ICCFA Magazine January 2019

January 2019
MAGAZINE
ICCFA Magazine
CEMETERY CREMATION FUNERAL
Inside: Program
for the ICCFA 2019
Convention & Expo
Charlotte, North Carolina,

April 2-6, 2019
• speakers on every aspect
of the funeral, cemetery
& cremation profession
• 11 uninterrupted Expo hours
• Welcome Reception at
the NASCAR Hall of Fame
French mortuaries
and cemetery
Appealing to the next
generation, winning
back cremation clients

Also in this issue:
• Ceremonies for
witness cremations
• Stansbury: Breaking
the ‘just a’ curse
• Lemasters on funeral
crowdfunding basics
January 2019 • Test your online
marketing IQ
• Wolfelt on Australia’s
progressive cemeteries
• How to decide about
‘hiring’ a therapy dog
• Trust fund basics
• Getting feedback on
your communication
I C C FA W i d e Wo r l d o f S a l e s : J a n u a r y 2 3 - 2 5 , 2 0 1 9 , a t B a l l y ’ s L a s Ve g a s , N e v a d a
Who Supplies
the Suppliers?
For funeral and cemetery suppliers, business
has never been more isolating. Often ideas
are done in a vacuum. What you know is only
what you know, which limits how far you can
go. IMSA membership can change that. We’ve
brought together some of the top industry
experts to offer our members free one-on-
one advice on marketing, business planning,
legal issues and more. We also bring to
our members insightful business-boosting
webinars, meaningful industry resources and
networking with other IMSA members. All this
smart phone scan Property in photo is Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, NJ, Merendino client since 2005
for just $175 a year. We’re the only association
serving all funeral and cemetery suppliers.
Because what’s good for the suppliers is
good for the providers and that’s good for the
families. IMSA. Supplying opportunity.
www.IMSA-Online.com
IMSA members now get free consultation with Dan Katz & Rolf Gutknecht of LA ads, Jake Johnson
of Johnson Consulting, Ryan Thogmartin of Disrupt Media and Poul Lemasters of Lemasters Consulting.
January 2019
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association®
Promoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition
Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support

to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
12 MANAGEMENT: FINANCES
Some things to consider when a family turns to crowdfunding
There have long been a number of ways for families to cover funeral
and burial costs: cash, check, credit card or insurance, for example.
Crowdfunding is a much newer option, and as with anything new, you
need to do your due diligence. by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
French Funerals & Cremation’s Rio 14 CELEBRANTS
Rancho location is designed to appeal The curse of ‘just-a’: Doing these services right will serve your
to the surrounding area’s younger, families and bring repeat business As cremation has increased, so
cremation-oriented population. French
Vice President Chris Keller talks about
have “just-a” services. Just a cremation. Just a memorial service.
the company’s approach to 21st century Just a graveside service. Just a family gathering. In other words, not
management beginning on page 24. something the funeral director should spend time on. This kind of
thinking is a serious mistake that is seriously hurting both grieving
families and your bottom line. by Glenda Stansbury, CC, CFSP
20 SERVING CREMATION FAMILIES
A ceremony for witnessing the casket’s entry into the retort
ICCFA 2019 ANNUAL “Witness cremations,” where the family watches their loved one’s
CONVENTION & EXPO casket enter the retort, are becoming more common. Providing the
facilities to make them possible is just the first step. Funeral profession-
83 Welcome als also need to help families craft a ceremony that will make a witness
84 Special events cremation a meaningful experience. by Amy Cunningham, CC.
86 Keynote speakers
24 MANAGEMENT
87 Breakout sessions Tackling the challenges of 21st century management
96 Registration form French Funerals & Cremations is a family-owned firm with a long his-
tory and strong market share in Albuquerque, New Mexico. To build
8 President’s Letter on its success, the company has brought in executives, and therefore
Belonging to & participating in the
ICCFA will help you learn and grow ideas, from outside the funeral and cemetery profession.
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE interview of Chris Keller by Susan Loving
ICCFA officers Cremation and Funeral Association. Subscription

Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, January 2019 rates: In the United States, $39.95; in Canada,
president VOLUME 79/NUMBER 1 $45.95; overseas: $75.95. One subscription is
Jay D. Dodds, CFSP, president-elect included in annual membership dues. POST-
Andrés Aguilar, vice president MASTER: Send address changes to ICCFA
Paul Goldstein, vice president Magazine, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100,
Katherine Devins, communications manager; Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator
Lee Longino, vice president Sterling, VA 20164-4468. Individual written
kd@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224 (habla español)
Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE, vice president contributions, commentary and advertisements
danielo@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
Jason Brown, communications assistant appearing in ICCFA Magazine do not necessarily
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, treasurer
jason@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1218 reflect either the opinion or the endorsement
Robbie L. Pape, secretary ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is published
Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director of the International Cemetery, Cremation and
by the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel & publisher Funeral Association®.
Funeral Association®, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite
nadira@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1225 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; 703.391.8400;
Magazine staff FAX 703.391.8416; www.iccfa.com. Published
Susan Loving, managing editor Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel
robertfells@iccfa.com 10 times per year, with combined issues in
sloving@iccfa.com
March-April and August-September. Periodicals
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager Brenda Clough, office administrator postage paid at Sterling, VA, and other offices.
rplatter@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213 & association liaison; bclough@iccfa.com; Copyright 2019 by the International Cemetery,
1.800.645.7700, ext. 1214
4 ICCFA Magazine “Like” the ICCFA on Facebook & friend “ICCFA Staff ”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
10 Washington Report 46 Scatter Day helps families, promotes memorialization and

Industry’s big 3 trade associations builds heritage
push for tax reform on trust funds
by Robert M. Fells, Esq. 50 MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY
Test your online marketing IQ How much do you know about mar-
72 Supply Line
keting your business over the internet? Take this fun quiz to find out.
76 Update
You might be surprised by some of the answers. by Welton Hong
79 “Birth of a Cemetery,”
by John F. Llewellyn 54 SERVICE TO FAMILIES
97 Calendar Transforming the power and purpose of cemeteries, part 2: More
97 Classifieds lessons from Down Under Funeral directors are often urged to
evolve. What about cemeterians? Australia’s Southern Metropolitan
98 Ad Index
Cemeteries Trust has been listening to families and making sure it
98 New Members
meets the needs of today’s families.
by Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D.
ICCFA news
80 Don’t start the year off with regrets: 60 GRIEF THERAPY DOGS
Attend DEAD Talks 2019 What to consider before adding a grief therapy dog Whether you’re
WWS, January 23-25, 2019 enthusiastic or wary about the idea of having a grief therapy dog at
80 Thank you to our 2019 sponsors your funeral home or cemetery, you first need know what you’d be
getting into. by Roberta Knauf, CPLP
81 Become a Certified Celebrant
and offer more to families you serve 66 MARKETING: FINANCES
April 1-3, 2019, before the ICCFA convention Cemetery Impossible: Following state law on trusting won’t
81 Membership benefit spotlight: secure cemetery’s future Cemeterians who wonder whether they
ICCFA Business Insurance Program have enough money in their endowment care funds are right to be
concerned. by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS
81 Get your 2019 music license
before price increases on February 1 68 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
81 Deadline February 18 to submit your The 2 1/2 minute manager: How to get feedback about how well
scholarship application for ICCFAU you communicate No one starts out as a great communicator; it’s a
82 Best in Show contest, cemetery tour learned skill. It will be humbling process, but there are things you can
& more at ICCFA convention do to find out how well you communicate and how you can improve.
April 2-6, 2019 by Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE
70 MANAGEMENT
Then & now: How death care has changed (and how it’s stayed
the same) Many things about how things are done in the death care
Catch the WIRELESS newsletter in your
profession have changed dramatically. Bill Williams has seen it from
inbox for industry news, stories about colleagues
making headlines and updates on ICCFA
both the funeral director and supplier side, and sees many benefits to
educational events & conferences how things are today. by William H. “Bill” Williams Jr., LFD
Follow the ICCFA’s LinkedIn ICCFA calendar

page to read breaking news about go to www.iccfa.com for program, registration & scholarship information
colleagues, the profession and the
association 2019 ICCFA Wide World of Sales
http://bit.ly/2du252P January 23-25, Bally’s Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Co-chairs Tim Fish and Delana Pratt
Follow the ICCFA on Twitter
to receive instant updates on the 2019 ICCFA Convention & Expo
association’s educational events April 2-6, Charlotte Convention Center & The Westin Charlotte,
& conferences Charlotte, North Carolina Co-chairs Mathew Forastiere and John Gouch Jr.
http://twitter.com/iccfa 2019 ICCFA University
July 19-24, Fogelman Conference Center, University of Memphis,
Like and follow the ICCFA Memphis, Tennessee,
to read up-to-date news on the
Chancellor: Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
industry, ICCFA members making
headlines and ICCFA events & 2019 Fall Management Conference
promotions September 25-27, Hyatt Regency Tamaya, Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
President’s Letter
by ICCFA
2018-2019 Belonging to & participating in the
President Christine
ICCFA will help you learn and grow
B
Toson Hentges, CCE
elonging to a larger group of people— that time treated me with respect and left me with
mentors, colleagues, rookies, whatever they a great feeling about the future of my career, which
may be—is a natural way for us to thrive. was in its early developmental stages.
Being alone and working to figure things out by I came away from that 1997 conference
yourself often doesn’t get you to the next level hooked—on the business, on the association, on the
of anything in life. Some people choose to live a desire to get involved and contribute to the overall
solitary life, but most of us want to learn from and future of the end-of-life profession.
be inspired by each other. This inspiration was all I needed to make
I have always been able to learn and grow from whatever small contribution I could on a local,
being a part of the ICCFA. I’ll never forget the first state, national and international level. Giving back
annual meeting I attended, in the fall of 1997 in Las my time to help improve our state and regional
Vegas. The exhibit hall was unlike anything I had associations in Wisconsin and the Midwest began
ever seen, filled with private estate mausoleums, by recognizing that every person can make a
christieh@tributeinc.com coaches, embalming machines and chemicals and difference by working for legislative and consumer-
monuments larger than anything I was familiar with focused changes—something taught at that first
➤Hentges is president and in our cemetery at the time. ICCFA meeting. It can feel like a long slog, but
CEO of The Tribute Compa-
At that point, our company owned one cemetery, every effort made every day by every single one of
nies, Hartland, Wisconsin.
Pinelawn Memorial Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, us who are doing what’s right for this profession
which has been in my family since my great- helps bring value and dignity to what we do on a
grandfather purchased it in 1952. That was what I daily basis.
More about knew. The first ICCFA meeting I attended showed Membership in the ICCFA surrounds you with
the ICCFA me there was a whole other world out there in the like-minded professionals striving to give back
➤For membership infor- end-of-life profession that I had never thought and share with each other to help us all be the best
mation, call the ICCFA at about or imagined. we can be. The ICCFA’s top-notch, progressive
1.00.645.7700 or go to But the best part of that meeting was being educational programs help you learn what you
www.iccfa.com introduced to the fantastic people in attendance, the don’t know, never thought about or possibly did
➤The 2019 ICCFA Con- leaders, the movers and the shakers, the experts, the think about but didn’t know how to implement.
vention & Expo will be in big-wigs. Their presence was powerful and their This can be a great year for all of us, if we open
Charlotte, North Carolina, willingness to share ideas and welcome me in was ourselves up to the possibilities, and the ICCFA will
April 2-6. For more infor- touching. I was inspired by their vision and grateful help. Becoming stagnant and mediocre cannot be
mation, go to iccfa.com/ to them for being so willing to embrace newcomers part of your business plan. Being part of a world-
events and teach us what this association is all about. class association that helps you avoid stagnation
At that time, consolidation was fast and furious, and mediocrity is a great New Year’s resolution.
and I attended my first grand “wine and dine” I hope you’re already a member and reaping the
dinner given by a large conglomerate that was benefits of ICCFA membership, but if you’re not,
interested in our operation. The powerhouses at it’s never too late to join. The future is now! r
Networking, sharing and helping each other succeed is what the ICCFA is all about. Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, partici-
pates in the annual state networking lunch (above left), reporting on what’s going on in Wisconsin; talks about the ICCFA
Women’s Forum (above center); and chats with fellow cemeterian Sadie Barran during a convention reception (above right).
Washington Report
by ICCFA General Counsel
Robert M. Fells, Esq. Industry’s big 3 trade associations
push for tax reform on trust funds
T
robertfells@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1212 he year 2018 ended with the news The CANA-ICCFA-NFDA
direct line: 703.391.8401 that the big three funeral service
trade associations—the Cremation coalition stresses that the
➤Fells is ICCFA general
Association of North America (CANA), sought-for tax relief is a
counsel, responsible for
the International Cemetery, Cremation
maintaining and improv-
and Funeral Association (ICCFA), and bipartisan issue and affects both
ing relationships with
federal and state govern- the National Funeral Directors Associa- the industry and the public.
ment agencies, the news tion (NFDA)—have jointly endorsed a
cemetery trusts to continue deducting
media and consumer organizations. statement calling for remedial Congress-
investment advisory fees, as they can trust
➤ Fells has worked on behalf of the ceme- ional legislation affecting funeral and
administration costs, would enable the trusts
tery and funeral service profession on legal cemetery trusts. The document explains:
to retain more income so funeral homes
and legislative issues since 1975 and joined “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of
and cemeteries can meet their contractual
the ICCFA staff in 1983. He is retired from 2017 added section 67(g) to the Internal
obligations and protect consumers and
his position as the association’s executive Revenue Code (IRC) which completely
taxpayers.”
director, which he held for six years. eliminates, starting in 2018 until 2026,
In order to obtain this goal, the three
➤ He has published the itemized deduction for miscellaneous
associations have proposed the following:
a number of books. expenses for individuals and trusts
“The industry is seeking a legislative fix
His latest, “The Curse under IRC section 67(a). Previously, that
relating to the tax treatment of investment
of the Tomb,” brings deduction could apply to miscellaneous
expenses incurred by cemetery and funeral
back Maj. Alexander expenses in excess of two percent of a
Armstrong, who featured trusts and is proposing that section 67(e)
taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI).
in two previous books. of the Code be amended to include a new
One of the categories of expenses that
The discoveries of subsection (3), which would include the
is treated as a miscellaneous expense is
the royal tomb of King investment expenses of a trust. This would
any fee paid by a taxpayer for investment
Tutankhamen creates a allow investment expenses of a trust to
huge black market in forgeries of antiquities advice. As a result, investment advisory
become deductible in computing the
where the stakes include murder, and the fees are no longer deductible either by an
AGI of a trust, to the same extent as trust
British government seeks assistance from individual or by a trust.”
administration expenses. In order to be
the Americans. The associations’ statement continues:
sensitive to the revenue implications, the
“The death care industry utilizes trusts
industry suggests that the proposed change
uniquely from traditional trusts. ... In
be limited in application to cemetery
1997, for the benefit of the customer,
and funeral preneed trusts for which an
Congress added IRC section 685, which
election is made pursuant to section 685
enabled cemeteries and funeral providers
of the Code and cemetery endowment care
to treat their pre-need trusts as separate
trusts governed by section 642(i).”
taxable entities rather than as grantor trusts,
Discussions with House and Senate
transferring tax reporting responsibilities
tax committee staffs are continuing, and
from the customer to the trustee.
individual senators and representatives
“In 1976, Congress, recognizing the
have also been contacted. Though the
need to be sensitive to the tax treatment of
House of Representatives now has a
cemetery endowment care trusts, allowed
Democratic Party majority due to the results
such trusts a $5 per gravesite distribution
of the November midterm elections, and
deduction for each gravesite purchased
the Senate continues with a Republican
prior to the start of the taxable year for
Party majority, the CANA-ICCFA-NFDA
which care and maintenance were provided
coalition stresses the that sought-for tax
(IRC Section 642(i)).”
relief is a bipartisan issue and affects
The statement then explains the problem
both the industry and the public. ICCFA
created by the Tax Reform Act: “… the two
members are urged to forward a copy
largest expenses of maintaining these trusts
of the statement to the attention of their
are trustee administration costs—which
Congressional delegation.
remain deductible under IRC section 67(e)
A copy of the associations’ statement can
(1)—and investment expenses incurred
be accessed at https://s3.amazonaws.com/
in connection with the investment of
iccfa-media/2018/11/ICCFA-CANA-NFDA-
the trust principal. Allowing funeral and
One-pager-on-Tax-reform-Nov-2018.pdf. r
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
MANAGEMENT: FINANCES
There have long been a number of ways for families

to cover funeral and burial costs: cash, check, credit card or
insurance, for example. Crowdfunding is a much newer option,
and as with anything new, you need to do your due diligence.
Some things to consider when

513.407.8114
poul@lemastersconsulting.com
a family turns to crowdfunding
ICCFA Magazine spotlight Editor’s note: This article is adapted communicating the fee that can get you into
from one that appeared in Parliament, trouble.
➤Lemasters is principal of Lemasters
Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio.
a quarterly publication by Lemasters You should know that it is now
Consulting. becoming common for crowdfunding sites,
Y
www.lemastersconsulting.com
in particular ones for charitable donations,
➤He is the ICCFA’s cremation program ou’re not a bad person. You have to give donors the option to add the cost of
coordinator and special cremation counsel,
a family that has suffered a loss, any and all fees to their donation.
and co-chairs the Government and Legal
Affairs Committee.
perhaps a tragic loss. (Though what Recently I donated to a friend’s cause.
loss isn’t tragic on some level?) In this case After making the donation, I got a pop-up
➤He is an attorney and funeral director,
though, there is an issue. There is no money. window asking if I would like to add $4
graduated from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science in 1996 and from North-
There is no one who can pay for the funeral. to my donation to cover all fees associated
ern Kentucky University, Chase College of What can you do? with the donation, so that the charity would
Law, in 2003. He is licensed as a funeral You can tell them “no.” You can tell them get the entire amount.
director and embalmer in Ohio and West to come back when they have the money. You It was an interesting push, and I
Virginia and admitted to practice law in can tell them to “just cremate” and skip all ultimately did put in the additional $4. I
Ohio and Kentucky. the memorialization and services (you know, mean, really, who is going to donate and
the things that make death care so important). then say, “No. To hell with you. I gave you
More from this author Seriously, what can you do? $100—you take care of the fees.” Just my
In today’s online world there is a new thought, anyway.
option: crowdfunding. It enables the family
➤Lemasters will present a “Cremation to easily turn to extended family, other Where does the money go?
authorization form pitstop” at the ICCFA people, the community—anyone willing to It has been claimed that in some cases, the
Convention & Expo in Charlotte, North make a donation to help pay for the funeral. charity listed as the recipient never receives
Carolina, April 2-6, 2019. He also will This is not an article about whether this the donation. If you are helping coordinate
moderate the first-ever legal & legislative is a good or bad option. I’m simply trying or are involved in a crowdfunding platform,
luncheon, which will combine the annual to bring to your attention a few things you how do you make sure that the funds get to
legal & legislative update with the state need to consider and understand when and where they are supposed to go?
association leadership luncheon. He also if you have a family who decides to go An easy way is for the coordinator to
will provide a male perspective at the down the crowdfunding avenue. get an accounting of all donations made.
Women in Leadership session.
A good crowdfunding site will make sure
iccfa.com/events
What about fees? that all donations are documented and
ICCFA membership benefit There’s a saying that there is no such that the donee as well as the donor receive
➤Lemasters is the ICCFA’s cremation thing as a free lunch. In fact, nothing is confirmation of the donation.
program coordinator and special free (including lunch). So when you use a A business relying on the donations
cremation legal counsel. ICCFA mem- crowdfunding site, what does it charge for should get confirmation from the site about
bers in good standing may call him to this service? If you are helping the family all money raised and should have the
discuss cremation-related legal issues set this up, it is something you need to money raised paid/donated directly to the
for up to 20 minutes at no charge to the
know and understand. business.
member. The association pays for this
I do not think anyone expects any Unfortunately, in addition to cases where
service via an exclusive retainer.
service for free, but is the fee 2 percent or the recipient never receives money from the
➤Lemasters also provides, to ICCFA mem- 10 percent? Is there a fee on credit card donor, there are cases where the donee does
bers in good standing, free GPL reviews to
donations as well as a fee for handling receive the money, but the donee does not
check for Funeral Rule compliance.
the site? Again, the fee itself is not an turn over the funds to the stated recipient.
issue, it’s the not knowing about or not Sad to say, there have been cases where
Consider stating a time-frame, perhaps 30 days, where the business will wait
for donations to be received. This form also could state that any amount not collected
through donations/ crowdfunding will be the responsibility of the purchaser(s).
people asked for money to bury a child, As a business, you need to follow all the purchaser(s).
place a monument or pay for a surgery and the same procedures you would for any Lastly, you could also include language
then kept the donations for some other use. account. This means that you should have indicating that your business makes no
Make sure you have an accounting of a Statement of Funeral Goods and Services claims and takes no responsibility for
funds donated and, again, if possible have a (SFGS) signed by the responsible party. any crowdfunding the family relies upon,
direct tie to the crowdfunding platform for Actually, I recommend that you have at and ultimately the purchaser(s) will be
distribution. least two people (responsible parties) sign responsible for any and all charges set
the SFGS—but hey, I’m a lawyer. forth in the SFGS. Again, this is coming
Legal responsibilities On your SFGS, you can indicate from an attorney.
There are stories of people who set a the total cost of all your services and Funeral homes should explore and
crowdfunding goal of say, $10,000, and merchandise and note that any amount due examine any and all methods they can
ultimately raised hundreds of thousands of is pending the crowdfunding or donations to help families handle the expense of
dollars. When it works, it’s wonderful, and being solicited by the family. However, funerals and burials. It is up to each
in a perfect world, crowdfunding would you also need to include language that business to do the risk management
help everyone who has nowhere else to limits the reliance on donations. assessment to determine if crowdfunding
turn. Consider stating a time-frame, perhaps (or anything else) is an option worth
But in the real world, not all crowd- 30 days, where the business will wait for offering, but whatever you do offer, make
funding campaigns meet—much less donations to be received. sure you understand the risks and cover
exceed—their goals. If enough money isn’t This form also could state that any yourself.
raised, who is responsible for the shorfall? amount not collected through donations/ Being nice is good, but you also need to
It depends. crowdfunding will be the responsibility of be responsible. r
Choose a funeral and cemetery trust team

that shares your vision for the future.
As a national leader in funeral and cemetery trust services,
Regions understands it can be difficult to navigate the highly
regulated environment of the industry. That’s why your Regions
Funeral and Cemetery Trust Services team is staffed with experts
in trust administration, along with knowledgeable Portfolio
Managers, and all the tax and legal resources you need to
streamline your trust’s financial management.
For more information, contact our Funeral Trust Strategist.

Jack Stepanek | 314.560.4650 | jack.stepanek@regions.com
regions.com/funeraltrust
Pre-Need Funeral | Cemetery Merchandise | Perpetual Care
© 2019 Regions Bank. Some products and services are made available through
Regions Asset Management, a business unit within Regions Wealth Management. |
Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen
color is a trademark of Regions Bank.
Investment, Insurance and Annuity Products:
Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not a Deposit | May Go Down in Value | Are Not Bank Guaranteed
Are Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency | Are Not a Condition of Any Banking Activity
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 13

by Glenda Stansbury, CC, CFSP
glenda@ CELEBRANTS
insightbooks.com
ICCFA As cremation has increased, so have “just-a” services.
Magazine
spotlight Just a cremation. Just a memorial service. Just a graveside
➤Stansbury is vice service. Just a family gathering. In other words,
president of market-
ing for InSight Books, not something the funeral director should spend time on.
Oklahoma City, Okla- This kind of thinking is a serious mistake that is seriously
homa.
www.insightbooks.com hurting both grieving families and your bottom line.
The curse of ‘just-a’

➤She is a licensed funeral director and em-
balmer and trains funeral directors, cemete-
rians and others as Certified Celebrants who
meet with families to talk about their loved
ones and plan personalized funeral services.
➤She is adjunct faculty with the funeral
service department at the University of
Doing these services right will serve
your families and bring repeat business
O
Central Oklahoma, where she teaches
courses in funeral service communication
and the psychology of grief and oversees ne of the classes I teach in the the Dead practices in Mexico and Central
practicum students. University of Central Oklahoma and South America; the Asian practice of
➤She and her father, Doug Manning, a funeral service program is “The using chopsticks to pick up the bones of
former Baptist minister who became a noted History of Funeral Directing.” Ugh. the loved one after cremation. You get the
author of books about grief, developed the History? How boring. Now, of course, idea.
Certified Celebrant program and have added when you look at history through the lens The students post their thoughts in the
a component to train celebrant trainers. of caring for the dead, there are some high discussion boxes and it is fascinating to
How to become a celebrant points: Egyptians. The U.S. Civil War. OK, read their reactions. Most of them can be
that’s about it. summed up in two words: “How weird.”
So, my challenge in teaching this online Some of them get pretty high and mighty
class is to find ways to make the dry facts a and judgmental. “Ewww—who could do
little more interesting and engaging. After THAT?”
all, these students don’t get the benefit My hope is that they can learn to come
of my sparkling personality or quick- out of their little bubble, expand their
witted repartee. (Of course, if you ask the awareness and realize that death practices
students who are in my live classes, I’m common in North America are not the only
not sure they’d admit to being dazzled by way to honor the dearly departed. That there
Some of the participants in last year’s said personality and repartee.) is a big, wide wonderful world out there,
pre-convention celebrant training. At any rate, when I was given this and the tapestry of the living and dead can
teaching assignment, I decided that I be woven together in a myriad of ways, all
would try to bring in some other elements of which fit that particular group of people
to enhance and expand the concept of at that particular time in their history. Your
➤Sign up for celebrant training April
1-3, Charlotte, North Carolina, immedi- “history.” Therefore, each semester the box of experience does not necessarily
ately before the ICCFA Convention, April students are given videos to watch and a contain the only right way to do things. In
2-6, 2019. Discounted rates apply for those book to read explaining death rituals of fact, I can assure you that it does not.
registering for both events. diverse cultures and in other countries. But, honestly, if you step back and look
iccfa.com/events There are the typical presentations on at how things are here in your neck of the
➤Attend ICCFA University’s Col- subjects such as Egyptian burial, Victorian woods, people in other countries, from
lege of 21st Century Services, grave robbers and Civil War embalming. other cultures, might look at what we are
led by Dean Glenda Stansbury. But I want to stretch them at bit. I make doing and say, “How weird. Who could do
ICCFAU 2019 will be held July 19-24 at sure they see the sky burials in Tibet where THAT??”
the University of Memphis Fogelman monks are laid out on a mountaintop for
Executive Center, Memphis, Tennessee. vultures to devour (it’s on YouTube—go A change of focus
➤Contact Stansbury (glenda@insightbooks. watch it); the Philippine practices of living Because the evolution of funeral practices
com) or go to www.insightbooks.com, with their departed loved ones in the home in the past 30 years has become less and
the In-Sight Books website, for information for years; Natitas in Bolivia where the less about focusing on the reality of death
about celebrant training sessions scheduled families keep the skulls of their family and the grief journey and the importance
around North America. members; grave rentals in Spain; Day of of gathering and more and more about
I N D U S T R Y- L E A D I N G
niche innovation
Enhance your glass-front niche offering with innovative

solutions, available exclusively from Matthews
Enduring Fusion™ Finish Premium LED Lighting Tamper-Resistant Glass

From traditional to Provides uniform, dimmable Now available, allowing you
contemporary designs, light with the touch of a to provide peace of mind
this high-end, durable button. Choose from warm, to your families.
finish is bonded directly to neutral, or cool tones.
our quality metals.
Contact your Field Sales Manager

at 1.800.628.8439 to get started.
©2019 Matthews Resources, Inc., all rights reserved. MATTHEWS® and MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL® are registered trademarks of Matthews Resources, Inc. CP-5691-2019
CELEBRANTS
Touch their hearts, and they will come back.

When we show them how powerful ceremony and a custom-designed
experience can be, they will come back. They will come back.
Day of the Dead observances (above left, Los Parques, Guatemala City, and above right, a cemetery in Santiago, outside Gua-
temala City, Guatemala) are now common in some places in North America, but other death rituals and customs from coun-
tries around the world seem truly foreign to people in the United States—and vice versa.
convenience or cost, we are in the middle ceremony to enhance or slow down that breath until saying goodbye and starting
of some interesting patterns. We have gathering experience, to get people to your grieving journey.”
abdicated our responsibility to the public focus more on the grief journey rather All three of this woman’s children
we serve to be guides and guardians and than just getting it over with today and agreed completely.
have just shrugged our way to allowing expecting to feel better tomorrow.
less service to become the norm. Part of my role was to serve up a cau- Learn to create ceremonies
When cremation became a defining tionary tale: Do not do what North America There is something within us that needs
factor in funeral decisions, we gave is doing. Do not lessen the importance of that moment marked in time, that carving
up (“It’s just a cremation,” “It’s just a viewing, of remembering, of being present. out of a sacred space of goodbye, before
graveside,” “It’s just a memorial,” “It’s just I told the group that I had performed a we can exhale and begin to lean in to what
a family gathering”) rather than working celebrant service the weekend of Mother’s this new reality is going to look like.
even harder to be sure that each of those Day for a woman who had died before For those who opt to have nothing—no
opportunities was packed with meaning Christmas because the family had decided funeral, no service—that starting point
and healing. I call it the curse of just-a. that’s when they could all get together. A never happens and, too often, their grief is
I got to watch this in person. When young woman gasped and asked, “Where held in limbo. We, as funeral professionals,
I was given the incredible honor and was the body that whole time?” I jokingly should be explaining that to each and
opportunity to speak to the staff of Grupos said, “in her daughter’s closet,” which was every family.
Primaveras in Guarulhos, Brazil, last year, not really a joke. The urn had been in her I’ve long been an advocate for creating
some of the reactions were pretty close daughter’s closet. ceremony at every step of the way with
to those of my students. In Brazil, the The Brazilian staff just shook their families, especially with cremation fami-
emphasis is on speed. Most visitations and heads in amazement. You could hear them lies who are often unwilling or unfamiliar
burials or cremations happen within 24 thinking “How weird!” in Portuguese. or untrusting of the options we have to
hours of the death. Why would you wait that long? Why offer.
Within mere hours, the family would you not have a viewing and a • Ceremony for the arrangement
arrives for the visitation and the body is ceremony with the body present? These conference. Begin the arrangement
embalmed, casketed and present for the strange Americans and their messed up conference by lighting a candle and
four to six hours of the family gathering. funeral practices. When did convenience explaining that the time together will be
Then, they either process to the gravesite become more important than honoring and focused on a life lived and the special
or to the cremation ceremony space. grieving? ways we can create a tribute that honors
They do not know the term “immediate Indeed, why would you wait that and commemorates every part of this
disposition” or “memorial service.” Every long? When I met with that family for the unique individual.
body is embalmed. Every body is in a service, I said, “I bet the idea of waiting • Ceremony for the ID viewing. Clean
casket. Every body is present for the entire until May to do this sounded a lot better and dress the deceased and bring the
experience. when you decided to do it than it was in family in for a time of final goodbye rather
Part of my role was to offer ideas for reality. That’s a long time to hold your leaving their loved one on a cold dressing
CELEBRANTS
Above, some funeral homes, use beds

and home-like settings for viewings.
(McDougald Funeral Home and Cremato-
rium, Laurinburg, North Carolina)
Left, an urn ark is a must-have to bring
more ceremony into cremation services.
(Senoriales/Los Parques, Guatemala
City, Guatemala)
table with a sheet thrown over the body. We just had our first hand-off ceremony time for them to tell stories, provide music,
• Ceremony for processing and this morning for DL. The daughter was a candles—whatever it takes to create a
recessing the urn into the chapel/church/ bit confused when we discussed this over special moment.
gathering space. If you don’t have an urn the phone, and she did not want anything Leaving families on their own to
ark, get one. If you have one and never use done. We did it anyway, though. She came navigate these unknown waters does not
it, why not? in and we brought her to the chapel where create a safe space for their own grieving
• Ceremony for the family receiving everything was set up for her and they usually leave feeling hollow,
the urn after the cremation. As anyone It was very touching; she was definitely untouched and ignored.
who has heard me speak can confirm, this impacted by the presentation and space I’ve done countless graveside services
is one of my soap-box issues that I preach dedicated to receive her loved one. What a where that was the only gathering that
about loudly and at length. Quit treating different reaction than what we have had was going to happen. As a celebrant, I
the urn like a piece of furniture. Anything in the past, and what a great practice to meet with the family, create a life story,
that you would do with a casket, do with continue using! and treat it just like a funeral for 400 in a
an urn—especially the final moments of chapel. This is it. This is the only shot we
Did you get the most important part
receiving. have. We should be providing our very
of that message? “We did it anyway.”
Why, oh why, do we think it is accep- best. It is not just-a graveside.
Either we believe in our profession and the
table for a family to walk in, sign some
wisdom and guidance we provide, or it all
papers and be handed an urn like it’s just ‘Just-a’ can lead to more
becomes just-a.
a plastic box or a vase we bought from the Doing things this way also can pay
Too many of us feel that if the service
hobby store? This is someone’s mother! dividends. I did a sweet graveside service
doesn’t fit our template of traditional
I honestly believe that we can change so for a 94-year-old lady 10 years ago. We
offerings, it’s not important. It’s “just a.”
much about funeral service if we just stop told her story. She had been married
But if we don’t understand that
and reexamine all of these touch-points several times and, before Alzheimer’s took
regardless of what the family chooses to
and stop treating cremation customers like her memories, had a very interesting life.
do, this is still the only time in their lives
second-class citizens. We left rocks next to her urn, because
they must stop and face the reality of
I have an example. At one of the staff she was being buried in a Jewish cemetery
that particular death and begin their grief
trainings this year, I did my usual plea, next to her first husband. The whole thing
journey, we are doing a great disservice to
which is more like a stomping on the floor, took 10 minutes, but it captured what the
our families and to our businesses.
that we change the paradigm for receiving family was looking for.
Why do we think that any gathering
the urn. I gave them sample words they Five years later, a woman called me
calls for less than our best efforts and our
could use for a short ceremony. and said, “You did the service for my
best offerings?
The next day, one of the people in the husband’s grandmother. You told her life
If the family wishes to gather for a
training went home and did it! Amazing. story. You gave us rocks.” Five years later
private family service, we should be
Here was the email I received about it: she remembered everything about that
offering an officiant who can help lead that
simple graveside service.
CELEBRANTS
Why, oh why, do we think it is acceptable for a family to walk in,

sign some papers and be handed an urn like it’s just a plastic box or a vase
we bought from the hobby store? This is someone’s mother!
Her husband had just been killed by
a tree falling on him. “You must do his
service. You must give away rocks like
you did for his grandmother.”
The chapel service drew more than 300
people—a standing-room-only crowd.
Since that time, we have done six more
services for her; every time anyone in her
extended family dies, she calls us.
Touch their hearts, and they will come
back.
Another time, I conducted a service for
a lady who had been ill for many years.
She and her husband had been married
only a short time, and he really didn’t have
much to offer in the way of stories. She
and a son from a previous marriage had
been semi-estranged. She had no other
family or friends; 12 people attended the
service. But we told her story, lit candles,
played music, displayed pictures. This is it. Instead of handing over the remains in a businesslike fashion, some funeral homes
This is the only shot we have. create a space where the transfer is ceremonial and reverent, giving the family time
for reflection. (Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, Memphis, Tennessee)
The next day a young man died of
an overdose in that community. His best experience can be, they will come back. of trainings offered around the country to
friend’s mother happened to be one of They will come back. choose from.
the 12 people in attendance at that small In my world there is no such thing as But it doesn’t have to be just about
service the previous day. She immediately a just-a. Each and every time we have an celebrants. There should be weekly
told this family, “I know where you need opportunity to do something that is healing conversations and training for all of your
to go, and I know who needs to do the and life-changing, we should be doing it. staff around the idea of creating ceremony
service.” It was another standing-room- Celebrants are uniquely trained to be and being laser-focused on opportunities to
only service, with 400 people attending, ceremony specialists, so if you do not gather and heal people.
followed by burial. currently have one on staff or available And then, maybe, people in other
When we show them how powerful to you in the community, that should be countries won’t look at what we do when
ceremony and a custom-designed a priority for this year. There are plenty death occurs and think, “How weird.” r
Merry
MerryChristmas FromHeaven
Christmas From Heaven®
r’s P
ic k A Gif t Fr
om Heave
n©
Edito
Our
the
ec t the
perf ng
so
for
lies ficult
u r fami e most dif r
yo t h e a
ring the y
du e of
ti m
all elegantly boxed with the Memory Box
with
entire poem beside
each of our ornaments
the r m Book
mark
o s
df Locket
c r n be ize
a
ca nal
rso t MooneyTunCo, Inc.
pe righ
*
e
h er
istmas From H
Charlo Chr
A e
ICCF6 2019
tte Con y
1023 Washington Street
av
Center vention
r
The Perfect Bereavement GiftsWeymouth, MA 02189

Mer
-
en
ri l 2 R
ph: 781.331.5308
Ap www.merrychristmasfromheaven.com fax: 781.331.6695

by Amy Cunningham, CC
ICCFA Magazine spotlight S E R V I N G C R E M AT I O N FA M I L I E S

Amy@FittingTribute
Funerals.com “Witness cremations,” where the family watches their loved
718.338.8080
one’s casket enter the retort, are becoming more common.
➤Cunningham is a
Brooklyn-based funeral Providing the facilities to make them possible is just the first step.
director and Certified
Celebrant.
Funeral professionals also need to help families craft a ceremony
➤She is owner of that will make a witness cremation a meaningful experience.
Fitting Tribute Funeral
Services LLC, Brook-
lyn, New York, and in 2015, was listed as
one of the “Nine Most Innovative” funeral
professionals in the country by funeralOne.
➤She regularly blogs with Seattle
funeral celebrant Kateyanne Unullisi
about funeral ideas and ceremonies at
TheInspiredFuneral.com.
➤Fitting Tribute Funeral Services
specializes in green burials in cemeter-
ies certified by the Green Burial Council,
home funerals, simple burials within the
New York City Metro area and crema-
tion services at Green-Wood Cemetery’s
crematory chapels.
www.fittingtributefunerals.com
Hillier Cremation Chapel, Bryan, Texas, features a cremation witnessing
room designed to make families feel comfortable.
A ceremony for witnessing the

casket’s entry into the retort
“There is love in holding, and there is An American crematory “witness” is a
love in letting go.” much softened version of what occurs in
–Elizabeth Berg India. No one in the United States, save a
T
crematory operator, is allowed to see the
o some Western eyes, the cremation body of a deceased person burn. American
ceremonies at Varanasi, on the gray crematories keep the casket closed, with the
shores of the Ganges River in India sights and sounds much more controlled.
seem brutally stark. Families gather to wrap But still, a family can watch the casket
their dead in a linen shroud and adorn them being raised to the level of the retort and
with strings of marigold blossoms. The oldest then guided in. There are sometimes
sibling might light the pyre, and later, gently accompanying noises of the crematory’s lift
prod bones deeper into the embers. rising to the proper height, sounds of the
But this jarring jolt of reality—stark as a casket going in and the small shrill sound of
witnessed cremation might initially seem— the door of the cremation chamber coming
can actually launch healing in some people. back down.
To the astonishment of many professionals Why would anyone elect to see and hear
in the funeral and cremation business (who all that, especially when grieving, you might
wish to spare families anything perceived ask? The reasons for requesting a witness
as “traumatic”), more Americans are asking cremation are poignant and interesting:
their local crematories if they can watch, 1. Families may not trust the funeral/
or witness, the closed casket’s entry into crematory personnel to cremate the deceased
the cremation chamber, or retort, where in a timely manner or on schedule (due to a
pressurized heat rising to 1,800 degrees small number of well-publicized crematory
Fahrenheit turns a human body to bone scandals), and the family members may want
fragment in three hours. to maintain the role of the deceased’s ultimate
Operating in five states made selling our business tough.
Calling Johnson Consulting was a no-brainer.
As soon as we decided to divest our business, the stumbling blocks immediately appeared. Not only did our
companies cross service sector lines, but they also crossed state lines. We knew we needed outside help.
With
W diverse holdings across five states, we turned to the folks with a proven
track
t record in all fifty. Because they have relationships with just about everyone
in
i funeral service, Johnson Consulting knew exactly how to organize the data
a potential buyer would need and began marketing us to all their contacts.
C
Considering the obstacles we faced, we couldn’t have been happier with the
o
offers that rolled in. After receiving the letter of intent, JCG continued to guide
us
u by ironing out every detail in our negotiated agreement until it was complete.
Needless
N to say, it was a win-win for both sides.
We
W cannot say enough about the folks at Johnson Consulting Group—easiest
call
c we’ve ever made!
The
T
Th e Te
T
Tetrick
trick Family
F mily
Fa l
ly
Heritage Family Funeral Services
A Total Solutions Company

Funeral Home & Cemetery Consulting
888.250.7747 • JohnsonConsulting.com
Time is valuable. Focus on what matters. Experience counts. Discover new levels of success.
S E R V I N G C R E M AT I O N FA M I L I E S
Witnessing a loved one’s casket enter the retort is an experience many people
will find completely unfamiliar, so it becomes the funeral director or celebrant’s role
to tenderly prepare and guide the family though the whole experience.
of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have
a building of God, a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens.”
—2 Corinthians 5:1, King James version,
published 1834 by C. Alexander & Co.
The poem “Epitaph,” by Merrit Malloy,
which addresses love and loss (“love
doesn’t die, people do”), can be read in
whole or part. “Death is Not the End,”
by human rights activist Peter Tatchell, is
another great reading on everlasting life.
(“Death is not the end, but the beginning
of a metamorphosis ...”)
Another possibility is the poem “To
Those Whom I Love & Those Who Love
Me,” by Mary Alice Ramish, which speaks
of the need to let the beloved deceased
person go and to temper grief with the
knowledge that this parting is not forever.
Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, where funeral director Amy Cunning- “The one offered to you now proceed
ham has officiated at cremation ceremonies, has a beautiful retort area with room to his/her destiny, putting on new life,
to observe. let him/her reunite with a new body ...”
caretaker or custodian. Not every crematory allows witnessing, —Rig Veda, the traditional Hindu scripture
If they witness grandma’s entry into so those that do have a competitive advan- for cremations, 1896 translation
the cremation chamber at 9:45 a.m. tage and should market it.
Thursday, they know she went in at 9:45 Families coming to witness the crema- Music
a.m. Thursday. There’s no mystery to it, no tion may have just completed a crematory Tell families that it is fine to bring music,
waiting for a funeral director’s call to say chapel committal service, or may have just drumming, singing and chanting into the
“She’s over there now.” come from a funeral home viewing with space where the witness cremation is taking
2. Families electing to witness may feel subsequent ceremonial casket closing. place. Bose speakers with an iPad mini
aligned with the notion that fire releases While the crematory staff is getting work beautifully, as they are small yet
the soul from the body, and it may feel things ready is a good time for the funeral resonant.
liberating to be in the proximity of the director or celebrant to remind the family I’ve heard music of all sorts played for
casket at its exact time of incineration. that not everyone in the group should feel the witnessing itself, from The Beatles “All
3. Families may wish to simply obligated to participate in the witnessing, You Need is Love” to Mozart’s famous
accompany their loved one “the whole giving those who are now having doubts an choral “Requiem.” People I’ve worked with
way” and stay as close as they can until opportunity to say to the others, “You know, have also made their own music. One time
they have to stay goodbye. I think I’ll just wait for you guys out here.” a female shaman drummed. Another time,
Witnessing a loved one’s casket enter At this moment, the funeral director or Tibetan monks chanted.
the retort may produce one of the most celebrant might say, “I have something to
profound realizations you’ve had in your read that might be of comfort while we wait Cremation and farewell
life: We must all physically separate. for the crematory staff to get ready for us If you are offering witness cremations, I
It is also an experience many people will back there and take (name of loved one)’s hope you have created a beautiful space
find completely unfamiliar, so it becomes cremation casket to the proper area.” where the family can see the retort,
the funeral director or celebrant’s role to whether through a window in an adjacent
tenderly prepare and guide any family Readings for a witnessed room or in the crematory itself.
though the whole experience, with detailed cremation service In the past, since families were not seeing
descriptions of what is about to come to The funeral director/celebrant should be them, crematories often had an industrial feel,
pass and some poetry, scripture or words prepared with readings for the occasion. but when crematory machines are upgraded,
to impart the conviction that difficult Here are some things I suggest to families: redesigning the space to make viewing
experiences can become very meaningful possible should be considered.
ones. “For we know that if our earthly house In any case, when the cremation process
S E R V I N G C R E M AT I O N FA M I L I E S
Regardless of the constraints of the room, this is sacred space. Every group
creates their own kind of experience. Some families may stand in respectful silence.
Some may pray, or cry or wave goodbye. Many just stand in total silence.
is ready to begin, all eyes are generally relationship will continue; the body will of water at this point. Perhaps you have
on the casket—often cardboard or pine, come back in a different form. little cookies to offer the family (a really
sometimes decorated by family with photos, Stand there for another fifteen seconds, good idea).
letters, or with paint and magic markers. then indicate to the group that there’s If you’ve read one of the suggested
Regardless of the constraints of the nothing more to do. poems, you might try another if the group
room, this is sacred space. Every group Slowly, gently, lovingly, usher everyone seems to need something else. Give it a
creates its own kind of experience. Some out. They may be shaken but amazed by moment. No one should feel rushed, but
families may stand in respectful silence. their own resolve and courage. Some may it is truly time to think about a meal to be
Some may pray, or cry or wave goodbye. be wiping their eyes and blowing their shared, a home to go back to, a new phase
Many just stand in total silence. noses. Hugs will be exchanged. of grieving.
As the casket is lifted to the proper You’ll hear “Oh my God, I’ve never seen Remind the family that the box or urn
height, and the door of the retort is opened, anything like that. That was so shocking of remains will be ready for pick up or
prepare the family to hear a soft roar in some ways but also so amazing. It’s so delivery in two or three days, but that they
unless they are in a soundproofed room. strange, but I’m glad we did that.” can wait until they’re ready for it.
You may have prepared the family to You might remind them, “You accom- You can close with this little conversa-
push the button on the wall that lowers panied your loved one the whole way. You tional, optimistic benediction:
the crematory door to seal the retort and took it as far as you could, and you took “I will be in touch, and I am still
commence the cremation. Some families exquisite care. You did it all and saw it all.” here for you, but go in peace for now,
are interested in doing this, others aren’t. They may say, “Boy, we sure did.” everybody go in peace, and may the source
This is something like holding the They may feel devastated, separated, but of peace grant you each peace, and grant
torch at the shores of the Ganges. There also incredibly proud of themselves. peace to all who mourn. Please take care,
is no looking back, only forward. The You might guide everyone to find cups and goodbye, everyone.” r
Thoughtful Financing Solutions

The legacy and success of your business is impor tant to us. Whether you are expanding or planning for the next
generation, River Valley Bank SBA strives to make the process of finding the optimal finance solution easier than ever.
Acquisition Refinance Commercial Partnership Succession

Expand your Reconsolidate Real Estate/ Buyout Planning
current operation your current Construction Reconfigure your Enable the next
through the debt to improve Enhance your service ownership structure generation to acquire
acquisition of existing your cash flow offerings through to accommodate the family business, and
firms or expand with longer terms facility improvements,
imp your current plan their legacy with
with additional
a and more
mo property expansion and future
futu multi-generational
facilities. favorable rates. opportunities. operations. planning.
Contact our River Valley Bank SBA experts to find a loan solution for your business.
Stephanie Castagnier Dunn

847.477.7546
SBA PRESIDENT | SBA NATIONAL SALES MANAGER sdunn@rivervalleybank.com
Stephanie has 20 years of experience in the finance sector. She is one of the #RiverValleyExperience
top individual SBA lenders year after year and has been featured in various RiverValleyBank.com
trade publications as a leading exper t in SBA lending. She is personally and
professionally dedicated to the finance sector. Contact Stephanie to get started today.

interview by ICCFA Magazine
Managing Editor Susan Loving
sloving@iccfa.com MANAGEMENT
ICCFA Magazine spotlight
French Funerals & Cremations is a family-owned firm
with a long history and strong market share in Albuquerque,
New Mexico. To build on its success, the company
has brought in executives, and therefore ideas,
from outside the funeral and cemetery profession.
ChrisK@FrenchFunerals.org
➤Chris Keller is vice president of French
Funerals & Cremations, Albuquerque, New
Mexico, where he has worked since 2007.
He started with responsibility for the com-
pany’s non-mortuary operations, including
Sunset Memorial Park, and has at times
overseen mortuary operations, as well.
➤Before joining French, he spent more
than 20 years in business outside the
funeral and cemetery profession, work-
ing in financial services and managing
customer service call centers. He majored
in economics and history in college.
➤He is a graduate of ICCFA University
French’s Rio Rancho location features huge windows and an indoor floor plan that
and has served on the ICCFA Board of
can be reconfigured multiple ways to accommodate the wishes of each family.
Directors.
www.FrenchFunerals.com
➤French Funerals & Cremations
includes five funeral homes and the Crema-
Tackling the challenges of
tion Society of New Mexico, Sunset Memo-
21st century management
T
rial Park, Best Friends Pet Cremation Ser-
vices, Best Friends Forever pet cemetery
and an advance planning organization. he French family of companies is creative community outreach.
ubiquitous in Albuquerque, New French sponsored Doyenne of Death
➤ French is the largest and oldest family- Mexico. It includes five funeral Gail Rubin’s “A Good Goodbye” TV series
owned funeral and cremation firm in Albu-
homes; a separate organization to handle (available in DVD form), participated in the
querque, New Mexico. It was founded in
1907 by Chester T. French and today has advance planning; Sunset Memorial Park, Albuquerque Before I Die Festival and has
four owners, including Chairman Emeritus where its crematorium is located; a cremation hosted Death Cafés. When local “Breaking
Chester French Stewart and Robert H. society; a pet cremation service; and a pet Bad” fans wanted to organize a graveside
Stewart, grandsons of the founder; Chair- cemetery at Sunset. service for their favorite fictional character,
man D.F. “Duffy” Swan; and President and French handles approximately 2,200 French allowed it to be held at Sunset.
CEO Tom E. Antram. funeral cases per year, and about 775 French has won many accolades,
cemetery cases. Its cremation society handles including KIP Awards from the ICCFA for
More from Chris Keller
about 500 cases each year. The pet cremation its collaboration with the University of New
➤Keller will talk about “Creating connec- service handles about 7,000 cases annually. Mexico on UNM-themed funeral packages
tions” as part of the cremation program
French was founded in 1907, so it has and a cremation garden, its living history
at the 2019 ICCFA Wide World of Sales
conference, January 23-25, at Bally’s Las plenty of heritage to draw on, but like all Memorial Day observance featuring live
Vegas, Nevada. For more information, go funeral and cemetery organizations that plan “army green men” and its Scatter Day (see
to iccfa.com/events. to thrive in the age of cremation, French sidebar on page 46), which generated great
is not relying on its heritage or becoming publicity while bringing scores of people to
complacent because of its market share. To the cemetery and introducing them to the
the contrary, it’s known for innovation and myriad options available at Sunset for
Above, Sunset Memorial Park’s Kiva. (The Pueblo Native Americans of the
Southwest used sacred ceremonial spaces called kivas.) Right, the art glass
windows are decorative, but also have proven to be popular for memorialization.
French has been introducing new types of memorialization and incorporating
more Southwestern style to differentiate their offerings.
Above, the huge windows at

French’s Rio Rancho location
provide a view of the Sandia
Mountains.
Right, Rio Rancho’s chapel
and reception area without
dividers. The rooms can be
reconfigured numerous ways,
making the 6,000-square-foot
building flexible. This build-
ing is in an area with a young-
er population where French
expects its business to grow
in the future.

MANAGEMENT
cremation memorialization. not only me, but several other people from
ICCFA Magazine talked to French Vice the outside for key positions so that together,
President Chris Keller about coming to with that varied experience, we could be
funeral and cemetery service after a career stronger.
outside the profession, what an outside It resulted in French having an interesting
perspective can offer the profession and about mix of people working together and hopefully
serving traditional families while preparing making each other sharper.
an organization for a future dominated by I still consider myself the outsider, even
less-traditional customers. though I’ve been here 11-12 years, because I
You’ve been with French since 2007, and work in an organization that still has people
before that, you were not in the cemetery/ who have been here 30, 40, 45 years.
funeral profession. You studied history and Is President and CEO Tom Antram from
economics and worked in financial services inside or outside?
and customer service call centers. What Tom Antram’s an inside guy, at least on the
made you interested in working at French funeral side of our business. He worked every
or in the cemetery/funeral profession, for Centennial Urn Garden’s feature honor-
ing the University of New Mexico Lobos. role from night janitor and answering phones
that matter? to funeral directing and managing on the
Two things. My customer service work operations. funeral side. But other than other jobs during
involved outsourced call centers. Companies He suggested the possibility of doing the his college years, his career has been with
would hire our organization to come in thing I loved—customer service and helping French.
and basically take over their whole HR families, in a profession that helps people in He’s got a depth of knowledge about our
department, for instance, and become their the most profound and critical of ways when company and our industry I will never have.
internal call center for all their health benefits no one else can help them, while leveraging But I can offset that deficit with a depth of
or defined contributions—you name it. the experience and knowledge I had built knowledge and experience in how different
For example, one of my clients was up over 20-plus years in outside business. It organizations of different sizes tackle the
Home Depot, which has 250,000 employees, seemed to be a perfect conjunction of those same problems or different problems, and
so I would have a team of 50 people just two things. how they apply management principles.
answering Home Depot calls. I also loved the concept of moving from Glen Rosenbaum, our other vice president,
The reason companies like Home Depot a large corporate structure with 20,000 or also had some prior outside experience, but
would hire our firm to do this was because as 30,000 employees worldwide and call centers has been in funeral service for 20 years. So
their business grew or contracted, they didn’t in India and Mexico and Canada as well as we’ve got a management team with both
have to either add or lay off people. They the U.S., to a small, local, family-owned, perspectives, and I think it works well. That
could just have us handle it with our people. 100-year-old company. It was just the coolest is not to say that sometimes we don’t look
This is part of the benefit to the organiza- thing in the world. And I’ve never stopped at each other and feel like we’re speaking
tion that’s hiring you, but part of the chal- loving it; it gets better every day. different languages, but at this point, we
lenge you face. You’re constantly hiring and Do you know what made French interested understand each other pretty well.
laying off, hiring and laying off, based on in hiring someone from outside the Did you start at French in your current
what’s happening to that company you’re profession? position as vice president?
working for. That got old in a hurry, and I’d French had grown to the point where the When I came in, we didn’t have any vice
been doing it for a long time. founder’s grandson, who was only the presidents; I came in as a general manager.
But the second reason, the bigger issue, second CEO we ever had, realized he was We’ve changed our titles since then to what
was that helping someone—truly helping approaching retirement and could not take the we felt better represented our roles and better
someone, the customer service end of company any further. aligned with other organizations not only
everything I’ve ever done—is what excites So the organization began a concerted within our industry, but outside.
me. I had a connection to the profession effort to try to bring in a certain percentage
through my father-in-law, who had come Did French buy Sunset Memorial Park or
of middle and senior leadership from outside
into this business after a career in telecom. start it themselves?
the industry to broaden its impact, depth
He indicated that funeral and cemetery and ability to grow further. French already Chester French, the founder of the mortuary,
companies often look for somebody with had really strong leaders in the funeral and established the cemetery in 1929. It’s always
the right heart and also with some business cemetery world, but needed more outside been part of the broader French family of
operations experience. points of view, experience sets and business companies, we just never co-branded it until
A lot of the leaders in our profession operations knowledge. recently. And even now it’s not really co-
have grown up in it, and don’t have outside There were several of us hired into this branded—we’re still Sunset Memorial Park,
experience in business operations. They organization around the same time that but we’ve aligned all our logos to have a
know funeral service, or they know ceme- came in from completely outside the funeral similar feel.
teries, but they don’t necessarily have a industry, but had the right kind of heart for it, How big is the cemetery?
broader experience and skill set in business if you will. It was a concerted effort to bring It’s only 40 acres, and about 3 1/2 to 4
MANAGEMENT
Sunset Memorial Park’s Camino Encantado gives families a number of options, including ones highlighting Albuquerque’s
balloon festival (center) and patriotic themes.
acres is truly undeveloped. But there are All parts of our company have that as their name recognition and trust and top-of-mind
probably another 10 acres within the park logo. To identify the different parts of the awareness in the community for French, but
that can be either redeveloped or where infill company just from a quick visual standpoint, it didn’t translate to Sunset, to Best Friends,
opportunities exist. It comes down to master each company has a separate color, but it’s to the cremation society. Why weren’t we
planning and design, and I’m all over that, all the same design. So the Sunset lift is red; leveraging French more? We could just
because with what we have left ,we have to the French lift is light green; the Best Friends call them all “French”—French Cremation
be very, very creative and plan well. Pet Cremation lift is yellow; the Cremation Society, French Cemetery, French Pets. But
Nevertheless, I don’t foresee a time, Society of New Mexico lift is blue. we didn’t necessarily want to do that.
certainly not during my lifetime, when we’ll The logo is getting a lot of traction in the So McKee came up with this idea I
run out of room. I would say we have another community. People see any one of them and think is fairly common. AOL was one of the
50 to 75 years before our current footprint is they have started to realize that it’s part of the first big organizations to do this, to have a
truly maxed out and we have no more new French family of companies. It’s taken two whole bunch of different logos immediately
property we can develop. That’s the beauty or three years to get there, but the marketing recognizable as AOL logos. Even though they
of cremation. Our part of the country has a firm warned us, “It’ll take two or three years were all different, they all tied back together.
high cremation rate, which works in our favor to get there.” And they were right. They approached us with the idea of this
from a development standpoint. What made y’all realize that this sort of uplift, and we liked the feel and the sym-
We’re landlocked, so I don’t anticipate co-branding and branding in general was bolism of it, number one. They suggested
ever getting any more acreage attached to this important? identical logos but with different colors repre-
property. We do own other properties around senting the different parts of the business.
We started talking to our local marketing-
the metro area that are zoned for cemetery Believe it or not, there’s actually some
PR firm, McKee Wallwork—a phenomenal
use, so we could develop other cemeteries science behind the colors. Psychologists have
firm—about it six or several years ago. Our
elsewhere. We have chosen not to do that, done studies on what different colors evoke in
challenge at that point was, number one,
mainly from an economic standpoint and people, feeling-wise. McKee chose the colors
French’s logo and name were extremely well-
because we don’t need to right now. based on what they thought best fits the
known in the Albuquerque community. We
You mentioned branding, and I’ve noticed “why” or the core function of that business.
have incredible market share and top-of-mind
you have a very bold, simple logo. It changes My brain kind of exploded at that point, but
awareness.
color sometimes, but otherwise it’s the same. we trusted them and went forward with it.
But the logo was very traditional, very
All of our advertising and billboards
It changes color from business unit to conservative; it had been around a long
started to take on this new very minimalist,
business unit. That’s the tie, what looks kind time. It was very dated, and we felt we were
modern and clean feel. We immediately
of like a slash, but is actually what we call somewhat susceptible to becoming stale
started getting huge accolades and media
an uplift. Our goal, and everything we do in people’s minds, being tied to a certain
attention, not only in the local community
with our families in any part of our business, generation rather than staying relevant.
but actually countrywide for some of our
is to ease people’s burdens, to help lift their Also, we had never done anything
advertising, a lot of which was centered on
burdens. So that vertical slash, or that lift, is concerted to try to co-brand the different
the new color scheme and the new logos.
consistent. parts of our business. We had that kind of
It’s been a great ride, and I don’t see the
MANAGEMENT
logo changing anytime soon. There’s no The only thing I wasn’t managing was That’s the kind of job-shadowing, boots-
need to—it’s still very fresh, very clean, very the operation of the mortuaries, which on-the-ground type of learning I did fairly
updated and very modern. Tom Antram, who has deep subject matter intensely in each part of our business for a
It’s like the Nike swoosh, very simple—you expertise, ran. few months.
can see it in a milli-glance. And once you’ve Some of my earlier career opportunities For formal learning, the higher-level stuff
made the association with French, you helped. In college, I ran a landscaping com- of what we do in the funeral and cemetery
know what it is. pany for three years, so I knew a lot about industry other than make arrangements and
landscaping and irrigation and stuff like that bury people, I went to ICCFA University.
Yes. It rocks it right into your mind as to who
and enjoyed it. It was an easy transition to I went to the sales college first, because
and what that is. And then, if you’ve done
pick up the mechanics of what our park folks cemetery sales was a huge chunk of what
a good job in building your reputation and
are doing at the cemetery and to learn the I needed to know, and cemetery sales is
trust in the community, it immediately evokes
quirks of what makes a cemetery different. different from other sales. It pulls in real
those feelings, too. The folks at McKee are
During my time in financial services and estate as well as funeral arrangements and
smarter than we are by a long way, and I’ve
business process outsourcing in all those everything else.
really appreciated what they’ve done for us.
call centers, I was either in or managed sales Then I went to the land college, then
When you started, how did you educate groups, so selling was not a huge challenge administration and finally funeral home
yourself about the profession? for me conceptually. It was a matter of management, because by that point my role
I was brought in initially to run all the non- learning all the details. Cemeteries are within the organization had broadened a
mortuary parts of the business and the facili- complicated beasts as far as record keeping— bit and I was also managing the mortuary
ties and maintenance across the operation. At that took the longest to learn. locations. So I went to Todd Van Beck’s
that point, we also had a monument company, As far as the monument company, I’m college to learn about running a mortuary,
so we had a manufacturing business. The a woodworker, and I like working with my since I’m not a licensed funeral director.
cemetery involves not only sales and custo- hands. I spent several weeks having them I am the biggest fan of and advocate for
mer service, but also landscaping. The pet train me as a monument designer-sandblaster. ICCFA University. I came into the industry
business is more akin to a mini pet funeral I worked out there in cold temperatures, cold, and as my role within the industry
home than anything else. The advance picking stencil and sandblasting things to get changed, I was able to craft a curriculum year
planning department is really insurance sales. comfortable with how that works. after year that met the greatest need I was
Waiting weeks or months

for payment on your
insurance claims?
FAST FUNDING® can help!
FAST – receive payment within 24 hours of verification

SIMPLE – most assignments require only one signed document
EASY – submit, track, and manage claims through any web-enabled device
TRUSTED – #1 provider of Insurance Assignment Funding in North America
CJF.com | 800.785.0003

MANAGEMENT
We have incredible market share and top-of-mind awareness.

But the logo was very dated, and we felt we were somewhat
The simple “uplift” susceptible to becoming stale in people’s minds,
logo provides a being tied to a certain generation rather than staying relevant.
unifying element
while allowing the facing right then. I’ve put four or five people their most precious thing,” or, “We will
French-owned
through the university, and I’m thinking of destroy a life if we screw something up
cemetery and pet
service to maintain
sending someone who’s already graduated to because it’s all their life savings,” versus, “It’s
their original names. the event planning college, because their role their grandmother and we can’t screw that
Each unit has its in the organization would really benefit. up—we only get one chance at a funeral.”
own color. So that was my formal industry training. I’ve heard that a million times, and it’s true.
My mechanical, tactical, boots-on-the-ground The excuses are much the same. Especial-
training was all just diving in and then doing ly 11 years ago when I came in, I’d never
each of the roles to the extent that I could or encountered an industry or profession that
was licensed to do. was so risk-adverse as to be almost paralyzed
I got involved very quickly in new devel- when it came to change. They would not,
opment. We’ve been in almost a constant could not, change, but their hearts were in it
state of building and developing, especially for the correct reasons. We were so afraid of
cremation space, since I got here. I have a making an error with a family, because there
One of the eye-catching billboards de- passion for design and building, so I was able are no “do-overs” in funeral service.
signed for French by its public relations- to quickly get hip-deep into that area. I get that, I really do. There’s really not
advertising firm. The sleek modern design This job fits with my skill set and interests. another part of our economy or life where
is meant to make sure than the century-old Look at my college major—history. I have there’s only one chance at it. You screw up a
company is seen as up-to-date and ready to
a passion for the past and the stories that wedding, and statistically people are going to
meet the needs of today’s families. Some-
times the messages are designed to main-
history tells. Walk through a cemetery and it’s get married more than once. But you cannot
tain top-of-mind awareness for French and nothing but history and stories. I will walk screw up a funeral; people only die once. So I
Sunset Memorial Park, as well as delivering through our cemetery—or any cemetery— get the reasons behind it.
a subtle message emphasizing the impor- and just love the stories I can pick up from But too often, that aversion extends to
tance of commemorating the end of a life. reading headstones. operational risks, as well. I understand not
After all, just as YOLO (you only live once), And the overarching fact is that we wanting to take a service-related risk that’s
YODO (you only die once). are truly in the ultimate customer service family-facing without really having all your
role, which is my passion in life. I love this ducks in a row. I totally get that.
industry. But changing the behind-the-scenes stuff
Often you hear people critique the funeral about how you operate, how you organize
and cemetery industry as being too stuck it, the people you bring in, the roles you
in the “We’ve always done it that way” have, how you pay people, you name it—
mentality. Have you run into that? the behind-the-scenes operational changes
that I think are long overdue in a lot of our
Yes, all the time, actually. If I’m going to
businesses—people feel the same risk-
say anything even mildly negative about our
aversion to those things that would not really
industry, this is where you’ll hear it. It’s one
immediately impact a family. It’s because
of my ongoing frustrations, but it is getting
they’re just so conditioned and trained not
better. It is truly getting better.
to do anything outside of how we’ve always
Sometimes the billboards promote specific I came out of a very conservative industry.
done it.
events, such Memorial Day (above) and the Financial services is a dark gray suit, white
tradition of families placing luminaria at I do think that French as an organization
shirt, dark tie type of conservative industry.
their loved ones’ graves at Sunset (below). has been among a handful of firms in the
So I came from an industry that was very
forefront of pushing that envelope a little
risk-adverse and uber-conservative, but
bit in its own way. I still feel we’re very
funeral service is more so.
conservative as a company sometimes. But
Around 2007, part of our problem nationally in our own way, we’ve pushed the envelope
was that a lot of financial people weren’t and we’ve pioneered a few things, not all of
being risk-aversive. which have worked.
Yes, but the mindset of “We’ve always We failed in some cases, but we’re starting
done it this way” was there. And they have to get comfortable with a concept that’s very
the same type of arguments or excuses for prevalent in business outside of the funeral
it, quite honestly, that the funeral service industry: Take risks, fail fast, learn from
industry has: “People are trusting us with them and improve. That’s not a mantra you
VINCE AZZARO
& GARY BENITO
BENITO & AZZARO
PACIFIC GARDENS CHAPEL
“WE ALL TALK

ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE
OF PLANNING
AHEAD. WE
DECIDED TO
PLAN FOR THE
FUTURE OF OUR
BUSINESS, TOO.”
After 40 years in business, it was time for us to start Benito and Azzaro has been a team effort from
developing a succession plan. We didn’t want to start to finish, and when we both decide to retire,
hang on for so long that something might happen we want to walk into the sunset proud of what we
to one of us. Neither of us wanted to saddle the accomplished. Joining Foundation Partners gave
other with trying to run the business on his own. us the security to move forward, allowing us to
That’s where Foundation Partners came in. With focus on the things we love most – taking care of
their commitment to honoring our legacy, business families during their most difficult days.
experience, and advanced technology, we found the
perfect partner to ensure a smooth succession.
Foundation Partners Group Get in Touch

4901 Vineland Road, Suite 300 1-888-788-7526
Orlando, FL 32811 FoundationPartners.com
MANAGEMENT
In our own way, we’ve pushed the envelope and we’ve pioneered a few things,
not all of which have worked. We failed in some cases, but we’re starting
to get comfortable with a concept that’s very prevalent in business outside of the
funeral industry: Take risks, fail fast, learn from them and improve. That’s not a mantra
you would have heard in many funeral homes, but you’re starting to hear more of it now.
would have heard in many funeral homes, but identify with what we’ve done and for it to
you’re starting to hear more of it now. feel like their home.
Sometimes that comes across in a In 2000, we built a location in a kind of
willingness to step outside the classic design California mission style, a little bit more
for a cemetery or funeral home. I can go in Southwestern, and then when we built
any city in this country, any region of the this one in 2010-12, we went very, very
country, and point out the mortuaries even if contemporary Southwestern. We just said, to
you remove the signs from them. They all in heck with it, we’re ripping the Band-Aid off,
their own way look and feel the same—they we’re going to do it all the way—and it’s
just scream “mortuary.” been successful.
They all look the same, feel the same, The Rio Rancho mortuary is a brand
smell the same, have the same feeling. Obvi- Above, French’s Lomas location, from new mortuary that’s only 6,000 square
ously, I’m over-simplifying. They’re not all an era when the company’s mortuaries feet. Most people in the industry are aghast
that way, but most are. Funeral practitioners were designed in what was considered at that, because they’re still building
would tell you the same thing. a classic style. Below, the Rio Rancho 20,000-40,000-square-foot behemoths.
Our most recent mortuary, which we built location, deliberatedly designed to not The reason we built this size is it’s
in Rio Rancho, a suburb of Albuquerque, look like a funeral home. very efficient, and everything can be
looks nothing like a mortuary. We didn’t reconfigured. You can turn the big chapel
go to a mortuary design firm. We went to a into a smaller one, and just reconfigure it all
local architectural firm that’s never designed over the place.
a mortuary and we told them, “We want In other words, the rooms aren’t strictly
you to build a beautiful building, and we’re defined: This is the chapel, this is the
going to put a mortuary in it.” reception area, etc.
So they came up with this building that
Well, there is a chapel, but we can make the
looks like it could be a law office or a library
chapel bigger or smaller, and the reception
or something else entirely—but it doesn’t
area is right next to the chapel. We can either
look anything like a mortuary. It’s got two-
segregate it into one big reception area or
story, floor-to-ceiling glass walls letting in
cut it in half into two little ones, or one state
gorgeous views of the mountains and tons of Now, are there issues with having two- room and one little reception area or open up
natural light. It’s very modern. story glass walls in your chapel when the whole thing and have one giant chapel.
There are windows—oh, my gosh, are you’re trying to show a video at 4 p.m. in It’s a matter of building the space so it
there windows! There are even windows the afternoon? You betcha. So, that was can be almost immediately reconfigured
in the selection room. Do you know what a learning experience. We didn’t take the different ways, because increasingly,
heresy that is in our industry? Until recently, windows out. We tinted them and installed particularly in a community like Rio
none of our other selection rooms had any motorized blinds. It’s not perfect, but people Rancho, which is 75 percent cremation, we
windows in them, but this one does. love that building. don’t need a lot of state rooms. State rooms
The behind-the-scenes private areas
When I saw photos of Rio Rancho I are one of the most underused rooms in a
where we’re moving bodies around and
wondered if all of your funeral homes have lot of mortuaries. They sit there empty all
we’re getting bodies into state rooms or
a different look. the time. As does, by the way, the selection
ID rooms—the key rooms are connected
No. Here we are in the Southwest, the room, but state law requires us to have one.
through the back halls. We don’t have to do
land of adobe. And what do most of our New Mexico doesn’t require us to
what so many mortuaries do—take a peek
mortuaries look like? Brick and columns. have state rooms. We have the ability to
out there to see if any families are present.
Back in the ’70s and ’80s when we built create a state room for families who want a
No? Quick, move the body into the state
them, that was chic. You didn’t want your traditional viewing and visitation. We love
room.
buildings to look Southwestern, you wanted those families, but they’re the minority in
Our other mortuaries are beautiful and
them to look more “sophisticated.” that community. So the same room that
very well maintained, but at Rio Rancho we
Now we’ve entered a period of time can be used for them also can become part
don’t face the challenges we do in our other
when we want to feel relevant to the local of the bigger chapel or can be a separate
mortuaries, because we essentially broke the
community. We want them to immediately little reception area. We can reconfigure the
mold and tried a different design.
MANAGEMENT
building 18 different ways. two biggest locations that have been here the different ways. We have several caterers
I’ve heard you talk about the need for longest are in the part of the town where the we can recommend and the family also can
cemeteries, and I assume also funeral population is the oldest. bring in their own food. A lot of families
homes, to be distinctive, to be local. Towns tend to move in cycles. There’s a want to use our facility, but do a potluck.
part of town where the people are all hitting There’s a different charge depending on
Yes; I think that’s more important than
their 60s—next up. Then there’s a part of what they choose, but we’ll do whatever the
people realize. People don’t want to go to
town where people primarily are in their family wants. We can provide full catering,
a mortuary. Why are you at the mortuary?
40s—20 years down the road. The funeral a sit-down meal, if they want.
Because somebody died. It’s uncomfortable.
homes that are still very busy are the ones We do not carry liquor licenses. That’s
There’s a creep factor, an ick factor. We’ll
where the populations around them are in been an internal decision and an insurance
never get away from that. We in the industry
their 60s, 70s, 80s, and they are still fairly issue more than anything else.
are totally used to it, so it doesn’t faze
traditional. Also, more than 50 percent of Why do you have a separate facility for
us. But somebody who hasn’t been to a
our community is Roman Catholic, and advance planning? I’m not sure I’ve seen
mortuary but once in their life doesn’t want
there is a large Hispanic influence, so we that before.
to walk in.
serve a lot of traditional families, but the
If we can be comfortable and relevant For a while, the building that currently
number continues to go down.
and people they feel comfortable when they houses our cremation society was a stand-
In some of our locations, particularly
walk in, I think we’re good. alone mortuary building that housed a
west of the Rio Grande River (where
At the cemetery, I want more of our new precursor to the society. We didn’t really
Rio Rancho is), which has a younger
development that’s unique to be visible from understand the concept of serving the “direct
professional population, the cremation rate
outside the cemetery, so people don’t have cremation” segment, so we kept trying to do
is 65 or 75 percent. But the volume’s not
to drive inside to see it. I want them to see what I jokingly refer to as “French Lite.”
there yet. The percentage is higher, but the
we’re not just grass and headstones. Really, we were trying to get families
volume’s lower.
The cremation rate in your area is 65 who wanted simpler services, direct
Do any of your funeral homes have cremation-type services, to choose what I
percent. Is that true at French?
reception areas? would consider the traditional French range
Across our organization, we’re probably
All of them do. We can do food service two of services, and we just couldn’t do it
closer to 60 percent, and that’s because our
“CROSSING BORDERS AND OCEANS SHOULD NEVER LEAVE

A FUNERAL HOME CROSSING ITS FINGERS”
- Dave McComb, Owner & Funeral Director
©2018 MKJ Marketing
SHIPINMAN.COM | 1-800-321-0566
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

MANAGEMENT
Cenotaph walls in the Rose Garden scattering area at Sunset Memorial Park.
Of course, what we can’t track is how

many of our funeral and cremation society
The mobile version of the website for clients choose to memorialize but not at
French’s cremation society. Sunset. Maybe the family plot is at another
profitably. We stopped doing that and the cemetery and they’ve got six generations
building was vacant for a year or so, until over there. They might be choosing to
we decided to move our advance planning memorialize and we just don’t know about it.
insurance group into it just to give them We do ask, but sometimes they tell
more room. After we placed the cremation us, sometimes they don’t. Or they might
society in that facility, we moved the advance have taken Dad home and put his urn on
planning group, which is a separate group the mantel and, two years later, taken him
with a separate management structure, onto Colored art glass niche plates with somewhere else.
the cemetery campus. They take up basically inscriptions at Sunset Memorial Park. It’s tough to track how many of our clients
the top floor of our administration building There is room to memorialize with the end up memorializing. It’s easier to track
The main location of our pet business is name, dates of birth and death and one what I would call our capture rate: How
line that gives the visitors a glimpse into many come from our locations, either our
also on the cemetery grounds, so we’ve got
the person’s life: “A palette, a brush, a mortuaries or our cremation society, over to
three different business groups sharing that smile.” “A book, a beer & my dog.”
campus, which is very efficient for us. our cemetery? That we do track, and we’re
typically between 15 percent and 20 percent.
If people want to make pre-need funeral have cemetery property. So I like that, as
That is our number one operational focus;
arrangements, do they go to a funeral home well.
we have to get that number up. First of all,
or to those offices at the cemetery? The other option we have, and something
we feel passionate that memorialization’s
Probably the majority of these arrangements we quite often do, is making funeral arrange-
important for a family from a healing
are actually done in the funeral homes, depen- ments in the family’s home. The arranger standpoint, a grief standpoint.
ding on which one is most convenient for has an iPad or a laptop and is fully connected
Secondly, we’re a for-profit business and
people. If you live over on the west side and with access to everything in the system,
we have a beautiful cemetery that offers
you want to have the meeting at the Westside including all the merchandise options. things no one else does, certainly in this
chapel, that’s great. We like that, because we I see that on your cremation society city, but I would say even in this part of the
want to give you a tour of our facility. website, you promote memorialization. country. We feel we owe it to our families to
If you don’t want to do that or if it’s more What percentage of society clients end up at least show them what’s possible.
convenient for you to go to the cemetery, the choosing to memorialize with Sunset? That’s why Scatter Day exists. That’s
advance planning people will handle your Probably between 15 to 20 percent a year— why we started giving every family we
pre-need arrangements at the cemetery, and an anemic number. That’s not unique to the work with who chooses cremation through
that’s fine, too. Then it becomes very easy cremation society—it’s pretty consistent us—that’s approximately 1,700 a year
to introduce them you to our cemetery pre- across our whole organization, and it’s one of right now–a certificate valued at $300
planning group, too, if they don’t already the reasons Scatter Day exists. for a scattering at no charge and free
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY.
NOT THE DATA ENTRY.
FAMILYLINK:
• Communicate with families through an easy to use online tool
• Collect important data prior to an arrangement
• Allow families to upload images saved in their case file
• Collect signatures on documents online
• All done through a secure and private link!
Test drive the SRS products available for download at SRSCOMPUTING.COM
INDUSTRY LEADER FOR FUNERAL | CEMETERY | CREMATORY SOFTWARE

SRSCOMPUTING.COM | 800.797.4861 SRS COMPUTING
SRS Computing Solutions © 2017
MANAGEMENT
Above left, dried chiles in Sunset Memorial Park’s Centennial Urn Garden provide a regional touch to the park’s architecture.
Above right, a coloful and distinctive flower station available for families to use.
memorialization at Sunset. If you’re going to permanently leave Dad because in a certain, overly simplified way,
They can have the memorialization at on the mantelpiece, that’s final disposition. the two sides of our industry, the cemetery
Sunset even if they’re planning to take the You’re choosing where to put the body. The side and the funeral side, are competing
cremated remains somewhere else. The body’s just in a different format. for the same dollars. I totally get that. The
reason we’re doing this is because we think You still have to do something with the conflict will always kind of be there. I feel
it’s important to encourage a legacy tie at our body. You still have a body that you need it sometimes within myself, because I have
cemetery even if, say, Dad’s being interred at to memorialize somewhere. If you want some responsibility for both sides, and I
the national cemetery. to scatter up in the mountains, great. First, want the contract averages to be as high as
Because guess what? The rest of the make sure it’s legal, and second, arrange for possible on the funeral side, but I want to sell
family isn’t going to be at the national ceme- memorialization somewhere. cemetery space, too.
tery. They’re going to have to be somewhere That’s where families are missing the boat, Maybe it’s a little too altruistic, but in
else. We want them at our cemetery. If Dad’s and they’re coming back into our facilities the end, I would hope our prime motivation
name is already on the wall at our cemetery, two, three, four years later emotionally would be what’s best for that family, what’s
regardless of where his body is, that makes screwed up and saying, “We wish we hadn’t best for their healing process.
it easier for that family to decide, “Sunset’s scattered. We don’t have a place, and the Even within the funeral side there’s
where we need the rest of our family to be.” family needs a place.” conflict, and it’s based on our own internal
I come from the newspaper business, which We tell them, “Let’s put Dad’s name biases. As far as getting them to see value
has been decimated by the internet. So I on a wall so at least his name’s in granite in the cemetery side, in memorialization,
do sympathize when I see funeral directors somewhere or on a paver on the ground, and particularly if they’re at a stand-alone funeral
having a hard time coming to grips with the your family has a place to gather.” It would home that doesn’t own a cemetery? I wish I
idea that some people just want to do direct be better if we could have that conversation had the solution to that.
cremation and don’t want a service, and at the time of arrangement versus four We don’t have a mortuary on our ceme-
with cemeterians realizing that a 40 percent years later after the family has already done tery grounds, but we are a combination
capture rate from your crematory over to something irretrievable and are upset about it. operation, as we have both in our organiza-
your cemetery is darn good, even though it We in the industry have created this tion. We haven’t done nearly enough, but we
doesn’t look good compared to a 100 percent situation. A lot of times funeral homes didn’t have done a lot of cross-training, though we
full-body/casket rate. much care about what happened after the haven’t always been able to support it from a
cremation took place—they were just mad staffing standpoint.
That’s correct. But we’ve done this to
they didn’t get the casket sale. Those of us For a while, when we brought in a new
ourselves. Every day we see people in our
who have both mortuaries and cemeteries funeral director from outside our company,
industry refer to the act of cremation, the
realize we can’t be that conflicted within our we had them spend about three months
reducing of the body from full size down
own industry; we have to work together. sitting in with someone for a couple of weeks
to six pounds of calcium carbonate, “final
If you’re at a stand-alone funeral home, at a time in all the different roles in our
disposition.” In some cases, the law considers
what incentive do you have to encourage organization.
it final disposition. So we have ourselves to
permanent memorialization as opposed to Say someone from New York was hired as
blame that people don’t think they need to do
hoping the family will put all their time, a funeral director. Before they started doing
anything beyond the act of cremation.
effort and money toward a big funeral the job they were hired to do, they learned
Increasingly, those of us in the business,
service or a celebration of life that you can how our pet business worked, and they went
especially on the cemetery side, are saying,
arrange for them? out and picked up at clinics and met with
whoa—there is still a body after cremation. If
families. They learned how our cemetery
you’re going to scatter, that’s final disposition. Well, there is that, there is an implicit conflict
MANAGEMENT
works, and they helped dig graves and make

cemetery arrangements. By the time they
sat down and started making arrangements
with families on the funeral side—the front
end of the equation—they had an implicit
knowledge of and appreciation for the value
of the other parts of the business. And guess
what? Their referrals over to our other parts
of the business were much better than for
people who had not been afforded that
opportunity.
There’s a huge investment involved in
doing that, and we haven’t always been able
to support it. I’m a big advocate for it, though,
because I think the results over time outweigh
the short-term cost of doing it, and it’s the
only thing I’ve ever found within our industry
that makes a great difference.
We have a lot of combined staff meetings.
We have a lot of tours over at the cemetery
to show funeral directors what’s new. Scatter
Day is a great example, actually. Most of the
people staffing Scatter Day for the hundreds
of families that come in are funeral directors.
That’s because it’s on a Saturday, which is
a busy day in the cemetery, so my cemetery
staff is busy doing their normal jobs. We free
up enough funeral directors to come over and
give them some quick training.
To a person, the funeral directors who
participated the first year came away saying
how their perspective of the cemetery and the
importance of memorialization of cremated
remains changed. That’s not something we
planned on happening, but it did, so now
we’re deliberately structuring future Scatter
Days to be handled by our funeral directors.
In other words, anything you can do to
make your people see the other side of the
equation is great.
You’ve said that you think cremation is great
for cemeteries because there’s so much
they can do in terms of memorialization
options, no matter how little land they have
left, but that it has caused a drop in revenue
for funeral homes. How are your funeral
homes addressing this?
It’s been an earthshaking change for funeral
homes because their revenue stream has
been completely upturned. For cemeteries,
especially smaller cemeteries or cemeteries
without a whole lot of undeveloped space,
cremation is the salvation. It’s turned a
dwindling future into, if not an eternal future,
then at least a long run of sellable space. And
you can do awesome things, very high-end,
profitable things, with cremation space.
➤to page 38
MANAGEMENT
We do have cameras in all of our arrangement rooms—in all parts of our business.
It’s a health and safety and security issue. Death can bring out every fracture in a family and in
an individual’s personality. And the cameras also provide a phenomenal training opportunity.
➤from page 37 important ceremony still is, that can be the a family and in an individual’s personality.
same. When we do that, guess what? The We’ve had fistfights in arrangement rooms.
The challenge is getting people into your
average contracts are not that divergent; We’ve had threats to our staff—not because
cemetery. If we’ve done a good job and
they’re very close. we were doing anything wrong, but because
people come into the cemetery, we’re very
Then we want to take it one step further people were hurting and upset and angry, and
confident we’ve got ’em. They are going
and realize that within our family of they didn’t know who else to lash out against.
to want to stay, because we can offer them
companies we also have the best cemetery Sometimes people walk into a location off the
things they’ve never even seen or imagined
in town, so let’s get people over to Sunset streets and we don’t know why they’re there.
before. You can’t do that with a grave. How
and help them see that putting Dad on The cameras offer protection for our staff,
exciting and cutting-edge can you get with a
the mantelpiece is not the best choice, and they appreciate that.
grave? But you certainly can with cremation
it’s not a final resting place or permanent The recordings also have protected us on
space, indoors and outdoors.
memorialization. Encourage them to at least more than one occasion when a family has
But what about the funeral side? give Sunset a look before making a decision. come in and accused us of saying X, Y and Z
On the funeral home side, we’re doing two If that happens, we’re golden. We might and demanded something. Sometimes people
things. We’re trying to train our people out have lost some money from selling an urn back down right away once they’re reminded
of the habit that many of them got into of instead of a casket, but then again, maybe everything is on tape.
hearing “cremation” and immediately going not. If you do your job right, it’s not as earth- And the cameras also provide a pheno-
to, “Well, this family doesn’t have a lot of shaking as it could be. But we have to get menal training opportunity. Every single
money or doesn’t want to spend money, and people past their own internal biases, and then arrangement is on live video. I can sit
so they just want direct cremation.” In some we have to cross-train the heck out of them. at my desk, or at home, and watch live
cases, we’ve essentially told them that’s all Do you train people to do arrangements arrangements happening in any of our
they need. a particular way? Do you use a script? I mortuaries, the pet business, the pre-planning
We all come into our lives and careers believe I’ve heard you say that you record business or the cemetery. The only ones I
with our own internal biases. We’ve had all arrangements. can’t see, obviously, are the ones happening
a lot of funeral directors who had terrible Number one, we’re a Graystone client, so in somebody’s home.
cremation contract averages. We can track we use Graystone’s Cycle of Excellence. All The video is recorded, so we can play it
averages by service type and everything else parts of our business use Graystone as their back for the consultant or the funeral director
in our system, and can see they’re terrible customer service metric. Graystone sends in a one-on-one training session later and say,
on the cremation side and great on the non- surveys to all our families, and we have all “OK, you did this great; I love how you did
cremation side. Some of their peers are the their data. It’s phenomenal data, and we can that. I’d actually like you to train the rest of
opposite, or do really well in both. compare against other companies. our staff on how you did that. But did you see
We’ll ask them why their averages for This provides the rubric or matrix that how you keep doing this and you don’t even
cremation services are so much lower, and we train to as far as how you move through notice you’re doing it, but when you watch
when they finally get honest, they say, “I an arrangement, whether it’s a cemetery yourself on tape, you see it?”
really don’t agree with cremation,” or, “I arrangement, a pre-planning arrangement, a Too often, you train people to do
don’t see any value in it, so when I hear pet arrangement or a funeral arrangement. something, and your expectation is everyone
‘cremation,’ I just immediately go to direct We don’t use a script in the sense that is going to cover it with every family. You
cremation, no service.” it says, “The next words you have to say ask them afterward, “Are you covering
So we need to get the funeral directors are this, and you have to say exactly this it? Because your numbers haven’t really
past that initial hurdle mentally. sentence.” We give them a call guide or changed.” “Oh, yeah, I’m covering it.” And
The next thing we want to do is say, “Wait an arrangement guide. “You need to make you just have to take them at their word.
a minute. Cremation isn’t final disposition. sure you cover these steps, and ideally and Or you sit in on some arrangements with
It’s body prep, just like embalming and roughly this order. If you go out of order but them. Guess what? They’re on stage at that
casketing is.” If you treat it that way, all the you still cover them all, that’s OK—just make point. They’re going to cover it, because
services, all the pageantry, all the ceremony, sure to address each of these topics.” you’re sitting in there with them. That’s
all the bells and whistles, everything right This allows the funeral director, family artificially induced compliance.
down to the funeral coach, is equally valuable service consultant or pet memorial consultant Going over the video, what I’ve found in
and applicable and healing to the family to insert their own style and personality into most cases is that people aren’t lying—they
choosing cremation. it, but still cover the same ground. desperately think they’ve covered what
The only thing you’re not selling is a We do have cameras in all of our they’ve been told to. They truly believe, “I
casket; you’re selling an urn. There is an arrangement rooms—in all parts of our covered that. I covered the memorialization at
average revenue drop just because of that, business. It’s a health and safety and security Sunset, Chris. I do it with every family.” But
but if you illustrate correctly to families how issue. Death can bring out every fracture in then I watch a video or two or three of their
FORMER AMAZON
M K J P R E S E N T S EXECUTIVE
THE 2019
Erick Goss
Featured Summit
MARKETING
Speaker &
E-Commerce
Entrepreneur
SUMMIT
F E AT U R I N G
FORMER AMAZON
EXECUTIVE, ERICK GOSS
+ 5 INDUSTRY EXPERTS
• Co-Founder and CEO of Creative Trust Ventures.
• Adjunct Professor of Internet Marketing at
Vanderbilt Univ. Graduate School of Management.
• B.S. from U.S. Naval Academy, MBA from Univ.
of Michigan and M.A. from Troy University.
Don't Get Left Behind • Served as Pentagon spokesperson.
Get Answers to 2019's Critical Marketing Questions

AND MORE FROM...
Advertising Your Competitive Differences
• Campaigns for therapy dogs. Glenn Gould
• PR alternatives to service clubs & churches. CEO, MKJ Marketing
• Promote receptions to increase volume & revenue.
• New ways to build relationships with hospice.
• Best media going forward.
Marilyn Jones Gould
Using Digital to Compete Now President, MKJ Marketing
• Make sure your website is working for you in floral/gift sales.

• Legal issues of selling online, crowdfunding, and donations.
• Use low-cost Facebook ads to gain great pre-need leads. Isaac Miller
• Revitalize your low-cost cremation business and crush your COO & Legal Counsel, MKJ Marketing
discount competitors.
Adapting to Change Courtney Gould Miller

• Why funeral businesses fail & how to avoid it yourself. Chief of Strategy, Legal Counsel, & Head of Digital,
MKJ Marketing
• Improve your arrangers’ performance through effective
coaching.
• Make sure your team can defend your quality.
• How to make it easy for consumers to choose you. Andrew Kerr
Managing Partner, FortyAU
ONE PROGRAM - TWO LOCATIONS
Ski Summit Sea Summit

The Arrabelle at Vail Square The Ritz-Carlton
Vail, CO / February 25-27 Naples, FL / March 11-13
Special resort rates 1/3rd the price Special resort rates 1/3rd the price
REGISTER TODAY
©2018 MKJ Marketing
888-655-1566
mkjmarketing.com/seminars
MANAGEMENT
arrangements, and they might ask, “Have This gives us a wonderful ability to
you decided where you’re going to place capture back some of that revenue lost
the cremated remains? Oh, OK.” And then due to cremation if we can help a family
they move on. That’s not covering it, but understand the beauty and value of
they feel they’re being honest when they cremation witnessing.
tell me, “I addressed the issue.” When I started 12 years ago, we
So the videos are fantastic training and probably did one witnessing every two
development tools. weeks, and we felt OK about that. My
I assume you have notices up, but people biggest challenge at that point was putting
tend to forget the cameras are there, as enough cremation cases through that retort
we’ve seen with reality TV. to keep the core temperature up but not
thermal shock the floor.
We have signage upon entering the
Today, we’re doing at least four a week,
building, and also in all arrangement
Two of the seven retorts at Sunset Memorial sometimes two in a day. In those cases, we
rooms. “These premises are videotaped Park, which has separate facilities for human have to do one fairly early in the morning,
for your protection and ours.” These days, and pet cremations.
hustle, cool that machine down as best we
every business you walk into has cameras.
can and warn the family who comes late in
It’s not a legal issue per se, but we want
And number three, it varies from company the afternoon, “The machine’s going to be
people to know.
to company based on how comfortable they warm, because it had a case earlier today.”
A lot of people get twitchy in our
are and how immersed into the cremation Every time we do a cremation witnessing,
industry and say, “There are private things
world they are. And do they have their own there’s a significant service that’s being
being discussed and we can’t videotape
crematory? We do all of our own cremations, added—those are really powerful services.
that.” That’s bunk, because the same thing
and we don’t do any trade work. And the beauty of it is, where is it happening?
happens in banks, schools, hospitals—there
If you’re an owner of or a funeral director It’s happening at Sunset Memorial Park,
are private things being discussed and they
at a facility that does not have its own crema- because that’s where the crematories are, in
have cameras. The video is protected and
tory, I can understand you not really liking our chapel mausoleum. So in order to have
confidential.
crema tion very much, because it’s not only their cremation witnessing, they have to
We also have cameras in our crematory
cutting into your revenue stream, it’s also come into the cemetery, and while they’re
and our care center. God forbid if there’s ever
adding to your liability, because that body has there, they can see a lot of the incredible
a mistake made in that crematory, we want to
to leave your chain of custody. If something memorialization we’re offering.
be able to look back and see how and when
goes south down the chain, you’re going to The other thing it allows us to do is we
and where it happened and who did it.
be in the accountability loop and get sued as serve the marjority of the Hindu and Buddhist
Or what if somebody breaks into the
well, which is why we won’t do trade work. population in Albuquerque, because most
building at night? If there’s one place we
From the minute we pick that loved one of them are cremations and we’re the only
want a security camera, it’s the crematory—
up at a hospital or at a nursing home or in organization in town that offers a place where
and the care center, where the loved ones in
somebody’s home, until the minute they’re they can have a full service with the monks
our care are housed temporarily.
in a niche, in the ground or handed back to chanting and the incense burning for hours.
So we have cameras everywhere. Our
the family to take home, they never leave our Then, at the prescribed time—it is very
staff got twitchy about them for about the
care. They are in our chain of custody the prescribed—we open the doors and take the
first month and then forgot they were there.
entire way. body into the retort.
We did have to remind them not to change
That’s a distinct value-add, and some- So it’s allowed us to serve the immigrant
clothes in the arrangement rooms: “Remem-
times we forget how important something as community in a very profound way, and
ber, you’re on camera.” That happened more
simple as that is, how unique it is, in some many of them end up memorializing at
than once, but other than that, we’ve never
cases. One of the things we train our funeral Sunset. Some people send the cremated
had issues with it, despite predictions to the
directors on is mentioning value statements remains back to India or Vietnam or
contrary from people both within and without
that are differentiators. This makes working wherever, but typically, at least in our
our company.
with cremation families easier, more robust. communities, they want an in-ground
I think it must be tough to be in that position Going back to your question about burial for the cremated remains and they do
of making arrangements day in and day out revenue drain on the mortuary side, this is memorialize.
and constantly second-guessing yourself something that doesn’t come up much. Not I could walk you through the cemetery
about what to say, how to say it, what order every company has the ability to do this, and point out clamshell containers that
to say it in when you’re trying to make a but 12-13 years ago, we invested in having each contain a piece of fried chicken and an
connection with cremation families. another crematory retort placed immediately orange, all over the cemetery. Every one of
Yes, and I think how to do it varies. Number off the front of our chapel. So at the front of those is a Buddhist family.
one, it varies from family to family how you our chapel, behind double doors, there’s a How many retorts do you have?
approach it, so I don’t think there’s a set piece nicely finished room with a full retort in it.
We have four human retorts and three pet
way to do it. Number two, I think it varies We offer cremation witnessing as one of our retorts, and one of them is a big five-chamber
from one region of the country to another. core services.
MANAGEMENT LED Lighting Solutions
for Memorial Products
pet machine. We handle about 6,500 to
7,000 pets a year. They’re all located on the E N E R G Y S AV E R
cemetery campus, but they’re in separate
facilities; they not connected at all.
LED light bulb for Crypt
When did French start adding pet services? & Niche Fronts
We’d been talking about it for several years; Warm color for Bronzes
there had been a lot of noise about it in the
industry. We were approached by a mom E A SY TO
T O I N S TA L L
and pop pet cremation business. They were www.septechnologies.com
working themselves to death and didn’t want 1 877 515-4672
to do it anymore. So they sold us the whole
book of business and the name, which was
Best Friends Pet Cremations. just want disposal. They also don’t want to be and I asked about the profitability. We had to
The pet business has a section of our sold to. develop the data, and it turned out the more
administration building, its own arrangement Because we bought an existing business, pet cremations we did, the lower our profits.
rooms and a small selection room. We built a we were probably serving 3,000 to 4,000 We were losing money.
pet retort facility, because their machine was families immediately. There was a problem, We had seven staff members on the pet
really old. We invested a lot of money to get though. Most of the cases were coming from side; I cut it down to three, and we fired some
the business up to our standards. one specific client, a huge marquee name— clients. By fired, I mean we priced ourselves
One thing I’ll tell anyone who’s consider- what a great client to have, we thought. But out of their business. I told them, “We can’t
ing opening a pet business is don’t start from they do nothing but communal disposal. do this profitably on what we’re charging
scratch; buy somebody out, if you can. The There is no memorialization. No one gets you, so this is the new price.” They took their
reality is, in most cases, the majority of your remains back. business elsewhere, which was fine, because
business is going to come through vet clinics, We were doing more and more pet that was my intent.
and they have no desire to change—you can’t cremations—the number of cremations was We rebuilt the pet side of the business. We
get past the gatekeepers. They’re all about going through the roof. When I came in, we dropped down to about 2,500 cases about six
keeping the pet alive, and once it’s dead, they were two or three years into the pet business, or seven years ago, and since then it’s been

MANAGEMENT
growing by double-digits every year. We’ll did have, it was tough to make an argument
probably handle close to 7,000 pets in 2018. that we were making any money with the
Is most of your pet business still from monument business, and some years we flat-
veterinarians? out lost money.
We kind of considered it an internal
More than half. Sixty to 70 percent of the pets
service we needed for our own families, but
The transfer van for French’s Best Friends in our cities die at a vet clinic—that’s just a
we weren’t even charging them appropriately.
pet service features the uplift logo promi- fact. However, we’re increasingly developing
We were producing custom granite memori-
nently. relationships with some of the clinics. Their
als and having them at graveside three days
people are learning to really trust us and
after the cemetery arrangements, so at the
realize that we will serve our mutual client in
time of the graveside service that brand
this part of the business better than they can.
new marker was already on display, which
In a lot of vet clinics, they basically make
is unheard of. Most of the time it’s a matter
the arrangement. They say, “Here are the
of weeks or months before that monument
options you have with cremation. You can
is ready, so we were providing phenomenal
have a communal, a private or a private with
service, but we never charged a premium for
witnessing. And here are the three customized
it. No wonder we were losing money.
urns you can choose from.” And that’s it.
We pared down the staff and got it to the
I’d rather have that family come into our
point where we were breaking even, but we
offices and talk to our staff, who can show
were never going to make much money. It’s
The separate pet section at French’s Sun- them or tell them more about what we can
a fundamentally different kind of business.
set Memorial Park also features colorful do for them. And invariably, our contract
Inventory control alone is a nightmare when
cremation memorialization options as well averages will be higher, because if the
you’re getting your stone from India and
as ground burial. Above, the entrance. Be- families see what we can do, they want it.
China. What’s “just-in-time” ordering when
low, a niche wall. People who are cremated Some of vet clinics are realizing that if
can choose to be placed with their pets. you’re talking about a rock shipment from
they refer their client to us, Best Friends
India? That’s a year’s worth.
will come free of charge and pick up the
We also worked with a local monument
pet. And if the family contacts us directly or
company, so we approached them about
even makes arrangements with us online,
handling all of our monument business. We
the family is better served. The feedback
told them what we expected as far as service
we get from families is that they’re happier.
and worked out an arrangement. They took
Increasingly we’re getting clinics to do
over all of the monument business, and I’ve
that, and we work out different kinds of
never been happier.
compensation arrangements.
Literally the month after we shut down
Most cases still come through the vets, but
our monument company, we started making
we do have more and more people coming
money on every monument we sold. And
to us directly, having heard about us through
they turn them around fast. They take care of
word-of-mouth. Some people come to us at
us—we’re their biggest client. So it’s been a
Best Friends because French has handled
great partnership.
three generations of their human needs, and
I know some people who have monument
once they learned we have a pet crematory,
companies and make money doing it—I’m
where else would they go?
not saying it can’t be done. I’m just saying
And a lot of people come to French for
that was never going to be something our
human arrangements because we’ve helped
organization was going to be able to do well.
them with three or four pets. So for us, that
angle to why you need to add a pet business I do know of some companies that have a
in our industry is absolutely true. Regardless, monument business. There are also some
as a stand-alone business, it’s profitable now, that sell flowers, and others that say, “I
and growing faster than any other part of our do not want the headache of dealing with
business. flowers, and we have a great relationship
with our local florists.”
What about the memorial business?
I don’t know of an organization that makes
We closed our monument company. It was
money on selling flowers. I’m not saying
a hard thing for us to do, but we came to the
they’re not out there, but I’m not aware
realization that we’re not a manufacturing
of them. Some think providing them is an
business; we’re a service business.
important service for families, even if they
The financial data we kept, as is the case
don’t make any money doing it.
in many businesses in our industry, was not
very good. But based on the financials we Some companies want to diversify, get into
welovefuneralprofessionals@expff.com
*******
Remember me
Sign in
The ultimate funding experience.

Since 2002 the nation’s largest privately owned and
FASTEST. EASIEST. insurance assignment experts have been providing
®
funeral homes and cemeteries nationwide the ultimate funding experience.

And it just got BETTER.
Now send Express Requests anywhere, anytime, from any device with
the EXPRESS HUB 2.0, the nation’s most technologically advanced and
user-friendly online funeral funding platform.
812.949.9011 www.expressfuneralfunding.com
MANAGEMENT
related businesses. much of it or expects as much of their people

Or they might not have any other options in as we do.
their community, so having their own flower Our local mortuary managers get really
shop allows them to make money because close to the churches, community groups,
they can offer things that wouldn’t otherwise nursing homes in their area. They offer lunch
be available. I get the mechanics of how it and learns and trainings and tours. We do the
can work. But I think in more cases than not, same thing in the pet business, offering lunch
it’s almost a loss leader they feel they have and learns and training opportunities and
to continue. tours for vet clinic staffs.
We used to make our own vaults for Community involvement in all parts of
the cemetery. We lost money; we’re not a our business, not only events at Sunset but
manufacturing business. We closed down targeted outreach, helps us make sure we’re
our concrete shop and started buying them, the trusted name in this community. We have
and our profits at the cemetery went up. by far the greatest top-of-mind awareness,
I do know of a funeral business that has and we don’t want to lose any of that. Our
a monument company, a flower shop and a competition does good things, too, and
concrete shop, and I think they’re making they’re going to do everything they can to
money on at least some of it. It can be done, erode our market advantage, so we’ve got to
but it’s a lot of work, and in some cases, it stay ahead of that.
A Facebook posting for one of French’s
Wine & Peace of Mind seminars. These detracts from your core business and your Your Scatter Day event is so interesting.
seminars generally result in all attend- “why,” which is helping people through When I started at the ICCFA (1999), it
ees setting appointments with a pre- grief and memorializing. That’s what we do, seemed like cemeterians didn’t really
arrangement counselor. and the rest of it’s just tangential. want to think about scattering, scattering
For these other things, we can partner gardens, anything that would encourage
with somebody who’s better at it, and serve scattering in any way, shape or form. That
families even better by focusing on our core mindset does seem to be changing.
competencies and not trying to be a jack of Not fast enough. And the reason they didn’t
all trades. want to encourage scattering is because they
One thing that is key for the success of saw it as a zero-sum game: If I mention
both funeral homes and cemeteries is the possibility of scattering and the family
community outreach. You’ve done a lot chooses it, that means I’ve lost an in-ground
at the cemetery, with your Memorial Day burial space, or a niche. So why would I
program and Scatter Day, for example. shoot myself in the foot by mentioning
What about at the funeral homes? something where the profit is so much less?
Our pre-need seminars, “Wine and Peace of But the reality is—and it hit us between
Mind,” have been hugely successful. Nobody the eyes like a 2 x 4 on Scatter Day—it’s
wants to go to a mortuary. We partner with not that equation at all. More often than
some places to provide different venues not, people are taking cremated remains
where people can gather and hear a pre-need home. Sometimes it’s because they just
funeral presentations. We offer a wine and aren’t ready to let go yet. Sometimes they
cheese tasting while they listen, and people don’t have the money right then to purchase
love it. Almost every event ends up having cemetery space. Sometimes they want
a 100 percent appointment-setting rate. to scatter somewhere, because that was
Everybody who attends sets an appointment important to Dad.
to meet with our pre-need counselor. All those things are legitimate, and they
A visitor with one of the actors dressed The mortuaries tend to try to connect were the reasons cited by people telling us
as life-sized green army men for the into their local communities, and we also that Scatter Day wouldn’t work. But we
Memorial Day living history observance do things Albuquerque-wide or New found that by talking to the people who
at Sunset Memorial Park. The French
Mexico-wide through French Funerals and came to our cemetery for Scatter Day, the
companies advertised the event by vast majority—it would say 80 percent of
having some of the green army men Cremations as a corporation. We give a lot
of money away. them—explicitly said their reason for taking
deployed in temporary displays around
Albuquerque. I love how philanthropic this organization the cremated remains home and not doing
is, not only in treasure, but also in time. All of anything with them was that they didn’t
our senior leadership serves on multiple non- know what else to do. They didn’t know
profit boards and in organizations like Rotary. about the options.
That’s pretty common in our industry, but I Cemeterians have to realize that they’re
have never seen an organization that does as missing out on talking to the cremation
MANAGEMENT
Our first Scatter Day added 400 names, 400 families who now have a legacy connection to Sunset.
That’s 400 we didn’t have the previous month. Tell me how that’s not absolutely beneficial.
families—the majority of them—who walk Our first Scatter Day added 400 names, it freaked everybody out. There was a lot
out of the mortuary and never even talk to 400 families who now have a legacy of buzz about it—we got a lot of media
a cemeterian. You’re never hearing from connection to Sunset. That’s 400 we didn’t attention.
them; you don’t know they exist. And guess have the previous month. Tell me how that’s In 2018, once we began advertising it, we
what? They don’t know you exist, either. not absolutely beneficial. started getting a lot of calls. We encouraged
So if we have to give away free cemetery I’ve been hearing more about the need for people to set an appointment and come in on
scatterings to get the tens of thousands post-need marketing to cremation families any day. We didn’t push everyone to come
of people in Albuquerque with cremated who haven’t memorialized, and this sounds on our official Scatter Day, because we
remains at home on the mantel or in the like an effective way to address that. knew there would be enough people coming
basement or wherever to come to the That is exactly what this is. We still want to keep us busy. So we decided to spread out
cemetery, we’ll do it to get a connection to work with funeral directors to encourage the volume and honor the free scattering and
with those families. families during the at-need arrangement to memorialization offer the month prior to the
If a family comes to the cemetery, gets go to Sunset and look at what’s available, official day.
their free scattering of Dad’s remains and his but for the majority of people who walk In fact, we honor Scatter Day almost
name inscribed for free on the wall, doesn’t out of the mortuary and never go to the all year long. If somebody calls me in
buy anything, what do we now have? We cemetery, the only way to reach them is December and says, “Remember that Scatter
have their contact information in our system. through post-need marketing or a post-need Day thing? I was going to go, but then I
They now have a loved one with a final event, which is Scatter Day. was out of town that day. When is the next
resting place and memorialization at Sunset. one?” We won’t make them wait till next
Do you anticipate Scatter Day being an
When another family member dies, they’re year. We’ll tell them to come in and we’ll
annual event?
not going to keep those remains at home honor the offer, because we want to make
for years. They’re going to come to Sunset, Yes, for the foreseeable future, until it be- the connection.
because Dad is there. comes no longer relevant. The first year If the attendance for Scatter Day drops
(2017), it was new; it was revolutionary;
READY WHEN
YOU ARE
www.PreneedSuccess.com
We’re ready to whip your preneed program into shape.
We’ve been training for years and we’re looking to share
our success with you. Let SNL show you a better way to
your preneed business.

MANAGEMENT
way down, we might not even give up on it

then. Maybe we’d just try to find a different
way to advertise it.
Keep in mind that every single French
family already gets the opportunity to come
to Sunset and scatter and memorialize for
free. Every one of them receives a coupon.
I know our funeral directors are giving out
the coupons, because the crematory won’t
accept a case unless paperwork is attached
showing that the coupon was delivered.
They have to attach a copy of the signed
certificate that they gave the family.
So we’re offering this all year long. But
Scatter Day is an attempt to clear a backlog,
in effect.
Where do you think the best hope lies for
the profession thriving in the future?
This sounds like shameless kissing up, but I
do think that the ICCFA as an organization
has the most impact on the industry as a
A Facebook ad (top) and billboard (above) promoting Scatter Day followed whole. It provides a forum for people to
the formula of lots of white space and a short, punchy message. talk about all these issues that the other
organizations don’t.
Scatter Day helps families, promotes I think somebody is going create the
secret sauce or figure out a little bit better
memorialization and builds heritage way to connect the funeral and cemetery
sides of cremation, and when that happens,
Editor’s note: Sunset Memorial Park/French our world will get a little easier.
Funerals & Cremations’ Scatter Day received But I also think the picture’s not as
a first place ICCFA KIP Award in the event gloom and doom as it was 10 years ago.
category. Vice President Chris French Most mortuaries have had to reconstruct
provided information about the event.
I
their revenue stream. The survivors that are
still standing are starting to figure it out, and
n 2017, French Funerals-Cremations & those that didn’t survive sold out.
Sunset Memorial Park decided to begin The other interesting thing is certain
the process of actively changing the communities or areas of the country where
conversation in the culture with regards to the cremation rate is still not that high are
cremated remains. We wanted an event that The ossuary in Sunset’s kiva (below) was
one of two options offered to families for
learning these things at an earlier point than
we could “own,” that would be exclusive to we did. They have the advantage of our pain
free final disposition of cremated remains.
us, and on a day where it was not competing and can make changes ahead of the curve.
The other was scattering in the Rose
for air time and attention with other events. Garden section (above). Both options Some of the guys I know in Salt Lake
Saturday, August 26, 2017, was chosen to be included a memorialization inscription. City, where they’re still maybe only 35
the first Scatter Day at Sunset. Some families, seeing the other cremation percent cremation, are building cremation
Scatter Day was designed and advertised options available at Sunset, opted to pay gardens. We didn’t even think about doing
as a day when anyone in the community with for an upgrade, with the value of the Scat- that until we were at 50 percent. They can
cremated remains at home could bring them ter Day offering applied to their purchase.
be proactive. The rest of us were too late
to Sunset Memorial Park and scatter them for and had to be reactive. They have the ability
free. What’s more, every individual scattered to go in and own cremation in their market.
on Scatter Day would be memorialized in We’re having to claw it back.
stone or brick at the cemetery, at no charge.
I guess this is another one of those “Is
Two different scattering options were
it a challenge or is it an opportunity?”
offered to each family, the Rose Garden
moments.
scattering area, or the Kiva Ossuary. Three
different memorialization options were Oh, it’s an opportunity. I’m not trying to
offered at no charge to families—a brick be Pollyanna, but there are nothing but
paver near the Kiva Ossuary, a name opportunities. The pain’s already been felt.
There’s nothing but upside now, I think. r
Voyage™
Advantage
Gives You More
Highest Return Exclusive Triple Pays Bi-weekly Best Preneed

in Preneed Growth Rate Commissions Insurance Plan
With Voyage, you reduce your risk of Preneed

shortfalls and increase your profitability.
Discover the Voyage Advantage Today!
Contact Us:
w w w. g w i c . c o m
866.689.1401
S C AT T E R D AY
Far more families that we expected chose to upgrade

and pay for a more elaborate inscription,
a cremation niche or some other type of property option.
inscribed on the Rose Garden cenotaph wall, be thoroughly cleaned, sterilized, destroyed
or a name inscribed on the cenotaph panels and rendered unrecognizable. Any non-
in the Centennial Urn Garden. For families biodegradable urns made of recyclable metals
bringing in pet cremated remains, we offered would be thoroughly cleaned and sent to
free scattering in our Best Friends Forever pet our crematory implant recycling partner,
ossuary, and engraving on the granite pavers and 100 percent of those proceeds would be
surrounding it. sent directly to a local 501C(3), the Grief
To show families the free options being Resource Center, as are all of our implant
offered to them, we would be taking them recycling proceeds.
on a grand tour of the park, showing them
the beauty and variety of what was available Goals
to them. We informed every family that we Though we hoped for some of that “upgrade”
Free scatterings include memorializa- could answer any questions they had about business, the priorities of Scatter Day were:
tion on a cenotaph panel in the Centen- anything else that they saw, and that if they 1. Begin to change the conversation in the
nial Urn Garden (above) or one of two
were interested in other types of property, that culture with regards to cremated remains.
other places in the cemetery.
we would apply the $300 value of what they 2. Create and own an event and a day in
were being given for free against the cost of the community’s mind—build awareness of
that other option. the park.
Far more families that we expected did 3. Establish ourselves as the experts on
just that, and chose to upgrade and pay for a cremation and cremation memorialization.
more elaborate inscription, a cremation niche 4. Establish tangible ties to hundreds of
or some other type of property option. families that we would otherwise have no
tie to. Each is a white-hot lead for future
Covering legal bases cemetery sales.
To mirror our current cremation scattering 5. Hopefully upgrade enough families to
One reason for offering free scatter- process as closely as possible, and to cover the cost of advertising the event.
ings on Scatter Day was to give French guard against incurring additional legal 6. Do all of this without incurring undue
employees the chance to show people liability, all families coming in to scatter liability or cost.
the many options for memorialization
remains on Scatter Day were required to
available to cremation families, includ-
ing photo plates (above and below).
complete and sign our standard cremation Results
scatter authorization form stating that they The results greatly exceeded expectations.
were authorized to permanently place the • We spent a total of about $20,000 to
cremated remains at Sunset. place three billboards for the month prior, and
In any instance where there was any to rent three large golf carts to tour families
indication of potential discord or disagree- around the park. Those were our only hard
ment within the family as to the final disposi- costs to put on the event.
tion of the cremated remains in question, we • The total new revenue directly generated
would respectfully decline to allow them to by this event was approximately $50,000.
scatter the remains until those issues were • We had over 300 calls about the event
resolved to our satisfaction. In the two instan- prior to Scatter Day.
ces where this issue came up, the cremated • Most individuals showing up for Scatter
remains were placed into a common crypt at Day had multiple family members with them.
the cemetery so that they could be retrieved We estimate nearly 1,000 people participated.
later if necessary. Both families were thrilled • More importantly, roughly 400 families
with that solution. Sunset would otherwise not have served now
We also addressed the issue of what to do have a direct connection to the park, are in
with the urns left after the scatterings. About our database and have loved ones’ names
95 percent of the families chose to leave the inscribed in stone at the park. We view these
urns with us for disposal. Our commitment families as 400+ guaranteed future at-need
to them was that all biodegradable containers sales, and every at-need sale carries the
would be incinerated in one of our retorts, potential for multiple pre-need sales.
and all the remains of those containers would The tendrils of this event will extend for
be gathered and placed in the Kiva Ossuary. a long time in this community and with our
All non-biodegradable containers would company. r
If crypt flies don’t keep you
up at night, maybe this will.
It’s bad enough that crypt flies are probably inhabit-
ing your mausoleums right now. (Those little guys
love to breed and feed in these sacred spaces.) But it
can go from unsightly to completely unimaginable for
your business. Just see what happened at one location
in an actual newscast at www.ZontecSolution.com.
Zontec is your best defense against crypt flies: safe,
effective, odor-free and operates year-round, used by
over 700 cemeteries around the world. Visit our site
and see how we can make your mausoleum great again.
(Watch at www.ZontecSolution.com)
www.ZontecSolution.com
’s
®
Online Courses & Libraries | Scripts & Sales Tools
Sign Up Today for Consistent Sales Success
Complete Pre-Need Sales

Training Program & Materials
For Sales Teams and Individual Counselors Lead
Lead Generating
era g Consumer
Generating
ner
n Consumer Premiums
Premiums
Tested. Proven. Results.

T
thesystemuniversity.com
The Sales Training Program of the ICCFA

by Welton Hong
ICCFA Magazine spotlight MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY
408.982.6096
welton@RingRing How much do you know about marketing
Marketing.com
your business over the internet? Take this fun quiz to find out.
➤Hong is the
founder of Ring You might be surprised by some of the answers.
Ring Marketing, Las
Vegas, Nevada. He
Test your online marketing IQ
W
is an expert in case
generation from
online platforms ith online marketing becoming A) 30 percent
to the phone line. such a critical aspect of pro- B) 90 percent
He is the author of “Making Your Phone moting a death-care business, I C) 50 percent
Ring with Internet Marketing for Funeral wanted to find a fun way to point out some D) 75 percent
Homes.”
important facts and statistics about the
www.funeralhomeprofits.com 5. Which of these is not a good way to
industry.
respond to a negative (but generally fair)
➤Ring Ring Marketing offers a Try out this quiz and see how well
review?
comprehensive suite of marketing you do. It’s a little tricky, so if you can
A) Leave a public comment
services, from broad techniques such as correctly answer 20 of the 25 questions,
thoughtfully addressing the reviewer’s
reputation management, pay-per-click consider that an A: Great job! If you get 15
advertising, local search optimization, concerns.
of the 25, we’ll call that a B.
email marketing and website content B) Publicly criticize the reviewer for
If your final score is under 15 … well,
generation, to more surgical tools such being nitpicky.
I’d recommend you study up, because
as geotargeting, remarketing and social C) Reach out privately to the reviewer,
knowing these facts can greatly help your
media marketing. asking if there’s anything you can do to
business in this digital age.
address the issue.
You’ll also find more information about
More from this author D) Sincerely apologize to the reviewer.
each of these questions in the answer key.
about this topic
Good luck! 6. The number of voice queries—
1. What percentage of mobile search searches on mobile devices created
traffic is driven specifically by Google (as specifically by speaking rather than typing
➤Hong will speak about “The three online opposed to Yahoo, Bing or other search the search—increased how much from
marketing fundamentals you must master” engines)? 2008 to 2017?
at the ICCFA Convention in Charlotte,
A) 50 percent A) 250 percent
North Carolina, April 2-6, 2019.
B) 28 percent B) 80 percent
iccfa.com/events C) 1,500 percent
C) 77 percent
D) 96 percent D) 3,400 percent
2. Which was the first social media 7. You now see 15 percent fewer
website to reach over 1 billion unique ________ on a Google search results page
accounts? than you did just a couple of years ago.
A) Facebook A) Paid ads
B) Twitter B) Organic (unpaid) search results
C) Instagram C) Display ads
D) Google Plus D) Cat videos
3. What percentage of American 8. What percentage of total clicks do

consumers now say they trust the top five results on a Google search
online reviews as much as personal results page receive?
recommendations? A) 30 percent
A) 15 percent B) 55 percent
B) 80 percent C) 75 percent
C) 45 percent D) 15 percent
D) 100 percent
9. How quickly do users now expect a
4. By 2021, according to comprehensive web page to load?
surveys, how much of an overall marketing A) In less than two seconds
budget will be dedicated specifically to B) In less than five seconds
digital marketing, as opposed to traditional C) In less than seven seconds
channels? D) Sometime in the next 15 minutes or so
➤to page 52
ONLY YOUR ACCOUNTANT CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
Sich Plantation Pecan - H2302
WHAT A SHAME TO
HAVE TO BURY IT.
Compared to other works of a carver’s the lustre of the hand-polished finish,
craft, the “life” of a casket is incredibly must attest to the maker’s time and
brief. And yet, its significance demands attention. In short, a Sich casket must
no shortcuts or imperfections. Each be as beautiful as it is purposeful. To
panel of wood has to be perfectly which, we’ll also add affordable. So,
matched in hue and grain. Every detail, while our caskets may not stay around
from the motion of the hardware to for very long, their value surely lasts.
For your nearest Sich distributor, call 888-794-1744 or visit www.sichcasket.com

MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY
➤from page 50 driven by Google? 21. About 70 percent of companies have

10. When considering results on the A) 95 percent incorporated __________ into their overall
first page of a Google search, how many B) 50 percent marketing strategy.
words does the content in the average C) 35 percent A) Facebook ads
result comprise? D) 100 percent B) YouTube videos
A) About 425 words C) Mobile marketing
16. Of every 100 people who follow
B) About 1,500 words D) Mobile homes
your business on Facebook, how many
C) About 200 words typically see your organic posts (not paid/ 22. Consumers typically spend
D) About 1,000 words not boosted)? ________ more than the average on a
11. How many Americans check their A) More than 80 business that has stellar reviews.
smartphone before getting out of bed? B) More than 40 A) 30 percent
A) About one-third C) Fewer than 25 B) 10 percent
B) About three-quarters D) Fewer than 10 C) 5 percent
C) About two-thirds 17. Using ________ on landing pages D) 25 percent
D) About half will increase conversions by 86 percent. 23. The three most critical letters to
A) Your business logo power website conversions are:
12. Google says the accuracy of its
B) Videos A) CTR
_______________ is now over 92 percent.
C) Spanish translations B) CTA
A) Local search relevance
D) Pictures of puppies C) PPC
B) Online reviews quality
C) Voice recognition 18. How many Yelp reviews are either D) OMG
D) Answers for online trivia four stars or five stars?
24. In a comprehensive survey, 42
A) About one-quarter
13. About half of all consumers start percent of consumers said they wouldn’t
B) About half
mobile research of business services by contract with a business that had an overall
C) About two-thirds
_________. review rating of less than:
D) About three-quarters
A) Using a search engine A) Five stars
B) Going straight to a recommended 19. Videos as short as _______ of your B) Four stars
business website facility and staff can massively increase C) Three stars
C) Checking social media conversions on your funeral home website. D) Two stars
D) Calling a friend for advice A) Thirty seconds
B) One minute 25. How many Americans now
14. How many users said they wouldn’t C) Five minutes commonly access their email accounts on a
recommend a business with a poorly D) Ten minutes mobile device?
designed mobile site? A) 10 percent
A) 36 percent 20. Which of these social media B) 40 percent
B) 14 percent interactions on your platform eventually C) 60 percent
C) 88 percent results in more traffic for your website? D) 80 percent
D) 57 percent A) Likes
B) Shares
15. When considering all clicks on C) Comments
mobile paid search ads, how many are D) All of the above
Answer key to online marketing quiz

1. D: Google drives a whopping 96 75 percent in a few years. exposure.
percent of mobile search traffic. Yahoo’s 5. B: Never take a review personally; 8. C: The top five results get 75 percent
share is only 2 percent, Bing only 1 be understanding and never critical, of the clicks—that’s why it’s so important
percent. especially on publicly viewable areas of to be ranked highly against your local
2. A: Facebook was the first to 1 billion the platform. competitors.
users and had now has over 2.2 billion 6. D: Voice queries increased 3,600 9. A: If a web page takes longer than
users worldwide. percent from 2008 to 2017. Voice is two seconds to load, the visitor might
3. B: Four out of five surveyed now one of the most popular ways to do “bounce out” and go elsewhere. We live
consumers say they trust online reviews searches. in an instant gratification world, especially
just as much as personal recommendations. 7. B: The search results page has fewer when it comes to tech.
4. D: Digital marketing rapidly organic listings now, which is why ranking 10. B: It’s about 1,500 words. Google
continues to increase its share of overall highly is even more important—along with rewards rich, detailed content, so if you
marketing budgets and likely will eclipse adding some pay-per-click ads for better want to be ranked on the first page, don’t
MARKETING &
TECHNOLOGY
be afraid to get into the nitty-gritty.
11. D: It was just under 50 percent
according to a 2017 analysis, and given
rising trends in mobile device use, it’s
likely a little over half by now.
12. C: Google keeps improving its
ability to understand voice queries.
13. A: Ranking well in your local
market is also a huge help on mobile,
which is how many people are now
searching.
14. D: It’s critical today to ensure you
have a well-designed mobile site, because
modern consumers expect a smooth
experience on mobile devices.
15. A: That’s not quite 100 percent,
but it’s awfully close: Google crushes
everyone else when it comes to mobile
paid ads.
16. D: In fact, the latest studies indicate
that as few as 2 percent or 3 percent of
organic posts are seen by your followers.
To reach your audience on Facebook,
you need to boost posts or look into paid
advertising.
17. B: Video is rapidly becoming a
massive conversion generator.
18. C: It might seem like a lot of Yelp
reviews are negative, but in reality, 68
percent are positive. In fact, almost half
(48 percent) are five stars.
19. B: Videos only need to be one
minute to greatly increase conversions. In
fact, you don’t want them to be too long,
because people are used to short videos
these days. Better to have several short
videos than one or two long ones.
20. D: All these interaction types can lead
to more website traffic. If you’re promoting
your business on social media, focus on
content people want to interact with.
21. C: Mobile marketing is one of the
biggest current trends, and its influence
continues to grow.
22. A: Excellent reviews can make a
big difference for your bottom line.
23. B: Putting a clear call to action
(CTA) on every page of your website helps
ensure an excellent conversion rate.
24. C: If your business has a lower
overall rating than three stars, you’re
losing out on more than 40 percent of
potential clientele.
25. D: Eight of 10 commonly use email
on a smartphone or tablet—one reason Apply for a scholarship to attend ICCFA University
why it’s important to focus on the mobile fill in an application at www.iccfa.com/scholarships.
experience. r Deadline: February 18, 2019

by Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D.
S E R V I C E T O FA M I L I E S
Funeral directors are often urged to evolve.

What about cemeterians? Australia’s Southern
Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust has been listening to families
and making sure it meets the needs of today’s families.
Transforming the power and

purpose of cemeteries, part 2:
More lessons from Down Under
I
n the May 2018 issue of ICCFA be clearly articulated. It all boils down to
Magazine, I presented an interview with keeping the customer front and center.
Jane Grover, CEO of Australia’s Southern However, the tone and the leadership
Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT), in of any organization is central to lifting
which I sought to find out how her cemetery the service, setting a new horizon and
drwolfelt@centerforloss.com organization is reinventing itself to exceed sustainability. Without the fundamentals of
contemporary families’ expectations, meet leadership, any organization will drift.
ICCFA Magazine spotlight their essential mourning needs and thrive. How do you measure client-family
➤ Dr. Wolfelt is a respected author, I received many responses to the article, satisfaction, and what do you learn from
educator and consultant to funeral service. and it was clear readers wanted more this process?
He advocates for the value of meaningful information. So I asked Jane some additional
We collect data from two significant touch
funeral experiences in his death education questions and am happy to share her answers
points, and this is used to improve and
workshops across North America each with you here. Let’s listen and learn.
year. enhance service.
Where do you find the right staff members We use iPads throughout our locations
➤ He conducts an annual training for to offer more customized and meaningful to capture around 500 customer surveys a
funeral directors on creating meaningful service experiences? month. We have very good data to identify
funeral ceremonies.
We deliberately recruit for values and look trends, make decisions and target feedback
More from this author for team members who display empathy and that needs more exploration.
have a service orientation. Our latest Net Promoter Score (NPS),
➤ Dr. Wolfelt’s annual training program on
We look for talent broadly and don’t focus which measures how likely a family is to
creating meaningful funeral ceremonies
will be February 4-7, 2019, in Scottsdale,
on hiring from within. We then develop recommend the services of this organization,
Arizona. For more information or to receive and train new team members on “the way is 78.
a descriptive brochure, call the Center for things are done around here.” However, team Twice yearly we also conduct a Net Easy
Loss at 970.226.6050, email Dr. Wolfelt members’ personal values are also central to Score, which asks partner funeral directors
directly or go to the website for information providing care and compassion. how easy it is to do business with SMCT. Our
about this program or others being held at You stated you wish to create a “bespoke,” latest score was 83.
different locations. or customized, experience for the families Funeral directors in communities you serve
www.centerforloss.com you serve. What sort of employee orientation rely wholly or in part on SMCT to provide
and training do you use to achieve this facilities and cremation services. Why don’t
result? these funeral directors perceive you as a
SMCT always starts with our operating competitor?
philosophy: The customer is at the heart of Some funeral directors may see our services
everything we do. We take an enterprise as competition, but most see them as
approach, understanding that every touch complementary. There is definitely a clear
point in the process impacts the customer delineation between the services that a funeral
experience. director can provide and what SMCT is
In our trainings, we focus on all the major allowed to provide.
touch points, getting the basics right. Our As a purposed organization, we provide
people must be aligned to the right roles. free pauper burials, children’s graves at cost
Our processes must support the employees and free interment of veterans’ ashes as well
and customers. Our employee values must as many more services that commercial
Our culture is now customer-driven, not product-driven. This was a major change.
Importantly, we looked outwardly, listened, harvested ideas and challenged
our beliefs of what a 21st century memorial park should be.
—Jane Grover, CEO of Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, Victoria, Australia
Left, Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries

Trust’s function team. Above, some of
the food served at the cemetery café.
organizations would not provide. devalue the services they provide and the place to rest, reflect and share stories. They
There must always be a balance about suppliers suffer from lower revenue. also help us build long-term relationships
the kind of society we want and providing Our increased visitation, favorable with the community.
for those in our community who are less feedback from our customers, strong NPS Many people come to our cafés regularly
fortunate. and significant increase in revenue offer just to dine. Our facilities are also used
In the US, I have witnessed that many powerful evidence that we are on the right by local businesses during non-core
people in funeral service are slow to change track. These measures clearly indicate that operating hours, building relationships and
and meet the needs of today’s families, who the community values the changes we have demystifying the cemetery and funeral sector,
are questioning the value of funerals. Are made, and they are demonstrably responding. which has long been steeped in secrecy.
some folks in death care threatened by how Please tell me more about your food and Please tell me more about the “solace
progressive you are in making changes and beverage service. How important do you rooms” in your facilities.
adapting to the new customer? think the food and beverage element is to The solace rooms at Bunurong Memorial
The training that you facilitated in Scottsdale, your overall strategy of bringing people into Park offer a quiet place for contemplation,
Arizona, reinforced the importance of the cemetery? meditation and prayer. With the global
change. As has been said of evolution, it is Customized, licensed food and beverage is a increase in spirituality versus religion, they
not the strongest species that survive nor the critical component of our brand experience are spaces to pause, reflect and reorder one’s
most intelligent, but the most responsive to and an expression of care, love and cultural thoughts and emotions.
change. identity. All of our service offerings are We observed that many people would
When it comes to innovation, SMCT available 365 days a year. sit and reflect on the loss of a loved one, so
looks externally, not internally. We challenge We operate in the experience economy, so we wanted to ensure that we offered choice,
our dominant logic about the sector and who this is one of our platforms to connect with care and compassion. The solace rooms also
we are as an organization. our multicultural communities’ customs and have facilities for hand- and feet-washing, so
Cutting prices is a clear race to the bottom, traditions. Funeral directors appreciate the customs and traditions are preserved.
and no one benefits. When you cut costs range of menu options because the families I’m honored that you have taken a number
and services, the community is impacted they serve have so many choices. of quotes from my writings and placed them
by unreconciled grief, the funeral directors Our cafés connect families, providing a
The solace rooms at Bunurong Memorial Park offer a quiet place for contemplation,
meditation and prayer. With the global increase in spirituality versus religion,
they are spaces to pause, reflect and reorder one’s thoughts and emotions.
—Jane Grover, CEO of Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, Victoria, Australia
growth and service philosophy.
The organization is clearly focused
on our purpose and on enhancing the
service experience. We understand that the
community’s expectations have changed.
Service and experiences are valued.
We have been working tirelessly with
the multi-cultural communities, developing
reflection spaces, tailoring cultural food
and beverage offerings, adding florists and
more. We continue to review and improve
our products.
Our culture is now customer-driven, not
product-driven. This was a major change.
Importantly, we looked outwardly, listened,
harvested ideas and challenged our beliefs of
what a 21st century memorial park should be.
Where do your ideas come from for your
various initiatives? Consumer focus groups?
Internal staff? Outside of death care?
Our strategies and initiates are from
multiple sources. We have a community
Solace rooms where people can go for quiet reflection. advisory committee composed of a broad
spectrum of the people.
on the walls in your arrangement rooms. We have invested in people and infra- We also look externally. The entire
Can you help my readers understand the structure, developing multi-use assets organisation contributes; we do a lot of
purpose of this and what the response has (shared platforms) in line with the listening and harvesting of ideas. And
been? global conditions reflecting the shared we are currently working with Monash
“Death ends a life but only alters a and experience global economy. The University for the next two years on some
relationship, moving it from one of presence organization is now working as an very exciting consumer insights projects.
to one of remembrance.” This is one of my enterprise, so we are getting amazing results.
Looking back on the changes you have
favorites. Our people and capabilities underpin our
made in the last four years, are there
Your quotes emotionally connect the
family to our organization, and this underpins
our philosophy of care, compassion and
companionship. It is a clear message to the
family that we are here for them and this is
their journey.
We also have many of your books in our
library at the Centre for Care and Wellbeing,
and they are always checked out.
In the space of only three years you have
increased revenue by 50 percent. Tell me
more, please!
Our narrative is that we are here to support
the living. This is a significant pivot from
“burying the dead.”
Springvale, our flagship cemetery, has
more than two million visitors a year. There
has been fantastic support for the change
from Trust Chair Sue Renkin. Funeral directors at Bunurong Memorial Park.
lessons learned, and is there anything you

would have done differently?
Words can be misinterpreted. Always check
for clarification and understand that change
in a traditional sector is hard. If you do not
explain your strategy or direction clearly, then
maybe someone else will fill that vacuum and
may misrepresent your purpose or intentions.
Second, it’s essential to educate the
community in understanding the “whys” of
funerals. They underpin our purpose, and
focusing on the whys earlier in our journey
would have made our road easier to navigate.
But when you are forging a new path,
there are always challenges that go with
the territory of leadership.
Where do you see SMCT five years from
now?
Our new vision statement gives us direction:
“Our beautiful, iconic locations empower
The witness cremation viewing room at Bunurong Memorial Park, one of the rooms
all communities to honor and celebrate life.
where the cemetery has included a quote from Dr. Wolfelt on the wall.
We support the living throughout their grief
journeys through our innovative approach of to my questions and informing my readers future as you provide leadership to other
personalized care and compassion.” as you look to the future. I’m honored organizations who choose to innovate, not
Jane, thank you very much for responding to provide consulting to you and SMCT. evaporate. I look forward to returning to
I admire your strategic approach to the Australia in the near future. r
Mom wanted a casket,

Mausoleum Protection Dad wanted cremation…
You Have a Tough Job. Let Us Make It Easier.
(Like we’ve done nearly 30,000 times over the past 20 years) Now
N
Now Th
T
They
e Can
ey C
Protect Your Operations
• Significant time, labor and cost savings.
Be To
Together
Togeth
og
• Controls moisture, pests, and stains.
Protect Your Families

• Dignified presentation from start to finish.
• Confident, calm staff provides better service.
Protect Your Bottom Line

• Clean, aesthetically pleasing
facilities sell more quickly.
• Ideal for temporary storage, Introducing
disinterment, relocation,
and other risky situations.
Krypturn with
Casket Only
Designed for Companion Entombment
End Loading Design
Another Q
Qualityy Product From
www.kryprotek.com
mb@kryprotek.com 800.826.9406
w w w. k r y p r o t e k . c o m
One way valve
prevents gas build up 800-826-9406 Krypturn with
Kryprotek
Krypturn with
Bag & Tray

by Roberta Knauf, CPLP
ICCFA Magazine spotlight GRIEF THERAPY DOGS
dogguru@gmail.com
➤Knauf chairs Whether you’re enthusiastic or wary about the idea
the ICCFA’s Pet
of having a grief therapy dog at your funeral home or cemetery,
Loss Professional
Alliance, and you first need to know what you’d be getting into.
formerly co-chaired
What to consider before

the PLPA Education
Committee.
➤She is a
consultant for
funeral homes
getting into the pet
adding a grief therapy dog
loss industry or (Editor’s note: This article is excerpted
considering adding a grief therapy dog to
from a presentation Knauf gave at the
their business. She has run pet funeral
2018 ICCFA Convention & Expo.)
T
businesses for funeral homes and has
worked with trained grief therapy dogs.
➤She has been in the retail pet industry his is a very passionate subject for
since 1982, owning and operating retail me. My entire life, I’ve had dogs,
stores as well as a boarding kennel, trained dogs, worked with dogs. I
day care and training facility. She is lost Tara, a black Labrador, more than two
accredited to give the AKC Canine Good years ago. She helped me train Willow, who
Citizen exam, and is an evaluator for works at Schoedinger Funeral Home in
Therapy Dog International Inc. Columbus, Ohio.
Before you decide to introduce a therapy
More about this topic dog at your funeral home or cemetery, I
➤Therapy dog organizations that can certify/ think it’s important to know about the pros
recertify dogs and provide insurance: and cons, to know exactly what you’d be
http://deltasociety.org getting into if you do it.
http://tdi-dog.org I’m going to start by giving you a little
http://therapydogs.com
bit of history about therapy dogs. Dogs have
had many, many jobs over the years. They
were used for hunting. They helped farmers.
They became companions. In other words,
dogs have a lot history of being important
to people.
Dr. Boris Levinson, the man who Knauf has had several grief therapy dogs
became known as the father of pet therapy, over the years, including (clockwise from
had his office at his home. One day, top left) McKenzie, Nika, Tara and “Re-
his patient was a 9-year-old who was mie” (Remington), her current dog.
uncommunicative. He left the room for a But the validation eventually came
few minutes, and when he came back, he from Alan Beck and Aaron Kushner, a
found his dog, Jingles, was there with the psychologist and a psychiatrist. They
boy, and they were communicating. did more research and followed up with
Levinson started using Jingles in his medical studies.
practice, documenting what he did. He sent They found that a dog’s presence
the information to the American Psychology could lower a person’s blood pressure. It
Association and they laughed at him. They calms the person’s breathing and releases
asked, “What percentage of your fee is oxytocin, the “happy hormone” drug in our
going to the dog?” But he didn’t give up. brain that makes us feel good.
Levinson started Delta Society, a very well-
known therapy dog group. Basic questions
Years earlier, Sigmund Freud had said There are a number of different types of
he believed dogs have a special sense that working dogs, including police dogs, bomb-
enable them to judge a person’s character, and sniffing dogs, service dogs trained to work
he used his dog, Jofi, in his work. Florence with people with certain disabilities and grief
Nightingale had also recognized the healing therapy dogs.
power an animal companion could have. Service dogs are defined as dogs that are
Triple H Company
V
P.O. Box 5790
Ventura, CA 93005-0790
Triple H
USA
Manufacture
r (805)
80 650-6944 (800) 252-3444 Company
Fax (805) 650-6444
Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum Supply Since 1950
0
www.triplehcompany.com
PPrincess
rinc
Cremation DDesign
esig
Empire
Rollers Design
Peace WWhite
Antique Gold
Excellent for
Cremation
ation Vases
Gray Granite G
Green Velour
LLined • Tongue Identification Discs
Committal Services
a
and Groove • Solid Jewelers BBronzee
C
Connection
INFANT & CHILD • Gold, Oxidized and Nickel Finishes
Origi
Original ULTRA Flip-Top PLASTIC URNS MAUSOLEUM VASES • MADE IN THE USA
9” x 9” x 14.5” 32, 78 &125 Cubic In.
Plastic Urn White
Oversized Solid Gray Gra
Granite texture
inside and out fo
for Consistent
9” x 13” x 14.5” Appearance
Appeara
®
ENTIC ®
AUTH feature the exclusivee
Green and Gold Triple H Company Logo
L Floral Plastic Mausoleum
l um
Lawn
La Vases Vases and Holders
Original Hi-Impact Plastic SHEET BRONZE URNS
Resists UV Discoloration
oration
5 Sizes – Dozens of Styles
‘utility urns’ ®
Vase Lifters for
IN SIZES AND
CONFIGURATIONS
S
All Manufacturers
TO ALL NEEDS Dozens of Options Vases
®
Triple H Company Original Hi-Impact Plastic ®
®
Exclusive Originals Urns and Vases ‘utility urns’ ®
Plastic Mausoleum Vases
FHCNews/displayads/TripleH01_17.indd
www.nomispublications.com
Our New website options designed
to assist with Your Trade Work
9:41 AM 100%
http://www.nomispublications.com Search
Simplified Navigation
Advanced Search Options
More Advertising Options

Premium Listings
SEE YOU
Enhanced Listings IN
Banner Ads
CHARLOTTE
1-800-321-7479 • PO Box 5159, Youngstown, Ohio 44514 • Fax: 1-800-321-9040
info@nomispublications.com
Your Real Source Anywhere. Anytime.

1-800-321-7479 • PO Box 5159, Youngstown, Ohio 44514 • Fax: 1-800-321-9040 • info@nomispublications.com

GRIEF THERAPY DOGS
You’ll need a full-time person to handle the schedule, because you should be taking that dog
to every hospice, every nursing home, to reading programs for children. You should be using that dog.
individually trained to do Every one of your
work or perform tasks for employees needs to know
people with disabilities. what rules are, and what
The tasks an individual commands to use. It’s not
dog does are geared to the fair to the dog to have
type of disability. There one person say “sit,”
are guide dogs, which while another person
most people think of as says, “sit down.” The
seeing-eye dogs; hearing- dog is thinking, “Do you
assistance dogs; seizure- want me to sit, or do you
alert dogs; dogs that want me to lie down?”
help diabetics; mobility- Everyone needs to use the
assistance dogs; dogs exact same commands.
for people on the autism How will you handle
spectrum. The late Derek Flynn, who attended many ICCFA meetings, shows his ability liability?
What is a therapy to resist a treat, even one balanced on his nose, until told by his handler it’s You need liability
dog? OK to eat it. Like all well-trained therapy dogs, Derek also remained calm coverage. You need to
A therapy dog might when handled by people of all ages, coming at him from all directions. contact your insurance
be trained to provide company and let them
affection and comfort to people in hospitals, walking with a cane. know what you’re doing. In recent years,
retirement homes, nursing homes, hospice, They have to be able to be hugged. They some companies have been started that do
schools, airports and funeral homes. These have to be able to be bumped from behind. nothing but insure dogs.
are dogs whose sole purpose is to provide To a dog, being bumped from behind means Should you get a puppy or a rescue
comfort and emotional support. that someone wants a fight, so they have to dog?
How will the dog be trained? be taught that a bump from behind is not As I said before, temperament is the most
Therapy dogs need to have a very threatening. important thing when you’re looking for a
specific temperament, or personality. If They have to be able to tolerate being therapy dog. The fact is that while puppies are
we’re helping someone get a therapy dog, petted by several people at the same time. wonderful—they’re cute, they’re loving—
the first thing I tell them is they have to The advantage of having your dog you can’t guarantee what their temperament
know the dog’s personality. certified is that they carry insurance on your is going to be.
They have to be calm. Therapy dogs dog and they require you to be reevaluated Puppies go through what we call a fear
usually can be certified at a year of age, but as the dog gets older. My dogs have to be imprint stage at about five months of age.
if you’ve got a Lab, as I do, you know that recertified every two years. One time I was training a puppy for a funeral
at a year old, he’s still going to be jumping Some organizations that do certifications home. The puppy was about five and a half
around. are TDI, Therapy Dogs and Pet Partners months old and came from a breeder who
They have to have a gentle temperament. (originally Delta Society). had produced a long line of service dogs and
They have to be well-trained and obedient. Where will the dog stay? therapy dogs.
They have to obey commands such as “sit,” Will your therapy dog go home with you, I was in the funeral home with the puppy
“down,” “stay,” “come to me” and “leave stay at the funeral home or live with one of and a gentleman came in wearing a hat and
it,” and they have to be able to walk nicely your employees? If with an employee, what a big, long overcoat. The puppy approached
on a leash. happens if that person leaves? You’ll need to him to greet him and the man started making
One of the most important commands put something in writing to make sure that dog sounds.
I want my dogs to know is “leave it.” If employee does not take your therapy dog That was the end of that puppy’s future as
someone drops something on the ground, with them if they leave. a therapy dog. He never got over it—anytime
such as an aspirin or another pill, you want How will you handle the dog’s work a man with a hat or coat walked in, the dog
the dog to leave it alone. They have to be schedule? turned and ran.
trained to leave food alone, as well as to If you have multiple facilities, how are I know puppies are adorable, but they’re a
accept a treat without biting. We teach the you going to transport the dog back and lot of work—it’s like having a child.
dogs to very gently accept a treat. forth, and who’s going to do it? You’ll need There are several advantages to going
Therapy dogs have to tolerate clumsy to keep a schedule, because you’ll find that with a rescue dog. Number one, if you want
handling. They have to remain calm if people your therapy dog is going to be in demand, a purebred Labrador or golden retriever
are yelling—you know that’s something that not only in your funeral home but also in the or whatever, there are rescue groups that
can happen at your funeral home. community. specialize in that breed.
They have to stay calm if approached Who will make sure your employees are Number two, a rescue is usually past that
by someone whose gait is a bit off, who’s trained? fear imprint stage. A dog trainer can evaluate
GRIEF THERAPY DOGS
routine visits to the veterinarian.

If you have to go to the emergency vet Therapy dog musts:
clinic on a Saturday or Sunday, before that
• Has a calm demeanor
vet even sees that dog, it’s going to be $400
or $500. • Has a gentle temperament
At least now health insurance is available • Has an affectionate personality
for dogs, which didn’t exist when I first • Is well-trained and obedient
started with therapy dogs. Pet insurance is • Enjoys being around people
well worth it. • Obeys basic commands (sit,
down, stay, come)
Benefits and liabilities • Walks nicely on a loose leash
A therapy dog not only is a great comfort to
at-need families, she can help with pre-need, • Responds politely to distrac-
too. Some of our pre-need people mention tions
when they’re making an appointment to talk
to a family that we have a therapy dog, and at the grave site.
are asked to bring the dog with them. We had a “Howloween party” at one
A therapy dog is an ambassador for your funeral home. A funeral home might not
company. You’ll find that if you add one to have the property that a cemetery does, but
your staff you’ll need a full-time person to it does have a parking lot.
Knauf’s dog Tara helps out in the mer- handle the schedule, because you should The one objection I always get to having
chandise selection room. Therapy dogs
be taking that dog to every hospice, every a therapy dog at a funeral home or cemetery
can “take the edge off” not only during
nursing home, to reading programs for is that some people are allergic to dogs. But
services and visitations but also during
the arrangement process. children. You should be using that dog. people aren’t allergic to dog fur, they’re
Your dog has been trained to work, allergic to the saliva. So if the dog is well
the dog and help you decide, along with the and she wants to work. We have the grief groomed, and the dog is trained not to lick
shelter workers, if he would be a good fit as a therapy dog in the funeral home office, you, you’re not going to have a problem.
therapy animal. They’ll be able to tell you if available to be there for people when they Our dogs are well trained and
he’s a fearful dog, if he guards his food. come in to make arrangements. maintained, and they go into hospitals
Can you afford a canine employee? You can hold an event at your funeral and hospices. At Children’s Hospital in
In addition to insurance, you need to plan home or cemetery designed to draw pets Pittsburgh, we put a t-shirt on our dog.
for the other costs of maintaining a dog. with their owners, including people who Liability is a huge issue, and it was the
I got this number from the American Pet maybe would not come to your property for main reason I wanted to address this topic. I
Products Institute, and I thought it was kind any other reason. see more and more facilities adding therapy
of funny. I didn’t let my husband see this, If you have a cemetery, you can start a dogs, and I wonder if they’re aware of the
because we spend a lot more than this every club and invite people to bring their dogs potential liability.
year on my dog, but they say that annual with them to go for walks in the cemetery A colleague recently told me this story,
expenditures are $4,300. Food, toys, dog with your cemetery’s dog. Grief therapy and gave me permission to share it. They
bed, collars, leashes, preventative medicine, dogs are also phenomenal to have with you have a pet funeral home, and their dog had
Questions or concerns about the

conditions in your mausoleum?
With over 35 years of experience, Ensure-A-Seal has the
products and on-site expertise to address any situation.
800 864 4174 Learn more at ensureaseal.com

GRIEF THERAPY DOGS
been going in for years. One day, he was me and Tara to be in the receiving line with
sleeping in his bed and a woman came in them. Normally, we just mingle. I asked
who perhaps was intoxicated—she was why they made the request, and he said it
weaving back and forth. She saw the dog, was because it was a case of suicide, and
ran over to him, got down and hugged him. the parents wanted Tara and me to provide a
The dog reached up and bit her—seven distraction.
stitches. Their insurance company paid the People don’t know what to say, especially
woman $30,000—and then canceled their in this type of tragedy. So we were there with
coverage. the family members and people would say,
This is why I worry about the dogs that “So sorry for your loss” and then start asking
are going into funeral homes. about the dog. It was amazing.
We love them, but dogs are dogs. This was The funeral director was so smart to do
a perfect case of a dog doing something he’d this—people wanted to move quickly through
never done before. Who knows—maybe he the line and find out about me and the dog.
had a sore spot and she happened to touch it.
What if your dog has an ear infection and a Choosing, certifying a dog
child reaches down to pet him? When I evaluate a shelter dog, I take a trainer
We recommend that you take your grief with me, or I get whoever has been working
therapy dog in to your veterinarian for a with the dog at the shelter, and we take the
wellness checkup every six months. Robert Knauf’s late grief therapy dog dog outside.
Tara helped her train Willow (above) for I set down a bowl of food and reach
The impact dogs can have Schoedinger Funeral Home and its pet for it to see how the dog reacts. I have a
I’m going to tell you a couple of stories that division. A grief therapy dog can be an noisemaker I use to see how the dog reacts to
illustrate why I think these animals are so ambassador for your organization, and a strange noise. He can jump, but I don’t want
important to our industry. is a sure-fire attention-getter at events. him to flee. I usually try it more than once.
I had my black Labrador, Tara, at a funeral daddy’s casket—the hunting knife, a picture I take my grandchildren to see how the
where there were two boys, about 14 and 10. of him—and about his daddy. rescue dogs react to children.
Every once in a while, the 14-year-old would Then when his preschool teacher came Sometimes shelters call me and say
come over and say, “I think Tara needs to go in, he ran up to her and dragged her over they have a rescue that would make a great
for a walk,” and I would say “OK.” He would to Willow and said, “You have to see the therapy dog—I keep a list of people who
take Tara out and they’d walk around the special friend who came to my daddy’s are looking for one.
funeral home for a few minutes. He did that funeral—this is Willow.” The therapy dog organizations have
about three times. I originally thought Willow and I would annual dues, usually only $20-$25 a
His father told me that the deceased was be there for maybe 15-20 minutes, but we year, and usually do the reevaluations at
the boy’s mother and said he hoped I was ended up staying for the entire funeral, a discount. It’s not expensive to have a
OK with the boy taking the dog out. I said, because this little boy wasn’t about to let therapy dog organization certify your dog.
“absolutely.” He said he had realized that Willow go. The training for a therapy dog usually
every time his son started to get choked up He asked his teacher if Willow could involves an eight-week course, if you’ve
and feeling he was going to cry, he would come to school so he could show all his got a dog with a good temperament who is
get the dog and go outside, because he friends “Daddy’s special friend.” About two obedient—responds to commands such as
didn’t want to cry in front of all his friends weeks later, I called the school and asked “sit,” “down” and “stay” and can walk on
and family. if they’d like Willow go come in, and they a leash.
Another time, I was with Willow at her said, yes, “that’s all he talks about.” So we The course training includes practical
first outing as a therapy dog. She’d done went to the school and he told all his friends experience. We take the dogs out into
beautifully in our funeral homes, but this about his father’s funeral and this doggie public areas to make sure of how they’ll
funeral was going to be held in a church, who was there. respond. That eight-week course will run
and I was very nervous. It gets even better, because a few weeks you about $150.
The funeral was for a man who had been later I received a beautiful card in the mail The certifying organization you choose
in his early 40s and who left a 5-year-old son. from the boy’s mother telling me that her son will generally have an evaluator in your area,
As soon as we entered the church, the little constantly talks about his special friend that and a couple of them now offer video courses
boy ran over and started hugging and pulling came to his daddy’s funeral. And she said, online. After your dog is evaluated, he gets
on Willow, and she did great. Willow and I “Roberta, his entire life, when he thinks about his patch and vest.
sat down and the boy came over to ask if he his father’s funeral, he’ll think of Willow.” Grief therapy dogs can do a lot of
could take her up to see his daddy. Grief therapy dogs do make an impact. wonderful things—they’re here to stay. But
I said yes, but let me go with you. So They are so loving, so giving, that they just before adding one, you’ve got to give a lot of
we all went up to the casket, but he wasn’t take the edge off. thought to what’s involved. You’ve got to be
talking to me, he was talking to the dog. One time I had a strange request: The willing to do the training, invest the money
He told Willow about all the things in his funeral director told me the family wanted and invest the time. r
Child Caskets
IN THE DEATHCARE INDUSTRY
Dedicat and focused, Bill’s

Dedicated
knowledge and experience of the
knowled
death ca
care industry provides you
with val
value added services, enabling
you to fo
focus on what truly matters
in such challenging times.
Bill Newman, CPA

Partner
Pink Crepe Interior

withum.com
Blue Crepe Interior

by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS
1.800.426.0165 MANAGEMENT: FINANCES
danisard@theforesight
companies.com
Cemeterians who wonder whether they have enough money
ICCFA
Magazine in their endowment care funds are right to be concerned.
spotlight
➤Isard is president of
The Foresight Compa-
Following state law on trusting
nies LLC, a Phoenix-
based business and
management consulting firm specializing
won’t secure cemetery’s future
in mergers and acquisitions, valuations, Dear Dan,
accounting, financing and customer I have a lot of questions about the perpetual
surveys. care (aka endowment) trust funding for
➤He is the author of several books, my cemetery. My cemetery is a 100-year-
and frequently speaks at industry conven- old cemetery with about 80 percent of the
tions. available land sold. The trust funds are Another common issue is the trust’s
invested in an income-focused trust, trying to investment advisor. How competent are they
More from this author to make recommendations for this type of
protect the corpus of the trust. It seems like
➤Educational information, including this fund would not be sufficient to fund my investment result? In my mind, PCT money
copies of this article, can be found at should be invested to protect principal and
cemetery maintenance and care by itself. Am
www.theforesightcompanies.com provide income. Any growth of the principal
I doing something wrong?
➤You can follow Isard on Twitter at Worried is a secondary issue.
@f4sight, LinkedIn and “like” The Fore- Dear Worried, Remember, the interest income will come
sight Companies on Facebook. The simple answer is, no. Understanding out of the trust to the operator. So the trust
perpetual care trusts (PCTs) involves complex corpus grows primarily by new deposits,
Editor’s note
math. Each state created its own cemetery not from the investments. We don’t want the
The Cemetery Impossible column is
law. As part of the rules and regulations, principal to decrease due to under-performing
written by the staff of The Foresight
cemeteries that are mandated to be or have investments.
Companies. If you have a question
you want to be featured in this chosen to be perpetual care ones take some of Remember the PCT’s purpose: providing
column, please send it to danisard@ their sales revenue from interment rights and an investment base to cover the costs of
theforesightcompanies.com. Dan contribute it to a trust. maintaining the cemetery after there is no
Isard or a member of his staff will call The requirement for the deposit could be a longer income from sales. If the trust is
you to get more information and a percentage of the sale or a flat dollar amount not sufficient to provide the income for the
recommendation will be provided via this per square foot. Different states have different maintenance, bankruptcy is a possibility.
column, helping not only you but also requirements for the amount of the deposit. The costs the income from the trust must
others who are facing similar challenges. The PCT is separate and apart from the cover include:
owner’s assets. However, the owner/operator • Care and maintenance
of the cemetery has the right to manage the • Staffing to provide the care, including
PCT. The only limitation might be state rules benefits and insurance for the staff, or fees for
or regulations on the investments. With that staffing provided by contractors
being recognized, the problem is not your • Staffing for customer service, as needed
management. The problem is each of the • Property insurance
items I mentioned above. • Repairs to assets, including roads, water
The single greatest issue is the state systems and other utilities, including water
depository requirement. This amount is • Maintenance and replacement of
arrived at by legislative compromise, not any equipment that is going to be used to
by analytical calculation. This is the same maintain the property
problem we have nationally with Social Try this exercise: Add up the costs of
Security, where we arrived at a deposit these expenses (the ones I just listed) in your
amount without regard to the cost of current operations. Assume two grounds
benefits. people, one office person. This could add
Compounding the issue is the interest up to $200,000 a year in minimal overhead
rate assumed. When the market credits an 8 expenses. How much principal would you
percent interest rate for simple investments, a need to earn this amount of income?
trust provides much more income than when What makes this a more difficult funding
interest rates (as we have seen from 2008 to exercise is the fact that costs increase over
2018) were in the 2 percent range. time. What might be $200,000 in 2020
could be $300,000 in 2050. Yet once active today and do the analysis shown above. Then holding a cemetery with less than 40 years of
sales cease, there is no chance of having plan out for the date in the future that your inventory remaining. No one wants to own
the trust principal grow to cover these cost trust will be fully subscribed. Ideally, the PCT a cemetery with no active sales taking place.
increases. must be overfunded when sales end. This will The PCT will be inadequate to meet future
allow the income earnings from the trust to needs. People don’t buy a liability.
Interest Principal cover the costs described above. Any excess
rate required earnings are retained by the PCT, increasing What needs to be done
1% $ 20.0 million the corpus or principal of the trust The cure is a tough one.
There will come a time when the income 1. Change the laws in each state and
2% $ 6.7 million
provided by the trust will be inadequate to make the deposit requirement to the PCT be
5% $ 4.0 million cover the expenses of maintaining the ceme- mathematically computed.
7% $ 2.9 million tery, requiring you to invade principal. But in 2. Require every perpetual care cemetery
many states, an invasion of principal is not to demonstrate that their trust is funded
How can you possibly plan to have allowed or is subject to severe scrutiny. Ulti- beyond the state minimum, to cover the
the right amount of money in the PCT? mately, the cemetery will be turned over to future costs.
Depending on whether your rate of return is the sovereign as set forth in that state’s laws. I realize that with cremation rates rising
very high, very low or somewhere between, I predict that in the future, long after and the interment/inurnment rate of cremated
the amount of money you need in your trust I’m gone, every state will own countless remains still at less than 50 percent (meaning
can vary by 900 percent. cemeteries and not know what to do with fewer sales), this is a tough time to increase
The first thing this profession must agree them. States will be burdened with cemeteries the cost of cemetery space. But the longer this
on is that if you follow state law as far as they don’t have the budget to manage. adjustment is put off, the bigger the problem
how much you place in trust, you’re doing I have been involved in more than 100 will be in the future.
the minimum required, not what is realistic in sales, purchases or financings of cemetery As I said, you didn’t do anything wrong.
terms of what will be needed to maintain your acquisitions. Not one of them involved a Interest rates, state trusting requirements and
cemetery in perpetuity. cemetery with only a few years of active a host of other factors are conspiring against
Maybe we should all look at our trusts selling remaining. No one wants to be left your future. r

by ICCFA Magazine columnist
Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
vanbeck@
guptoncollege.edu;
toddvanbeck@ No one starts out as a great communicator; it’s a learned skill.
gmail.com
It will be humbling process, but there are things you can do
ICCFA
Magazine to find out how well you communicate and how you can improve.
spotlight
➤Van Beck is one The 2 1/2-minute manager
How to get feedback about
of the most sought-
after speakers and
educators in funeral
service. He is the director of continuing
how well you communicate
I
education for John A. Gupton College,
Nashville, Tennessee.
t seems safe to conclude that, as the enough to you to be able to observe
www.guptoncollege.edu
great Alvin Toffler once said, “As your communication skills, or the lack
➤Van Beck is dean of ICCFA University’s technology skills go up, people skills thereof, on a regular basis, and who will
College of Funeral Home Management
go down.” be truthful. This takes guts to do, but the
and received the ICCFA Educational
The college where I am located payoff is tremendous.
Foundation’s first ever Lasting Impact
Award in 2014. in Nashville has hired a new English Years ago, I was giving a seminar, and
professor. This young man is a good the audience looked like I was making
More about this subject fellow, with a sincere spirit and, clearly, them sit through an insurance seminar—
➤Previous articles in this series can be a deep interest in the well-being of his you know, bored to death.
read online by members in good stand- students. After the seminar was completed, I
ing. Go to www.iccfa.com under ICCFA I know he has a deep interest in his asked a trusted buddy who was with me
Magazine. students because he admitted to them in what the problem was. He blurted out,
class that he didn’t know anything about “You talk too fast—slow it down!” I was
More from this author funeral service, and asked the students stunned. I had never realized that I was
➤In Van Beck’s new what they thought would be important in rambling on at lightning speed in my
book, “Exploring the an English class in a mortuary college. presentations.
Heart of Funeral Ser- It was excellent question, and for this I took this feedback seriously and
vice,” he explores topics reason: I have observed that the skills intentionally slowed down my delivery.
pertinent to funeral com
and abilities that up-and-coming funeral The change did have a positive impact on
munications and funeral
service counseling.
students possess concerning basic human how I was received.
www.amazon.com communication has changed over my Ask three people you trust how well
career, and not always for the better. they think you are doing. Chances are they
I remember making hires in my will have stored up several observations
➤Van Beck’s book cemetery work of pre-need counselors who they will share, just for the asking.
“Reverence for the Dead: simply could not keep eye contact with the The key here is in the asking. Be
The Unavoidable Link,” client when the important presentation of specific with your feedback requests so
addresses in detail the final arrangements was being made. your friends will be the same with their
ethical standards of car- Certainly there are those naturally feedback. This might be hard to handle;
ing for the dead and the gifted communicators who just breeze don’t react defensively when you hear
ethical consequences of through the day with one conversation what they have to say.
not doing so. after another, but those gifted individuals Look for feedback by observing your
www.amazon.com
are not what this series is about. audience. Most good communicators
develop into highly observant people
➤Van Beck’s book Ways to improve who care deeply what the people they’re
“The Genius of Frank
your communication communicating with are actually getting
E. Campbell,” is the first
biography of the famed In pondering this topic of human out of what they say.
funeral director, probably communication, I have arrived at several If you are a keen observer of your staff,
the most famous and fa- suggestions that might prove useful in our your family, your audience—whomever
miliar name in the history continued quest to relate with other human you are trying to communicate with—
of the funeral profession. beings, create meaningful relationships you will rarely have to ask for feedback.
www.amazon.com and, yes, even close a sale! Here they are, You will get it loud and clear through
in no particular order. non-verbal communication, minimal
Have the courage to ask for feedback. encouragers (shaking the head, etc.) and,
Hopefully you have several people close if your listeners get up and leave while
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Be specific with your feedback

requests so your friends will be
the same with their feedback.
This might be hard to handle;
don’t react defensively when
you hear what they have to say.
you’re talking, that’s the most honest
and direct feedback about how your
communication is being received.
Many people are afraid to acknowledge
such feedback for fear of what they will
see and experience. The truth is, all human
communication involves a calculated risk.
Recording your voice is an
excellent method of improving your
communication. This is a great way to
check your pronunciation, speed, tone
and vocal variations of your speech.
Experiment with your voice to achieve
new effects.
Also try to use the powerful effect of
silence. A pregnant pause almost always
recaptures a dozing audience’s attention.
One word of caution. When I first heard
my own voice, I was so depressed—I
sounded like second cousin to Dr.
Frankenstein’s monster. You’re been
warned. Be prepared; you’re almost certain
to be dissatisfied when you hear your voice
played back to you for the first time.
Videotape yourself. Almost as great
as the fear of speaking in public is the fear
of seeing yourself on the silver screen—
having yourself videotaped and seeing
yourself on videotape.
To this very day, whenever I see a
recording of myself, particularly when I
am standing up without a suit coat on, I
immediately plan to start on my 10,000th
diet. You might well see mannerisms and
hear speech patterns you never knew you
had!
In conclusion
There is little you can to do change the
communication abilities or lack thereof
of other people, but such is not the case
with ourselves. Every human being has the
ability to be a great communicator.
No one started out in life as a commu-
nication pro. We all had to learn, and
sometimes the learning can be difficult and
humbling, but the effort is well worth it. r

by William H.
“Bill” Williams
MANAGEMENT
Jr., LFD
ICCFA
Magazine Many things about how things are done in the death care profession
spotlight have changed dramatically. Bill Williams has seen it from both the funeral director
and supplier side, and sees many benefits to how things are today.
Then & now: How death care has

changed (and how it’s stayed the same)
W
ith nearly four decades of experience of friends to celebrate a life well-lived. They may be
Bill Williams then ... in every aspect of the funeral service catered, tailored to the individual’s likes and feature
and now. profession, including ownership and pictures and memorabilia.
Bill.Williams@ management of funeral homes and cemeteries, Bill Another big change has been cremation rates. Today
fsitrust.com Williams, president and CEO of Funeral Services Inc., in Florida, cremation rates are above 50 percent. When
➤Williams is has seen firsthand how dramatically the landscape I started, cremation rates were below 10 percent, and
president and CEO of of death care has changed. He offered to address, in the closest crematory to our home in Pensacola was
Funeral Services Inc. a question-and-answer format, how the industry has Jacksonville—you had to drive five hours away to have
and is vice chairman changed from his perspective and the many strides the a cremation performed. Over the years, more and more
of the FSI Board of Di- death care profession has made over the years. crematories began to open, including my family’s.
rectors. He joined FSI
Tell us about your start in the death care industry. In terms of revenues, today, death care professionals
in 2001 as vice presi-
need to offer new options for families planning their
dent. He was named My career began with operating my father and
loved one’s services. Celebration services open an
president in 2003. grandfather’s funeral home. When I started, I was not
entirely new revenue stream for many funeral homes,
Under his leadership, committed to following in their footsteps; I was still
FSI has expanded to and can be customized to suit the needs of any family,
figuring out what I wanted to do. But I had fun learning
offer services in more providing consumers the additional options they want.
the business side of the operations, and loved being in
than two dozen states
such a personal industry, with all the unique people you When you owned and managed funeral homes and
across the country. cemeteries, what did your day-to-day responsibilities
meet. I’ve been in the business ever since.
➤Williams has experi- look like? How have day-to-day responsibilities evolved
What were the most important skills for a young
ence in every aspect and changed since then?
of the funeral service professional to have then? Are these the same skills
needed today? When I started, my day-to-day mostly consisted of
profession, including
managing staff, and making sure the right people were
ownership and man- Funerals today may be completely different, but the
in the right place at the right time. Another responsibility
agement of funeral same skills you needed 40 years ago are still important.
was being seen by the public and being the face of our
homes and cemeter- That starts with communication. It’s important to present
ies. He began his ca- funeral home. Since then, technology has evolved to
each family with all options, and to guide the family,
reer in the death-care allow you to instantly talk to your employees, giving
based on their input, to make the best choices for their
profession when he you more time to spend with clients.
circumstances.
became a licensed fu- But the biggest change I’ve seen is that back then,
Organization is also very important. When
neral director in 1980. you didn’t have to be a great businessperson to be
organizing a funeral, you have to get the right people
He is a graduate of profitable. You just had to be a great person, to bring
Gupton-Jones College lined up and everything has to be timed perfectly. The
people in the door. You were a funeral director first,
of Mortuary Science in family has to be taken care of, and you must ensure the
who just happened to be in business. Now, you must
Atlanta, Georgia. entire event is on time. No matter how much funerals
be a businessperson first, who just happens to be in the
www.FSITrust.com have changed, you still have to bring people together
funeral business.
and move forward while managing that whole process.
➤Funeral Services Profit margins used to be much higher, and there
Inc., Tallahassee, How have funerals changed, and how has that affected wasn’t nearly as much competition. Today, you have to
Florida, is a trust ad- revenues for death care professionals? differentiate yourself and provide more value than your
ministrator and record- The traditional funeral used to be the most commonly competition.
keeping company with chosen service. That included a visitation, a funeral Tell us more about the changes you’ve seen in
more than 40 years service at a funeral home or church and then a
of experience in the technology.
procession to the cemetery.
death-care profession, Technology has changed the industry tremendously.
Fewer people select that option today. It’s becoming
serving funeral homes, When I first came to work for FSI in December 2000,
more common for families to have celebration of life
cemeteries, asso- less than 10 percent of our clients had a desktop
services instead, which might take place anywhere other
ciations and financial computer. Today, they all have computers.
institutions. than the church or funeral home. These are a gathering
In the past, we spent a lot of time handling logistics
MANAGEMENT
But the biggest change I’ve seen is that back then, you didn’t have to be a great businessperson to be
profitable. Now, you must be a businessperson first, who just happens to be in the funeral business.
and paperwork. For example, to obtain the services, whether it be in-house or with a starting to listen to the consumer. In the
death certificate, you’d meet with a family, third party. beginning, we absolutely denied cremation
gather the deceased’s vital statistics, type What’s one change you’d like to see the and did everything as a profession to make
everything onto a form issued by the state, industry make in the future? it go away, even though that’s what the
hand deliver the form to the physician’s office consumer wanted. With celebration of life
I’d like to see the laws that govern our
for certification, hand deliver it to the health services, we’re finally listening to what
profession brought up to date. Most of the
department, file it and order copies to give consumers want and helping them get it.
laws that control death care in each state are
back to the family. Today, you do all of that Another accomplishment that has been
antiquated, written before the internet was
online, and everything is filed electronically. absolutely vital is the unitrust distribution
invented. It’s time we reevaluate the laws and
The concept of pre-need sales has become method, which was officially adopted in the
rules that regulate the profession.
electronic as well. Consumers can now do state of Florida for the death-care profession
The laws should recognize the way the
everything online, and the behind-the-scenes in 2017. FSI worked very hard to promote the
profession operates today, allowing funeral
aspects of managing those contracts can unitrust, also known as the total return trust,
directors to take advantage of the many
be completely automated. With the right for cemeteries.
benefits stemming from modern communi-
technology, death care firms can easily While unitrust was adopted a relatively
cation via email and other means. Instead,
monitor their pre-need contracts by reviewing short time ago, we have seen the financial
the current laws, which fail to recognize the
payments, outstanding balances and images capabilities and performances of many ceme-
validity of electronic communication, often
of their actual contracts at any time. teries, not just in Florida, increase signifi-
create an environment inconvenient to the
Technology allows death care firms to cantly because of it. Unitrust is providing
bereaved.
more easily provide excellent service during more money for cemetery maintenance,
a time of discomfort and plays a big role in What is the greatest accomplishment you and that’s a very promising sign for our
achieving and exceeding client expectations. have seen the death care industry achieve? profession and the clients we serve. r
They should be investing in these digital The most important thing is that we’re finally
Gra veliner Ultima Standard
S t a n d a r d U r n Va u l t
Supply Line
n CHEROKEE CHILD CASKETS, We Remember page with their branding and
Griffin, Georgia, has launched a new contact information. it can be used for both
website, from which the company’s new pre-need and at-need families. All families
catalogs can be downloaded. The catalogs who are preplanning a funeral will receive
available are Volume #10, the child product an email to confirm the We Remember
catalog; Infant & Child Funeral Supplies page. Once they complete the confirmation,
Volume #2, for funeral professionals; and they can begin adding stories and photos
Cherokee Personalization, complete with about their loved one and share the page
a guide and order forms that can be used with others to add their own memories. If
either by the funeral professional or the the individual is preplanning, they can add
family. Thee three catalogs will be updated their own stories about their life and com-
throughout the year, with the website offer- ment on what their loved ones are saying.
ing easy access to the latest versions. The 1.877.402.5900; www.nglic.com
highlight of the new catalogs and website n ARGENT TRUST CO.,
are the personalization options. Embroidery New Orleans, Louisiana,
and vinyl work are being handled in house, has added Steve Jackson
so personalization can be completed in and James Breaux to its
Cherokee Casket’s new website. hours instead of days. Panels and blankets executive team as part of
can be embroidered with names, mono- its purchase of Live Oak
grams or with images from Cherokee’s Bank’s trust business.
library. Vinyl lettering or images can be Jackson, based in Wilm-
added to the metal and hardwood caskets or Jackson ington, North Carolina,
some styles of vaults and combos. joins Argent as senior vice
info@cherokeechildcaskets.com; president of the company’s
1.800.535.8667; funeral and cemetery division
www.cherokeechildcaskets.com and will be responsible for
n KUBOTA, Torrance, California, has overall management of the
added three new EFI models to its Z700 division. Breaux, based in
series zero-turn mowers. Kubota has New Orleans, joins as senior
added the Z751KWi with 48-inch deck, vice president and national
Breaux
Z781KWi with 54-inch deck and the sales executive. Jackson
Z781KWTi with a 60-inch deck. The new and Breaux report to Mark Milton, senior
EFI models boast a sophisticated electronic vice president of institutional services, also
One of Kubota’s new EFI models in its fuel injection system that adjusts the high- based in New Orleans.
zero-turn Z700 series of mowers. pressure fuel delivery for optimum power Jackson is a Certified Trust and Financial
and fuel efficiency, ideal for challenging Advisor, Certified Financial Planner and
conditions and uneven terrain. Certified Public Accountant and has more
READERS: To find the products and The new mowers are equipped with than 30 years of banking, trust and funeral
services you need online, go to Kawasaki EFI engines that combine all the services experience. Before joining Argent,
www.iccfa.com for the Supply
advantages of a fully-integrated electronic Jackson was CEO of Live Oak Trust, a
Link Search Engine, the fastest
governor (E-Gov) and open-loop technol- division of Live Oak Bank. Before that, he
way to find the products and
services you need at your funeral home, ogy, which contributes to high performance was senior vice president and regional trust
cemetery or crematory. without experiencing power loss even when manager for Regions Bank. Jackson earned
confronted by heavy workloads or uneven his bachelor’s degree in business adminis-
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
terrain. Other features on the new models tration from Southern Arkansas University.
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes include 24-inch low profile tires for reduced Breaux, who has more than 20 years of
and other news to sloving@iccfa.com for ground pressure and tire roll, a 3.5 inch banking and trust industry experience, will
inclusion in Supply Line. LCD engine monitor and a dial throttle be responsible for business development for
control for precise engine management. institutional trust services, retirement plans
1.888.458.2682, ext. 900; www.kubota.com and funeral and cemetery trust services.
n NATIONAL GUARDIAN LIFE, Before joining Argent, he was head of trust
Madison, Wisconsin, is offering a new sales for Live Oak Bank. Before that, he
product, We Remember pages, in col- was senior vice president and national sales
laboration with Ancestry. We Remember executive for Regions Bank. Breaux earned
is a free webpage that NGL partner funeral his bachelor’s degree in finance from the
homes can offer the families they serve. University of New Orleans.
Each funeral home is able to personalize the www.ArgentTrust.com
S U P P LY L I N E
Above, the R&S Designs urn chosen for the

National Museum of Funeral History niche
wall display.
Left, the R&S display (far right in the photo)
that is part of the NMFH exhibit.
n R&S DESIGN GALLERY, Indianapo- Gold urn with its distinctive “stripes” for ners were: Sarah Loghry, communications
lis, Indiana, has donated a display detail- the niche wall display. For the display case, specialist, Rising Star Award; Kyle Nodurft,
ing marble urn design and production to four production versions of the Red Onyx actuarial modeling specialist, Innovation
the National Museum of Funeral History, stone keepsake were featured at different Award; Lucretia Oakes, assistant manager-
Houston, Texas. After R&S President stages of completion. 1.866.763.0485; administrative services, Outstanding
Rahila Robinson decided to respond to www.RSMemorialProducts.com Teamwork Award; Dan Lodermeier, vice
the museum’s call for supporters, the firm n HOMESTEADERS, Des Moines, president-field sales, Inspiring Leadership
spent six months designing and revising the Iowa, has hired Nicole Henderson as an Award; and Tum Buckhouse, technical sup-
exhibit. The resulting exhibit is a product account executive. She served for several port specialist, Enduring Impact Award.
showcase that demonstrates to visitors how years as a customer service representative 1.800.477.3633;
a raw material (marble) is transformed into and brings extensive financial services www.homesteaderslife.com
a jewel-like finished product (keepsake). experience to her new role. She will work n UNITY FINANCIAL LIFE INSUR-
The museum display starts with a rough with funeral professionals in Alabama, Ken- ANCE CO., Cincinnati, Ohio, has intro-
cut of a marble block and progresses in tucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia duced Unity Rewards. Unity Rewards
stages to a highly-polished work of art. and West Virginia. is offered free-of-charge to all clients and
Text and photos document the process from Also Homesteaders recently announced their staff members, pre-need insurance
start to finish. NMFH President Genevieve the winners of its annual peer-nominated and funeral trust agents. It provides access
Keeney selected the adult-size Carpel King Homesteaders Heroes program. The win- to special benefits and features on services

S U P P LY L I N E
like hotels, office supplies, rental cars, part consisted of an employee survey to
apparel, promotional items and entertain- measure the employee experience, worth
ment. 1.877.523.3231; www.uflife.com approximately 75 percent of the total
n TERRYBEAR, St. Paul, Minnesota, evaluation.
has launched its new patent-pending The firm was also named by Great
Filigree Cloisonné collection. The urns Place to Work and FORTUNE as one of
The first designs in Terrybear’s new
are handcrafted with designer wiring to the 2018 best small and medium work-
Filigree Cloisonné collection, the Lily
Dragonfly and the Floral Pink. create beautiful texture and dimension places. Great Place to Work, a global
which is very different from traditional people analytics and consulting firm,
smooth, polished cloisonné. The first two evaluated more than 60 elements of team
designs are Floral Pink, featuring a floral members’ experience on the job. These
pattern in shades of pink and violet over included the extent to which employees
a black background, and Lily Dragonfly, trust leaders, the respect with which people
designed to mimic the peace of a calm are treated, the fairness of workplace deci-
pond with lily pads, flowers, and fluttering sions, and how much camaraderie there is
dragonflies over a cerulean background. among the team.
Each ensemble is completed with a match- Also, FDLIC has ap-
Terrybear’s new urns in its floral series, ing keepsake. pointed Dwayne McGraw
Magnolia Lovebirds and Waterlily Drag- Also, Terrybear has introduced two as chief actuary. He earned
onflies. new urns to its Floral Urn series, Magnolia a bachelor’s degree in
Lovebirds and Waterlily Dragonflies, both mathematics and an MBA
inspired by home décor. The Magnolia from Virginia Tech. He also
Lovebirds features blooming magnolias holds a master’s degree in
with lovebirds perched on the stems; the mathematics from North-
McGraw
sky-blue background compliments the pink eastern University, and he is
flowers. The Waterlily Dragonflies features currently working toward earning a Ph.D.
dragonflies fluttering over waterlilies with in business administration from Virginia
a deep blue background. Both pieces have Tech. He is a fellow of the Society of Ac-
gold accents. The hand-painted urns are tuaries, a member of the American Acad-
made of resin and engrave beautifully. emy of Actuaries and has completed the
An example of the new seasonal market-
ing images being offered to wholesale 1.888.588.8767; www.terrybear.com qualification standards to sign prescribed
partners by New Memorials Direct. statements of actuarial opinion.
n NEW MEMORIALS DIRECT, Gig www.funeraldirectorslife.com
Harbor, Washington is offering new mar-
keting options for their wholesale part- n THE DOMANI GROUP, Orem,
ners in the form of seasonal marketing Utah, has chosen INMAN SHIPPING
images. The images are high resolution WORLDWIDE, Cleveland, Ohio, as
and ready for in-house printing. They can their travel plan provider. The Domani
be added to a company’s website or social Group is a pre-need firm serving funeral
media accounts, and options are available homes across the U.S.
for companies that want to brand them for www.thedomanigroup.com
their locations. The first images available 1.800.321.0566;
were for Christmas. 1.877.995.8767; www.inmanshippingworldwide.com
service@newmemorialsdirect.com; n The NATIONAL CONCRETE
www.newmemorialsdirect.com BURIAL VAULT ASSOCIATION,
n FUNERAL DIRECTORS LIFE Greenville, South Carolina, recently chose
Funeral Directors Life Insurance Com- its executive team for 2019: President
pany was recently named to two lists of INSURANCE CO., Abilene, Texas, has
been named as one of the 2019 best com- Steve Handley, Handley Pre-cast Systems,
the best companies to work for.
panies to work for in Texas. The awards Phoenix, Arizona; Vice President/Secretary
program is a project of Texas Monthly, Jeffrey Hardy, Hardy Doric Inc., Chelms-
the Texas Association of Business, Texas ford, Massachusetts; and Treasurer Paul
SHRM and Best Companies Group. Com- Cooper, Cooper Wilbert Vault, Middle-
panies from across the state entered the town, Delaware. In addition to the execu-
two-part survey process to determine the tive team, the board of directors includes:
winners. The first part consisted of evaluat- Mark Bates, Norwalk Vault; Ed Bruns,
ing each nominated company’s workplace Bruns Doric; Brian DeMoss, Chesapeake
policies, systems, philosophies, prac- Vault; Brett Henery, Wilbert Vault of
tices and demographics, and the second Houston; Dave Long, Eagle Burial Vault;
S U P P LY L I N E
and LeBlanc is requesting submissions from Caskets and Marsellus

members of the funeral profession. Recipes, Casket Co., and York, who
including regional and cultural specialties; received the award posthu-
feel-good food stories; tips on preparing mously, was with StarCorp.
foods for services and/or grieving families; The CFSA also elected
and any other information related to food new officers: President
and loss/grieving, are welcome. Christopher J. Boots, presi-
“I think the role food plays in grieving dent of C.J. Boots Casket
is a special, touching story to tell, and who Co., Anderson, Indiana;
better to help me tell it than those working Vice President Michael
with grieving families every day?” she said. Mims, Cherokee Casket
NCBVA 2018 President Mark Bates
hands over the gavel to 2019 President
“I welcome any information someone feels Co., Griffin, Georgia;
Steve Handley. compelled to share on this topic and look Treasurer Jeanette Hiems-
forward to reading the emails to come.” tra, Keith M. Merrick Co.,
Blake Swinford, Trigard Vaults; Greg Submissions can be made by email- Sibley, Iowa; and Immedi-
Tilley, Ideal Burial Vault; Terry Whitlock, ing sales@bogatiurns.com by March 31, New CFSA ate Past President Rodney
Wilbert Funeral Services; and Jim Wiens, 2019. Submissions are not guaranteed for President Robinson, president of
Doric Products. Christopher
inclusion, but those that are included will Southern Craft Manufactur-
J. Boots.
1.888.88-NCBVA; www.ncbva.org be attributed to the person or persons who ing, Loretto, Tennessee.
n BOGATI URN CO., Sarasota, Florida, submit them. By sending a submission it Newly-elected directors are Jeanie Turner,
is soliciting recipies for a cookbook be- is understood that Bogati Urn Company Astral Industries, Lynn, Indi-
ing written by company owner Andrea is authorized to use them in the book and/ ana; Matt Hockett, Prepaint-
Bogard LeBlanc. In early 2018, LeBlanc or for marketing purposes without any ed Metals LLC, Plainfield,
attended the funeral for her nephew, a compensation in perpetuity. Entries must Illinois; and Wayne McIntire,
young college-age student, she learned his be original, not subject to third-party rights Dixline Corp., Galva, Il-
close-knit group of friends had done some- such as trademarks, trade names or other linois.
thing special. As they drove his cremains intellectual property rights. Entries previ- They join returning direc-
back home to California, they picked up ously published or pending publication, tors Kim Graham, Nomis
all his favorite foods from his college town or that violate or infringe upon another Publications, Youngstown, Turner
in Tucson, Arizona, and then stopped at person’s or company’s copyright or other Ohio; Craig Warner, Paragon
Burger King, his favorite fast food restau- intellectual property rights are not eligible Casket, Richmond, Indiana; Scott Jones
rant, on the way to the service. His family for consideration. sales@bogatiurns.com; Jr., Service Casket Co., Columbus, Geor-
prepared his other favorite foods, and that www.bogatiurns.com gia; Shannon Robinson, Matthews Aurora
day guests enjoyed everything from Philly n The CASKET & FUNERAL SUP- Funeral Solutions, Richmond, Indiana;
cheesesteaks to barbeque, baked potatoes, PLY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, Greg Beavers, Wise Products Inc., Honey
and key lime pie. This is when LeBlanc be- Lake Bluff, Illinois, awarded 2018 Grove, Texas; and Bill Jones, Tiedemann-
gan thinking about how foods bring people Lifetime Recognition Awards to Michael Bevs Industries, Richmond, Indiana.
comfort and togetherness in times of grief. Beardlsey and Bob York at its 2018 con- gbuckley@cfsaa.org; 847.295.6630;
Her book will highlight this phenomenon, vention. Beardsley worked with Thacker www.cfsaa.org r

Update Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to sloving@iccfa.com. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to sloving@iccfa.com or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.
n PARK LAWN CORP., Toronto, Ontario,

has made a $6.2 million secured debt
investment in Humphrey Funeral Home
A.W. Miles-Newbigging Chapel Ltd.,
Toronto, Ontario. Humphrey has been in
business for more than 135 years. Humphrey
owner and President Kim Hunter sought out
Park Lawn to finance purchase of the busi-
ness when Bruce Humphrey decided to retire.
A licensed funeral director since 1976, Hunter
has been with Humphrey since 1992.
n FOUNDATION PARTNERS GROUP, Bruce Buchanan (third from right), owner of Flanner Buchanan, Indianapolis,
Orlando, Florida, has purchased funeral Indiana, and the company’s vice president of marketing, Maureen Lindley (left)
homes in Idaho, Oregon and Georgia. Her- present a check to members of the Indy Metropolitan Military Honor Guard,
itage Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory, a nonprofit organization that renders final military honors to all veterans.
Warner Robins, Georgia, is the second Foun- IMMHG staff, left to right, are Commander Walt Sherman, Senior Trustee Dick
dation Partners location in that state, joining Braun, Deputy Commander Wes Anderson and Adjutant Ron Montague. The
Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in Macon. check presentation at Flanner Buchanan’s Community Life Center as part of
Founded in 1994 by Rabun O. Smith, it has IMMHG’s Annual Gala resulted from Flanner Buchanan’s recent “Day of Giv-
ing” event that raised $15,000 to purchase new honor guard uniforms.
been owned and managed since his death in
2008 by his daughter, Kim Harris. Founda-
tion also acquired Lienkaemper Funeral n Angela Hopper, program She worked as triage coordinator, manager
Chapels and Thomason Funeral Home and director of the funeral of the communications center and triage coor-
Crematory, purchased 10 years ago by Gary service technology program dinator for Mid-America Transplant Services
and Debby Trick. This acquisition expands at NORTHWEST MIS- in St. Louis, Missouri and donor coordinator/
the company’s network in southern Idaho and SISSIPPI COMMUNITY funeral service liaison at the Mid-South Tis-
eastern Oregon from five to nine locations. COLLEGE’S DESOTO sue Bank in Memphis and as funeral director/
n ROLLINGS FUNERAL SERVICE CENTER, Southaven, Mis- embalmer and manager of Forest Hill Funeral
INC., Peachtree, Georgia, has acquired Hopper sissippi, has been awarded Home in Memphis.
Olthof Funeral Home Inc., Elmira, New a doctorate in education Hopper began her educational at North-
York. Olthof, which was owned by Robert with an emphais in higher education from west, graduating with a certificate from
Olthof, who plans to continue with Rollings, the University of Mississippi. Her disserta- the funeral service technology program at
has served families in New York and Penn- tion was entitled “Armatures of Success: DeSoto Center. She earned her associate’s de-
sylvania for more than 70 years. Rollings Advancing Racial Equity for Funeral Service gree from Northwest and a bachelor’s degree
now has more than 25 locations. Technology Students.” in mortuary management and a master of arts
n Elizabeth Foss has joined In her job at Northwest, Hopper discov- degree in communications from Lindenwood
FINE MORTUARY COL- ered a disparity between the pass rates of University in St. Charles, Missouri. Her
LEGE, Norwood, Massachu- African-American students and other students professional certifications include the ICCFA
setts, as director of student on the National Board Examination stu- Cremation Arranger and Cremation Operator
services. She has worked in dents are required to take after finishing the certifications.
education since 1996. She program. She noticed that the problem was n David I. Jacobson, founder of CHI-
earned her master’s degree not just at Northwest, but appeared to be a CAGO JEWISH FUNERALS, Chicago,
in management from Mount national problem. She discovered ways she Illinois, and his wife, Iris, were recognized
Foss
Ida College, bachelor’s degree in elementary hopes will improve students’ experiences at by the Board of Jewish Education at its
education and psychology from Rhode Island Northwest and help them succeed in the fu- annual celebration.
College and associate’s degree from Com- ture. She noted that interviewing students for
her dissertation also helped her identify areas n ALLEGHENY and HOMEWOOD
munity College of Rhode Island. She most CEMETERIES, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
recently spent more than three years as assis- where more improvement could be made. participated in the Bells of Peace, a na-
tant to the department and department chair “I have to also recognize my colleagues, Dr.
Keith Reed, Dr. Tonyalle Rush, and Ebone’ tional remembrance of the 100th anniver-
of funeral service education while at Mount sary of Armistice Day, which brought World
Ida College. Additionally, she had co-taught Dukes for giving me valuable feedback on
my work,” Hopper said. War I to a close at the 11th hour on the 11th
first-year seminar courses for freshmen at the day in the 11th month of 1918. The tolling of
college level each fall from 2015 to 2017. She Hopper came to Northwest as an instructor
in 2012 and was named program director in the bells honored the memory of those who
has received a staff excellence award and an served. Several hundred of Pittsburgh’s fallen
educational grant from the Bryant University 2016. Before coming to Northwest, she was
a supervisor in tissue recovery at the Mid- WWI soldiers rest at Allegheny and Home-
StarTalk Summer Institute program. wood.
South Transplant Foundation in Memphis.
Some jobs require Industry
Knowledge and Experience
Optimized.
TAP INTO the dynamic online supplier network of the ICCFA with the Preneed & Cemetery Care
Fund Management
ICCFA Supply Link. Powered by MultiView, the ICCFA Supply Link is
the premier search tool for your industry. All the products and services
you need, all within the supplier network of the associaton you trust.
is one of them
Start your search at our homepage www.iccfa.com.
CooperativeFuneralFund.com
800-336-1102
Information contained herein should not be treated as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. This adver-
tisement does not offer or promise to offer tax advice, and as such investors should be advised to consult their own tax advisers regard-
ing the tax consequences of their investment activities. Investment return and principal will fluctuate, so that a client’s initial investment
may increase or decrease. Any investment is speculative and involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of principal loss.

UPDATE
HISTORY, Houston, Texas .The event will

be held May 20, 2019, at the Kingwood
Country Club, Kingwood, Texas. The
tournament brings together business execu-
tives and funeral industry professionals
from across the country, all who take to the
greens to raise funds that ensure the growth
and preservation of the museum and its
programs. Go to www.nmfh.org to register.
The National Museum of Funeral His-
tory houses the country’s largest collection
Above left, a double rainbow arcs above the jagged cliffs and dense vegetation of funeral service artifacts and features
of Kalalau, the largest valley on Na Pali (photo by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel). renowned exhibits on one of the oldest
Above right, Nujood Ali stunned the world in 2008 by obtaining a divorce at age 10 cultural customs. Visitors can discover the
in Yemen, striking a blow against forced marriage (photo by Stephanie Sinclair).
mourning rituals of ancient civilizations,
n “Women of Vision: National Geo- Also, Forest Lawn held its 59th annual see up-close the authentic items used in the
graphic Photographers on Assignment” Veterans Day event at its Hollywood Hills funerals of popes and U.S. presidents and
is on display at FOREST LAWN ME- location featuring parachute jumpers, a explore the rich heritage of the profession
MORIAL—PARKS & MORTUARIES, flyover, patriotic music, a rifle salute, an in- that cares for the dead.
Glendale, California. Highlighting the vocation, a color guard and a wreath-laying. n The CATHOLIC CEMETERY CON-
influential photography of 11 award-win- Refreshments were served. The event fol- FERENCE, Hillside, Illinois, recently
ning female photojournalists, the traveling lowed celebrations at Forest Lawn—Cathe- announced its new Board of Directors.
exhibition is on view in Glendale until April dral City amd Douglass & Zook Mortuary. They are: 2018-20 President Richard P. Pe-
7, 2019. The exhibit features nearly 100 Flags were placed around the memorial terson, CCE, CCCE, director
photographs, including moving depictions park by the American Heritage Girls Groop of cemeteries, Archdiocese
of far-flung cultures; compelling illustra- #1212 before sunrise as well as distributed of Seattle; 2018-20 Vice
tions of conceptual topics, such as memory to guests and paraded during the color President the Rev. Msgr.
and teenage brain chemistry; and arresting guard. Each guest was given a commemora- William F. Baver, Th.M.,
images of social issues, such as child mar- tive pin. M.Div., KCHS, CCCE, di-
riage and twenty-first-century slavery. The n Registration is open for the 25th rector of cemeteries, Diocese
exhibit is at Forest Lawn Museum, Forest Annual Charity Golf Classic held by the of Allentown, Pennsylvania;
Lawn—Glendale. Peterson
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FUNERAL 2018-20 Treasurer Mary J.
Frick, CCCE, executive director, Catholic
Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Miami,
Florida; 2018-20 Secretary Roman F. Sza-
belski, CCCE, executive director, Catholic
Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago,
Illinois; Immediate Past President Stephen
E. Bittner, CCE, CCCE, president, Cincin-
nati Catholic Cemetery Society, Ohio; Epis-
copal Moderator (2016-19) the Most Rev.
Gerald F. Kicanas, D.D.; Director-at-Large
Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada (2017-
20) Thomas J. Jordan, CCCE, administra-
tor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic
Cemetery of the Diocese of Palm Beach,
Florida; Director-at-Large Midwestern U.S.
(2018-2021) Michael P. Welsh, CCCE,
COO of three diocesan cemeteries in Gary,
Indiana; Director-at-Large Eastern U.S. and
Eastern Canada (2018-2021) Joseph M.
Heckel, CCCE, director of sales, Archdio-
cese of Newark Catholic Cemeteries; and
Director-at-Large Western U.S. and Western
Canada and Oceana, including Australia
A drone photo, courtesy of Rob Winter, of the tour of Gate of Heaven Cemetery,
(2016-2019) Monica J. Williams, CCCE,
Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, which was part of the Catholic Cem-
etery Conference convention. Four different tours and a lunch were provided. director of cemeteries, Archdiocese of San
Francisco, California. r
BOOKS
Llwellyn tells the story of

Forest Lawn’s early struggles
F
orest Lawn, one of the most famous
“Birth of a
cemeteries in the U.S., began its life a
Cemetery: Forest
number of years before Hubert Eaton
Lawn Memorial-
rechristened it as a memorial park. John F.
Park” by John F.
Llewellyn, whose father followed Eaton as
Llewellyn,
CEO of Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks and
Tropico Press
who served as CEO himself for more than
ISBN:
20 years, has gone back to the company’s
9780966580174
beginnings to tell the story of its start in
(trade paperback).
Glendale as a typical upright-monument
cemetery and its difficult early years.
The result, Llewellyn says in the intro- prominent people who had purchased pre-
duction, is “an unvarnished account of the need at Forest Lawn. Those testimonials were
struggles before Hubert Eaton, as well as gathered into a booklet, “The Reasons Why.”
how he gained control.” His research into Eaton also proposed sending newslet-
that period from 1906 to the 1920s, when ters to lot owners to let them know how the
Forest Lawn finally became stable and cemetery was being improved and beautified,
financially viable, uncovered an interesting but gave up the idea when he learned it would
cast of characters and stories of intrigue, cost $30 to send out 500 newletters.
manipulation and litigation. The story The latter part of the book covers Eaton’s
Llewellyn tells is thoroughly documented increasing involvement in Forest Lawn, as he
with dates, facts, figures, maps, drawings developed The Builder’s Creed—his vision
and photos and extensive appendices, but it for Forest Lawn, and became more and more
unfolds less like a corporate history than like involved with the organization that would
a series of investigative magazine articles. eventually include six cemeteries. Forest
He takes the reader back to Southern Lawn Cemetery would become Forest Lawn
California at the beginning of the 20th Memorial-Park and, ultimately, Eaton’s
century and places the beginnings of Forest vision changed the way cemeteries were
Lawn in the context of cemetery development designed across the U.S. Forest Lawn is the
at that time. Forest Lawn is known for resting place for many celebrities and draws
starting the memorial-park concept, but it did visitors interested in seeing the reproductions
not start out as one. the company has commissioned of many of
Everyone’s heard of the stock market Michelangelo’s major sculptural works; many
crash of 1929, but did you know the stock original sculptures created for Forest Lawn;
market dropped by half in 1907 (the year a vast reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s
after Forest Lawn was started)? “An investor “The Last Supper” in stained glass; a free
tried to manipulate the copper market and museum; a 195-foot-wide panoramic painting
the Knickerbocker Trust Company failed,” of Christ’s crucifixion, the world’s largest
Llwellyn writes. A recession and lean times permanently-mounted religious painting;
followed, with constant cash-flow problems and three churches modeled after European
as the cemetery struggled to compete with landmarks.
existing Los Angeles cemeteries and to get Llewellyn, who chairs the company’s
local undertakers to recommend Forest Lawn board of directors, is a past president of the
to their families. ICCFA and the Cemetery and Mortuary
Charles Blackburn Sims, a pre-need Association of California as well as being an
sales pioneer of pre-need “scientific sales officer and director of the Western Cemetery
campaigns,” and Eaton enter the story several Alliance. He is also the author of “A Ceme-
years later. Sims and Eaton contracted to sell tery Should Be Forever: The challenge to
cemetery land for Forest Lawn in 1912. managers and directors,” a text about endow-
Eaton stayed after he and Sims split some ment care, and “Saying Goodbye Your Way:
time later, and he worked to promote sales by Planning or buying a funeral or cremation for
doing things such as getting testimonials from yourself or someone you love.” r

ICCFA News
Don’t start the year off with regrets: Attend DEAD Talks 2019
S
tart your year of sales with the ICCFA ing process, and how best to set up your new ers, both at-need and pre-need. Lee Longino
at DEAD Talks during the Wide World hire for success. Giddens will also share how of Service Corporation International, presents
of Sales, January 23-25, 2019. Hosted an effective hiring and training program will “3 Ways to Create Value and Increase
at Bally’s Las Vegas, DEAD Talks is a thrill- motivate your existing counselors and lead Revenue With the Cremation Customer,”
ing program that features industry profession- to reduced turnover, increased revenue and a talk that will help you address the full
als eager to share their most actionable advice program success. cremation story with your customers so you
in engaging 18-minute presentations. Here’s a can grow your revenues and re-establish your
Cremation
glimpse of what’s in store at DEAD Talks: relevance in the communities you serve.
Opportunities: Don’t Let
Them Go Up in Smoke
Sales: Killing It Engagement: Unearth
People have connections to
Are you looking for ways to Your Customers
family, job, town, friends,
generate more leads? Global Have you been getting
companies, even to prod-
Atlantic Financial Group’s leads online and
Chris Keller ucts. Those connections
Gayla Meilleur helps agents wondering why they aren’t
are ever-changing and becoming more tran-
and funeral home owners turning into business?
sient, short-term and largely emotion-based.
Gayla Meilleur through ongoing train- Alex McCracken In “Why Your Online
On the flipside, there is lack of connection to
ing and business strategy while educating Leads Won’t Close,” you will learn from
religion, tradition, ceremony and permanence.
families about the value of advance planning. Funeral Innovations’ Alex McCracken
What effects are these changing connections
In her “Breathe New Life Into Your Group about the online sale process, how to identify
having in our profession, and are we doing
Presentations” talk, learn the how-tos of what type of lead you have and how and
anything to address them? In “Creating
group presentations that are easily ranked as when to approach the lead to end in a close.
Connections,” with Chris Keller of Sunset
one of the top three lead sources. Group pre-
Memorial Park & French Funerals and
sentations allow you to build a positive firm Your registration to the Wide World of
Cremations, learn positive strategies you can
image, see more people in a non-threatening Sales Conference includes:
take to address these cultural changes, and
environment and ultimately increase sales. • Wednesday Fireside Chat with Gary
find new ways to re-establish connections
O’Sullivan, CCE, and Welcome
and relevance in an ever-changing world and
Self Management: Reception
consumer base.
Bury the Bad Habits • Breakfast, coffee breaks and
“We just need to find the Cremation: Thursday luncheon
right person.” In his talk Heat Up Your Sales • Networking opportunities and a take-
titled, “New Folks: Your There are a few simple home notebook
Life Blood,” Harold Gid- steps that can be taken to
Harold Giddens dens of Park Lawn Corp. change direct cremation For the full program schedule,
will share the characteristics of the ideal customers into cremation registration, hotel lodging and more, visit
candidate, outline the onboarding and train- Lee Longino “with something” custom- www.wideworldofsales.com. r
Thank you to our 2019 sponsors!

Assurant Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuary Park Lawn Corp.
Biondan North America Inc. Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary Plotbox
Blackstone Cemetery Development Homesteaders Life Co. Ring Ring Marketing
Coldspring Inglewood Park Cemetery Security National Life Insurance
Davey Tree Johnson Consulting Group Service Corporation International
Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries Live Oak Bank The Bancorp
Funeral Decisions Matthews Memorialization The Travel Plan by Inman
Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co. Merendino Cemetery Care The Woodlawn Cemetery
Global Atlantic Financial Group National Guardian Life Insurance Co. Tukios
Great Western Insurance Co. NOMIS Publications WebCemeteries.com
ICCFA News
Become a certified celebrant and offer more to families you serve

A
Certified Celebrant offers alternative services to families who are not
affiliated with a church or who do not wish to have a traditional religious
funeral service. They are trained to design services that are personalized
and individualized to define families’ loved ones, meaning every service is a meaningful and personal experience for the family.
Partnered with In-Sight Books, the ICCFA is offering a three-day celebrant training. This celebrant training is an invaluable
resource that aligns with the ICCFA’s mission to help our members continue to thrive in today and tomorrow’s marketplace. Each
attendee will be trained in the following areas: value of the funeral, family visits, listening skills, presentation skills, elements of
funeral planning and code of ethics.
Celebrant training will be held at the Hilton Charlotte Center City on April 1-3, 2019, prior to the ICCFA Annual Convention
& Expo. If you are interested in attending the convention as well, there is a discounted rate on registrations for both celebrant train-
ing and the convention. For more information on celebrant training and to register, visit www.iccfa.com/celebrants. r
Membership benefit spotlight: ICCFA Business Insurance Program
D
id you know that as an ICCFA member, you have access to exclusive business insurance solutions that have been tailored to
the needs and exposures of the funeral industry? Offered through Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., it provides competitive pricing,
outstanding customer service and a sales team that truly understands your business needs with the ICCFA Business
Insurance Program. Business insurance products include:
• general and cyber liability
• property
• workers compensation
• commercial auto and more
For more information and to join the ICCFA Business Insurance Program, visit www.iccfa.ajg.com. r
Get your 2019 music license before price increases on February 1
T
ime is running out to get your 2019 music licensing with the ICCFA at the low rate of only
$276 per property. This is a pass-through of the combined annual fees from ASCAP, BMI and
SESAC. Act today, because the rate increases to $290 per property on February 1. There is no
additional membership required to purchase your music license, making this the best value in the profes-
sion.
Music licensing is required for all copyrighted music, and failure to obtain a license can result in
damages similar to fines up to $30,000 for each song infringed. You can also purchase webcast licensing for $48, which allows you
to broadcast services via the internet throughout the world. Please note: You must have a music license before you purchase a webcast-
ing license. For more information and to purchase a music and webcasting license, visit www.iccfa.com/legal/music. r
Deadline February 18 to submit your scholarship application for ICCFAU
D
on’t miss your chance to apply for a scholarship to attend
ICCFA University, July 19-24, 2019, at the Fogelman
Executive Center in Memphis, Tennessee. At ICCFAU, you will
have the ultimate educational opportunity to learn, network and share ideas
with your industry peers.
Scholarships to attend ICCFA educational programs are provided through the ICCFA Educational Foundation, a tax-exempt 501(c)
(3) charity whose sole purpose is to make education accessible to future leaders in the death care profession.
The deadline to submit your ICCFAU scholarship application online is February 18, 2019. Applicants must be current ICCFA
members and employed for a minimum of two years in the cemetery, cremation or funeral profession.
More information on the ICCFA Educational Foundation can be found at www.iccfa.education. For information on scholarships
and to submit your online scholarship application, visit www.iccfa.com/scholarships. 

ICCFA News
Best in Show contest, cemetery tour & more at ICCFA convention
S
et in the heart of NASCAR country, the ICCFA’s 2019 Annual Convention and Expo will provide the fast-paced and heart-
stopping excitement found at a race track! Hosted at the Charlotte Convention Center, April 2-6, in Charlotte, North Car-
olina, the action-packed program will feature not only three keynote speakers, 30+ educational breakout sessions, a 500+
booth Expo Hall and networking opportunities, but also additional events and activities to make you feel a part of the action.
Get a head start on the fun by attending the Welcome Reception at
the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 2, 6:30-9:30 p.m. For only
$20, this special reception will feature food, friends and all the NASCAR
excitement the museum has to offer!
Attend the association’s Annual Meeting of Members on Thursday,
April 4, at 8 a.m. All ICCFA members are encouraged to attend and vote
for the candidates to represent them on the Board of Directors, listen to
officer reports on the state of the ICCFA and engage in the running of the
association.
Join us on Saturday, April 6, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m., for Voices
from the Past, a walking tour of Charlotte’s oldest historic cemeteries:
Old Settlers’ Cemetery, Elmwood Cemetery and Pinewood Cemetery.
At the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where a special Tour at your own pace in this free event while learning about their 50
Welcome Reception will be held. “residents” who have come back to life to share their stories at the site
of their graves. Beau-
tifully costumed portrayers will transport you to the 18th, 19th, and 20th
centuries as they tell personal stories of Charlotte’s founding fathers, civic
leaders, pioneering women and many others who helped make Charlotte
what it is today. Pack your walking shoes for this extraordinary event and
be sure to enjoy the live music and local food trucks.
New to this year’s Annual Convention, the ICCFA will have a Best in
Show contest that will recognize exhibitors who use their booth space
to best represent their brand, product and services. These booths will be
judged during Expo Hall hours by anonymous non-industry judges. Two
winners will be chosen: one for island booths and one non-islands. The
winners will be announced on Friday, April 5, and recognized at the Clos- During a cemetery tour, Mr. Oates tells visi-
ing Dinner on Saturday, April 6, as well as featured in the July 2019 issue tors about the cotton mill he built in 1880.
of ICCFA Magazine.
Are you looking for your company to boost exposure to professionals in the death-care industry? The ICCFA offers many
sponsorship opportunities that will give you exposure to over 1,000 cemetery, cremation and funeral service owners and manag-
ers from around the world. Contact Kelly Spann at kspann@iccfa.com for more information. The ICCFA would like to thank
the following 2019 Annual Convention sponsors:
• Batesville • Cypress Lawn • National Guardian Life
• Blackstone Cemetery • Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Insurance Co.
Development Mortuaries • NOMIS Publications Inc.
• C&J Financial • Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuary • Park Lawn Corp.
• Carrier Mausoleums • Homesteaders Life Co. • Service Corporation International
Contructions Inc. • Lending USA • The Woodlawn Cemetery
• Cherokee Casket Co. • Madelyn Co. • Tukios
• Coldspring • Matthews Memorialization • UPD Urns
For more information on the program schedule, registration and hotel lodging, visit www.iccfaconvention.com. r
q Bob q Kirsten December 4, 2018
I C C FA 2 0 1 9 C O N V E N T I O N & E X P O I N C H A R L O T T E
Do you need inspiration? How about some ideas

you can put into action right away?
Do you want to talk to suppliers face-to-face?
You’ll find ever ything here, at the ...
ICCFA ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO

Charlotte, North Carolina, April 2-6, 2019
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHARLOTTESGOTALOT.COM
Welcome from the 2019 ICCFA Annual Convention co-chairs
W
e are honored and proud to be named co-chairs for the
2019 Annual Convention & Exposition in Charlotte, North
Carolina. Each year the co-chairs are challenged to provide
an exceptional experience and surpass everyone’s expectations, and
that’s exactly what we aim to do! The new Welcome Reception at the
NASCAR Hall of Fame is sure to start your convention week off on the
right track. With the opportunity to race friends and colleagues in the
simulator, try your hand at being on a pit crew, or sip your way through
Mathew Forastiere
a moonshine tasting, it’s sure to be an event to remember.
Park Lawn Corp. We have three phenomenal keynote speakers lined up who are sure to
make us think, as well as over 30 breakout sessions that will challenge
the status quo, giving everyone something to fill up their educational
tank. And don’t forget about the Expo Hall, where you can learn about
new products and services and grab a drink, lunch or both! On Saturday,
we’ll cross the finish line at our Closing Banquet, which will include the
annual memorial service.
All these events will take place in Charlotte, one of the fastest-
growing cities in America. With its walkability, vibrant restaurant scene
John Gouch Jr. and multitude of transportation options, it’s easy to see why Charlotte’s
Gethsemane “got a lot.” This year’s convention is sure to be one-of-a-kind, and we
Cemetery & Racing simulators at the NASCAR
Memorial Gardens can’t wait to see you there! Hall of Fame.

Special Events
First-Timers Reception
Thursday, April 4, 5-6 p.m.
Will this be your ÿrst time attend-
ing the ICCFA Annual Convention &
Exposition? Come meet others who
are also new to the convention, as
well as ICCFA volunteers and leaders
at this special reception dedicated
to welcoming you. Admission to the
reception is included with every full registration.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHARLOTTESGOTALOT.COM
Welcome Reception at
Tuesday, April 2, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Jumpstart your time at this year’s convention with
this special reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
A ticket to this event gives you access to all of the
museum’s exhibits and interactive activities, plus
food and drink, including a moonshine tasting.
You will also receive a free keepsake picture as a
souvenir. Tickets are $20 and are available on the
registration form (page 96). ICCFA Educational Foundation Reception
Thursday, April 4, 6-7 p.m.
Join us for a reception to honor donors and scholarship recipients, and to
present the ICCFA Educational Foundation Lasting Impact Award to Ernie
He˜ ner, CFuE, president of He˜ ner Funeral Chapel & Crematory in York,
Pennsylvania. The award is presented each year to an individual who has
made signiÿcant contributions to our profession in education and me-
morialization. He˜ ner is a past chancellor of ICCFA University and an early
adaptor of Certiÿed Celebrants and has provided education for hospice
nurses and volunteers for many years. Admission to the reception is in-
cluded with every full registration; additional tickets for non-registrants
can be purchased. Light snacks and an open bar will be available.
PLPA Reception
Thursday, April 4, 5-6
p.m. Join pet loss professionals from around the world as they meet to
kick o˜ a week full of festivities. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served.
Admission to the reception is included with every full registration.
5th Annual Pet Memorial Service

Friday, April 5, 8:30-8:40 a.m.
Join us as we honor ICCFA members’ service animals and family pets
who have died in the past year. If you have an animal you’d like honored,
At the NASCAR Hall of Fame: top, Race Week; ÿll out the submission form found at www.iccfaconvention.com.
above, participating in the pit crew challenge. The deadline for submission is February 25, 2019.
ICCFA Annual KIP Awards Presentation

Meeting of Members Friday, April 5, 8:40-9 a.m.
Thursday, April 4, 8-10 a.m. Winners of 2018 KIP (Keeping It Personal) Awards will be
All ICCFA members are honored during a ceremony on the general session stage. The
encouraged to attend KIP Awards recognize the best in personalization. The awards were created by
the association’s Annual the ICCFA’s Personalization Committee to recognize outstanding examples of
Meeting of Members. Vote personalization of services or products in the death care profession.
for members to represent
you on the Board of ICCFA Prayer Breakfast (tickets limited)
Directors and fully Friday, April 5, 7:30-8:30 a.m. Come join us for breakfast and fellowship at
engage in the running of the Prayer Breakfast, made possible through sponsorships. It is open to the
your association. ÿrst 60 individuals who show up to the breakfast—ÿrst-come, ÿrst-served.
Re-enactors tell visitors about the people buried at Charlotte’s oldest historic cemeteries. Center, Mr. Harry of Harry and Bry-
ant Funeral Home, Voices of the Past sponsor and ICCFA member, talks about the founding of his company in 1883.
Historic cemetery tour Saturday, April 6, 1:30-4 p.m.

Visit Charlotte’s oldest historic cemeteries, Old Settlers’ Cemetery, Elmwood Cemetery and Pinewood Cemetery, and learn about
their 50 “residents” on the Voices from the Past tour. Costumed re-enactors will tell share their stories. Tour at your own pace while
enjoying live music and food trucks. This event is free, but a ticket is required.
Saturday night
Closing Banquet
Saturday, April 6, 6-11 p.m.
Come enjoy food and entertainment as we close the 2019
ICCFA Annual Convention. The ICCFA presidential transfer
from Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, to Jay Dodds, CFSP, will
ICCFA 2018-2019 take place during this event, as will the exchange of gifts with
President Christine other international associations. Tickets are included with full attendee and spouse registrations. All others may
Hentges, CCE, and
President-elect Jay
purchase a ticket on the registration form.
Dodds, CFSP.
The Closing Banquet also includes the ICCFA Memorial Service. Tribute and memorialization are at the heart
of what we do. Join us as we remember colleagues and loved ones who have died this past year. If you would like to remember a
loved one who has died, please send us a profile and photos for inclusion in the service. Instructions and a PDF form can be found at
www.iccfaconvention.com. The deadline for submission is February 25, 2019.

General session keynote speakers

Managing Creating cultures of leadership
your and the power of lollipop moments
business Thursday, April 4, 11 a.m.
Drew Dudley
through What if we believed that leadership isn’t just for those in charge? What
a tragedy if we all embraced our ability to lead, no matter our school grades or pay
Thursday, grade? The most impactful leaders focus on “everyday leadership” and
April 4, 10 a.m. ensure that it’s fostered, acknowledged and rewarded. Dudley’s keynote
Mindy Corporon address will make you laugh, think and reconsider the ways you evaluate
Former CEO leadership in your life and workplace.
and now activist Mindy Corporon Dudley is founder and chief catalyst of Day One Leadership and works with organizations
took action after her son and father around the world to empower people to increase their leadership capacity. He has spoken
were murdered in a religious hate to over 250,000 people on five continents, been featured on The Huffington Post, Radio
crime. She started the Faith Always America, Forbes.com and TED.com, where his TED talk was voted one of the 15 most
Wins Foundation and a community- inspirational TED talks of all time and has been viewed millions of times online.
wide event, SevenDays Make a
Ripple, Change the World.
She developed high school FINISH: The surprising truth
programming for productive
interfaith dialogue and now helps about accomplishing goals
companies create healthy workplace Friday, April 5, 9 a.m.
environments so healing can occur Jon Acuff
after life’s tragedies. According to a study conducted by the University of Scranton, 92 percent
In her talk, Corporon will tell of resolutions fail. That’s a staggering number considering how important
her story and share how to manage goals are to companies. At every point in your work, goals matter. What
through a tragedy, how you can if we could do some simple things to improve how often we finished
address fear in a comfortable setting, what we started? What if we could complete the incomplete projects and
whom you can count on in the midst tasks? What if we could get more done in a world of bottomless opportunities and endless
of chaos and how to engage your distractions?
team to promote healing and build In his keynote address, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff will share
resiliency. easy changes you can make to your corporate culture to make sure everyone hits their goals.
Some of the ideas are obvious. Some are counterintuitive. Some will surprise you. All will work.
11 hours to meet with exhibitors

No educational sessions are held during Expo Hall hours to maximize the time you can
spend talking to suppliers about their products and services and examining the product
displays. Free food and beverage service is available during all expo hours.
Tuesday, April 2
Special Welcome Reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame,
6:30-9:30 p.m. (Buy tickets on the registration form on page 96
or when you register online at www.iccfaconvention.com.)
Wednesday, April 3 JFDA coffee talk

Come nosh and enjoy catching
DIY Facebook and social media marketing up with fellow members
Robin Heppell, CFSP, CC, Funeral Gurus of the Jewish Funeral
As Facebook and other social networks have matured and been adopted by death care Directors of America
firms for communications and networking, it is important to understand when and how before the start of JFDA’s
to use these tools. Heppell will dive into the impact of social media, how it affects the Annual Meeting. Everyone
reputation and promotion of your firm, how to collect and analyze results and how to welcome.
compare your social media marketing with other, more traditional, marketing initiatives.
Through his digital marketing agency, Funeral Results Marketing, Heppell helps funeral directors Change and
and cemeterians embrace and incorporate innovative strategies, marketing plans and technologies. tradition in
contemporary
Goal-setting for success America
Jodie Dupree, SCI North Carolina Rabbi Morton Kaplan
Everyone thinks they are goal-setters, but few people properly use personal goal- Join Rabbi Morton Kaplan as he
setting to drive for results. Often, we mistake the things our employer has asked us discusses the changing nature of
to do for goals, when only we can set goals for ourselves. What our employers create the Jewish community in America
are expectations. Dupree will share how to correctly set goals for yourself and how to over the last several decades and
help those who work for you set goals. how that change affects their
Dupree is a licensed funeral director and has been in the profession for 20 years. He has customs and rituals. The ability to
served as a pre-arrangment funeral counselor, cemetery counselor, sales manager, regional sales adjust and accommodate change
manager, funeral director, cemetery and funeral general manager and market director for SCI. is nothing new in Jewish history,
and in fact is what remains truly
“traditional” about the Jewish
From clicks to cases start investing wisely on everything from experience.
Andy Lopez, The Gaffney Group Adwords campaigns to SEO optimizing. Rabbi Kaplan grew up in
Lopez will discuss the intent Lopez has been in the funeral profession Western North Carolina. He
of a marketing strategy and the since he was 15, starting at Fred Hunter’s in graduated from the University
proven processes to effectively Florida. He has worked with Triad Caskets, of Cincinnati and was ordained
capture and convert your digital owned Affinity Caskets and created products at the Hebrew Union College in
visitors. He will look at ways to increase to memorialize and personalize services for Cincinnati in 1967. He served as
profits by knowing what to look for in a digital veterans and their families. For over 15 years a chaplain in the army and held
marketing partner and how to combine your he was involved in pre-need sales for SCI. He pulpits in New York, New Jersey
marketing strategy with your sales process to is the vice president of sales in the state of and Maryland. He and his late
increase business. Quit wasting money and Washington for the Gaffney Group. wife Joan have three sons and 14
grandchildren (11 in Israel). He is
enjoying retirement in Charlotte
Serving the community through the doors of the funeral home with his wife Mary watching three
Jill Lazar, Hoffman Funeral Home and Crematory of those grandchildren grow up.
Lazar will outline how to prepare for an event hosted at your funeral home, from
catering to staffing and scheduling. She will share proven marketing methods to
JFDA business
promote events, the ever-changing marketing tools at your disposal, what events meeting and
provide the best lead sources and how to effectively follow up and close sales. memorial service
Lazar is a licensed funeral director, certified pre-planning consultant and licensed
insurance agent. She has been in the funeral industry for over 25 years and has been
a guest speaker for attorneys, financial advisers, referral groups, hospice and clergy.
Expo Grand Opening: 4-7 p.m. (Open bar & heavy hors d’oeuvres)

Thursday, April 4
Lunch with exhibitors
Spend the morning
with keynote speakers (noon-2 p.m.) followed
Mindy Corporon, “Managing your by IMSA Happy Hour
business through a tragedy,”
and Drew Dudley, “Creating (2-5 p.m.). Spend the af-
cultures of leadership and the
power of lollipop moments.” ternoon in the Expo Hall
Free coffee service will be
available in the Expo Hall, where the checking out the booths.
keynoters will be on stage.
Friday, April 5 Final Expo Hall session:

Spend the morning
with keynote speaker lunch 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jon Acuff, “The surprising truth about
accomplishing goals.”
Cremation authorization form pitstop Engaging your people

Poul Lemasters, Esq., Lemasters Consulting to serve more families
It’s time to fix your cremation authorization form – not just Gino Merendino,
talk about it. Despite this form being the cornerstone of your Merendino Cemetery Care
cremation practice, hardly anyone reviews or changes it. But Executing your strategy to serve more
cremation has changed over the years and so should your form! families requires that you engage all your employees,
Imagine if you raced a stock car from 1970 against a stock car from today. from the president to the part-time intern pulling
Guess who wins? In this cremation authorization form pitstop we will make weeds. The million-dollar question: How do you do
repairs, adjustments, and even add some new parts so that your form is it? Hear lessons learned from 92 cemeteries about
running perfectly. This is a hands-on workshop where you will bring your how their people work together.
cremation authorization form and we will walk through it. You will have Merendino is chief gardener for Merendino
the opportunity to see examples; discuss issues; review new language; Cemetery Care. He is also dean of the ICCFA
and learn how to make your cremation form a sales tool, not just a legal University College of Land Management & Grounds
document. Operations. He holds a BS in business management
Lemasters began his career in death care more than 22 years ago as from Rutgers University and is a Rutgers Coopera-
a funeral director and embalmer. He advises funeral homes, crematories, tive Extension Master Gardener. As the chief
cemeteries and trade associations across the United States. He also shares gardener at Merendino, he is responsible for the
his know-how with those in the field by serving as cremation coordinator mowing and trimming of 2,500 acres of cemetery
and advisor for ICCFA’s Cremation Education Program. He is co-chair of property weekly as well as the outsourcing of one out
ICCFA’s Government & Legal Affairs Committee. of every 600 burials in the U.S.
Women in Leadership: Defining your impact

Moderator: Jennifer Olvera, CCE, Green Hills Memorial Park
Panelists: Shawna de la Cruz, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park & Mortuary; Gwen
Mooney, CCFE, Cave Hill Cemetery; Lori Salberg, Johnson Consulting Group;
and Poul Lemasters, Esq., Lemasters Consulting (for our male perspective)
With more women stepping into leadership roles in the death care profession,
it is important that they identify their talents and understand what they bring to their work environment to best enable the success of the
business and make sure their voices are heard. Join the ICCFA’s Women in Leadership committee as they recognize several leaders in the
profession and ask questions about their role models and the obstacles they faced as they forged their own leadership styles.
Friday, April 5, continued

Follow the money: How death care businesses are investing in the new future
Doug Gober Jr., The Foresight Companies
In seven years of lending to progressive funeral homes and cemeteries in America, we’re starting to see some patterns emerge.
Successful small and mid-sized firms are making investments and embracing strategies that would have been out of reach
seven years ago. This presentation looks at trends that are emerging in death care capital investments, what they mean both for
individual firms and for the industry, as well as the impacts on those who chose to remain in the status quo.
Gober began his funeral service career 40 years ago as a sales representative in the casket industry. He has earned numerous national
awards from death care organizations and served as a consultant on marketing and merchandising projects conducted on an international
scale. In October 2018, Gober became a partner in The Foresight Companies.
Raising $3,000 every The pains and gains of entering the Hispanic market
day: How Congressional Salvador Perches, Grupo Perches
The Hispanic population in the United States reached nearly 58 million in
Cemetery brings in $1.1 2016, making it the nation’s second-fastest-growing racial or ethnic group, and
million a year according to the Pew Research Center, it is estimated to reach 128 million by
Paul Williams, Historic 2050. Is the funeral profession doing enough to meet the needs of this growing
Congressional Cemetery population? Do you know the customs, traditions and necessities for Hispanic funerals?
Maintaining and preserving Does anyone on your staff speak Spanish? There are many products and services that can
Historic Congressional help you create value in your relationship with your local Hispanic market, and specific
Cemetery requires a $1.1 growth engines that will establish you as the funeral home or cemetery of choice.
million yearly income, and the cemetery Perches was born into funeral service. His family started in this profession in 1958 in
has a multilayered approach that makes Juarez, Mexico. In 1990, he received his funeral directing license and currently has 15
that possible. Williams will explain the funeral homes in Juarez, Mexico; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and El Paso and Odessa, Texas.
creative methods used to raise funds
through their innovative dog-walking
program, Halloween tours, 5k races, A place to go: Why ceremonies matter
gift shop, honey harvests, lecture series, Linda Stuart, life-cycle celebrant
Santa pics, wreath sales and even by People want their end-of-life ceremony to be transformative. They want a
hosting a herd of goats. The ways creative ceremony that focuses on their life story, not their death story. Too
Congressional has doubled its income many times families walk through the doors of a funeral home and say, “we
in just five years can be applied at don’t want anything.” Whether families have no ceremony or a cookie-cutter
almost any historic cemetery. one that leaves them feeling empty, an opportunity has been missed to create a valuable
Williams has served as the president and healing experience. Stuart will outline how to help families appreciate why ceremonies
and CFO of the non-profit Historic and rituals are important in our lives and help create heartfelt, rich and meaningful
Congressional Cemetery since July ceremonies that allow hope and healing to enter their lives.
2012. His background is in historic Stuart is a certified life-cycle celebrant who creates and performs one-of-a-kind
preservation and planning, having ceremonies for life’s milestone occasions. Since childhood, she has been immersed in
attended both Roger Williams and the bereavement sector through her father’s company, Century Wilbert. She founded the
Cornell Universities.
Toronto Death Café.
Recruit, train and retain veterans

Panel Moderator: Gino Merendino, Merendino Cemetery Care
Looking for a hard-working, motivated, ethical employee? Try hiring a veteran. Veterans share a common set of characteristics
that make them great employees, including leadership, initiative, self-discipline, teamwork and an excellent work ethic. Join a
panel of industry professionals as they analyze key hiring factors from the perspective employers, who may wonder what type
of military job would translate well into the death care profession, and of veterans, many of whom struggle with meaningfulness in their
work after their career transitions. The panel will explore the skills veterans typically exhibit in the workplace, ways to help a veteran
employee assimilate into your business, how to get involved with veteran organizations in your community and more.
Merendino is chief gardener for Merendino Cemetery Care. He is the architect of the VA-approved GI Bill apprenticeship training
program for cemetery care managers. He also serves as an active member of the ICCFA Veterans Committee.
C h e c k w w w.i cc fa . com for m ore d e tai ls, informati on ab out CE cre dits, pro g r am up d ates an d h otel opti ons.

Friday, April 5, continued

Youth and funerals
Moderator: Mathew Forastiere, Park Lawn Corp.
Panel: Brad Speaks, Speaks Family Legacy Chapels; Vicki Jay, National Alliance for
Grieving Children, and Joe Primo, Good Grief
The Youth & Funerals initiative has sparked meaningful conversations across the country
about the importance of including young people in the funeral and, ultimately, the value
of the funeral in helping participants begin their healing journey. This panel of experts with real-world experience in supporting young
people through the loss of a loved one will share their experiences and help attendees better understand how the Youth & Funerals
initiative can help them serve the families in their care. In addition, the panel will discuss the opportunities to share the Youth & Funerals
initiative with other end-of-life care providers in your community. The Youth & Funerals initiative and toolkit is provided by the Funeral
Service Foundation thanks to the generous support of donors throughout funeral service.
Employee Management of cemetery trees

empowerment: Anne Fenkner, Davey Resource Group Inc.
Through the ages and all around the role of trees in the legacy environment, best
Profitability, culture the globe, people look to trees management considerations and monitoring
and satisfaction for healing, comfort and solace. recommendations to optimize tree management.
Tim Bridgers, Cemetery landscapes use trees as Fenkner is a project developer for Davey.
Live Oak Bank monuments, markers, buffers and as symbols She is an International Society of Arboriculture
In a market of of life and strength. Given the significance of Certified Arborist, municipal specialist with TRQ
merging generations, trees, a tree management plan is an essential tool certification, a lifetime UC Master Gardener, a
business owners for cemetery professionals who oversee these Green Gardener instructor and a 2016 graduate
must lead their valuable assets. This presentation will discuss of the Municipal Forestry Institute.
people. Energized employees
who believe in their mission
and understand how to achieve Addressing sexual and other harassment in your funeral business
it are the ones who bring their Stephanie Ramsey, The Foresight Companies
hearts to work every day. Cash The EEOC reports that 75 percent of workplace harassment incidents go unreported.
flow, marketing and financial The “Me Too” social media campaign has presented staggering data about the
metrics are crucial in operating number of both men and women who have suffered abuse while on the job.
a successful business, but This session will educate owners/managers on defined types of sexual and other
empowering your employees harassment currently recognized by law, show them how to recognize the behavior
is the fuel that makes your that constitutes harassment and explain ways to limit their business liability.
business move. Bridgers will Ramsey is director of HR services/senior business analyst for Foresight. She has managed
share the most productive way small staffs and those with over 200 employees with more than 25 supervisors directly reporting
to increase call volume, benefit to her. She has run an 800-call regional combination funeral home and cemetery with a pet
from changing market trends business. She has written employee handbooks and other employee specific documents for her
and remain successful for many funeral clients nationwide and continues to write articles on HR matters for the funeral press.
years to come.
Bridgers joined Live Oak
Bank in 2014 with over 10
years of business and entrepre- Your comprehensive pre-need program:
neurial experience. He studied
mechanical engineering at the Insurance, trust or a little of both?
University of North Carolina at Elizabeth Kmiec & Ashlee Theising, Clearpoint Federal Bank & Trust
Charlotte and business at the This session will review the benefits and drawbacks of using both trust
University of North Carolina and insurance in a pre-need sales program and how to put together a
at Wilmington, and completed program that covers and meets all the needs of the families who are
his finance degree at Liberty wanting to preplan. Kmiec and Theising will discuss how the landscape has changed with the
University. He is a former shift toward more cremation, more people wanting to pay over time and the rapidly rising cost of
business owner and developed caskets above standard inflation.
two successful companies, so Kmiec joined the death care industry in 2013, coming from personal trust at JPMorgan in
understands the challenges Chicago. Theising joined ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust in January 2006 as an assistant trust
business owners face. administrator. She is vice president, COO.
Friday, April 5, Saturday, April 6

continued Embracing the customer experience revolution
Jake Johnson & Lori Salberg, Johnson Consulting Group
Marketing workshop 101: How do you provide every customer with a consistent world-
class experience? How can you improve customer and employee
The definitive guide loyalty? Using Johnson Consulting Group’s combined 600+
to best practices in years of experience and statistics from 10 years of surveying
the modern world customers from over 1,000 businesses, Johnson and Salberg
Neil Sherrin, PlotBox will share a specific step-by-step program for gaining competitive advantage, improving
This presentation will include customer satisfaction, increasing sales value and improving employee retention.
a gold mine of actionable As president & CEO of Johnson Consulting, Johnson provides the strategic direction
tips, tactics, programs and success stories and marketing innovations that laid the groundwork for the company’s rapid growth and
every death care facility manager needs recognition as a total solutions provider within the funeral industry. He previously was
to know. Discover the enormous untapped executive vice president and general manager at Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries.
potential of modern marketing that will Salberg is director of business development for Johnson Consulting Group. She
help grow your business. See the life cycle also owns a final expense pre-planning agency in California. She has over 18 years
of your clients’ buying process from their of combined experience in cemetery, funeral and crematory management, developing
point of view. Learn inbound and content marketing and outreach programs and recruiting and training and retaining highly
marketing fundamentals and winning effective cemetery sales teams. She has overseen the development of two proprietary
examples from inside and outside the software programs for the management of cemetery and funeral home operations.
profession.
Sherrin is head of marketing at PlotBox.
He has over 10 years of senior marketing Purpose-filled selling: Winning in sales by celebrating life
and sales experience in both the B2B and Justin Baxley, Foundation Partners Group LLC
B2C sectors. We continue to see consumer preferences trend away from the “traditional”
mores which have sustained the value and profitability of funeral service
and pre-need funeral sales toward creative memorialization and personalized
services. The challenge for funeral service is to remain relevant to families amid
When your day ends these changing preferences. The opportunity for advance planning advisors is to
Jeffrey Chancellor, CFSP grow sales and shape the future of our profession by adopting an event-planning
HS Eckels & Co. mindset and serving as a catalyst to create impactful life celebration funeral events. Baxley
This presentation will explore will share real-life examples and walk attendees through a process which moves consumers
the process of decedent care beyond cost toward a conversation about memorable, experiential services. Attendees
management with special will leave with a list of questions to help facilitate storytelling during the pre-arrangement
emphasis on strategies to conversation, as well as a clear understanding of why those stories matter in the sales process.
empower employers to attract Baxley is a second-generation funeral director with more than 20 years of
and retain the best embalmers and safely experience in funeral service. He was owner and president of Hiers-Baxley Funeral
and effectively treat today’s most difficult Services and Highland Memorial Park, served as regional director of strategic markets
cases, to explore nuclear medicine and at Homesteaders Life Co. and is now vice president of business integration and
nanoparticles in health care and to offer assimilation for Foundation Partners.
practical clinical care offerings without
breaking the bank.
Chancellor serves as director of The digital world: Using mobile technologies
education, training and research for HS to create better family experiences
Eckels & Co. He is a qualified embalmer,
Rob Shane, Batesville Casket Co. Inc.
funeral director, crematory operator
Following a death, the family’s grief is compounded by the notifications, plans
and celebrant. His experience includes
and decisions required in a short timeframe. They may gravitate to technology
pre-need sales, managing a high-volume
as a source of information and a channel for communication, often before
mortuary, instructing at Mount Royal
ever meeting with a funeral director. Learn how to use mobile technology to stay at the
College in Calgary, Canada, and the
center of that conversation by connecting with families earlier in the process and capturing
Pacific Center in Cebu, Philippines, and
information that allows you to provide a more seamless, personalized experience.
serving as an embalming lecturer and
Shane is director of technology solutions at Batesville, where he is responsible for
demonstrator, as an international disaster
delivering the latest advances in websites, business management software and digital
response team member and as a consultant
tools designed to help funeral homes improve the efficiency of their operations and
to funeral service on four continents.
provide positive experiences with the families they serve.

Saturday, April 6, continued

Communication is a two-way street
Carolyn C. Shadle, PHD & John L. Meyer, PHD, Interpersonal Communication Services Inc.
Listening, and demonstrating that you have heard and feel empathy, is an art and a skill. Families do not care what you
know or what services you provide until they know you care. In addition to your professional knowledge, you need
interpersonal skills. This presentation will outline five ways you can let others know they’ve been heard by using the
power of active listening and provide you with strategies for expressing yourself effectively and with care.
Shadle and Meyer work as a team to help employees improve their workplace communication. Veterinarians know them as the authors of
the “Communication Case Studies” series in Trends magazine, and the recently published book, “Communication Case Studies: Improving
Interpersonal Communication Skills in the Veterinary Practice.” Meyer earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota in communication
studies. Shadle earned her PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo in interpersonal and organizational communication.
Pet disaster recovery Riding the millennial cycle: Better strap in

Jodi Clock, CPLP, Chris Burke, FLMI, AGIA Affinity
Clock Funeral Home If you’re a history buff, you can’t help but think when you read or hear the
On March 30, 2018, Storms Ahead morning news headlines that you’ve “seen this movie before.” What if you
Kennel burned to the ground. The have? What if the rhythm of how four different generational archetypes
facility was at capacity with 33 repeat and align over time actually helps forecast future behavior? Many
dogs, all of which died in the fire. Hear first-hand of the most sophisticated marketers believe it, and have been blending generational
from Clock about how her company stepped in marketing theory with segmentation and cohort modeling for nearly 30 years to instruct
to offer their expertise and was instrumental in their marketing and influence product design. The marketing insights of this presentation
putting together a disaster plan that enabled all are fascinating, and might just help you develop the competitive advantage necessary to
pets to be successfully identified, cremated and enjoy how this movie ends.
returned to their owners. When tragedy strikes, Burke is president and CEO of AGIA Affinity, a marketer and administrator of
as a death care professional you need to be able insurance and non-insurance benefit programs for associations, affinity groups and
to coach, lead, communicate and build a strong unions. He was previously an executive with Forethought Financial Services.
team quickly. Clock will share tips on how to
handle television reporters so they become your
friends, offer suggestions on ways to protect
yourself and your business from liability, outline
‘Should I bring the ashes with me?’:
how to conduct a community service that includes Better support for those who have lost pets
hospice and provide a white paper about what to Jehanne Gheith, MSW, LCSW, PHD
do should a disaster occur. Social workers understand the important role animals play in people’s
Clock has more than 25 years’ experience lives and can be an invaluable source of comfort and assistance for those
in the profession, including advance funeral who have experienced a loss. Gheith will discuss the shape of pet loss today, the loss
planning companies, casket manufacturers and of animals for veterinary staff and how to handle it and the importance of continuing
insurance agencies. She and her husband, Dale, bonds for those who have lost animals, including ways to help foster those bonds.
run Clock Funeral Homes in western Michigan. Gheith is a tenured professor of Russian literature at Duke University and a
She also owns and operates Clock Timeless Pets. licensed clinical social worker with a focus on pet loss.
Sessions on this page are open to all, but of special interest to those offering pet services
Charlotte, NC 28202; 704.375.2600 this block is February 28, 2019.

The ICCFA has secured a discounted The 2019 ICCFA Annual Convention has
room rate of $215 per night plus taxes. an additional room block at:
Guests must identify themselves as The Hilton Charlotte City Center
being an ICCFA Annual Convention 222 E. 3rd St., Charlotte, NC 28202;
attendee to obtain the discounted rate. A 704.377.1500
Where to stay first night, non-refundable deposit will $215 plus taxes per night. The cut-off
The official host hotel: be charged at the time of booking. The date for making reservations in this
The Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St., cut-off date for making reservations in block is February 28, 2019.
• CEMETERIES • CREMATORIES • FUNERAL HOMES • SUPPLIERS • PET LOSS PROFESSIONALS
Submit your news to ICCFA Magazine

Have you held a groundbreaking or grand opening for a new facility? Hired or promoted someone? Is your com-
pany offering a new or updated product to cemeteries and/or funeral homes? Have you recently held an unusual
service or a successful seminar at your location? Added a grief therapy dog to your staff? Share your news with
colleagues all over the world—send it in to ICCFA Magazine! It’s a simple way to receive some well-deserved
publicity for you and your staff and to share ideas with peers. Here’s how to get your news in ICCFA Magazine:
n Write it down. It doesn’t have to be written perfectly (that’s why we have editors)—it just needs to include the
facts. Remember the basics: Who, What, Where, When & How (and sometimes Why).
n Send it in:
➤ Email your Word document as an attachment to sloving@iccfa.com, or write your release in the body
of your email. Please include your full name and title and the company’s name and location in the body of
your email.
➤ Photos—high-resolution jpgs—can be emailed or Dropboxed. Remember, you must have your digital
camera set to take high-resolution images before taking the photos! (If you’re scanning in glossies, they
must be scanned in at a minimum of 300 dpi at the size they are to be printed.)
Questions? Need some guidance?

Email ICCFA Magazine Managing Editor Susan Loving at sloving@iccfa.com.


Be the extra support your families need and get more media attention, too!
Allison Gilbert, author
Taking intentional steps to remember loved ones is key to healing. Individuals who honor family and friends, who proactively
keep them present in their lives, almost always fare better emotionally than those who don’t. In this session, author and
nationally recognized grief expert Gilbert reveals new, innovative ways to help families remember and celebrate the family
and friends they never want to forget. The strategies you learn will enable death care and bereavement professionals to
generate widespread radio, print and online media attention. Gilbert has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The
Washington Post and on CNN, FOX and MSNBC.
A previous ICCFA presenter, Gilbert is one of the most thought-provoking and influential writers on grief and resilience today. She is
the author of numerous books, including the groundbreaking “Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive.”
The three online marketing Donor family celebration of life

fundamentals Dorman H. Caudle, Carolina Donor Services
People attending this presentation will receive 12 ideas that can
you must master immediately add value to a celebration service. With organ and tissue
Welton Hong, donation registration rising across the nation, funeral directors will
Ring Ring Marketing ultimately serve more families who choose to donate and are willing to
Search, website conversions and share their experience with family and friends. Funeral directors will learn who their
reviews: These three terms sound Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) is and how to work with the OPO, eye bank
simple enough on the surface, but mastering and tissue recovery agencies.
these essentials is another story altogether. Caudle is a second-generation funeral director. He is a past president of the North
Silicon Valley veteran Hong specializes in Carolina Funeral Directors Association, has chaired multiple state committees, has
helping death care firms generate business presented CEU programs across North Carolina and is currently the funeral home
online. In this session, he explains in clear, liaison for Carolina Donor Services.
practical terms how to generate traffic from
internet searches and turn website visitors into
clientele by mastering conversions. He also
breaks down how generating a large quantity Art of selling the ‘big deal’: How to maximize
of positive reviews benefits every step of the family mausoleum sales opportunities
marketing process. Attendees will leave with Michael Harens, Coldspring
an understanding of several tools they can put In this presentation, you will learn how to develop a successful family
to use immediately. mausoleum program for your cemetery property. This session will focus
Ring Ring Marketing founder Hong is the on effective property planning, appropriate pricing, building a confident
author of “Making Your Phone Ring with sales staff and the art of prospecting.
Internet Marketing for Funeral Homes” and As a national account manager, Harens leads Coldspring’s efforts to maintain
a contributor to numerous death care industry and enhance relationships with key customers who have a national presence. Harens
publications, including ICCFA Magazine. He brings a strong sense of business acumen and experience to his sales process,
was a senior technologist at R&D facilities for including business development, sales leadership and sales training. His training
Intel, Sun Microsystems and Oracle, and has programs provided to both regional and national cemetery groups have helped
spoken at several industry conferences. increase their overall revenue stream in cemetery merchandise.
How to build a 21st century workplace

Tyler Anderson, Precoa
In today’s landscape, the employee experience can make or break your success in any business. Since its founding in 2004,
Precoa has experienced dramatic growth in the pre-need sector, powered, in part, by its commitment to developing a modern
and meaningful workplace. Precoa consistently ranks among the most desirable companies to work for in one of the nation’s
most vibrant markets (Portland, Oregon), earning Top Workplace honors every year since 2012. In this talk, you’ll learn why
a 21st century workplace is critical to future success and enhanced results; how a 21st century workplace impacts owners, employees and,
most importantly, customers; and how to define and reinforce your core purpose, values and competencies.
Raised in the funeral profession, Anderson grew up with an appreciation for the importance of ceremony and ritual. He began his
pre-need career as an advance planner, then became regional sales manager with The Outlook Group. As CEO and president, Anderson
united Outlook with Precoa in 2017.

It’s more than money: Non-financial incentives
to attract and retain the best talent
Mark Jorgensen, Global Recruiters of Cincinnati
In a survey of 1,047 CEOs, C-level executives and corporate directors
conducted by McKinsey and Co., three non-financial incentives were rated
higher for effectiveness than three financial incentives. Increased base pay, The state leadership luncheon ...
performance-based cash bonuses and stock grants/options actually trailed praise and
commendation from the immediate manager, attention from leaders and opportunities to
lead projects or task forces. This session will explore how owners and managers in the
cemetery, cremation and funeral professions might more effectively use non-financial
incentives to attract and retain the best talent in their workplaces.
Jorgensen is president of Global Recruiters of Cincinnati, a management search
and recruiting firm serving cemetery, cremation and funeral professionals nationwide.
Jorgensen’s familiarity with the profession comes from eight years owning and operating ... and the goverment and legal
update have been combined into one
Global Recruiters and 13 years at Forethought Financial Services/Hillenbrand
new & improved convention session,
Industries, where he served in a succession of sales and marketing leadership roles, which will include a free lunch!
including vice president/general manager.
Legal & Legislative
Luncheon:
Repeat families:
A regulatory update
You can’t stay in business without them
Ellery Bowker, Aftercare.com
everyone needs to hear
Acquiring new customers is important for any business, but what’s even Poul Lemasters, Esq., moderator
more important is keeping the ones you have. In this session, learn why Who said there’s no
customer retention is the most overlooked way to grow your business and such thing as a free
how to build loyalty so families will choose you the next time they have a need. Learn lunch? Join us for a
what makes a customer use a business once and never return, as well as proven steps you
the first-ever Legal &
can take to prevent that from happening at your funeral home or cemetery.
Bowker is founder and CEO of Aftercare.com, which helps funeral homes and Legislative Luncheon.
cemeteries follow up with families and build loyalty. Since 2005, he has provided This is THE place to
technology and marketing insights to help his customers differentiate themselves. be if you want to hear what is hap-
pening on the federal and state
level concerning death care. We
People with disabilities: will talk about taxes, OSHA, em-
Involvement, inclusion and healing ployment and the FTC, plus state
Marc Markell, PhD, St. Cloud State University & University of Minnesota
Often people with cognitive disabilities have minimal if any involvement in
issues and changes in funeral,
the funeral planning process. Some people with cognitive disabilities are not cemetery and crematory regula-
even told about the death of a significant person in their life. The reasons for tions across North America.
not involving them in the funeral process include care providers being afraid that they In addition to hearing about
will not understand or will act out in a way that will be difficult for others to deal with. legislation that might affect you,
This session will address issues of people with cognitive disabilities and their unique
needs as they grieve the death of a loved one. It will also address issues of what a funeral
this is also the place to share the
director can do to make sure that all mourners are included and able to benefit from the issues currently affecting you.
memorial. With a roomful of those in the
Markell teaches at St. Cloud State University in the school of education, and in know, you will want to make sure
the program of mortuary science at the University of Minnesota. At UM, he teaches to put this session on your calen-
death, dying and bereavement across cultures and religions and co-teaches funeral
arrangements. He is a certified thanatologist and certified in death and grief studies
dar. Oh, and did we mention the
from Colorado State University through the Center for Loss and Life Transition. He has FREE lunch?
presented on grief and loss locally, nationally and internationally.
C h e c k w w w.i cc fa . com for m ore d e tai ls, informati on ab out CE cre dits, pro g r am up d ates an d h otel opti ons.

ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO REGISTRATION FORM
April 2–6, 2019 • ChArlotte Convention Center
ChArlotte, nC • www.iCCfAConvention.Com
Full Name Nickname for Badge
Spouse Name* Nickname for Spouse
Company
Address
City State/Prov Zip/Postal Code
Phone Cell Phone (for text messages)
Email
Emergency Contact Name Emergency Contact Phone
Is this your first time attending the ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo? Yes No Are you a graduate of ICCFA University? Yes No
Indicate if you have served in: Air Force Army Coast Guard Marine Corps Navy Other/National Guard
Indicate if you are a: CCE CCrE CFuE CCFE CSE CPLP CCCE
Are you a: Owner Manager Staff Check if you are a member of: JFDA PLPA
What level of authority do you hold for making purchasing decisions? Make recommendations Final authority None
If you require a special accommodation, please check this box and attach a statement of your needs.
REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT
REGISTRATION RATES
Check
By 02.28.19 After 02.28.19 Amount Due
Discover Visa MasterCard AmEx
ICCFA Member $595 $645 $
Cemetery/Crematory/Funeral Home
Credit card #
Non-Member
$900 $950 $
Cemetery/Crematory/Funeral Home
Exp. date * Security ID #

Spouse * $325 $325 $
ICCFA Supplier Member Name on credit card

Supplier/Vendor/Industry Personnel
$800 $850 $
Supplier Non-Member $1,100 $1,150 $ Card’s billing address (required)

Supplier/Vendor/Industry Personnel
Ticketed Events
Welcome Reception $20 each $

Email receipt to:
Voices from the Past Cemetery Tour Free
Signature
Additional Tickets for Non-Registered Attendees
* 3-digit number on back of card or 4-digit number on front of AmEx card
Educational Foundation Reception † $50 each $
Registration and Optional Events Cancellation Policy: Cancellations
Closing Banquet † $150 each $ must be received in writing via fax, email to jaclyn@iccfa.com or mail
to ICCFA no later than February 28, 2019 to receive a refund. Full
Total Due $ registrations are subject to a $100 cancellation fee per registration.
Optional events are subject to a $10 cancellation fee per ticket. No-shows
will not receive a refund. No refunds will be given after February 28, 2019.
* A spouse must be someone who does NOT work in the industry
† An Educational Foundation Reception and Closing Banquet ticket is
included in each full registration you purchase, including Spouse
Please return this form with payment to: ICCFA Meetings Department • 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 • Sterling, VA 20164 • Fax 703.391.8416
➤E-mail calendar listings, additions or corrections to bclough@iccfa.com and sloving@iccfa.com. Calendar
2019 February 5-7: CANA’s Annual Cremation Cruise, Caribbean. 1.866.748.3625
January 23-25: ICCFA Wide World of Symposium, Paris Las Vegas (Nevada) February 25-27: MKJ Marketing Ski
Sales, Bally’s Las Vegas, Nevada. Hotel. www.gocana.org/CANAheroes Summit, The Arrabelle at Vail Square, Vail,
www.iccfa.com February 8-10: Monument Builders of Colorado. 1.888.655.1566
February 4-7: Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s training North America Industry Show, Marriot St. March 10-11: The International Order of
session for funeral directors, “Creating Lous Grande & St. Louis Convention Cen- the Golden Rule Annual Young Profes-
Meaningful Funeral Ceremonies,” Scotts- ter, Missouri. www.monumentbuilders.org sionals Event, Nashville, Tennessee.
dale, Arizona. www.centerforloss.com February 16-23: Frontrunner Workshop www.ogr.org r
Check the classified announcements at www.iccfa.com/employment.htm

To place a classified, contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com Classifieds
• a superb reputation in a
desirable town with an excellent
quality-to-cost-of-living ratio.
• centralized location/market
in one of the country’s fastest
Karen Richards, CFP®, CIMA®, MBA Family aervices pre- growing metropolitan areas,
First Vice President - Investment Officer need sales professional within an hour of Washington,
(Maryland) D.C., and Baltimore.
Direct: (360) 527-2136 We are an iIndependent and Strong pre-need sales
thriving cemetery and funeral experience is expected. Some
74127-v4 A1695
karen.richards@wellsfargoadvisors.com
home combination seeking an licensing is required, which we
Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, engaged, motivated and compas- assist in obtaining. Please submit
Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & sionate sales professional. Be part resume to the following address:
0718-01772
Company. © 2011, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. of an all-professional team in a info@resthaven.us
forward-thinking culture! 9501 Catoctin Mountain HWY,
We offer: Frederick, MD 21701;
• a thriving marketing and 301.898.7177;
lead program www.resthaven.us r
Sandra Wheeler
for
Also TS
Vice President - Investment Officer
Equipment and Supplies PE
Direct: (805) 783-7942
Aquamation
q = Water Cremation
74127-v4 A1695
sandra.wheeler@wellsfargoadvisors.com
Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Zero pollution.. Easier to get planning permit
Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo &
Company. © 2011, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 0718-01772
co
G r e e n /Ev e to
World First
r n a ti
a lt e
f ir e Alkaline Hydrolysis funeral
on
c r e m a ti
Phone John on 317 451 5221
from 2 pm - midnight PT
www.aquamationindustries.com Email : john@aquamation.com.au
Vickie Kozuck
Senior Vice President - Investment Officer
Office: (425) 670-2757

74127-v4 A1695
vickie.kozuck@wellsfargoadvisors.com
Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC,
Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo &
Company. © 2011, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 0718-01772
Contact RIck Platter for all

your advertising needs: rplatter@iccfa.com

AD INDEX
27 American Cemetery/Mortuary 31 Foundation Partners Group 69 Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell &

Consultants 27 Funeral Call Answering Service Hippel
75 American Funeral & Cemetery 100 funeralOne 3 Paradise Pictures
Trust Services 73 Quick & Simple Imports Inc.
47 Great Western Insurance Co.
27 American Memory Craft 13 Regions Bank Funeral & Cemetery
67 Heritage Flower Co.
41 Argent Trust Co. Trust Services
99 IMSA
65 ASD—Answering Service for 23 River Valley Bank
33 Inman Shipping Worldwide
Directors 45 Security National Life Insurance Co.
53 J. Stuart Todd Inc.
5 Biondan North America Inc. 41 SEP Technologies
21 Johnson Consulting
37 Blackstone Cemetery Development 51 Sich Caskets
59 Kryprotek
29 C&J Financial 35 SRS Computing
53 Madelyn Co.
17 Carrier Mausoleums Construction 77 Supply Link
15 Matthews Cemetery Products
65 Cherokee Casket 69 The Foresight Companies LLC
2 Merendino Cemetery Care
55 Coldspring 49 THE SYSTEM
39 MKJ Marketing
27 Columbarium by Design LLC 11 Trigard
19 MooneyTunCo Inc. Merry Christmas
9 Continental Computer Corp. 61 Triple H Co.
From Heaven
77 Cooperative Funeral Fund 7 U.S. Metalcraft
77 Mortuary Lift Co.
57 Doric Products 71 Vantage Products Corp.
77 National Mortuary Shipping &
63 Ensure-A-Seal Cremation 79 VKM International
43 Express Funeral Funding 93 National Museum of Funeral History 65 WithumSmith + Brown
65 Flowers for Cemeteries 61 Nomis Publications 49 Zontec Ozone r
New Members
Providing exceptional education, networking and leg- MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS Admission to ICCFA member-
islative guidance and support to progressive cemetery, ship normally requires a majority vote of those present and voting at
funeral and cremation professionals worldwide any meeting of the executive committee. The names of all applicants
must be published in this magazine. ICCFA members objecting to an
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE ICCFA AND MEMBERSHIP
application must do so in writing to the ICCFA executive director within
• Go to www.iccfa.com/membership to download a benefits 45 days of publication. In the event of an objection, the executive com-
brochure and an application form. mittee will conduct an inquiry. If an applicant is rejected, they will be
• Call 1.800.645.7700 to have membership information faxed or granted an appeal upon written request. The decision of the Board of
mailed to you. Directors shall be final.
Regular Metroplex Crematory Professional: Ogden, Utah

Angelus Chapel Funeral Direc- Arlington, Texas Pet Loss Services Icons in Ash
tors Inc. Montelena Complejo Funerario Always Faithful Pet Memorial New York, New York
Colorado Springs, Colorado La Libertad, El Salvador Service Outside the Pine Box
Fredregill Family Funeral Perches Funeral Home Carlstadt, New Jersey Columbus, Ohio
Home El Paso, Texas Cherished Memories Pet Resmony
Baxter, Iowa Serenite Killeen, Texas Montreal, Quebec
Ideal Tributes Mexico City, Mexico Professional/Supplier Salesgenie—City Directories
Manchester, Connecticut Seyler & Associates LLC A.W. Rich Funeral Home & Papillion, Nebraska
Knight Walter Emersom Steelton, Pennsylvania Direct Cremation Services Tell me Your Story LLC
West Palm Beach, Florida Turlock Funeral Home Fairfax, Vermont Snohomish, Washington
Lancaster Cemetery (Antelope Turlock, California Advanced Audio Systems TribuCast
Valley Cemetery District) Walker Funeral Home & Cre- Fairfield, Ohio Wilton, Connecticut
Lancaster, California matory Domani Group Wenzhou Filta Hardware Co.
McNeill Mackie Funeral Home Toledo, Ohio Orem, Utah Ltd.
Saint Pauls, North Carolina Great Western Insurance Tondren Hengjiu Mansion,
China r
Who Supplies
the Suppliers?
For funeral and cemetery suppliers, business
has never been more isolating. Often ideas
are done in a vacuum. What you know is only
what you know, which limits how far you can
go. IMSA membership can change that. We’ve
brought together some of the top industry
experts to offer our members free one-on-
one advice on marketing, business planning,
legal issues and more. We also bring to
our members insightful business-boosting
webinars, meaningful industry resources and
networking with other IMSA members. All this
smart phone scan Property in photo is Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, NJ, Merendino client since 2005
for just $175 a year. We’re the only association
serving all funeral and cemetery suppliers.
Because what’s good for the suppliers is
good for the providers and that’s good for the
families. IMSA. Supplying opportunity.
www.IMSA-Online.com
IMSA members now get free consultation with Dan Katz & Rolf Gutknecht of LA ads, Jake Johnson
of Johnson Consulting, Ryan Thogmartin of Disrupt Media and Poul Lemasters of Lemasters Consulting.

January 2019
MAGAZINE
ICCFA Magazine
CEMETERY CREMATION FUNERAL
Inside: Program
for the ICCFA 2019
Convention & Expo
Charlotte, North Carolina,

April 2-6, 2019
• speakers on every aspect
of the funeral, cemetery
& cremation profession
• 11 uninterrupted Expo hours
• Welcome Reception at
French mortuaries
and cemetery
Appealing to the next
generation, winning
back cremation clients

Also in this issue:
• Ceremonies for
witness cremations
• Stansbury: Breaking
the ‘just a’ curse
• Lemasters on funeral
crowdfunding basics
January 2019 • Test your online
marketing IQ
• Wolfelt on Australia’s
progressive cemeteries
• How to decide about
‘hiring’ a therapy dog
• Trust fund basics
• Getting feedback on
your communication
I C C FA W i d e Wo r l d o f S a l e s : J a n u a r y 2 3 - 2 5 , 2 0 1 9 , a t B a l l y ’ s L a s Ve g a s , N e v a d a

ICCFA Magazine January 2019

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ICCFA Magazine January 2019

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

ICCFA Magazine January 2019

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

 January 2019

Charlotte, North Carolina,

Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support

ICCFA officers Cremation and Funeral Association. Subscription

10 Washington Report 46 Scatter Day helps families, promotes memorialization and

Follow the ICCFA’s LinkedIn ICCFA calendar

There have long been a number of ways for families

Some things to consider when

Choose a funeral and cemetery trust team

For more information, contact our Funeral Trust Strategist.

Pre-Need Funeral | Cemetery Merchandise | Perpetual Care

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 13

The curse of ‘just-a’

Enhance your glass-front niche offering with innovative

Enduring Fusion™ Finish Premium LED Lighting Tamper-Resistant Glass

Contact your Field Sales Manager

Touch their hearts, and they will come back.

Above, some funeral homes, use beds

Why, oh why, do we think it is acceptable for a family to walk in,

The Perfect Bereavement GiftsWeymouth, MA 02189

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 19

ICCFA Magazine spotlight S E R V I N G C R E M AT I O N FA M I L I E S

A ceremony for witnessing the

A Total Solutions Company

Thoughtful Financing Solutions

Acquisition Refinance Commercial Partnership Succession

Stephanie Castagnier Dunn

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 23

Above, the huge windows at

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 25

Waiting weeks or months

FAST – receive payment within 24 hours of verification

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 29

We have incredible market share and top-of-mind awareness.

“WE ALL TALK

Foundation Partners Group Get in Touch

“CROSSING BORDERS AND OCEANS SHOULD NEVER LEAVE

©2018 MKJ Marketing

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 33

Of course, what we can’t track is how

Test drive the SRS products available for download at SRSCOMPUTING.COM

INDUSTRY LEADER FOR FUNERAL | CEMETERY | CREMATORY SOFTWARE

works, and they helped dig graves and make

Get Answers to 2019's Critical Marketing Questions

• Make sure your website is working for you in floral/gift sales.

 Adapting to Change Courtney Gould Miller

 ONE PROGRAM - TWO LOCATIONS

Ski Summit Sea Summit

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 41

The ultimate funding experience.

funeral homes and cemeteries nationwide the ultimate funding experience.

related businesses. much of it or expects as much of their people

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com January 2019 45

way down, we might not even give up on it

Highest Return Exclusive Triple Pays Bi-weekly Best Preneed

With Voyage, you reduce your risk of Preneed

Far more families that we expected chose to upgrade

Online Courses & Libraries | Scripts & Sales Tools

Sign Up Today for Consistent Sales Success

Complete Pre-Need Sales

January 2019

Adapting to Change Courtney Gould Miller

ONE PROGRAM - TWO LOCATIONS