ICCFA Magazine October 2015
ICCFA Magazine October 2015
ICCFA Magazine October 2015
October 2015
MAGAZINE
CEMETERY
CREMATION
FUNERAL
Cremation: Di Troia
works to inspire
memorialization
Cremation:
Lemasters on cremation
& the Funeral Rule, how
to avoid common mistakes
Stuart on what every
funeral director should
know about cremation
Cremation projects
in Michigan, Wisconsin,
British Columbia,
Toronto and New York
Celebrants:
Gould on hamburgers,
funeral service &
the new competition
Cemeteries:
Mount Auburns
memorial conservation
Why visit a cemetery?
Evoking reverence
Restoring the grave of
the man who played God
ICCFAU yearbook
SALES TIP
OF THE WEEK
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O C TOBER 2 0 1 5
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
16 Cremation/Legal issues
12 Presidents Letter
Help put an end to cremation
by Darin B. Drabing
14 Washington Report
The Supreme Courts power
by Robert M. Fells, Esq.
74 Supply Line
82 Update
82 Woodlawn Cemetery
will be classroom for
stone masonry students
84 Columbarium extends life
of historic Catholic cemetery
86 Island Funeral Services
dedicates new columbarium
88 Energy-efficient columbaria
use solar, geothermal energy
90 Michigan Memorial
makes creative use of niches
92 Centennial Park and
Carmon Community
Funeral Home promote art
1 12 New Members
1 12 Calendar
113 Funeral museum
plans patriotic tributes,
focus on the holidays
113 Funeral museum,
CANA plan cremation
exhibit, seek artifacts
1 14 Ad Index
1 14 Classifieds
6
ICCFA Magazine
20 cremation/community outreach
34 cremation
38 celebrants/cremation
44 celebrants
50 MANAGEMENT
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TAB L E OF C ONTENTS
52 CEMETERIES/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
ICCFA news
62 cemetery preservation
66 Cemetery preservation
Biographer seeks funds to restore grave of the man who played God
George Arliss was a multitalented, Academy Award-winning actor
who left a legacy documented by biographer Bob Fells. Now Fells is
working to restore Arliss gravesite. It took years to get permission;
now all he needs is the funding.
by Robert M. Fells, Esq.
70 PRofessional Development
ICCFA officers
Magazine staff
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Directories
www.iccfa.com/directories
www.iccfa.com/cremation
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2015 Cremation Operator
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November 12-13
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Held in conjunction with CANA
2015 Cremation Operator
and Arranger Training
November 18-19
Columbus, Ohio
Held in conjuction with the
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Presidents Letter
by ICCFA
2015-2016
President Darin
B. Drabing
[email protected]
Drabing is president
Download an application
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Call 1.800.645.7700
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ICCFA Magazine
uring my term as the ICCFA president, Ive cremated remains home, to continue to hold on. In
had the privilege of attending a variety of
those instances, its our job to educate families that
conferences and events across the country.
possession of cremated remains in a home is only
Without fail, theyve all shared a common theme: a
temporary. A day will come when a decision must
focus on cremation. My most recent travels led me
ultimately be made about permanent disposition.
to CANAs annual convention in San Diego, where
What is the familys plan for the cremated
I witnessed several presentations and learned much
remains if they move? What will happen to the
about the statistical rise in cremation throughout
cremated remains when the person keeping them
the United States and Canada. There was an array
dies, and who then will have the legal responsibility
of terrific suppliers offering access to the latest in
for their permanent disposition? Where in the house
technology and
will the remains
merchandise.
be kepta place
There was no one,
of prominence
however, really
or, eventually, a
focused on the
closet or garage?
end of cremation.
We all know
With
this happens,
cremation rates
and we all know
over 70 percent
how the story
in some areas,
endspoorly.
its obvious
Cremated remains
that cremation
are sometimes
One of Forest Lawns many cremation memorialization areas.
is a perfectly
misplaced, aban
acceptable choice in dealing with the realities of
doned and, on occasion, discarded unceremoniously.
death. In fact, cremation opens a huge window
We are fortunate that our suppliers have created
of opportunity for celebration, remembrance and
an abundance of options for families to hold on
memorialization that doesnt exist with full-body
while still letting go. Keepsakes, small urns, jewelry,
burial. What isnt perfectly acceptable is the lack
Thumbies, Memory Glass, artwork, tattoosthe
of education, support and follow-through provided
possibilities for remembrances are many and
to families who choose cremation. I think its time
growing. These products accommodate the desire to
for our profession to take responsibility for our
hold on to a loved one while still honoring the belief
failure to put an end to cremation.
that every life lived needs a permanent memorial.
We all know how the story goes; it plays
Cremation is not a final disposition, merely a
out time and time again in funeral homes and
step along the path of many decisions to be made
cremation societies across the land: We would like when someone dies. The cremated remains of an
cremation. Our response: I understand. Our price
individual deserve the same respect and reverence
for cremation is $X. We can schedule the cremation that society shows to remains accorded full-body
for next week and we will call you when you can
burial. We should anticipate, expect and assume
pick up the cremated remains. OK, that may be a
that a family will select a final resting place for the
bit harsh, but it does happen, in varying degrees.
cremated remains at the time of arrangement. And,
I know many providers suggest having a service more important, we should be working closely with
before, or after, the cremation and provide a choice
cemeteries to facilitate the selection of a final resting
of urnsbut not much more. Rarely do we suggest
place, the coordination of a committal ceremony
a permanent memorial in a cemetery. If we did, we
and the placement of an appropriate memorial to
would see it happen more often. Instead, the end of
stand the test of time.
cremation in our profession is often the solemn walk
Death is part of the human experience. The
to the car, carrying the cremated remains for family
emotion, the ceremony, the memorialall are
members who believe their only alternatives were to important. Lets not sell our cremation families
take the urn home or scatter the remains somewhere short by not finishing our jobs. Help put an end to
at a future time and date.
cremation. Lets do our best to make certain there
The end of every cremation should be a
is a service to honor a life lived and a permanent
permanent memorialsomewhere.
memorial where future generations can come to
I realize the desire in all of us to hold on to those remember. Creating meaning at a time of loss is our
we love, to not let go, even in death. Cremation
reason for being. We create meaning by putting a
facilitates that desire by allowing families to take
r
proper end to cremation.
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Washington Report
by ICCFA General
Counsel Robert M.
Fells, Esq.
rfells
@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1212
direct line:
703.391.8401
Fells is ICCFA executive
director and general counsel,
responsible for maintaining and
improving relationships with
federal and state government
agencies, the news media,
consumer organizations and
related trade associations.
www.iccfa.com
Model guidelines
Washington Report
14
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513.407.8114
[email protected]
www.lemastersconsulting.com
Lemasters also provides, to ICCFA members in good standing, free GPL reviews to
check for Funeral Rule compliance.
16
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The last item that causes issues is failure to carry pricing forward to the Casket Price List.
Many providers want to have a Casket Price List as well as an Alternative Casket Price List.
The Funeral Rule does not recognize these as separate price lists.
from page 16
As far as placement of this disclosure, it
should be in immediate conjunction (again,
the FTCs words) with the price range for
direct cremation. Make sure that you properly
identify your containers, as well.
Best practice is to clearly identify the type
of containers you provide. Many providers
are fearful/embarrassed to use words like
cardboard, even though that is the type of
container they provide. It is very important
to not overly embellish your container
descriptions. (I am sure there is a joke in
there about men overly embellishing the
description of their containers, but I will leave
it alone).
One reason it is important to identify the
alternative container properly is in the case
of an alleged wrongful cremation. Imagine
that you are accused of cremating the wrong
individual. The first part of the lawsuit will
involve discovery, which will include all
documentation from you and the crematory
about the cremation.
When your Cremation Authorization
Form is reviewed, it identifies the alternative
container as pressed wood or wood-lined
or perhaps by a fancy name like The
Legacy. Now we compare this to the
crematory documentsthe crematory log,
where the cremation container is described
as a cardboard box. So it appears the box
cremated is not the one provided by the
funeral home.
This type of confusion can be cleared up,
but it takes time, education and, oh yeah,
money. By using the same terminology as the
crematory we avoid these little issues.
3) Direct cremation listing. The Funeral
Rule requires that providers list certain
services, if in fact the provider offers them.
One of those items is direct cremation.
If you offer direct cremation (read below
to see if you do) then you must include a
price range (FTCs wording again!) that
includes a price for the direct cremation if
the consumer provided their own casket or
alternative container and a price for each
direct cremation you offer with an alternative
container.
If you offer several alternative containers,
then you must list a description of each
container and the corresponding price. The
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CREMATION/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
president of U.S.
Columbarium Co.
at Fresh Pond
Crematory, Middle
Village, New York.
He started with the
organization in 1967.
He is a past board
member of the Metro
politan Cemetery
Association and
chairs the MCA Cremation Committee.
He has served as a committee member
of the Metropolitan Funeral Directors
Association since 1979. He has written
numerous articles about the industry and
is involved in the community via Kiwanis
International.
[email protected]
www.freshpondcrematory.com
20
ICCFA Magazine
Above, Fresh
Pond Crematory. Far left,
a baseballthemed niche,
complete with a
ball signed by
Yogi Berra, that
Di Troia set up
as a display to
inspire sales.
Left, the chapel,
with secular
stained glass,
welcoming to
different faiths.
October 2015
21
CREMATION/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
I would recommend working at a cemetery to anyone. You learn about so many things
contracts, public relations, grief, how to deal with people.
Left top, the crematory, columbarium and chapel in the 19th century. Above, a different view of the buildings. Left bottom, a section of the columbarium in 1950.
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Above, Di Troia presides at the memorial service, held in the old chapel. The
centerpiece is a 16-foot tree. Below, a
paper dove placed on the tree in honor
of a deceased pet
during the
ceremony.
Di Troias
wife inspired
him to create a way for
people who
cant attend the service to participate by
making a donation in return for placement on the memorial tree of a dove
with a personal message.
Left, The columbarium offers free use
of its original chapel and columbarium
for groups fundraisers and educational
seminars. Pictured is an event for Kiwanis Eliminate Project, which works to
prevent thousands of babies around the
world from dying of tetanus.
24
ICCFA Magazine
CREMATION/
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
because thats how everybody knows us.
Now when I do my advertising, I say, US
Columbarium at Fresh Pond Crematory.
The organization goes back a very long
time. Our founders started in 1875 with a
cremation society, two years after the Vienna
Exposition where a crematory retort was
displayed. We had a group of businessmen
and doctors and lawyers who wanted to
educate the public about cremation as a
sanitary way to take care of remains.
I believe we were one of the first
cremation societies. We had an office and
worked to promote cremation. Society
members had a card that said something like,
Dont bury me; cremate me.
Then in 1884 they started to build a
crematory. But they didnt stop there. They
found that families wanted to hold services,
and wanted to memorialize their loved ones
after cremation, so in 1894, they built a
chapel, which included a columbarium.
Really, the idea of taking the remains
home and keeping them there was something
you just didnt do. You would bury them or
place them in a niche. Memorialization for
cremated remains used to be more common
than it is today. We need to get back to that.
Back then there werent a bunch of movies
and TV shows where they show people
scattering ashes.
It would be nice if they showed people
putting the remains in a niche, or visiting the
columbarium like they show people visiting
cemeteries.
Anyway, in 1898, we added more
niches, and then in 1904, we built our
second building, which was a stand-alone
columbarium. In 1910, we built a new chapel.
The last major construction was in 1929,
when they enclosed the old chapel.
We have 16,000 niches with 40,000
cremated remains. We have double, triple
nicheseven some that hold six cremated
remains. Some of them are very big.
We have about 200 niches available for
sale. And we have room for more niches.
Even though our buildings are on just onethird of an acre of land, weve got lots of
space to work with. Our ceilings are very
high. We have an empty attic. It doesnt take
very much room to handle cremated remains.
We also have community niches where the
remains go into individual containers but are
placed in one huge space. Its one big space,
but its beautiful. Theres a stained glass
window and the name goes on the stained
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CREMATION/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Above, the main floor of of the columbarium showing the new section, the Hall of Flowers. We are always careful to blend in
the new sections with the old, so as to not to take away from the historic value of our beautiful building. The columbarium,
which dates to the 19th century, seems to be divided into time zones, Di Troia said. For example, theres the Gothic section,
lined with travertine marble and featuring
Gothic-shaped windows and doorways. Some
of the original niches are huge, with high
ceilings, just as elegant old houses have high
ceilings. And theres the more modern section,
with bronze, glass-fronted niches from Matthews. The large round-topped niches are from
the 1800s. Right, one of the glass and bronze
niches in the modern section. Far right, an
angel watches over the infant section.
ICCFA Magazine
CREMATION/
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
a niche, take the remains home, and then
return them when they are ready. They have a
planthats the important thing.
People should also consider that other
family members may want to visit the
remains. If you have them at home, maybe
they dont want to disturb you. Or maybe
they just want to be able to visit privately.
Youre making a statement to the world
when you memorialize someone. Some
people dont need that, and thats fine, but I
think most of us do.
One day a woman came in and said to
me, Thank you very much. I said, What
did I do? You told me not to scatter the
remains right away, to wait and think about
it. And I did, and I decided to memorialize
him, instead. Ive brought my grandson here
to see the memorial, and I want to thank
you. He has a place to visit to remember his
grandfather.
Theres a group called Missing in
America, made up of veterans. If you have
abandoned cremated remains of a veteran,
those remains can be buried free in a veterans
cemetery. This groups mission is to seek out
those abandoned remains of veterans and see
that they get that burial.
We have more than 1,800 abandoned
cremated remains, stretching back over our
long history. Theyre kept together in a room.
The MIA group spent a year researching 500
of the remains and discovered that 43 were of
veterans, including two Civil War veterans.
They had a big ceremony for them. The
urns and a hearse were donated and we
had a police escort all the way out to Long
Island National Cemetery. About 300 people
attended the ceremony; there wasnt a dry eye
in the place.
Have you noticed a change in the
memorialization rate in the years youve
been there?
Its gone up and down. Remember, there
are cemeteries that traditionally didnt really
target the cremation market sector. I think
it will go up as more cemeteries embrace
cremation memorialization.
You do some preneed sales?
Sometimes, yes. Were fortunate people
come in just to see the beautiful building
and the 16,000 niches we have here. We also
advertise.
We dont go out and solicit, but sometimes
families are here for services and they want
to plan for themselves. Im a certified senior
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CREMATION/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
cremations and also maintain the crematory.
a relay button to start it. They were waiting
outside and it was a hot day. Some of the
You have committal services at Fresh Pond?
children asked if they could have water to
Who officiates?
give out and I gave them a couple of gallons.
If the family would like a service before
Those children will remember that they
placing the urn in a niche, we hold a
were part of that service; they gave water
committal service, just as you would for
to Grandma and Grandpa and everyone
a full-body burial. Just because its been
else. Its important to take part, and its not
cremated does not mean its not a human
encouraged, unfortunately.
body. We dont want to forget that, ever.
Funeral directors should encourage the
My staff is trained to always treat remains
family to go to the crematorium just as
with the utmost dignity and respect.
they would go to the cemetery. Its part of
The actual services are handled by clergy:
the journey. But some funeral directors do
Christian priests and ministers, sometimes a
not encourage the family to come to the
rabbibut rarely, monks for the Buddhists.
crematory. They handle everything at the
Of all the ceremonies, I think the Buddhist
funeral home and then the funeral director
one is the most solemn. They have a singing
drops the body off here, and thats it.
bowl, which they ring. It reminds me of
I think the smart ones encourage the
the tolling of a bell. And they chant. Its a
family to comeits in line with their mission
beautiful ceremony, and very interesting.
Fresh Ponds World Trade Center Meto provide the best service they can. We have
Both the crematory and funeral homes sell
morial. It includes a replica of the fallen
a beautiful building, so theres plenty to see.
fireman statue and American flag pins
And I think it helps the grieving process, just urns, right?
representing each American who died.
Yes. But you know what the difference is:
like going to the cemetery does. But people
There are also flag pins representing
When I sell the urn, my first question to the
dont
know
thatyou
have
to
tell
them
that
other countries that lost people that day,
family is, What do you plan to do with the
its better to do these things. Whether you go
as well as pins from the New York City
urn? I dont think a lot of funeral directors
police and fire departments, rescue per- to the cemetery or to the columbarium, its
the completion of the process. The cremation ask that. Some of them do.
sonnel, the Pentagon and Flight 93, the
plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
Based on whether its going to be buried,
is not the completion of the process.
or
placed
in a marble-front niche or a glassHow
large
a
staff
do
you
have?
advisor, and I work with lawyers who handle
front
niche,
or placed inside a casket or
end-of-life matters. I held a seminar here in
We have seven people, a couple of part-timers
sitting
alone
by itself, I can guide them to
the columbarium that was a combination
and some full-timers in the office. We have
appropriate
urns.
There are scattering urns if
of elder law and discussion of cremation
four people doing maintenancethis is a big
they
plan
to
do
that,
but I encourage them to
memorialization. I dont want people to forget building, and there is a lot of maintenance.
have
a
ceremony,
even
if they scatter, and
that planning for memorialization is part of
We have a couple of people to handle
getting your affairs in order.
We have a chapel where people can hold
a committal service before inurnment, and
people attending those services see niches as
they come in. We have families coming in,
not just funeral directors here to drop off the
deceased for cremation.
About 10 percent of our families come
in to view the cremation. We serve quite a
few groups that culturally or religiously are
supposed to view the cremation.
One time I had a family that wasnt
under a religious requirement but stayed all
day. They viewed the cremation and waited
for the remains to be delivered to them. I
was curious, so I asked if theyd had a bad
experience with a crematory before, if there
was a trust issue. They said, No. Mom was
never alone in life, and we did not want her to
be alone in death.
I thought that was a beautiful sentiment.
Ill never forget a Hindu family we served. The chapel, which was recently redone, has beautiful coffer ceilings, plaster molding, wreaths and appliqus on the wall. There are secular stained glass windows
They usually view the cremation, and push
and terrazzo flooring.
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CREMATION/
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to consider memorialization. Weve had
keepsake-sized urns placed in niches.
Some people place things other than the
remains in a niche. Sometimes remains cant
be foundif people are lost at sea, some of
the people killed on 9/11.
Do you have any rules about what you can
put in the niches?
The old ones came with keys and people
could pretty much put whatever they wanted
to inside. But the newer niches are limited
in size, so we have to approve what goes in.
Remember these are glass-front niches, and
we have to protect the rights of those who
have niches nearby.
But we try to be flexible. The family of
a bus driver wanted to honor that, so we put
a little bronze bus on the urn. People want
pictures on the urns. So we do that. If they
want to put a little crystal stone in the niche,
well do that, because it fits. If you buy a
larger niche, you have more latitude about
putting personal objects in it.
How are niche sales going?
Overall, about 4 percent of the cremations we
handle involve a niche sale, which is pretty
good. Ive heard of places with 2 or 3 percent
memorialization rates. Some of those niches
are companion niches that hold two sets of
cremated remains.
The highest memorialization rate Ive heard
of is around 40 percent. Double-digit rates
are not uncommon.
Were at a disadvantage compared to some
states because we cant have combination
funeral-cemetery operations in New York.
Were at a disadvantage because we dont
sit down with the family to make the
arrangements like the funeral directors do.
All we can do is educate.
One thing weve started doing to
encourage memorialization is to hold
memorial services at the columbarium. We
have a memorial tree service and we have
Mothers Day and Fathers Day services.
Im very involved with Kiwanis
International and we have fundraisers for
them here. I have another group called Senior
Umbrella Network, professionals who work
with seniors. I host an event here for them.
Ill do anything I can to educate the public
about whats available.
I thought it was interesting that you
mention on your website that all of you are
experienced at helping people with grief.
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CREMATION/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The crematory
has always had
a viewing area.
Doors adjacent
to the chapel
take you into
a room with a
window overlooking the
retorts so the
family can see
the casket being
placed into the
chamber. Some
people want
to participate
further by pushing a relay button to signal to the crematory operator to light up the
casket. Its important to allow as much participation as families want to have, Di
Troia said, and that varies according to culture.
ICCFA Magazine
CREMATION/
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
world can get tetanus shots.
I like to think of it like the email service
Constant Contact. In this field, we need to
have constant contact with people, especially
if were in the business of cremation
memorialization, because people need to be
educated about it. I wish I had a dollar for
everyone who has walked into this building
and said, I didnt know that I could do this.
Producing a monthly newsletter as
lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis of the
Queens West Division has been a great
learning experience for me. Wowits
grueling. Still, I think I should do one for the
columbarium, maybe quarterly rather than
every month. Its another way to keep in
contact with families.
I have a relationship with a printer
now, and I also can send it out as a PDF
and include an ad that readers can click on
and boom! It takes you right to a video or
wherever else you want people to go. Were
never going to get rid of printed materials, but
I think PDFs are very useful.
Your newsletter cant be mundane; its
got to be creative, its got to pop. Id like
to do a story about the Missing in America
project. Theyre going to research another
500 cremated remains, looking for veterans.
When theyre done, well have another
ceremony.
Who wrote the text on your website?
I did. Is it bad?
Oh, no; I thought it was really good. People
often get canned information from a group
they belong to for FAQs, for example. Your
website has a voice.
I just wrote it from my years of experience.
I thought it was interesting that you list
14 reasons people might want to choose
cremation, and you put cost as reason No.
13. So it sounds like you dont push the
cremation is cheap angle.
No, I dont. And youll see that I repeat
myself. The theme, what youre going to hear
over and over from me is: Memorialization.
What are you going to do with those
remains?
I train my staff that when they talk to
people, they should ask questions to get them
to think about memorialization. The first
thing I ask is, Do you have a niche? Do you
have a plot? And a lot of time people say,
I didnt think about that. We want them to
r
think about it.
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
Blackstone AD
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4-COLOR
October 2015
33
CRE M AT IO N
Larryjr@crematory
manufacturing.com
Stuart is president
of Crematory Manufacturing & Service
Inc. A graduate of
Kent State University,
he is a cremation
coach for the ICCFA.
He is an instructor
34
ICCFA Magazine
Forethought AD
FULL PAGE
page 35
4-COLOR
CREMATION
Although you can test anything for a DNA signature, you will not find one in cremated remains.
The intense heat of cremation destroys DNA, separating carbon, nitrogen and oxygen
from the collagen proteins in the body. This is why it is vital to have an ironclad ID system in place
to ensure the wrong person doesnt get cremated, and that remains are not mislabeled.
in as little as one hour for subsequent
cases.
Will cremation cause pollution?
This is a hard question to answer correctly,
especially if you or the person asking
has driven by a crematory and seen black
smoke and flames billowing out of the
stack. A properly operated and maintained
modern cremator will not cause hazardous
pollution under normal circumstances.
But bodies come in all shapes and
sizes, and cremation equipment can be
challenged by materials that have a higher
rate of combustion than normal muscle
and organ tissue. In other words, different
materials burn faster than others.
Body fat is the most common culprit. It
burns up to 17 times hotter and faster than
muscle and organ tissue, so a body with
a higher percentage of fat could easily be
allowed to burn too fast for the secondary
chamber to keep up.
This is where the modulation comes in.
The system will modulate (think modify,
regulate or adjust) the gas and air (oxygen)
settings depending on what is going on
in the chambers. Sometimes the system
cannot keep up, and the operator has to
step in and manually control it (one reason
your operators need to be well trained).
If all human bodies were the same,
manufacturers could build a unit
specifically designed to cremate a body of
that size and composition, which would
make things much easier. But theyre not,
and the increase in the number of obese
cases means that crematory operators need
to carefully monitor what is happening.
How do I know I will get back the
remains of my loved oneand only my
loved one?
Simply knowing your firms (or your
cremation providers) policy and procedure
with regard to identification and tracking
of remains throughout the process, and
being able to explain that policy and those
procedures will alleviate most peoples
doubts.
If you do not have a written
identification and tracking procedure
36
ICCFA Magazine
CREMATION
be removed prior to the cremation and
returned to the family with the cremated
remains. This best practice will eliminate
the accusations that seem to occur more
and more often in our litigious society.
If your disclosure paperwork notes that
Can family members place personal items all jewelry and other non-combustible
of significance in the casket or container
items will be removed from the casket or
to be cremated with a loved one for a
container and returned to the family before
more personal experience?
the cremation takes place, no one can accuse
you of stealing it when that jewelry is not
Yes and no. Items may be placed in the
casket/container, but they must be removed found in the urn with the cremated remains.
Rest assuredfamilies look in that urn.
prior to the actual cremation, so you must
Consider this scenario: A body is
make that clear to families.
cremated with a ring on by request of
Modern cremation equipment is
the family. After the cremation, the ring
designed to combust only deceased
does not get removed with the cremated
humans and pets and properly designed
remains, having gotten lodged in a corner
containers. Items such as stuffed animals,
of the retort, where it went unnoticed.
picture frames with glass, soda cans and
Four cremations later, that ring becomes
bullets (yes, bullets have been found in
dislodged and is swept out with someone
caskets prior to cremation) not only could
elses remains. This persons loved ones
damage the unit but also could cause
search through the cremated remains and
noxious gasses to be emitted into the
notice the ring. Knowing the deceased
atmosphere, and also could jeopardize the
did not have on jewelry, this family now
safety of the operator.
knows you must have returned the
Jewelry left on a person should always
from page 36
cremated remains are from the deceaseds
bones, a few come from the casket or
container, and even from the refractory
lining of the main chamber.
Crystal Remembrance AD
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October 2015
37
www.insightbooks.com
balmer and trains funeral directors, cemeterians and others as Certified Celebrants who
meet with families to talk about their loved
ones and plan personalized funeral services.
Attend ICCFA Universitys College of 21st Century Services, led by Dean Glenda Stansbury.
ICCFAU 2016 will be held July 22-27 at the University of Memphis Fogelman Executive Center,
Memphis, Tennessee. www.iccfa.com
NEW
Editors note
The ICCFA believes in celebrant training for
funeral directors and cemeterians who wish
to better help families and to be successful in
the 21st century. In addition to articles by Stansbury, ICCFA Magazine runs stories by celebrants
about specific services they put together for families. Contact ICCFA Magazine Managing Editor Susan Loving, [email protected] if you
are a celebrant with a story about a service
that the family involved is willing to let you share
in order to inspire others or if you have any
tips for conducting good celebrant services.
38
ICCFA Magazine
CE L E BR A N T S / C RE M AT IO N
C elebrants / C R E M A T I O N
HOLLAND AD
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October 2015
39
C elebrants / C R E M A T I O N
of the entire population is religiously
unaffiliated. And 36 percent of millen
nialsthe ones who will be making
funeral choices when their baby boomer
parents finally dieare unaffiliated,
uninterested and unimpressed with reli
gious affiliations, trappings or traditions.
These are your next customers.
This is the Google generation who
knows that options and choices are a finger
swipe away. They are not going to take
the standard offerings or the impersonal
packages. If you offer them a rent-aminister or a cookie cutter experience,
theyll most likely walk out and find
someplace that will listen to them. Or go
do it on their own.
Of course there was another flurry
of articles when the report came out
commentary, observations, predictions
and explanations from political, religious
and societal observers as to what this
continuing and increasing decline in
church affiliation might mean.
In any case, the bottom line for funeral
service is, as we continue to say, The
nones are coming, and they are going to
have an effect on your business.
From the 2015 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, courtesy of PEW Research Center
ICCFA Magazine
From the 2014 Annual CANA Cremation Statistics Report 2015 (Courtesy of CANA)
FSI AD
FULL PAGE
page 41
4-COLOR
C elebrants / C R E M A T I O N
He had finally found his words for articulating what a celebrant does. He said, I tell them that they
can have a religious service that may have elements of their loved ones life, or they can have a service
that is completely built on their loved ones life where they can choose to include religious elements.
been created by the proliferation of megachurches. You have the baseball stadium,
10,000-people-in-the-audience version, or
the satellite model, where people gather at
various sites around the country and watch a
senior minister preach on the big screen, or
both.
Most of these ministries have an emphasis
on small groups and finding interpersonal
relationships in those settings. However, for
many people who show up on Sundays and
sit among 2,500+ others, there is a disconnect
about to whom to turn when there is a death
in the family.
So while these people would certainly not
identify themselves as nones, they actually
are just as unaffiliated as nones when it
comes to having an officiant for life events.
I was recently called to serve as a
celebrant for a 48-year-old man who died of
suicide. He had battled depression for five
years and finally made the choice that made
sense to him on that particular day.
Unfortunately, his 17-year-old son was
the one who found him. His wife, son, two
siblings and mother were all devastated and
immobilized by his death.
As they were making arrangements, it was
clear to the funeral director that they needed
a celebrant. This funeral director is one of our
favorites in that he really seeks to meet the
needs of every family and frequently refers
families to celebrants.
He told me recently that he had finally
found his words for articulating what a
celebrant does. He said, I tell them that they
can have a religious service that may have
elements of their loved ones life, or they can
have a service that is completely built on their
loved ones life where they can choose to
include religious elements. Brilliant!
As I was meeting with this sweet, broken
family, hearing stories about a marathon
runner, wonderful father, husband and brother
and successful businessman and how the
puzzle of his depression had overwhelmed
him, his widow told me that she and her
husband had been attending one of the large
mega-churches in our area with a .tv in its
name for the past six months.
She said they were really enjoying their
time there and felt her husband had gotten
a lot out of the sermons. She wanted me to
42
ICCFA Magazine
Wilbert AD
FULL PAGE
page 43
4-COLOR
by ICCFA Magazine
Managing Editor Susan Loving
[email protected]
C E L E BR A N T S
Matt Morris, a
1996 graduate of
Northampton Community Colleges
mortuary science
program,
has been a licensed
funeral director with
Heffner Funeral
Chapels & Crematory
since May 1998. He
serves families from
Heffner locations in Red Lion, York and
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.
In a photo provided by her family, Sharon Weezie McKinsey is shown doing one
of the things she loved best, enjoying a motorcycle ride.
Attend ICCFA Universitys College of 21st Century Services, led by Dean Glenda Stansbury.
ICCFAU 2016 will be held July 22-27 at the University of Memphis Fogelman Executive Center,
Memphis, Tennessee. www.iccfa.com
Editors note
The ICCFA believes in celebrant training for
funeral directors and cemeterians who wish to
better help families and to be successful in the
21st century. In addition to articles by Stansbury,
ICCFA Magazine runs stories by celebrants about
specific services they put together for families.
Contact ICCFA Magazine Managing Editor
Susan Loving, [email protected] if you are a
celebrant with a story about a service that the
family involved is willing to let you share.
44
ICCFA Magazine
Matthews AD
FULL PAGE
page 45
4-COLOR
CELEBRANTS
46
ICCFA Magazine
from page 44
Rick shook hands with her dadand you
know how parents can and do size you up.
He asked Rick, Do you really want to do
this? and Rick said he did. Her father said,
I hope you know what you are in for.
Weezie loved her family and friends. She
loved animals and had once worked for two
veterinarians. She was a good saleswoman,
selling Mary Kay products. She loved to
write.
She was known for going to auctions and
bidding on unusual itemsthings no one
else would think of buyingand she almost
always found a use for them. She loved the
outdoors, and she loved to fish. A fishing
pole was placed by the side of the casket.
At her house there was a big hill and at
the bottom there was a pond or stream, an
area of water that contained fish and they
were her fish. She would go there and walk
in and feed them from her hand and they
would come to her, and only her.
Frey learned that Weezie and her
husband Rick owned a motorcycle shop in
Red Lion, Puss Face Customs, where they
both worked.
She could and did work in the bike shop
with the best of any man and she did a great
job. Award-winning, in fact. Rick said
she collected bikes like some women collect
Tupperware.
The day of the service, Morris was
busy handling all of the details a funeral
director usually takes care of, making sure
everything was running smoothly, that
Weezies motorcycle was safely parked
outside the funeral home. Meanwhile, Frey
was with the family.
Morris started the service, serving
as master of ceremonies. He began by
introducing himself and then listing a
number of events that occurred the year that
Weezie was born:
John F. Kennedy won the presidential
election; Cassius Clay (who later took
the name Muhammad Ali) won his first
professional fight after winning the Gold
Medal in Rome in the Olympic games; the
United States launched the worlds first
nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier, the USS
Enterprise; aluminum cans were used
for the first time; Xerox introduced the
first commercial document reproduction
machine. This was also the year the laser,
heart pacemaker and weather satellite were
invented. The average cost of new house
was $12,700 and the cost of a gallon of gas
to page 48
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Nomis AD
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Ensure-A-Seal AD
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47
CELEBRANTS
Photo by
Paul Kuehnel,
courtesy of
York Daily
record
The funeral
cortege
for Sharon
Weezie
McKinsey
in Red Lion,
Pennsylvania.
from page 46
was 25 cents.
Morris then said Sharon Weezie
McKinseys full name and birth date,
noting that she had profoundly touched the
lives of everyone gathered. He named the
members of her family and then concluded
by introducing Frey.
Frey began by playing the sound of a
motorcycle revving up, speeding up and
fading away. She told those gathered to
celebrate Weezies life that it was the sound
of her riding off into the sunset.
Weezies mother had died a couple of
years earlier. The family had a pillar candle
in a glass with a photo of her mother on it,
and wanted to light it during the service.
Weezies sister and two other family
members came forward to do the honors.
Frey explained why people like to light
a candle in memory of a person who has
died. She said Weezie was now joining her
mother, and the candle would be burning
for both of them.
The lighting of a candle is to remind us
of those that have passed and for Weezies
passing. We will have it burning through the
service today.
At the end of the service, family
members again came forward and extin
guished the flame.
One of Weezies granddaughters sang
Amazing Grace. Her daughter and other
family members shared memories of
Weezie during the service.
Freys takeaway for this service,
a small item celebrants select to give
48
ICCFA Magazine
CELEBRANTS
from page 48
She always asks families, How spiritual
do you want this to be? If they want some
scripture read, shell ask if the deceased
had a favorite passage or if they would like
her to choose something. She might add
something in addition to what the family
has chosen.
The celebrant and funeral director must
work closely together. I give the funeral
director a list of the songs Ive chosen, and
an outline of what Im doing, so that the
music gets played at the right time during
the service, Frey said. The guys and
gals here are so good about coordinating
everything and working together as a team.
Morris said that before the service, when
the celebrant is socializing with the family
while he is attending to details, I find that
sometimes family members will give the
celebrant last-minute instructions which
she then passes on to him.
Its nice to see that families feel
comfortable enough to ask the funeral homes
celebrant service-related questions, which I
have not seen them do of an outside pastor.
I think it shows the strength of the bond that
forms between the celebrant and the family.
Heffners received a number of
compliments from family members about
the conduct and uniqueness of McKinseys
service, Morris said. Our general
feedback with a celebrant service is very
complimentary. I notice that we generally
get more feedback on a celebrant service
than a non-celebrant service.
Since hes started offering families
the services of a celebrant, hes met with
a number of families who would have
Publicity
Omneo AD
1/3 H
4-COLOR
October 2015
49
by Glenn H. Gould
ggould@
mkjmarketing.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Gould is CEO
of MKJ Marketing,
Largo, Florida, which
helps funeral homes
and industry vendors
establish marketing and
advertising plans and
conduct market research.
www.mkjmarketing.com
M A N A GE M E N T
50
ICCFA Magazine
MANAGEMENT
But the greatest challenge for all of us in the death-care industry is that
we are so heavily invested in the present business model that
a radical re-make of the business from within is nearly impossible.
country club.
Unfortunately, most if not all of these
suggestions violate the state laws and rules
that govern funeral homes. Unfortunately,
they dont violate the laws that govern
hotels, restaurants, banquet halls and
country clubs (except for the plastic bag
concept).
What if Americans love affair with
fast food hamburgers is entering a period
of decline? It could happen. After all, the
current generation of people in their 20s
and early 30s are better educated than any
previous generation, and thus more health
conscious.
Millennials consider a coffee at
Starbucks cool. In fact, many of them
even college graduatesseek employment
at Starbucks but would never consider
working at a fast food hamburger franchise.
That same college graduate is more
likely to become a barista than a funeral
director. After all, telling stories about
Starbuckscustomers at parties is a lot
cooler than talking about funeral directing.
It will be interesting to watch
Easterbrooks efforts over the next five
years as he wrestles with challenges not
unlike our own. What could happen, as it
has in funeral service, is a continuous round
of acquisitions as the fast food businesses
consolidate.
Look for Chick-fil-a to grow quickly by
Conclusion
AFCTS AD
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October 2015
51
by Linda Darby-Dowers
[email protected]
CE M E T E RIE S / CO M M UN IT Y O UT RE A CH
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Linda DarbyDowers is CEO
of Trigard, Trigard
Memorials, a
memorial park and
seven funeral homes
in Illinois, Indiana
and Arizona. Her family has been in the
funeral industry for four generations,
helping families remember, celebrate and
heal.
www.trigard.com
Enjoying Sunset Memorial Park, Danville, Illinois, owned by the Darby family.
52
ICCFA Magazine
This memorial in
Key West, Florida, says Thomas
Romer was born
in Nassau in 1783
and died in Key
West in 1891, and
was a privateer
during the War of
1812 and a good
citizen for 85
years. Cemeteries can provide a
history lesson.
Passages AD
FULL PAGE
page 53
4-COLOR
CEMETERIES/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Above left, beautiful grounds and sculpture at Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky. Many cemeteries are outdoor museums as well as parks. Above right, a veterans memorial at Sunset Memorial Park, Danville, Illinois, owned by the Darby family.
To share memories
ICCFA Magazine
by Donald Samick
lambstudios
@optonline.net
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Samick is owner
and president of
J&R Lamb Studios,
Midland Park, New
Jersey. He has
designed the interiors
of churches and synagogues for 51 years.
www.lambstudios.com
A columbarium wall at St. James Church, Long Beach, New York, surrounds
nature. Steps through the 35-foot diameter wall allow visitors to enjoy the plants
inside. Design by J&R Lamb Studios.
56
ICCFA Magazine
Merendino AD
FULL PAGE
page 57
4-COLOR
ICCFA Magazine
Trigard AD
FULL PAGE
page 61
4-COLOR
of historical collections
at Mount Auburn
Cemetery, Cambridge,
Massachusetts,
overseeing the cemeterys
permanent collections,
including the archives,
library, photographs, fine
and decorative arts, stained glass and the
significant monument collection. Prior to
joining the Mount Auburn staff in 1995, she
was an art gallery director in New York.
C E M E T E RY P RE S E RVAT IO N
Banta is consulting
curator in the historical
collections department
at Mount Auburn
Cemetery. Her writings,
including publications on
Mount Auburns AfricanAmerican heritage trail
and significant monument
collection, explore the history of the
cemetery through the historical collections
holdings of correspondence, institutional
records, photographs, prints, maps and fine
art. She also holds a curatorial position at
Harvard University.
www.mountauburn.org
Reimagining the
cemetery as museum
Lessons from IMLS collections
stewardship grants
Join us at Mount Auburn Cemetery
in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
on Thursday, November 12,
for a one-day program on new
strategies for managing and
interpreting outdoor collections in
cemeteries and historic landscapes.
Sessions include planning, prioritizing,
fundraising and connecting with the
public. The program will also include a
conservation case study and a walking
tour of Mount Auburns significant
monuments in the landscape.
Register at www.mountauburn.org
Free admission; space is limited
This project is
made possible by
a grant from the
U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services
Grant number: MA-30-13-0533-13
62
ICCFA Magazine
ount Auburn
Cemetery has
completed the
conservation of the Binney
monument, a 19th-century
marble memorial carved by
Thomas Crawford in 1847.
It is the only monument at
Mount Auburn that has been
designated an American
Treasure by the National
Trust for Historic Preservation
and the White House
Millennium Committee.
It is without question, one
of the finest and most important
funerary monuments in the
United States, said Lauretta
Dimmick, former assistant
curator of American decorative
arts and sculpture at the Boston
Museum of Fine Arts.
Because it is Crawfords
only realized funerary
CEMETERY PRESERVATION
integrity of the nationally significant work
of funerary art was lost.
ICCFA Magazine
CEMETERY PRESERVATION
from page 64
Landscaping
Funeral Call AD
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October 2015
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C E M E T E RY P RE S E RVAT IO N
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212
direct line: 703.391.8401
Robert M. Fells is
ICCFA executive director and general counsel,
responsible for maintaining and improving relationships with
federal and state government agencies,
the news media, consumer organizations
and related trade associations.
66
ICCFA Magazine
George Arliss memorial does not mention his Academy Award or other details
of his movie career.
SRS AD
FULL PAGE
page 67
4-COLOR
CEMETERY PRESERVATION
Florence and George Arliss in the Technicolor finale of The House of Rothschild (1934), one of the few films ever
made dealing with antisemitism.
The gravesite of George Arliss and his wife. Funds are needed to restore it.
ICCFA Magazine
US Metalcraft AD
FULL PAGE
page 69
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ICCFA Magazine
P RO FE S S IO N A L DE V E L O P M E N T
The Foresight AD
FULL PAGE
page 71
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ICCFA Magazine
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
and arguing that they end up antagonizing
client families or potential clients, the
people who make their paychecks possible.
No matter what your role in the funeral
home or cemetery may be, listen attentively
and strive to distance yourself from
negativity and arguing. Show consideration
for the other persons point of view. Show
that you are open-minded, willing to learn
and interested in listening. It is a winning
way.
Say things in a way that does not
suggest you are forcing your point of view
on your listener, simply offering thoughts
for consideration. In the end no one
absolutely no onegets his or her way all
the time and in everything.
When you have finished talking, let it
be with an air of pleasant finality. Calmly
present your facts, then let the other person
act accordingly. If he or she still persists in
wanting to argue, say nothing. You cannot
argue with silence, and no one ever got into
trouble by keeping still.
I had a great-uncle, Henry A. Van Beck,
who refused to argue and really did win the
goodwill of many customers who wanted
Triple H AD
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October 2015
73
Supply Line
READERS: To find the products and services you need online, go to www.iccfa.com
and select directory to find:
Supply Link Search
Engine, the fastest way
to find the products and
services you need at your
funeral home, cemetery or
crematory.
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes and
other news to [email protected]
for inclusion in Supply Line. Large files that
will not go through the ICCFA server can be
sent to [email protected].
74
ICCFA Magazine
n Clear view caskets, Doral, Florida, has introduced clear rental caskets. The
caskets are designed and manufactured individually by hand in
Miami, Florida,
using transparent
Lucite sheets in
the main body.
The base is made
of marine-grade,
high-density polyethylene material, which is elegant and lightweight.
Caskets are embellished with various types
of bronze, metal or plastic hardware pieces,
as customers request. Caskets are available
in adult, oversized and youth/child sizes.
Options include a variety of interior colors
and the choice of any hardware shown on
the companys website. All adult caskets can
handle up to 270 pounds, with the exception
of the oversized caskets, designed by special
order.
Four collections are available, including
the Farewell collection, the only burial casket.
Its interior dimensions are 24 by 79 by 15
inches; exterior dimensions are 28 by 83 by
23 inches. The Heavenly, Celebration of Life
and Angels collections are all rental caskets.
All adult rental caskets come with a foot-end
drop-down to facilitate removal of the body
for cremation. The Heavenly Collection
includes four inserts and a choice of hardware
and interior colors.
The top-of-the-line Celebration of Life
casket includes LED lights installed within
the base structure. The lights, which navigate
through 10 different colors, can be set to run
automatically or be remote controlled. For an
additional fee, LED lights can be installed in
caskets from the other collections.
The Angels Collection, for children and
young adults, is available in various sizes,
between 2-and-a-half feet to 5-and-a-half feet
long, with a choice of hardware and interior.
305.699.7410; www.clearviewcaskets.com
n new england Cremation supply, Rochester, New Hampshire, has introduced a new economy oversized cremation
tray. The Economy Oversize 2 Pack is lighter,
produces less ash, is more economical and
saves space in comparison with wood-bottom
oversized trays.
1.800.664.8365; www.necremation.com
n LIVE OAK BANK, Wilmington, North
Carolina, has added a new division, Live
Oak Trust, to offer funeral and cemetery
trust services. With a focus on funeral and
cemetery clients, Live Oak Trust is committed to the administration of preneed funeral,
cemetery merchandise and services and
perpetual care cemetery trust funds. Live
Oak Trust is comprised of a team of professionals with over 200 years combined trust
experience who understand the funeral and
cemetery industry. Live Oak provides trust
services in 18 states.
1.877.890.5867; www.liveoakbank.com
n THe Foresight companies,
Phoenix, Arizona, has hired Christopher L.
Farmer as a financial and business conultant. At the same time as Farmer is starting
to work with Foresight, he is also starting
his own law firm, The Farmer Firm, and is
focused on serving the legal needs of small
and mid-sized businesses in the funeral
service industry.
After graduating from the University of
Houston law school, Farmer had private
practice for several years, and then worked
for Service Corporation International,
Houston, Texas, handing its litigation. After
leaving SCI to return to private practice, he
served as general counsel for the Cremation
Association of North America and the Texas
Funeral Directors Association. He then
worked briefly for Carriage Services. He can
be reached for financial and business management consulting via his Foresight office at
602.274.6464.
1.800.426.0165; [email protected];
www.f4sight.com
713.367.1013; www.thefarmerfirm.com
n The board of directors of
Bass-Mollett publishers, Greenville, Illinois,
has named Daniel J. Sheehan
as company president. John
C. Flowers, who had been
serving as both president
and CEO, will continue to
serve as CEO. Sheehan has
Sheehan
management experience with
Whirlpool Corp., Lane Furniture and SVP
Worldwide, and has a background in sales,
marketing and merchandising.
www.bass-mollett.com
n Funeral Directors Life INsurance Co., Abilene, Texas, was recently
recognized by Great Place to Work and
Fortune Magazine as one of the 10 Best
Workplaces in Insurance. This ranking
comes from an anonymous survey of more
than 86,000 employees in the insurance
industry administered by the workplace culture experts at Great Place to Work. FDLIC
was ranked as the No. 2 best workplace in
insurance for 2015. This honor is in addition to being recognized earlier this year in
a national list of the top 75 best places to
work for millennials, and as the No. 2 best
company to work for in Texas for 2015 in the
medium-sized employer category.
www.funeraldirectorslife.com
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Great Western AD
FULL PAGE
page 75
4-COLOR
S U P P LY L I N E
Passages
new
cornstarch
urns,
which
can
be engraved.
ICCFA Magazine
Paradise Pics AD
FULL PAGE
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S U P P LY L I N E
FrontRunners new
technology
center,
where
workshops
are now
being held.
n FRONTRUNNER PROFESSIONAL,
Kingston, Ontario, has concluded an exclusive partnership with UK-based Heart in
Diamond. Heart in Diamond manufactures
diamonds, available in a variety of colors and
cuts, from the carbon in cremated remains.
Also, the company has launched its hardbound Book of Memories memorial book,
which takes the guestbook signing, shared
memories, condolences, photos and other
online tributes in the online Book of Memories memorial and collects them in a printed
book. The books have a patented slip-spine
book to allow the family to add or replace
pages while maintaining the look of a professional bound table-top book.
Also, FrontRunner has announced the
workshop schedule for its brand new technology center. Regularly scheduled sessions
will be held twice per month for FrontRunner
clients, and those interested in learning more
about FrontRunner technology. The schedule
of events is available on the firms website.
1.866.748.3625; www.FrontRunner360.com
n Astral INDUSTRIES, Lynn, Indiana,
recently welcomed the 2015 summer class
and staff from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science. The students were taken
on a detailed tour of Astrals manufacturing
facility and also participated in an educational
seminar at the corporate office.
1.800.278.7252; [email protected];
www.astralindustries.com
Cincinnati
College of
Mortuary
Science
students
with Astral
employees
during a
visit to Astrals
manufacturing
facility.
78
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S U P P LY L I N E
Above left, James Jefferson, Southside Grave and Vault, this years recipient of the
Trigard Large Business Division Highest Growth Percentage Award. Above right,
Ethan Darby, Trigards director of business development; Lillie Bates-Toler, Lakenia
Bates-Downs, Oliver Bates and Lisa Bates, Bates Vault and Services, recipients of
the Trigard Small Business Division Outstanding Growth Percentage Award; and
Lindsey Murphy, Sunset Funeral Homes director of marketing.
ICCFA Magazine
S U P P LY L I N E
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81
Update
Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to [email protected]. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to [email protected] or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.
The first students to receive Insight Institute celebrant designations via training by the
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science with their teachers and Kathy Burns, the Insight
Institutes mortuary college celebrant program coordinator.
to page 84
ICCFA Magazine
The interns will be taught by Robert Cappiello, resident craftsman at The Woodlawn
Cemetery, a position specifically created
for this program with the help of IMI. All
participants will learn about the different
stones used in the cemetery, from granites
and limestone to all the different types of
marble, and how to analyze each stone and
the best methods of cleaning and repairing
them. In addition, they will attend classes
about historic preservation, as well as safety
procedures, conducted by IMI.
All participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate
from IMI and WMF.
The program is supported with funds from
World Monuments Fund and the Heckscher
Foundation for Children.
r
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
UPDATE
In memoriam
Gordon R. Ewig, CCE
At a meeting of the Toppers, a group of sales high achievers, seated from left, Gordon
Ewig, CCE; Herschel and Ruth Auerbach; David Brownworth; and Hugh Keatley. Standing from left, Robert Nuckolls, CCE; Dan Reed, CCE; Fred Newman, CCE; Mike Shipley,
CCE; Bob Neel, CCFE; Jim March Sr.; and Hap Bledsoe, CCE.
legal documents from Crown Hill in Indianapolis for me to use as a template to set
up our funeral company and corporation,
recalled Cypress Lawn President and CEO
Ken Varner, CCFE, also a former ICCFA
president. When I set that up I asked him
to be on the Cypress Funeral Services Inc.
board. He served from 1997 to 2013.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia, a
son and daughter, four grandchildren and
two great-grandchildren. Arrangements
were handled by Cabot & Sons, Pasadena,
California.
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The Calvary Cemetery Columbarium in Queens, New York, features 1,488 total companion niches. The columbarium provides new memorial space in a 167-year-old cemetery.
UPDATE
from page 82
10 cemeteries in four states.
n Pierce Mortuary Colleges has hired Antonio
C. Wallace as president of
Gupton-Jones College of Funeral
Service, Decatur, Georgia.
Wallace has more than 20
years of experience in higher
Wallace
84
ICCFA Magazine
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October 2015
85
UPDATE
home. The funeral homes combined
recipient to sit for the NBE with
perform approximately 545 funeral
the $500 examination fee waived.
services per year and the cemetery
The 2015 recipients are: Chevarres
performs approximately 400 interBrown, Mississippi Gulf Coast
ments per year. The aggregate purchase
Community College; Anne Christ,
price for the combined properties was
University of Minnesota: Daniel
$6.6 million.
Hensley, Community College of
Baltimore County; Garrett D. Holn The International Conland, Fayetteville Technical Comference of Funeral Sermunity College; Tricia Lawrence, St.
vice Examining Boards, FayPetersburg College; Robert S. Lewis,
The Conference Executive Committee, from left, Past
etteville, Arkansas, recently elected
Lake
Washington Technical College;
President
Bart
Burton;
Vice
President
A.R.
Sandy
Mathe following officers for 2015-2016:
Kendra
Oliver, University of Arkanhon;
President
Dr.
Hari
P.
Close
II,
CFSP;
and
SecretaryPresident Dr. Hari P. Close II, CFSP;
sas Community College at Hope;
Vice President A.R. Sandy Mahon; Treasurer Edward Muhleisen.
Erwin H. Shea III, John A. Gupton
and Secretary-Treasurer Edward
Examination Scholarship. Each ABFSE- College; Shantasky Washington, San AntoMuhleisen.
accredited program was invited to submit
nio College; and Carrie Yarbrough, Dallas
The Conference board also selected
one candidate; winners were selected
Institute of Funeral Service.
10 recipients of the National Board
at random. The scholarship allows each
to page 88
86
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87
Above, the two geothermal-solar columbaria at York Cemetery in Toronto, Ontario. Below, the interior of the new columbarium.
UPDATE
from page 86
n Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care
Inc., Rockville, Maryland, has begun
offering monument design services. With
this newest offering, Sagel Bloomfield
becomes the first funeral home in the area
to offer such services for any and all area
cemeteries. Their services cover design of
88
ICCFA Magazine
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89
by Johnny Phillips
UPDATE
from page 88
n The LOusiana Funeral Directors Association recently installed
its 2015-2016 officers and directors: President William Wimberly, Ardoins Funeral
Home, Eunice; Vice-President Kyle Deichmann, New Orleans Care and Cremation
Center, New Orleans; Treasurer Timothy
90
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easier way
theres an
www.iccfasupplylink.com
October 2015
91
from page 90
UPDATE
n Centennial Park,
Adelaide, South Australia, hosted
a resident artist as part of the
2015 South Australian Living
Artists (SALA) Festival. Ruth
Gregor, a talented sculptor from
Venus Bay in the Eyre Peninsula
was in residence at the cemetery for several
weeks.
Gregor conducted an interactive sculpture exhibition, where members of the public had the opportunity to see her, over the
course of several weeks, create a life-sized
sculptural piece onsite at the cemetery.
92
ICCFA Magazine
UPDATE
from page 92
n Calvary Cemetery, Fond du Lac,
Wisconsin, has added five additional glassfront niche units to its Chapel of the Risen
Christ Mausoleum. The first phases of the
project involved inserting glass-fronted niche
inlays within the chapel walls. To reinforce
the theme of sacred space, the niche fronts
were designed in a cross motif combining
clear and opaque colored glass. We liked
the cross design so much that we decided to
continue using it as we began adding new
glass-fronted niche units for the mausoleum
expansion, said Calvary Cemetery & Mausoleum General Manager Judine Lange. Five
new units 8 feet high, totalling 200 single- or
double-sized niches, were installed. Each
niche unit matches the cross motif design of
the original sets installed in the chapel. The
niches were designed and installed by LP
Bronze International, Toronto, Ontario.
n The International Order of
the GOlden Rule, Austin, Texas, recently installed its 2015-2016 board: President William Brock Jr., Vanderplaat Funeral
Home, Wyckoff, New Jersey; President-Elect
Peter Skip Urban, Anton B. Urban Funeral
Home, Ambler, Pennsylvania; and Secretary-
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IC CFA N E W S : IC CFA UN IV E RS IT Y
This years ICCFA University included students and teachers from at least 32 states; four
Canadian provinces; and Brazil, Columbia, Curaao and Guatemala.
Many organizations provide scholarships to ICCFA University, including the ICCFA Educational Foundation and many state associations. (See this years scholarship winners on page
98.) Start your research now and apply for a scholarship to help you take advantage of the
best educational experience in the funeral, cemetery and cremation business, ICCFAU 2016,
July 22-27, at the University of Memphis Fogelman Executive Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
ICCFAU 2015 graduates with Chancellor Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE, and ICCFA President Darin Drabing. Front row, from left,
Daniel Diver, Woodside Cemetery & Arboretum, Middletown, Ohio; David Kelley, Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, Ohio; Brent Dotson, Dotson Funeral Home, Maryville, Tennessee; Brent Barnes, Greenlawn Funeral Home, Springfield,
Missouri; Bruce Hultquist, Redemptorist Cemeteries, Dundalk, Maryland; Daniel Thomas, Forest Lawn Mortuary, Glendale,
California; Jason Diemer, Greenlawn Funeral Home, Springfield, Missouri; (back row, from left) Kidwiler; Stan Engh, Memorial Estates, Sandy, Utah; Hilda Carabes, Forest Lawn Mortuary, Glendale, California; Clay Adams, Greenlawn Funeral Home,
Springfield, Missouri; Linda Cotten, Greenleaf Memorial Park, New Bern, North Carolina; Heather Barney, Memorial Estates,
Sandy, Utah; Nathan Romangnola, White Haven Memorial Parks, Pittsford, New York; Maria Estes, Rest Haven Funeral Home,
Rockwall, Texas; Cory Burke, Greenlawn Funeral Home, Springfield, Missouri; Karen Webb, Forest Lawn Mortuary, Glendale,
California; Phil Alderks, Lake Forest Cemetery, Lake Forest, Illinois; and Drabing.
Valedictory speech
94
ICCFA Magazine
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95
ICCFA NE W S : ICCFA UN IV E RS IT Y
Above left, doing some networking are (from left) Jessica Summers, Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Panama City, Florida;
Julie Keller, French-Sunset Memorial Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Deann Felix-Mountain and Dagny Fitpatrick, both of
Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Above right, the International Studies classroom.
96
ICCFA Magazine
ICCFA NE W S : IC CFA UN IV E RS IT Y
The first College of International Studies. Dean Jim Hammond is on the front row, far right, holding the sign.
The College of Funeral Home Management. Dean Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE, is in the back row, far left.
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
October 2015
97
ICCFA NE W S : ICCFA UN IV E RS IT Y
The College of
21st Century
Services, with
Dean Glenda
Stansbury, CC,
CFSP, in the
front row, far
left, and her cocelebrant trainer
Doug Manning
in the back row,
far left People
who complete
this college
earn celebrant
certification
during the training.
The College of Land Management & Grounds Operation. Dean Gino Merendino is in the front row, far left.
ICCFA Magazine
Worsham AD
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ICCFA NE W S : ICCFA UN IV E RS IT Y
International attendees
included (front row, from
left) Marie-Anne Michaud,
Eric Laberge and Tomasz
Hlywa, Yves Lgar Funeral Home, Laval, Quebec; IanMerritt, Riverside
Cemetery & Crematorium, Lindsay, Ontario;
Cameron Webber, City
of Whitehorse, Yukon;
Gisela Dardengo Adissi,
SINCEP, So Paulo, Brazil;
Juan Tavera, Funeraria La
Espeanza S.A., Medillin,
Colombia; (back row, from
left) ICCFA President Darin
Drabing; Lorraine Piller,
Town of Olds, Alberta;
Sylvia Wilson-Clarke,
El Tibuto, Curaao, Netherland Antilles; David
Coronado, Los Parques,
Guatemala City, Guatemala; Mirnamila Bakuis, El Tibuto, Curaao, Netherland Antilles; Patricia Aguilar, Los Parques, Guatemala City, Guatemala;
ICCFAU Chancellor Jeff Kidwiler, CSE, CCE.
The College of Administration and Management. Dean Gary Freytag, CCFE, is sitting in front.
100
ICCFA Magazine
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FULL PAGE
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ICCFA N E W S : ICCFA UN IV E RS IT Y
Many
students
receive
scholarships to
attend
ICCFAU,
either
through
the ICCFA
Educational
Foundation
or a state
or regional
association. Check
in 2016 for
scholarship
applications
for next years ICCFAU. Front row, from left, Cameron Webber, City of Whitehorse, Yukon (Funeral Service Association of British
Columbia scholarship); Mike Franko, Green Hills Mortuary, Rancho Palos Verde, California (Education Foundation scholarship made
possible by National Guardian Life Insurance Co.); Randy Wegner, City of Brighton, Colorado (Colorado Association of Cemeteries scholarship); Brent Dotson, Dotson Funeral Home, Maryville, Tennessee (Education Foundation scholarship made possible
by Eagles Wings Air); Jason Keblish, Granite City Steel, Royston, Georgia (Next Generation Armed Forces Veteran scholarship,
made possible by Merendino Cemetery Care); Craig Stires, Daayne Spence Funeral Home, Canal Winchester, Ohio (Education Foundation scholarship made possible by National Guardian Life Insurance Co.); and Heather Leigh, Greenhaven Memorial Gardens,
Elgin, South Carolina (Education Foundation scholarship made possible by Live Oak Bank). Back row, from left: ICCFA President
Darin Drabing; Jacquelyn Poirier, Forest Hill Cemetery, Fitchburg, Massachusetts (Education Foundation scholarship made possible by Matthews International); Lorraine Piller, Town of Olds, Alberta, Canada (Education Foundation scholarship made possible
by Regions Bank); Mike Sanchez, Green Hills Mortuary, Rancho Palos Verde, California (Education Foundation scholarship);
Cynthia Hulsey, Bulloch Memorial Gardens, Statesboro, Georgia (Southern Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association scholarship); Becky Zoch, City of Evansville Cemeteries, Evansville, Indiana (Next Generation Committee scholarship); Tamala Randolph,
StoneMor Partners, a scholarship recipient last year; and ICCFAU Chancellor Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE. Not pictured: Kerry Boshers, Williams Funeral Home & Crematory, Columbia, Tennessee (Education Foundation scholarship made possible by Batesville);
Audrey Hoffman, Columbia Wilbert Vault, Caycee, South Carolina (Education Foundation scholarship made possible by the Memorial
Classic Golf Tournament); Delana Pratt, Forethought Life Insurance Co., Batesville, Indiana (Next Generation Committee scholarship);
Christopher Stanley, Ponders Funeral Home, Dalton, Georgia (Education Foundation scholarship); Jessica Summers, Kent Forest
Lawn Funeral Home, Panama City, Florida (Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association); Lisa Vaeth, Association of Jewish
Cemeteries, West Hartford, Connecticut (Next Generation Committee scholarship made possible by Regions Bank).
from page 94
you to come and learn.
Second, we challenge you not be be
content. Our class is filled with people
who started in entry-level positions then
blossomed to become managers, general
managers, vice presidents and presidents.
Knowledge, hard work and dedication will
move many of you into great positions in our
industry.
This challenge to improve is not just
for you, but for those you work with. Your
knowledge needs to be shared with others;
your knowledge needs to go back home.
Share your ideas and make changes. Changes
dont have to be largeeven small changes
improve an organization. Many of you are
leaders at your places of employment, and
we challenge you to encourage your fellow
employees to attend ICCFA University.
I commend Green Lawn Funeral Home
in Springfield, Missouri, for having four
102
ICCFA Magazine
I C C FA N E W S
KIP
Best in Personalization
2015 KIP
applications
available;
Award submission
ears deadline
y
5
1
g
n
ti
Celebra
November 30
Matthews Cremation AD
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103
I C C FA N E W S
KEN BLANCHARD
The Secret
JOHN BESH
ICCFA Magazine
RYAN ESTIS
JEANNINE ENGLISH
Health, Wealth & Self
President, AARP
The AARP declares their three tenets for
growing older with positivity as health, wealth
and self. Most applicable to our profession is
that these concepts can easily empower people
to take control of their end-of-life decisions, too.
For health, they say we need to begin to focus on preventing
disease and improving well-being instead of just treating
ailments. We need to help people feel empowered to become
active partners in their health care instead of being dependent
patients.
Wealth means having financial resilience and demonstrating
that an active, engaged, employed older population has the
potential to be more of an economic boom than a social
challengethat the growing number of older people is not a drain
on society, but a key driver of economic growth, innovation and
new value creation.
For self, we must change the conversation from aging as
decline to aging as continuous growth. We must help people
go from feeling useless to having a deep sense of purpose and
positive self-image. This also includes pre-planning their final
arrangements.
Jeannine English will discuss these ideas and tie them in
with how they applyand what AARP advocatesin regards to
preneed planning, hospice, funeral services and final disposition.
Keep up to date on everything to do with the 2016 ICCFA
Annual Convention. Visit www.iccfaconvention.com.
q
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
I C C FA N E W S
o Independent
o Funeral home
o Cemetery
o Crematory
o Combo
o 13-20
o 21-30
o 31+
o 101-150
o 151-200
o 201+
o 2
o 3-5
o 6-8
o 9-12
o 5-10
o 11-20
o 21-30
o 31-50
o 51-100
o 50-100 o 101-150
o 151-200
o 201-300
What are the top three (3) issues facing your business today?
1.
2.
3.
How effective is ICCFA at performing each of the following?
(Rate with 0 being not at all effective and 10 being extremely
effective)
Maintaining and promoting ethics and standards:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Providing guidelines that support quality operations:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Influencing federal legislation/regulations:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Promoting positive public awareness of the profession:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Representing the profession within the media:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Conducting research on significant issues affecting the
profession:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Gathering, analyzing and publishing data on trends relating to
the profession:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
o 301-400 o 401-500
o 501-600
o 601-700
o 700+
105
I C C FA N E W S
Please rank the following ICCFA services.
(Rate with 0 being the worst in the industry and 10 being the best)
ICCFA University
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Value of membership
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ICCFA Magazine
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Website
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
o No
PLPA College
ICCFA University
Cremation Certification
Member Webinars
Celebrant Training
What member benefits have you used from the list below?
Music Licensing
Funeral Service Credit Union
Freight Savings Plan
Payment Acceptance Program
ICCFA Magazine
ICCFA Wireless e-newsletter
CCFA Website Materials
Buyers Guide & Membership Directory
Discounts on goods & services from other ICCFA members
Certification Programs (i.e., CCE, CCrE, CSE.,etc.)
Are there any benefits you would like to see added that ICCFA is not already providing? Please list them below:
o Text
o Email
o Regular mail
o Phone
o Fax
o Somewhat satisfied
o Neutral
o Somewhat dissatisfied
o Very dissatisfied
ICCFA Magazine
Company:
Email:
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
U N I T E D BY S A L E S
2016 SALES
OLYMPICS
LAS VEGAS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13
4 to 5:30 p.m.
Fireside Chat with
Gary OSullivan &
David Wharmby
Gary OSullivan, CCFE,
returns to hold another of his
famous fireside chats, only
this year, he is joined by
cemetery sales legend David
Wharmby, CCE. OSullivan
brings his mix of humor and
straight talk, while Wharmby
will draw upon his 40+ years of personal
experience and use more of a storytelling
method to give his advice to nearly any
question you may have. Together, they are
ready to mentor, encourage and motivate
salespeople not only to be the best in our
profession, but to achieve all we can as
individuals.
5:30 to 7 p.m.: Welcome Reception
Meet sales colleagues from around
the world while enjoying heavy hors
doeuvres and beverages.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14
8 to 8:30 a.m.
Opening Ceremonies
Nicki Wiedeman, CSE, Brad Palmer and
Nick Timpe
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
ICCFAs
WIDE WORLD OF
SALES CONFERENCE
The worlds largest sales & marketing
conference for end-of-life professionals
8:30 to 10 a.m.
KEYNOTE: Selling at
90 Below Zero
Antarctic Mike Pierce
Antarctic Mike has a
20-year track record
of success in sales,
recruitment and business
operations. An expedition to Antarctica
changed his life and his perspective.
He says the experiences of explorers
in Antarctica very much reflect todays
business climate. Hes learned a lot about
himself and about business from his
adventures.
107
ICCFA Magazine
2:15 to 3 p.m.
Working Leads with
Technology
Mike Regina, Funeral
Decisions
Imagine that a brand-new,
shiny lead was just handed
to you. What are you doing with that
lead? If your answer could be confused
with an answer given in 1992 (or hasnt
changed since), then you might be in
trouble. Never before in history has the
sales process changed as dramatically
as it has in the past 10 years. Todays
consumers now have more information
available to them than ever before. To
keep up, high-performance sales teams
are also leveraging technology to gain
deeper insight into each lead they touch
and to help speed up the sales cycle.
From the time you get the lead through
the presentation stage, Regina will cover
some of the most useful software solutions
advanced sales people are utilizing in
the most competitive industries. Hell
also show how these tools can be applied
to your sales process starting today,
regardless of whether you are tech savvy
or a novice.
Mike Reginas family has been in the
cemetery business for more than 60
years. He holds a bachelor of science
in information systems and an MBA in
online marketing. He has seven years of
experience in death care lead generation,
email marketing and the sales process.
Funeral Decisions specializes in funeral
home and cemetery sales/marketing
software solutions.
3 to 3:15 p.m.: Break
3:15 to 4 p.m.
Flowchart for
Family Service
Christine Toson Hentges,
CCE, The Tribute Companies
Often family service
counselors focus too much on whats
immediately in front of them for sales
opportunities and forget to follow the
processes necessary to make family
service the most effective lead source
4 to 4:30 p.m.
Getting That Referral
Linda Jankowski, CCE,
Midwest Memorial Group
The #1 way to gain new sales
is through referrals. So, if
thats the case, why do you hesitate to ask
for them? Is it fear? Have you never been
shown how? Do you forget to ask? Do you
believe that you havent earned the right
to ask? In this session, you will learn the
beliefs, facts and statistics about referrals.
You will go home with three key skills
that you can execute immediately to gain
consistent referrals in your daily business.
Linda Jankowski is area sales director
for Midwest Memorial Group. She
is a member of the ICCFA Sales &
Marketing Committee and served as
program co-chair of the Wide World of
Sales Conference in 2010. Previously
she worked with Mount Elliott Cemetery
Association in Detroit, Michigan.
Management Breakouts
1:30 to 2:15 p.m.
Killer Ways to Dominate Social Media
Ryan Thogmartin, DISRUPT Media
Are your customers really using social
media and do they want to talk about
your company? Of course they are,
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
2:15 to 3 p.m.
Turning Clicks Into
Customers
Eric Spellmann, Spellmann
& Associates
Most funeral homes have
a website created for them
without much thought on how it will
impact their bottom line. However, if
you follow a few key steps, your online
presence can generate qualified leads,
sales and support. Spellmann will give a
critical analysis of live websites during the
presentation, giving participants valuable
insights they can apply immediately. He
will give you the critical tools needed to
plan, prepare and execute a successful
web design project. In addition, he will
help you vet prospective web designers
BEFORE you spend money.
Eric Spellmann is the owner and president
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
3:15 to 4 p.m.
First Who, Then What:
Identifying and Developing
Top Performers
Mel Payne, Carriage Services
In 2006, Mel Payne adopted
Jack Welchs 4E Leadership
Model as a framework for evaluating and
identifying leaders in the company. Join
Payne as he explains how evaluating your
company with Welchs 4EsEnergy,
Energize, Edge and Executewill help
identify individuals with energy, the
ability to inspire others, and the talent to
consistently make the difficult decisions
and meet goals.
Melvin C. Payne co-founded the Houstonbased Carriage Services in 1991, growing
the company to one of the leading
operators and consolidators of funeral
homes and cemeteries in the Unites States.
The company now operates 165 funeral
homes and 32 cemeteries, and employs
1,800 people. Carriage achieved its
sixth consecutive record year of financial
performance in 2014 and serves more than
32,000 families annually.
4 to 4:30 p.m.
Cemetery Sales &
Marketing
Greg Kamp, Holy Sepulchre
Cemetery and Ascension
Garden
This seminar will provide
information regarding the difference
between sales and marketingwhich are
commonly confusedand how the two
entities can work together to promote
and sell todays cemetery via grassroots
community involvement and social media
tactics. Kamp will explain:
The difference between the sales and
marketing functions
How the sales and marketing
functions, while different, can work
together to promote the cemetery
The importance of simple grassroots
tactics that will make a difference
October 2015
109
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14
8 to 8:15 a.m.
Kickoff
Nicki Wiedeman, CSE, Brad Palmer and
Nick Timpe
8:15 to 10 a.m.
KEYNOTE: The Power
of Consistency
Weldon Long
Sales professionals
dont have a knowledge
problem. They have an
implementation problem.
If sales professionals
consistently did the things they know
they should do your sales department and
business would see unprecedented growth
and profitability.
ICCFA Magazine
10:15 to 11 a.m.
Put Me in Coach!
Jeff Chancellor, CFSP,
HS Eckels & Company
Take a look at your last 25
preneed contracts. How many
are for limited or no service?
Look at your last 25 first calls. How many
are servicing contracts previously sold by
other people? The complexity of selling
funeral and cemetery products, services
and experiences has increased yet the
time to deliver meaningful and effective
sales presentations is decreasing. As the
volume of presold services increases,
the gap grows between sales and service
providers. This creates great opportunity.
Is your team synergizing?
Jeffrey Chancellor, CFSP, is the director
of education, training and research for HS
Eckels & Co. Chancellor began his career
in preneed sales, is a qualified embalmer,
funeral director, crematory operator and
celebrant. He graduated from the Alberta
School of Mortuary Science and his career
experience includes: managing a high
volume mortuary; instructing at Mount
Royal College in Calgary, Canada, and the
Pacific Center in Cebu, Philippines; being
an educator, lecturer and demonstrator;
and serving as an international disaster
response team member and as a consultant
to funeral service businesses on four
continents.
11 to 11:45 a.m.
Climb the Mountain
Andrs Aguilar
Los Parques, Guatemala
City, Guatemala
Olympic athletes train
tirelessly, they have an
undisputed passion for the sport they
practice and they are constantly improving
their technique. But, most importantly,
they possess a winners mindset that is
fueled by motivation, practiced within
an engaging and positive environment
and, above everything else, this is the
difference between winning and losing.
Our work environment is no different.
When our people are engaged, motivated
and have a passion for what they do, they
are empowered with a winning mindset
that unleashes the most amazing victories
from within our company.
January 13-15, 2016 Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV www.wideworldofsales.com
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After 12/7/15
$550
$649
October 2015
111
Calendar
E-mail calendar listings and additions or
corrections to Association Pipeline to
[email protected].
to page 114
New Members
Providing exceptional education,
networking and legislative guidance and
support to progressive cemetery, funeral
and cremation professionals worldwide
For information about the ICCFA and Membership:
Go to www.iccfa.com/membership to download a benefits
brochure and an application form.
Call 1.800.645.7700 to have membership information faxed or
mailed to you.
Regular
ICCFA Magazine
Membership applications
Admission to ICCFA membership normally requires a majority vote
of those present and voting at any meeting of the executive commit
tee. The names of all applicants must be published in this magazine.
ICCFA members objecting to an application must do so in writing
to the ICCFA executive director within 45 days of publication. In the
event of an objection, the executive committee will conduct an in
quiry. If an applicant is rejected, they will be granted an appeal upon
written request. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be final.
Professional/Supplier
Day of
the Dead
festivities
will be
November
1 at the
National
Museum
of Funeral
History.
October 2015
113
ad index
47 Abbott & Hast
31 Adfinity
51 AFCTS
81 American Cemetery/Mortuary
Consultants
91 ASDAnswering Service for
Directors
17 Astral Industries
93 Baines Professional Vehicles Inc.
2 Biondan North America Inc.
33 Blackstone Cemetery Development
4 Carriage Services Inc.
3 Coldspring
19 Continental Computer Corp.
81 CremainGem LLC
37 Crystal Remembrance
89 Custom Air Trays
29 Dakota Granite Co.
27 Earthhandsfire
87 Eickhof Columbaria Inc.
47 Ensure-A-Seal
87 Flowers for Cemeteries
35 Forethought Life Insurance
Companies
93 Franklin Wrap
65 Funeral Call Answering Service
calendar
Classifieds
114
ICCFA Magazine