NILES — Jim Meyer of the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Services in Niles was elected to the North American Division Board of Directors of the British Institute of Embalmers at its annual general meeting on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

The British Institute of Embalmers was founded in 1927 by a group of 15 funeral directors who recognized the need for a separate organization for the professional embalmer. The BIE has set and maintained the standards for curriculum and educators of embalming throughout the British Isles. Its interest in practicing the highest levels of quality, dignity, confidentiality and respect demands that it also promotes scientific research in the problems affecting embalming including changing public health issues and new healthcare methods, said officials.

Those standards and practices have been adopted by professional embalmers elsewhere, such that the BIE has grown to include 14 divisions around the world.  The North American Division membership includes many scientists involved in research and development at companies that manufacture embalming chemicals and instruments, authors of mortuary science specific articles, faculty of American mortuary science schools, and local funeral service practitioners.

Myers was originally nominated for membership in the BIE by a representative of The Dodge Company, the world’s largest supplier of embalming chemicals, instruments, and supplies.  He also serves in Michigan as a member of MI-MORT, the response team for events, which involve multiple fatalities, and on the statewide working group combining the efforts of the Gift of Life, Eversight eye bank and the Michigan Funeral Directors Association.  He has been serving the Niles area as a Mortuary Science Licensee since 1986.