves alongside him as co-owner of Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services.