ICCFA Magazine July 2018

July 2018
MAGAZINE
CEMETERY CREMATION FUNERAL
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11 12 14 15 to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
14 CONVENTION OVERVIEW
18 14 Photos from the 2018 Convention & Expo
(more Expo photos pp. 34, 35, 44, 50, 65, 66)
15 First-timers (more first-timers pp. 31, 38, 40, 44, 48, 49, 51)
16 17 Comments from people attending their first ICCFA Annual Convention
16 Focus on veterans
Scenes from the 2018 ICCFA Convention 40 International Outreach
& Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada: 51 JFDA
(1-10) First-time attendees: 57 Rat Pack Glamour: The Closing Reception
1. Micah Galvez (p. 31), 19 AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
2. Brittany Carrington (p. 38), 19 ICCFA member earns professional certification
3. Jasen Crockett (p. 48),
20 Quarter-Century Club, Half-Century Club
18 New members elected, named to ICCFA board
4. Roberto Esquivel (p. 40),
20 Paul Elvig’s tireless work for the ICCFA is recognized with
5. Cathy Vail (p. 15), Hall of Fame Award
6. Ashley Johnson (p. 31), 22 Tom Flynn accepts Lasting Impact Award
7. Jeffrey Schuetz (p. 31), 23 Donors give $210,000 to Educational Foundation
8. Emny Navarro (p. 40), 24 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
9. Henry Kerns (p. 49), and 24 Understand the leadership traits that aren’t listed in the textbooks
10. Veronique Desrochers (p. 31). 24 Lead from the front and earn trust
11. Tom Flynn accepts the Lasting 24 Accept that privacy is dead
Impact Award from ICCFA Educational 24 Stop trying to multi-task
Foundation President Jim Price, CCFE, 26 Record yourself to make sure you are coming across the way you want to
CCrE (p. 22). 26 Only speak when you see eyes
12. Maj. Scott Huesing, USMC (Ret) 28 CREMATION
gives a keynote presentation (p. 24). 28 Recognize that competition has changed with our mobile society
13. ICCFA 2017-18 President Scott Sells, 28 Don’t just talk; use pictures
CCFE, and ICCFA 2018-2019 President 28 Develop options so cremated remains aren’t kept at home
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, pose 30 Be transparent with families
with showgirls at the Closing Reception. 30 Speak up for memorializaiton
14. The US Metalcraft booth in the Expo 30 Ask about plans for the urn
Hall. 30 Rethink your cremation strategies
15. The Eckels booth in the Expo Hall. 30 Expand your outreach programs
16. Speaker Doug Gober (p. 28). 31 HOSPICE
17. Keynote speaker Stacey Hanke (p. 26) 31 Seek a balanced life
31 Find ways to limit long hours
31 Build a respectful relationship with hospice
10 Washington Report 32 GRIEF/AF TERCARE/SELF CARE
ICCFA files comments with IRS on
32 Learn why music helps heal and how you can use it to help families
revenue recognition of burial lot
income; ‘Capitol Hill Gang’ meets 32 Model a balanced life and keep an eye out for compassion fatigue
with congressional leaders, FTC 33 Laugh and smile more often
staff by Robert M. Fells, Esq. 33 Consider this course for hospice
12 President’s Letter 36 CEMETERY SERVICE
Honored to serve as president of 36 Expand cemetery service offerings
progressive group of professionals 36 Build ties to your community
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE 36 Try to bring in cremated remains
➤to page 8 ➤to page 8
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
60 Update 36 LEGAL
58 Supply Line 36 Learn to apologize the right way
65 Convention speaker index, 36 Put GPLs on the showroom door
contact information 38 HUMAN REL ATIONS
66 Calendar, Classifieds, Ad Index 38 Make your meetings meaninful
38 Add millennials to your team
ICCFA news 38 Review your onboarding process
61 WWS: New ‘TED Talk’ format 42 FUNERAL SERVICE
Call for 2019 WWS presentations: 42 Be open-minded about your role, ready to personalize ceremonies
Proposals due July 20, 2018 42 Expand your idea of ritual
61 Proposals to speak at 42 Always assume there’s a camera
2019 Annual Convention 42 Be prepared to answer questions
Proposals due July 10, 2018 46 MANAGEMENT
62 ICCFA University 2018 is ready for U! 46 Ask questions and guide families
Eight colleges to choose from 46 Emotionally prepare families and make your firm one of the best
62 2018 PLPA College: Going back to the 48 Develop new skill sets
future, August 22-24 48 Know your average sale (funeral) or average yield (cemetery)
63 Foundation awards 31 ICCFAU 48 Consider possible upgrades
scholarships 48 Find a banker who ‘talks funeral’
64 Thank you to our 2018 49 Hire people who fit your culture
Annual Convention Sponsors 49 Get everyone to sign the contract
52 Be aware of what therapy dogs must learn to do—and not do
52 Use high-quality images on your website to make families select you
52 Think about how you will handle pick-ups if you start a pet business
54 PET SERVICES
54 Investigate alkaline hydrolysis
54 Create videos for Facebook
To support the ICCFA’s goal 54 Answer the phone properly
of raising money to fight 54 CPLP certifications
lung cancer, today’s #1 56 Tom Flynn accepts Golden Paw Award
killer of women, go to
56 Market to millennials who spoil their pets
http:/www.iccfa.com/lungforce
56 Know how to approach veterinary clinics based on their practice size
ICCFA calendar
go to www.iccfa.com for program, registration & scholarship information
Catch the WIRELESS newsletter in your
inbox for industry news, stories about colleagues 2018 ICCFA University
making headlines and updates on ICCFA July 20-25, Fogelman Conference Center, University of Memphis, Memphis,
educational events & conferences Tennessee Chancellor: Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
Follow the ICCFA’s LinkedIn 2018 Cremation Certification Training

page to read breaking news about ICCFA Cremation Program Coordinator Poul Lemasters, Esq.
colleagues, the profession and the July 18, Cremation Operator November 14, Cremation
association Training, Dallas Institute of Funeral Operator Training,
http://bit.ly/2du252P Service, Dallas, Texas Ohio Funeral Directors Association
August 28 & 29, Cremation December 11 & 12, Live stream:
Follow the ICCFA on Twitter Operator & Arranger Training, Cremation Arranger & Operator
to receive instant updates on the Ohio Funeral Directors Association Training,The Wilbert Group,
association’s educational events Broadview, Illinois
& conferences 2018 PLPA College
http://twitter.com/iccfa
August 22-24, Embassy Suites by Hilton Cincinnati RiverCenter,
Covington, Kentucky
Like and follow the ICCFA
Co-chairs Jodi Clock, CPLP, and Roberta Knauf, CPLP
to read up-to-date news on the
industry, ICCFA members making 2018 Fall Management Conference
headlines and ICCFA events & September 26-28, Manalapan, Florida
promotions Co-chairs Andrés Aguilar and Lauren Blevins, CCFE
Washington Report
by ICCFA General Counsel
Robert M. Fells, Esq.
ICCFA files comments with IRS on
revenue recognition of burial lot income
I
[email protected]
1.800.645.7700, n May 2018, the ICCFA filed the sale of a burial plot as revenue for
ext. 1212 comments with the Internal Revenue financial reporting purposes under FASB
direct line: 703.391.8401 Service in response to an IRS notice Topic 606 prior to the transfer of title to
➤Fells is ICCFA general seeking public comment on changes and possession of the plot to the purchaser
counsel, responsible for made in revenue recognition for taxation. (some cemeteries follow this method
maintaining and improv The notice was triggered in response to today), the cemetery may be required to
ing relationships with changes in tax regulations by the Tax Cut report the entire sales price, without a
federal and state govern and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), and FASB deduction for the cemetery’s basis in the
ment agencies, the news Topic 606. plot, for tax purposes at the same time that
media and consumer organizations. It is a complex subject, but a basic the net income is reported for financial
➤ Fells has worked on behalf of the ceme example will make the point: Where all reporting purposes.
tery and funeral service profession on legal or a portion of the proceeds from the sale Prior to the enactment of TCJA,
and legislative issues since 1975 and joined of burial plots are retained by the seller, the financial reporting treatment of the
the ICCFA staff in 1983. He is retired from or if proceeds originally contributed to a sales proceeds was irrelevant to its tax
his position as the association’s executive trust are subsequently distributed from the treatment, so this is an entirely new impact
director, which he held for six years. trust to the seller, the sales proceeds are from the new tax reform law.
➤ He has published taxable to the seller. In that case, the tax The ICCFA is filing comments with
a number of books. treatment of the sales proceeds is affected the IRS to attempt to influence the IRS’s
His latest, “The Curse by whether the seller uses the cash or the interpretation of the provisions in TCJA in
of the Tomb,” brings accrual method of accounting, and if the a manner that is favorable to the industry
back Maj. Alexander
accrual method is used, when the seller and to enable our members to better
Armstrong, who featured
in two previous books.
reports the sales proceeds as revenue in the understand the tax consequences under
The discovery of the seller’s financial statements. the new tax law and financial reporting
royal tomb of King Under FASB Topic 606, cemeteries that rules. To access the ICCFA comments
Tutankhamen creates a sell burial plots are permitted or required filed with the IRS, and an explanatory
huge black market in forgeries of antiquities to defer the revenue from the sale of a “Decision Tree” memo drafted by tax
where the stakes include murder, and the burial plot until the full sales price is paid attorney Les Schneider, go to https://
British government seeks assistance from by the purchaser, and the current version s3.amazonaws.com/iccfa-media/2018/05/
the Americans. of the prepaid income rules will prevent Govt-Legal_Decision-Tree-for-ICCFA-
any deferral of the progress payments Members-re-Tax-Treatment-of-Sales-of-
for tax purposes. If a cemetery reports Burial-Plots-002.pdf. r
‘Capitol Hill Gang’ meets with congressional leaders, FTC staff
T
he Government and Legal Affairs what has become an annual tradition with the
Committee held a series of meetings ICCFA Capitol Hill meetings.
on Capitol Hill on May 9 and 10, ICCFA members also met with Federal
2018. With the help of ICCFA’s lobbying Trade Commission staff to discuss the
firm, Dykema, appointments were scheduled upcoming Funeral Rule review, and the
with 25 congressional members. These were body broker controversy. The FTC will
almost evenly divided between 13 senators likely propose posting funeral prices online,
and 12 representatives. Party-wise, the group although staff was unclear whether such
met with 17 Republicans and 8 Democrats, a requirement would be proposed as a
including three key leadership offices. mandatory obligation or optional.
Four main subjects dominated the ICCFA General Counsel Bob Fells, left, Another development: After several years
discussions: confers with Mary Beth McGowan of of the ICCFA urging FTC staff to disclose
• impacts of tax reform on the death care Dykema, the association’s lobbying the name of the funeral home employee who
industry, especially installment revenue firm. Watching are ICCFA members Tom failed to provide a GPL as required by the
recognition and trust advisory deductions; Daly, CCE, and Larry Anspach, CCE. Funeral Rule, the staff said that they would
• the upcoming 2019 FTC Funeral Rule • increasing veterans’ funeral benefits (the now provide the identity of the employee on
review; proposed BRAVE Act). request. This is an important concession to
• the growing controversy over trafficking One evening, Mike Doherty, Fairfax help funeral providers to stay in compliance
in non-transplant tissue/body donation (the Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Fairfax, and avoid costly penalties that are now over
proposed LATTS Act); and Virginia, hosted a dinner for the group in $40,000 per violation. r
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President’s Letter
by ICCFA
2018-2019 Honored to serve as president of
President Christine
progressive group of professionals
W
Toson Hentges, CCE
hat an amazing adventure we are all
a part of! The journey of our lives is
what we make it, and most of us in this
profession realize the changes the journey brings.
Our positions allow us to capture that within
the few precious days or hours of a memorial
or funeral service, within a committal service at
the cemetery or on a memorial stone that will
be visited for many generations. There is no
room to take this responsibility and opportunity Hentges moderates the annual State Associa-
lightly. This is a sacred trust that we bring to our tion Luncheon, a chance for state association
communities. representatives to network and share con-
With that being said, our communities do cerns, at the 2018 ICCFA Convention & Expo.
[email protected] not always recognize how important each of efforts to help our profession adapt so that we can
these roles are in their lives. We are working in stay relevant and important in our communities.
➤Hentges is president and
CEO of The Tribute Compa
a rapidly changing society that has lost some Serving as your president is an honor. This
nies, Hartland, Wisconsin. understanding of our profession, that is looking next year is going to be an adventure for me, and I
for something different. Likely they don’t know look forward to meeting many of the progressive
what that is, but they seek a unique way to grieve cemeterians, funeral directors, service providers
a loss or deal with a death or celebrate a life. and other end-of-life professionals who fill this
Are we ready to accommodate them, to provide association with vision and whom I have not yet
what they are seeking? Most of us within this had the privilege to meet. And, of course, I look
amazing association realize that we need to be forward to connecting with colleagues and dear
able to adapt quickly to please our current and friends I have made over the years who help raise
future clients. The vision and determination of me—and others—up to be the best we can. Finding
our members is why I am so proud to represent our way together, within the sacred obligations we
the ICCFA. make to the families we serve, is where each and
Our members’ ability to progress, to adapt, every member can find the value I have found over
to be in front of the tidal wave of change is how the years I have participated in the ICCFA.
they create the energy they do for this profession. Thank you all for allowing me to serve as
They work together to share ideas, values and the president of this fine organization. Connect
visions—they do not hold back due to any fear or on linkedin or send me an email at christieh@
selfishness. This association has always had that tributeinc.com if you would like to discuss
philosophy, and at a very young age, I knew this anything pertaining to your ICCFA membership;
association was where I wanted to contribute my I’m happy to support you however I can. r
ICCFA officers Cremation and Funeral Association. Subscription

July 2018 rates: In the United States, $39.95; in Canada,
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE,
VOLUME 78/NUMBER 6 $45.95; overseas: $75.95. One subscription is
president
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
[email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224 (habla español)
Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE, vice president contributions, commentary and advertisements
[email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, treasurer Jason Brown, communications assistant appearing in ICCFA Magazine do not necessarily
Robbie L. Pape, secretary [email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1218 reflect either the opinion or the endorsement
ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is published
Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director of the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director by the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel Funeral Association®.
& publisher Funeral Association®, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite
[email protected] ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1225 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; 703.391.8400;
Magazine staff
Susan Loving, managing editor Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel FAX 703.391.8416; www.iccfa.com. Published
[email protected] [email protected] 10 times per year, with combined issues in
March-April and August-September. Periodicals
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager Brenda Clough, office administrator postage paid at Sterling, VA, and other offices.
[email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213 & association liaison; [email protected]; Copyright 2018 by the International Cemetery,
1.800.645.7700, ext. 1214
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Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com July 2018 13

Learning &
Learning & I N T E R N A T I O N A L C E M E T E R Y, CREMATION &
networking
networking
1 Erik Qualman, one of the three keynote
speakers, talks about trends.
2 The First-Timers Reception gives first-
time attendees a chance to meet both
other “newbies” and ICCFA officers and
board members, as well as others who
want a chance to get to know some of
the newcomers. 3 First-timers Shan-
telle Holts and Cynthia Hightower with
long-timer Randy Horton. 4 Past Presi-
dent Greg Easley, CCE, with first-timers
Harold Giddons and John Ebey. 5 First-
timers Zach and Brienna Smith with Mat
Forastiere, who is co-chairing the 2019
ICCFA Annual Convention, April 2-6, in 1
Charlotte, North Carolina.
3 4 5
Convention numbers • Staff: 18 percent Attendee satisfaction

• Total attendees: 2,370 • Final purchasing authority: 46 percent As in past years, the event was highly rated by
• Total cemetery, funeral home, crematory and • Making purchasing recommendations: 30 percent attendees, with 95 percent indicating their overall
allied business representatives: 1,122 • 28 percent representing cemeteries convention experience was “excellent” or “very
• Attendees representing 30 countries outside of good,” and 80 percent indicating they “definitely”
• 39 percent representing funeral homes
the United States: 211 or “probably” will attend the ICCFA 2019 Annual
• 4 percent representing pet loss providers
• First-time attendees: 373 Convention, April 2-6, in Charlotte, North Caro
• 1 percent representing crematory operations
• Supplier booths: 521 lina, at the Charlotte Convention Center. r
• 28 percent “other,” including insurance agents,
• Attendee percentages mortuary school faculty, representatives of
• Owners: 40 percent industry associations and others
• Managers: 42 percent
F UN ER A L A S S OC IAT ION 2 0 1 8 CO NV E NT IO N & E X P O What did you
think of your
first ICCFA
convention?
Kathleen Jurasky
Palm Springs
Cemetery District,
6 Cathedral City,
California
I have taken away
a lot of valuable
information. It was
a little overwhelm-
ing at first, being a
newbie and jumping
in, meeting people
and spreading my
7 8
wings.
6 In the Expo Hall. 7 Speaker Nancy Drapeau at the IMSA
(International Memorialization Supply Association) meeting
held during the ICCFA Convention & Expo. 8 IMSA mem-
bers listen during the meeting. 9 IMSA 2018-2019 President
Jordan Yearsley. He is also the IMSA representative on the
ICCFA board. 10 Erik Qualman got the audience up and inter-
acting during his keynote presentation.
9
Matthew Cress
Cress Funeral &
Cremation Service,
Madison, Wisconsin
I thought it was
wonderful, very
educational—and
all the speakers
were great.
10
11 Attendees in Stacey Hanke’s breakout session, sponsored by Women in Leadership, take turns record-
ing each other so they can see how they come across to others. 12 Attendees relax between presentations.
Cathy Vail
Holy Sepulchre
Cemetery, Roches-
ter, New York
I like it. The ses-
sions are very
engaging. I think the
people are genuine,
and it’s very
11 12 educational so far.

I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N
SALUTING VETER ANS
Above left, Andy Lopez and Ray Frew, CFuE, co-chairs of the ICCFA Veterans Committee, which also includes ICCFA 2017-2018
President Scott Sells, CCFE; Gino Merendino; ICCFA Past Presidents Rich Sells, CCE, and Bill Wright, CCE; Jim Price, CCFE,
CCrE; and ICCFA General Counsel Robert Fells. Above right, ICCFA Past President Hap Bledsoe, CCE, (seated) presents a
signed copy of the original art he commissioned from Vern Krutein to Scott Sells in tribute to his military service and efforts
to recognize veterans who belong to the ICCFA by establishing the Veterans Committee. Bledsoe commissioned the work to
honor veterans. Standing behind Bledoe are, from left, Krutein, Cynthia Bledsoe, Rich and Scott Sells and Merendino.
Left, Maj. Scott

Huesing, USMC
(Ret) signs
a book for
exhibitor and
army veteran
Lawrence Pro-
vost, National
Cemetery
Administration,
Washington,
D.C., one of the
many people
who stood
in line at the
Funeral Home
This year, for the first time, name tags included ribbons Gifts booth for
identifying veterans. Pictured are Air Force veteran a chance to
David Marlow, Brasheers Funeral Home, Hindsville, meet Huesing
Arkansas, and Army veterans Matthew Hahn, Calumet after his
Park Cemetery, Merrillville, Indiana, and Austin Layne keynote
Jr., Austin A. Layne Mortuary, St. Louis, Missouri. presentation.
Far left, Harlan Rose of

Randolph Rose Col-
lection with one of the
statues the company
had on display (and for
sale) in the Expo Hall.
Left, Astral’s living stat-
ue, which has become a
convention staple, was
dressed in honor of the
military for part of the
Expo.
Right, Susan Labrecque
staffing the Department
of Defense booth in the
Expo Hall.
SALUTING VETER ANS
At the Educational Foundation Reception, veterans gathered for a photo with Tom Flynn, Lasting Impact Award recipient and
Air Force veteran, seated front and (almost) center with grief therapy dog Soloman Flynn.
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A WA R D S , R E C O G N I T I O N S & E L E C T I O N S
ICCFA 2018-19 officers President Christine Toson Hengtes, CCE; President-elect Jay Dodds, CFSP; Vice President Andrés
Aguilar; Secretary Robbie Pape; Vice President Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE; and Treasurer Gary Freytag, CCFE, at the annual
meeting of members at the 2018 ICCFA Convention & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
New members elected, named to ICCFA board

T
he International Cemetery, Seattle, Washington;
Cremation and Funeral Association • John Gouch Jr., Gethsemane Cemetery
elected new leadership during its & Memorial Gardens, Charlotte, North
2018 Annual Convention & Exposition, Carolina;
April 18–21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. • Kyle Nikola, Savannah Family of
ICCFA officers for 2018-2019 are: Funerals, Savannah, Georgia; and
• President— Christine Toson Hentges, • Jim Semesco, NorthStar Memorial
CCE, The Tribute Companies Inc., Group, Florida.
Hartland, Wisconsin; Past presidents elected to serve a one-
• President-Elect—Jay Dodds, CFSP, year term on the board:
Park Lawn Corp., Houston, Texas; • Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE, Blackstone
• Vice President, Education—Mitch Memorial, San Clemente, Calfornia;
Rose, CCFE, CCrE, Woodlawn Cemetery, • Frederick Lappin, CCE, Knollwood
the Bronx, New York; Memorial Park, Sharon, Massachusetts;
• Vice President, Membership & and
ICCFA 2017-2018 President Scott Sells,
Marketing— Andrés Aguilar, Los Parques, • David J. Shipper, Futura Group,
CCFE, accepts a plaque thanking him for
Guatemala City, Guatemala; his service. With him are Past President Buckingham, Pennsylvania.
• Vice President, Internal Affairs— Michael Uselton, CCFE, and 2018-2019 The International Memorialization
Lee Longino, Service Corporation President Christine Toson Hentges, CCE. Supply Association appointment to the
International, Houston, Texas; board is Jordan Yearsley, Ensure-A-Seal,
• Vice President, External Affairs— Tucson, Arizona; Brooklyn, New York.
Paul Goldstein, Hillside Memorial Park • Gisela Adissi, Grupo Primaveras The presidential appointments to
and Mortuary, Los Angeles, California; – Lawn Cemeteries, Crematorium, represent the ICCFA on the Cemetery
• Treasurer— Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, Columbarium, Funeral Home & Funeral Consumer Service Council are:
Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Assistance Plan, São Paulo, Brazil; • Thomas P. Daly, CCE, CHS
Cincinnati, Ohio; and • Lauren Blevins, CCFE, Williams Consulting Group, Westwood,
• Secretary—Robbie L. Pape, Service Funeral Homes and Polk Memorial Massachusetts; and
Corporation International, Houston, Texas. Gardens, Columbia, Tennessee; • Stephen Burrill, CCE, CCrE, Mount
Members elected to serve three-year • Allen Dave Jr., CFuE, Allen Dave Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Maine.
terms on the ICCFA Board of Directors Funeral Directors & Cremation Tribute Members of the 2018-2019 Executive
are: Center, Cypress, Texas; Committee are:
• Hillary Adair, Adair Funeral Homes, • Corey Gaffney, Gaffney Group, • ICCFA President Christine Toson
➤to page 19
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• ICCFA President-Elect Jay Dodds,
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• Darin Drabing, Forest Lawn Memor
ial-Park & Mortuaries, Glendale, Califor
nia (past presidents’ appointment). r

A WA R D S & R E C O G N I T I O N S
ICCFA Past
President Mi- Quarter and
chael Uselton,
CCFE, repre-
senting the Hall
Half Century
of Fame Sub-
committee, with
clubs
Leslie Aaron ICCFA 2017-2018 President Scott
and her mother, Sells, CCFE, with the new members
LaDonna Elvig, of the Quarter and Half Century Club,
who accepted for those who have achieved 25 and
the Hall of 50 years of service in the profession,
Fame Award respectively.
for LaDonna’s
husband, ICCFA
Past President
Paul Elvig,
who could not
attend due to
illness. With
them is Scott
Sheehan, gen-
eral manager
of Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle, Washington. Her husband was “overwhelmed and
greatly humbled” when told he would be receiving the award, said LaDonna Elvig.
Paul Elvig’s tireless work

for the ICCFA is recognized
with Hall of Fame Award
P
Above, Thomas P. Daly, CCE, Cedar
Knoll Cemetery and Cemetery Helpful
ast President Paul Elvig’s dedication Department of Licensing, becoming an expert Solutions, Westwood, Massachusetts,
to the ICCFA and the cemetery and on state statutes and regulations. joined the Half Century Club.
funeral profession was recognized Elvig served as ICCFA president and
Below, Richard Peterson, Geth-
at the 2018 ICCFA Convention. His wife, chaired the State Association & Legislative
semane Cemetery, Federal Way,
LaDonna, and daughter, Leslie Aaron, accept Committee and State Regulation & Regula Washington, joined the Quarter
ed the Hall of Fame Award on his behalf. tory Research Committee, and was fund- Century Club. Not pictured: Stanley
Scott Sheehan, who was recruited by raising chair for the ICCFA PAC. He testified Spitler, Ferncliff Cemetery, Spring-
Elvig and eventually followed him as general before the Federal Trade Commission and field, Ohio; and Robert D. Tips, Mis-
manager for Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle, House and Senate congressional committees, sion Park Funeral Chapels & Cem-
Washington, said that Elvig spent many and represented the profession in an interview eteries, San Antonio, Texas.
hours talking to him before he accepted a job with Anderson Cooper on “60 Minutes.”
working at the organization. Elvig “put himself into the lion’s den
“The conversations weren’t about days countless times” for the simple reason that
on, days off, compensation, vacation. The “he felt our profession is worth defending,”
conversation with Paul was always deep. ICCFA General Counsel Bob Fells said in a
It was about philosophy. It was about what prepared statement read by LaDonna Elvig.
our industry was doing. It was about where What most people don’t know, Sheehan
we were headed, what did the future look said, is that after testifying before a Senate
like. That was the reason I fell in love with committee, one of the senators asked Elvig
Evergreen-Washelli.” for advice about handling a death in the
Sheehan noted that Elvig began his career family, and Anderson Cooper did the same
as a librarian, but actually lived in a funeral after the cameras were off. In both cases,
home and later in a cemetery, which is where Elvig sat down with them and walked them
he met his future wife. through the process.
He worked part-time as executive “That is the essence of Paul Elvig. That
secretary of the Washington State Cemetery leader, and that mentor. That person we know,
Board, and then full-time for the state’s love, care for and tremendously respect.” r
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E D U C AT I O N A L F O U N D AT I O N
Above, Lois the grief

therapy dog, who lives
in Las Vegas with
handler Rick Pollock,
attended the reception.
Tom Flynn accepts Lasting Impact Award

T
om Flynn, patriot and champion “Our honoree this year is a natural to be grief therapy dog—first, Derek, and now
of grief therapy dogs in funeral celebrated, based on his lifelong mentoring Derek’s successor, Soloman—with him to
service, accepted the 2018 Lasting and educating of so many individuals in our professional conferences.
Impact Award from the ICCFA Educational profession,” said Educational Foundation During the Educational Foundation
Foundation at the 2018 ICCFA Convention. President Jim Price, CCFE, CCrE. “Tom’s Reception where Flynn, surrounded by
Flynn gained nationwide fame for the dedication to honor those who have died family members, accepted the award, a medal
Avenue of 444 Flags at his Hermitage, in the name of freedom and teach future of recognition was presented to a local grief
Pennsylvania, cemetery. He later added a generations of the high price of freedom is therapy dog, Lois, among the 19 trained
War on Terror Memorial and rebranded his a testament to his vision, moral code and support dogs who came to Las Vegas after the
cemetery as America’s Cemetery, marketed to character.” mass shooting last year to help comfort those
veterans nationwide. Flynn also is known for bringing his in the community affected by the violence. r
Above right, vet-
eran Tom Flynn
flashes a victory
sign as he prepares
to receive the Last-
ing Impact Award
from ICCFA Educa-
tional Foundation
President Jim Price,
CCFE, CCrE, who
is holding the leash
of grief therapy dog
Soloman. Family
members joined
Flynn on stage.
Right, part of the

audience at the
Educational Foun-
dation Reception.
E D U C AT I O N A L F O U N D AT I O N
Donors give
$210,000 to
Educational
Foundation
T
he ICCFA Educational Foundation
accepted donations totalling $210,000
at the ICCFA 2018 Convention.
ICCFA 2017-2018 President Scott
Sells, CCFE, was on hand to announce
the $110,000 donation from Service
Corporation Interna Above, from ASD-Answering Service for Directors, Kathy Kelly and Marty Czachor,
tional, Houston, Texas. Educational Founda-
Sells is market director tion President Jim Price,
CCFE, CCrE, and ASD’s
for SCI’s Bay Area.
Kevin Czachor. ASD
Representatives of donated $100,000 to the
the Czachor family— Educational Foundation.
Kathy Kelly, Marty Left, the “checks” rep-
Czachor and Kevin resenting the donations
Czachor—signed from Service Corporation
a giant “check” International and ASD—
ICCFA 2017- for $100,000 from Answering Service for
2018 President Directors.
ASD—Answering
Scott Sells,
Service for Directors, in 2018, 47 scholarship have been awarded, legacy videos easily accessible to assist
CCFE, announ
ces the $110,000 Media, Pennsylvania. including two Women in Leadership scholar in mentoring and positively influencing
gift from his The family-owned ships to ICCFA University. particularly newcomers to our profession.”
employer, Ser- company is making “In addition to awarding scholarships,” The Educational Foundation’s trustees
vice Corporation a major commitment Price said, “We are committed to providing are Jill Muenich, National Guardian Life
International. to education, said our profession’s future leaders with personal Insurance; Rich Darby, Trigard; Wanda
Educational Foundation business perspectives from past and current Sizemore, Homesteaders Life; Jay Dodds,
President Jim Price, CCFE, CCrE. successful leaders. The program is called the CFSP, Park Lawn Corp.; Ken Varner, CCFE,
Such major donations have made it Honored to be Asked to Share series. Crypress Lawn; Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE,
possible for the foundation to greatly increase “ICCFA University and all future The Woodlawn Cemetery; and Chris Trainor,
the number of scholarships it awards. So far educational events will have a library of Batesville. r
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
The following pages include information gleaned from presentations made at the ICCFA 2018 Convention. If you’d like to hear
more from a particular speaker, you can order recordings of many conference sessions at www.iccfa.com. And mark your calendar
now for the ICCFA 2019 Convention & Expo at the Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, April 2-6, 2019!
r Understand the leadership traits your responsibilities as a leader. In putting

that aren’t listed in the textbooks others before yourself.
Maj. Scott Huesing, USMC (Ret) Marines are very strange creatures.
I don’t care if you read Clausewitz or Covey They’re like dogs, because they can smell
about leadership. There are leadership traits fear, they can sniff out an imposter a mile
and principles in books that teach you how to away, and always have the utmost contempt
lead. But the real leaders know how to look and disrespect for anybody not willing to put
between those lines. themselves in front of those they lead. Lead
There are words that are absent, like from the front and establish that trust.
love and compassion and caring and Though I write about some of the
understanding. Those are the words they Marines of the hundreds I commanded, I
don’t teach us in those textbooks professional didn’t know them all. There were plenty
warriors read, because those words make us who didn’t want anything to do with me.
feel weak. Those words make us human. They were kind of like ninjas—they wanted
But a real leader understands that those to stay away from the boss.
words are the real words that leaders are I’m sure there are plenty of people who
made of. Knowing when it’s all right to be something that has to absolutely be earned. work in your profession who want nothing
hard on those you lead, when you need to I know it sounds cliché, but there are many to do with the boss. That one guy on land
put your arm around those who’ve fallen, times you’ve accused those who’ve lead scaping who’s a weed-whacker; it’s all he
and help them up and care for them. That’s you of not being connected enough. That likes to do. And when you come around, he
what leaders do. boss who locks himself in the office. Or that weed-whacks somewhere else. But he knows
Marine commander who doesn’t go out on you’re out there. He knows he can trust you.
r Lead from the front and earn trust patrol with his soldiers. He knows you’re not sleeping on the job.
Question from the audience: How would you You have to earn that trust. You earn So that’s the relationship-building and
describe the role of trust in leadership? it first by being a student of your trade, team-building and leadership that you have
The role of trust in leadership is understanding your job and your roles and to exhibit on a daily basis. r
r Accept that privacy is dead world, which we’re now living in, they’re one
Erik Qualman, author of “Socialnomics” and exactly the same, because the light will
Privacy is dead. Don’t shoot the messenger. shine on everything that’s out there—which
I’ve been talking about this for five years, is great for everybody in this room who’s
but now it’s really at the forefront with been doing the right thing all along. So this
(Facebook’s) Mark Zuckerberg testifying change is actually a benefit to you.
before Congress. Privacy is dead; that genie’s
not going back in the bottle. r Stop trying to multi-task
One thing that goes along with privacy How many of you have had to become
being dead is that all of us have what’s called pretty good at multi-tasking? We actually
a digital stamp, comprised of two things: can’t multi-task. We say we’re multi-
Our digital footprint—anything we upload tasking, but our brain can’t parallel process
about ourselves, about our company, about two things at once, so we’re actually
our business, about our funeral home, about switching tasks.
our product, about our service. We somewhat We’re multi-tasking because we want
have control over that. to get ahead of the competition, we want to
Technology changes every second; hu-
But the more important piece is your get more out of 24 hours. But we’re actually
man nature never does.—Erik Qualman
digital shadow. That’s what other people post becoming less efficient, so we’re doing the
about you, your product and services on a Parents are excited; they post sonograms, exact opposite of what we’re trying to do.
day-to-day basis. Together, those two things they post names. In the moment that we multi-task, our IQ
form our digital stamps. Integrity and reputation used to be two drops 10 points. That’s the equivalent of not
Ninety-two percent of kids under the age different things: Integrity, what you stand for sleeping for 36 hours.
of two already have a digital stamp. Twenty- behind closed doors, and reputation, what the One of the easiest ways to simplify in this
five percent of the babies who will be born public perceives you to be. In the past, those crazy, hyper-connected digital age is to focus
tomorrow already have a digital stamp. could be different. But in a fully transparent on one thing at a time. r
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Hanke also presented the Women in Leadership breakout session, which included time for attendees to coach each other in
putting into practice her advice about how to make your body language match what you say. Above left, Michelle Krassow, Santa
Cruz Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Santa Cruz, California, and Karissa Madison-Levine, Evergreen Memorial Funeral Home,
Dallas, Texas. Above center, Yvonne Smith-Larkin and Luis Viegas, Smith Funeral Home, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Above right, Mei
Santos, LMS Guam, Hagatna, Guam, and Howard Kaplan, Mount Sinai Memorial Parks & Mortuaries, Los Angeles, California.
r Record yourself to make sure you networking, all those conversations that you’ve
are coming across the way you want to had, how many of you in a conversation ever
Stacey Hanke, communication expert thought, “Hmm, I wonder what my hands are
I am going to give you practical and immediate doing?” “Wonder what my eyes are doing?”
how-tos to make sure that you have influence You’re thinking, “Seriously? Who thinks about
Monday to Monday. Because when you have that stuff?”
influence Monday to Monday, I promise you Yet go back to the definition of what influence
it’s going to change the way that you build your really is, to build that trust and to build it quickly
relationships, the way that you build trust—I know —the body language has to match the conversa
that’s so, so critical the first time you interact with tion, and if it doesn’t, you start confusing people.
any family—and the way that people follow you. And when you start confusing people, they get
There’s a big misperception of what influence frustrated, and usually where they go is down in
is and what it’s not. Most people believe that it’s their technical gadgets.
turning it on and turning it off when you need it
the most. r Only speak when you see eyes
Here’s what influence really is: Influence means Only speak when you see eyes. No eyes, no talk.
that your body language and your message are Please don’t leave here and say, “That woman on
consistent Monday to Monday, that people never stage was saying we should stare at each other.”
have to guess who’s going to show up. That’s not what I’m saying; I’m saying, connect
Those definitions of influence—and this is the with people.
other one that’s really important for the work that I want you to check out Dr. Josh Packard,
you do—is that influence also means that you’ve a professor at Northern Colorado University.
got the ability to move people to trust you, because He’s doing all this research around connection
when they trust you it moves them to action. engagement.
How many of you, in the last three months, He talks about the fact if you ask CEOs, 81
have videorecorded yourself in some sort of percent are hiring for interpersonal skills over
conversation or interaction, or audiorecorded technical skills. He also talks about the fact that
yourself for professional reasons. Look at how few an individual and a company’s level of connection
hands are raised. and engagement is going to define their success by
Here should be your concern: If you are not 2020.
experiencing yourself through the eyes and ears of We are losing the art of looking at people when
your teams and the families you’re trying to build we talk, to make that person feel so important.
Every time you get done trust with, are you completely basing how you Here’s the deal: It’s free. You can build trust for
with a gesture, come come across on your feeling or on facts? Could free, and how you do that is through the eyes. Only
home (arms at your
you be sabotaging your level of trust through your speak when you see eyes.
sides). You gesture the
way you want to gesture.
communication and have no idea you’re doing it? You can look away—just don’t talk when you
After the gesture, to You get to determine how people perceive you. do it. Only speak when you see eyes.
make sure it matches the You get to determine the level of trust, credibility, I see that eye connection is a struggle no
message, give your confidence—whatever adjective you’ve brought matter what generation we’re talking about—
listener a chance to catch up—but I bet a lot of you have not thought about boomers, now we’ve got the Zs coming in, the
up.—Stacey Hanke this: How many of you, this week, as you’re millennials—I see it everywhere. r
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C R E M AT I O N
r Recognize that competition has
changed with our mobile society
Doug Gober
Many of you think of your competitors as the
people right down the road from you. No!
It’s the exposure that those guests have had to
funerals all over the country. In some cases,
all over the world.
That’s the reason you’ve got to be on top
of your game in a mobile society. The dead
people live here but the survivors are from
somewhere else; they’re less rooted in the
community.
Not only are they not tied to local
tradition, they don’t even care what it is. The
I am so encouraged by one thing we see in this audience right now, the influence of
kids don’t care what the local traditions are women in this business. If we have one saving grace—guys, I’m sorry, but if we have
where their parents live. one saving grace, it’s going to be from the influence of women.—Doug Gober
r Don’t just talk; use pictures the average adult in the United States is not a Why don’t you cover your place up with
If your entire success or failure in this good listener, and we’ve relegated the whole pictures of things we can do to remember
transaction is based on your verbal skill, the success or failure to this transaction occurring your mom? And now we can do it with flat
transaction is at risk. On the worst day of in this manner. There’s not even a picture screens. Have a flat screen in every public
your life, what I want you to do is get all the on the wall in your arrangement office that space that has a constantly rolling video of
information you’re going to gather from me shows me what the alternatives might be. No, every cool thing you’ve ever done here so
by me talking and you listening. we’ve got a picture of a duck up there—that they can have a mental image of what the
There are all kinds of studies that say that ought to help us. possibilities are. r
r Develop options so cremated Wherever you are, you’re some action. “You’ve got 30 days, just go
remains aren’t kept at home going to have your own over there, there’s no obligation or charge.
Chris Keller personality and style. Too Even if you’re going to take dad up to the
One in five American households has often we as an industry national cemetery in Santa Fe, put his name
move in this monolithic
cremated remains at home—human cremated on the wall here, too.”
block where all of us are
remains. It’s more in high cremation areas, expected to have the same A lot of families came over right away to
like where we are in Albuquerque, where style. There’s a whole gen- get their free cenotaph. But if they didn’t, we
we’re at about 65 percent cremation. It’s eration of people out there held onto those names for three weeks. Then,
more if you include pet cremated remains. that don’t like that style, and they’re not if the family had not come in, I handed those
The Albuquerque metro area has about coming to the cemetery.—Chris Keller names to our family service consultants.
750,000 people in it. Do the math: It’s tens of They would call the family and say,
thousands of sets of cremated remains sitting We heard that and thought, “We could do “My understanding is we were able to serve
at home. Sitting on mantlepieces. Sitting in that.” On January 1, 2017, I put up six huge you through French mortuary. I’m so sorry
attics. Sitting in basements. Forgotten. Stolen colored granite panels on a bare wall. I went about your loss. I believe the funeral director
in home thefts. Destroyed in home fires. to the local stone company and found bright you met with gave you a certificate for a
This first one, not our idea: John Williams colored scraps, had the edges finished off and complimentary cenotaph on the wall here at
from Venice, Florida, started doing this to hung them on the wall. It cost next to nothing. Sunset. We would love to be able to place
capture more of the cremated remains coming We started handing every single family your dad’s name there. Because we have
out of his mortuary over to his cemetery. French serves who chooses cremation—that’s different colors, different panels, we’d love
He had two cemeteries between his about 1,800 a year—a certificate for a free for you to pick where you’d want it. What
cemetery and his mortuary. So how could cenotaph at our cemetery. would be a good day for you to come in?”
he get his families to go to his cemetery? We have a scattering/memorialization When the consultants started actually
What he came up with is “I have a beautiful option at the cemetery that includes the meeting with families, here’s what happens.
fountain in my cremation garden with bare scattering and placing the name and birth Those panels are sitting right in the middle of
sides. I’m going to let any of those cremation and death date on the wall. We valued the our Centennial Urn Garden. They have to go
families who want to come to my cemetery certificate at less than that, because all we’re through all of those cool cremation options
and I’ll put a cenotaph up, free of charge.” putting on the wall is dad’s name. But they we have to get to those panels.
In the first five years since he started doing get to choose which color panel. And along the way, they’re saying,
that, his capture rate from his mortuary to his We said you have to come within 30 days, “What’s that? I’ve never seen that before.
cemetery increased 200 percent. so there’s a sunset time horizon on it to incite What’s that blue thing over there?” r
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C R E M AT I O N
What I’ll leave r Be transparent with families Mike Sherbekow,
you with is this: Question to the cremation metal recycling Garfield Refining
transparency. panel: Should the death-care profession be Our job is to provide a service.
You need to able to make a profit from recycling? We’re not in the business of
talk with your
Jennifer Kandt, getting involved with what our
families openly
Nevada state funeral board customers do with the proceeds.
about it. The
only issues I I have no opinion, but I think The majority of the people we
typically see there should be a requirement speak to choose donation. But at the end of
when it comes that crematories disclose what the day, the opinion of a metal recycler on
to recycling are they’re doing. Anytime the whether crematories should or should not
the ones where consumer feels they don’t have profit is basically irrelevant.
we haven’t the information that they would want or need Brad Wasserman,
explained it or that they’re being lied to in some way, Implant Recycling
properly and
that’s when they start calling our office. Do we think crematories should
clearly to fami-
Kevin McKay, profit? Obviously if you’re a
lies. I have an
old saying that Mid-States Recycling nonprofit, you shouldn’t profit.
my dad gave I agree that full disclosure of If you’re a for-profit, we hope
me: “If you what’s happening is sort of a you are profitable.
can’t talk about non-brainer. In general, it’s a What makes a crematory successful?
it, you probably personal choice of the crematory When we talk to successful crematories
didn’t make the or funeral home. and people in the death-care industry,
right choice.”
Justin Pollock, Core Scientific what makes them successful is the bond
So if you can’t and trust they have with their families and
share with your It’s not really my role in this
transaction to tell you whether or their communities. So when you make the
families what
not you should be able to profit decision about how you’re going to recycle,
you’re doing,
from this. It’s up to you to make your families—and if you’re a third-party
then you’re probably not doing the right
thing.—Poul Lemasters the decision. crematory, how your funeral homes are going
to react—needs to take center stage. r
r Speak up for memorialization r Rethink your cremation strategies How you treat people is
Michael Harens John Bolton, CCE, CCrE, CSE what creates the most
“Cremation doesn’t minimize We need to rethink our strate value. It’s going to overtake
the need to memorialize.” It’s gies. We need to understand price and product. Think
about that: The way you
a phrase that can build a lot of who the cremation consumer
treat your families is going
value, and can also change a is, what drives them. Instead to be more important than
conversation. of thinking about us, we need what you sell them and
“Grandma didn’t want to to think about them. We need how much it costs. Eighty-
be a bother, we’re just going to establish relevant product six percent of customers are willing to
to cremate her, take her home, do a scattering offerings that focus on pre- pay more for better customer experi-
at the next holiday gathering.” need, at-need and post-need. ence.—Lori Salberg
“OK, but cremation doesn’t minimize the Remember the people who are in the
need to memorialize.” closets? We need to educate our consumers r Expand your outreach programs
“What do you mean?” better. We need to use YouTube and e-mail Lori Salberg
“Can I take you on a park tour and show marketing and things like that to educate You have to enhance your education and
you what cremation options we offer, as them about the options—most people don’t outreach program. You have to make sure that
well as some of the custom things we can do have a clue what their options are. you are doing all of those fun, cool events but
around cremation?” We need to establish a better culture inside also make them charitable.
our organizations about cremation. We need Make sure that people see that you care
r Ask about plans for the urn to say, “We’ve got pre-need counselors and about their community as well as being
We talk a lot about “five, 15 and 50.” If you we’ve got community service counselors, do welcoming.
can, get families to think about what are you we have cremation concierge people on staff You have to get involved in these Death
going to do with that urn five years, 15 years who are specialists with cremation and the Cafes. You have to find out if they’re
and 50 years down the road. Get them to things that relate to the cremation consumer?” happening, and if they’re not, then start one.
think about that: What is going to happen to And how do we relate hospitality and Go look up what they’re all about and then do
that urn? From a legacy standpoint, from a catering to the cremation consumer, because them, be in the conversation about death in
heritage standpoint, that’s where that role of a folks, guess what, they’re one and the same— every way you possibly can be. If someone’s
memorialist comes into play. r they go hand in hand now. talking about death, you are there. r
I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N FIRS T-T IM E RS
H O S P I C E PA N E L / S E L F - C A R E Ashley Johnson
student, St. Petersburg Col-
r Seek a balanced life But we have eliminated most of the lege, St. Petersburg, Florida
Jim Monahan turnover within the funeral home, which Amazing. I love the variety
I’m going to talk about how is extremely costly for small-town funeral you have, from pets to
hospice workers keep on homes. With the time it takes us to train funeral homes—amazing
going day after day. We have people, get them out into the community, if variety in topics.
the same stresses, I believe, they leave that’s very, very difficult for us.
that funeral directors do. Try Micah Galvez
to keep a balance; it really can r Build a respectful Newell-Hoerling’s Mortuary,
exist. relationship with hospice Centralia, Washington
The director of our bereavement services Jason Troyer, PhD It’s been great; I’ve learned
said she looks at how many hours a day she I see two key areas where a lot.
does really painful things, and she tries to hospice and funeral service
do that much happy or fun things outside of overlap. One is literally being
work. in the same physical space at
Veronique Desrochers
“I don’t watch movies where somebody’s the same time. A little bit of
Gregory & Desrochers,
dying of cancer—I like comedies.” She sits conflict can occur when hospice and funeral Victoriaville, Quebec
around a lot, so she moves and goes outside professionals are in that same physical space It was very fun. Nice
after work, does a lot of dancing, goes to the at the removal or transferal. Who’s in charge speakers. I really liked
beach. She tries to balance life. here? Which rules are we following? everything.
One of the people I spoke with was a Hospice feel very passionately about
funeral director. She said some of the younger “We’ve been caring for this family quite
funeral professionals do things like mountain a while.” Just as appropriately, funeral Jeffrey Schuetz
climbing, hiking, camping. She said, “I’ve professionals feel, “We’ve been serving this (with some cool
been around a while; we just dealt with it by family for several generations.” We each feel swag)
drinking.” I don’t think she was joking. ownership—which generally is a good thing. Scheutz Funeral
We take very personally the quality of service Home, Mingo
r Find ways to limit long hours we provide. Junction, Ohio
I think we can build this relationship and I like it. A lot
Lauren Blevins, CCFE
of informa-
We hired a gentleman whose in effect share this burden by doing some
tion, a lot of
entire job is to go on removals. things to build a relationship of respect. I
things to see,
He gets a salary and he lives think it starts with, quite simply, checking learn, vendors.
on call. in with hospice, having conversations with Everything is
That saved us all from a them, whether it’s professional or outside great.
lot of night duress. It saved us of serving families. Talking with them at a
10 or 20 hours sometimes a removal situation. Recognizing them: “I’m
week per person. It changed the course of the appreciating that you’ve worked with this
funeral home life a little bit. We try to keep family for weeks, months, maybe a year or
our employees to 40-45 hours a week, and more in rare cases.” Acknowledge that their
that’s very hard. job is stressful, too. r

GRIEF/AF TERCARE/SELF-CARE
r Learn why music helps heal and are known to be involved Music can also help with
how you can use it to help families in emotion and reward and memory and concentra-
Dianne Gray motivation. tion. How many times
Pain needs to be validated in order to heal. Why is that important? have you had a family in
your office, they’re sitting
Music can provide that validation, and here’s Because talk therapy
there in front of you, and
why. Because as we listen to music—how doesn’t always work. you know that you just
many times have you listened to a song and Music works. Why? said to them, “This is
go, “That’s about me?” Because it affects the part of what’s involved; this is
We think that somebody gets it, and it the brain that has to do with what we need to know;
helps us feel less alone. Music becomes our dopamine and our receptor this is the cost.” And they
companion in our healing journey. That’s true system. This is what it looks look at you like they have
for millions of people, but most people are like when drugs of abuse no idea what you just
not taught to turn to music. target the brain’s pleasure said. Music helps them retain memories and reduces brain
Here’s the science; here’s what we need to fog, helps people make better decisions.—Dianne Gray
center. Music does the exact
know about neurology and the brain and why same thing. in with our power walk? What do you think
music is a great and valuable resource for you How many of us know physicians who happens to the brain? Then what happens to
all. You can encourage people who grieve to prescribe anti-depressants for grief? It’s OK our grief?
start listening. to be sad, folks. It is not a bad thing; it is Just giving people pills is not working; we
Our brain has a pleasure center where normal. It is part of the human experience. have got to replace it with something power
feel-good neurotransmitters make us feel What would happen if we started saying, ful that actually works, and music works.
really good when we drink alcohol and, I instead of “take two of these,” “take two You guys are a very important
don’t know about you guys, but I sure love songs”? component of the healing process, and the
my donut every now and then, and music And, by the way, the research says reason is this: You guys are there with this
is connected to this pleasure center. It’s the powerwalking 20 to 30 minutes in nature has family and you have to sit in their grief.
same exact pleasure center in the brain. the same effect. It hits the dopamine and the We can start helping them by under
The involvement in musical activities pleasure receptors in the brain and it tells the standing that music is actually a powerful
actually changes levels of neurochemicals. It body, “I’m feeling better.” way to heal and say, “Hey, check out
activates areas on both sides of the brain that What happens when we add a little music Spotify.” Help them build a playlist. r
r Model a balanced life and keep and less all the time.” When we’re look- what I’m going to do to take
an eye out for compassion fatigue Your duties do put ing at change, we care of myself on my days
Jason Troyer, PhD you at a higher risk for tend to overes- off.” Acknowledge and share
If you are looking to your family’s next compassion fatigue and timate our fears those reactions, and model
and underesti-
generation or a key employee who you burnout, so we must inten that self-care.
mate the cost of
would love to take over your firm, if they tionally work to reduce Look for situations
not changing.—
see your lifestyle as something that is not that. Dr. Jason Troyer that might be intense
sustainable, they won’t want to step into Disaster responders compassion-fatigue
your shoes. They won’t want to take over take burnout seriously. I situations. If your embal
if your lifestyle is the example of what know someone in my community who has mer is embalming a 6-year-old and they
they’re going to be doing for the next 20 or worked with the US Marshal Service for have a 6-year-old at home, you need to
40 years. decades. He told me that in Tennessee, my have a conversation with them about
It’s not about not wanting to work hard, state, there are 700 people trained to help first whether they’re the right person to do that
and it’s not about expecting 8-5 hours and to responders and police officers with burnout— embalming, and check in before and after.
never work overtime. It’s about having some that’s how seriously they take it. It doesn’t have to be a counseling session,
small semblance of life balance. Owners and managers, you set the tone for it can be a quick conversation. “I know that
If you’re trying to recruit a retired teacher professionalism, for how families are served. this might have been tough for you. You
or military person to be a funeral assistant, You also set the tone in terms of burnout and want to chat about it and we can grab some
or to try them out at the funeral home, if they compassion fatigue. coffee?”
see an example of that old school mentality I would encourage you to acknowledge
of “just suck it up,” they’re not going to work and share your own reactions. That doesn’t r Put down the smartphone
for you, or they won’t last long in the job. mean you have to be an open book to your I’m glad that all of you were able to take
We have high turnover within the staff and say, “Boy, I’m two days away from time away from your place of work to come
field, and worse, people suffering without being burned out and selling this place.” I here, but I think it’s much more difficult for
support. “Yeh, I make it day by day, but don’t mean that. But I mean if you’ve had a funeral and cemetery professionals to be
I’m far from thriving, and I’m far from tough day or tough week, instead of being psychologically away from work, because we
happy about it and the satisfaction that I tight-lipped about it, please mention it. As have these wonderful devices—smartphones.
get from doing this job seems to be less simple as “It’s been a rough week, and this is We can keep track of every single death
➤to page 33
GRIEF/AF TERCARE LED Lighting Solutions
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r Laugh and smile more often
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The thing about laughter is our bodies
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laughter and fake laughter. So fake it until
you can make it. We don’t feel stressed when
we laugh. Laughter is like a mini-vacation
from our worries, our cares and our fears, and
we come back renewed and refreshed. r
r Consider this course for hospice

Gail Rubin
An idea you might consider,
working with your hospice
communities, is to have a
showing of “Inside Out’ and
an exploration of the Atlas of
Emotions website to help us as
individuals, as well as profes
sionals, to better understand emotions and
triggers, especially sadness, anger, those so-
called bad emotions that we need to be able to
recognize and deal with.
This could be a two- to three-hour
continuing ed credit course for hospice
professionals in your market. They would
love your funeral home or cemetery
for bringing that kind of entertaining
education to your community. It could also
be an aftercare program for the families
you serve, as one way of helping them
understand their own emotional reactions
to loss. r
➤Troyer, from page 32

call, and every question and every family
concern. We’re never psychologically
away as long as that phone’s there and
someone can reach us. Ideally, you need to
be psychologically away at times.
For a lot of you, there’s something
healing about getting outdoors. If you can
turn off the phone or leave it somewhere
else, that’s the best way to do it. r

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CEMETERY & LEGAL
r Learn to apologize the right way What is your story? Do have quite a few volunteers.
Emily Ann Albrecht you have a story with your Another really neat thing we’ve been
If somebody does approach you and say, “I’m cemetery? What is your doing is we’re trying to preserve family
not pleased with the way Dad looked,” take cemetery’s history? Is stories, so we partnered with the University
there something so unique
the opportunity to, first and foremost, listen to of Louisville, with Bellarmine University. We
about your cemetery that
folks’ complaints, because the biggest thing it’s worth telling? I will have students who are writing storyboards for
people really want in that situation, before guarantee you, if you dig people who are buried at Cave Hill Cemetery.
letting it get so far that you’re in the news, is deep enough, you can find Right now, we’re working on stories of
to be heard. They want their concerns to be a story to tell somewhere in your his- women and African-Americans.
appreciated in a genuine manner. tory.—Michael Higgs We’re trying to get a very rich experience
It’s a lot cheaper to sit down with for people who come to visit. This whole
r Expand cemetery service offerings
someone, have storyboard process will take place for years,
Gwen Mooney, CCFE
a meaningful and will segue into our goal of building a
We’re always discovering new oppor
conversation, history center at some point. The community
tunities for our families. We’re developing
acknowledge is getting very involved in that project.
packages, and in them we really want to
the reasons why Green space renewal is something the
tap into unique memorial service planning,
they’re less community can get very involved in. The
graveside gatherings, receptions—everything
than satisfied, city of Louisville has a program to restore
from breakfast to lunch to dinner to wine and
address it on the the canopy. So we’re getting the community
cheese receptions, which are pretty popular
front end, than involved in planting a lot of trees.
right now with our families, using celebrants
to go through
more frequently.
litigation— r Try to bring in cremated remains
whether or not We did a survey to find out where a lot
r Build ties to your community
you are liable. It of the cremated remains from the funeral
We try to tap into our landowners, our fami
doesn’t matter— homes in the city were going, and a lot
lies, area students—really the entire com
someone can still sue you and you’ll be tied were going to the families’ homes.
munity, to tie the community into Cave Hill.
up in litigation for years. Through some television commercials,
We are building a state-of-the-art apiary
If you can, sit down, address it with we have been able to get a lot of those
and we’re going to be adding five more
the family. There’s a difference between cremated remains into Cave Hill by
hives to the 15 hives we already have. That
apologizing for doing something wrong, for featuring our large variety of placement
will bring us into the production of a couple
example, which is not a good idea—I would options, from scattering gardens to our
thousand bottles of honey this summer—
not suggest that—and apologizing in the niches to ground burial. r
maybe up to 2,500. We want families, people
sense that “I am very sorry that you are less
in the community, to come and in work with I’ve had an
than satisfied with the services we provided.” opportunity to
our apiary, work with our apiary team.
You are acknowledging somebody’s raise my second
We also have beekeeping classes with
concerns, telling them that it’s a meaningful service dog.
our head beekeeper. That’s a really strong
concern and we understand you’re less than He’ll go to grave-
community program.
satisfied and we are sorry for that. However, side services
Another thing that’s really popular
you’re not admitting any sort of wrongdoing. and to funeral
in drawing people in is our marker and homes for
Another way to get sued is if somebody
restoration services. We have a designated visitations.
contacts you and says, “I’m not satisfied with
team of five people who work from spring to —Gwen Mooney,
the service that I received,” to not respond at
late fall doing this restoration and cleaning, CCFE
all. That’s a really good way to get a lawyer
and the community can come in and help. We
involved. r
r Put GPLs on the showroom door I see a lot of funeral home my waiting room is in the showroom?
Marty Ludlum, PhD invoices where the big- Can I tell the family to go in there and sit
It’s 33 years old, and we’re still having gest item on it is “other.” and wait, because the funeral director is
huge problems about people following the What do you suppose the coming here from another location?
consumer thinks when
FTC Funeral Rule. This can be fixed. The FTC ruling was that no, you can’t
the biggest item on the
What’s the most common violation ticket is “other?” “Other go in the showroom at all unless you’ve
of the Funeral Rule? This was a shocker. what? Maybe I don’t want given them the price list.
Not giving—or, what I think is even more other—especially if it’s that How do you avoid this problem? A lot
ironic—refusing to give a price list to the expensive!”—Dr. Marty Ludlum of it is just building in a habit. Get one
consumers when they’re there. casket room, you’ve got to offer them the of these hanging folders and put it on the
Going into the showroom—that’s the price list. What if I have a small funeral door of the showroom and fill it full of
magic moment. Before you show them the home, I don’t have a waiting room, or price lists. r
BEFORE AFTER
17
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H U M A N R E L AT I O N S
Speaker Cate Collins (below) had audience members interacting (above) during her lively presentation.
r Make your meetings meaningful from my firm early on?” Are you kidding?
Cate Collins When something happens, grandma or
You must have meaningful meetings. grandpa dies, or their mom or aunt or uncle,
So often when I work with firms or their guess who’s doing the research? Millennials,
directors or administrators, they say, “Yeh, and 72 percent of their information is coming
we’re having another meeting. I don’t know strictly from their smartphone.
why; they go on too long, you just yak and It’s a different lens they’re looking
I’ve got things to do. Now I’m stressed out through. I’m sure it had nothing to do with
because my list has gotten longer.” the fact that you probably put in 12- or 14-,
Make sure there’s an agenda. Make sure maybe 15-hours a day, and they watched you.
there’s a timeline, there’s accountability—it’s This is a big one as a leader for credibil- And they watched that your life was sucked
ity. You must take 100 percent responsi-
put on the agenda at the next meeting, what right out from underneath you. Maybe your
bility for your mistakes, for your words,
we’ve accomplished. This is going to help for your actions—it is critical. The com- marriage broke up or has problems, or you
for time management, this is going to help panies that really sustain employees have addiction issues. I’m sure that has had
for accountability, this is going to help your are the ones that say, “You know what, I no effect on why they want to have balance in
credibility. blew it. That was a bad call. I apologize their life and a sense of meaning.
and this is what I’m going to do differ- They have been brought up in an era of
r Add millennials to your team ently.”—Cate Collins information overload. Google has become
Just to remind people, millennials are the recommend you do. They’re the largest their best friend. These consumers and
people born between 1980 to 1996. Does generation is history. They are changing employees are more educated than ever
anybody have millennials on their team right consumerism radically. before. Do you think it’s important for you to
now? For those of you who don’t, I highly “But what are the chances of them buying have that edge, as a firm? I really think so. r
First-timer r Review your onboarding process give some tangible expectations about what
Brittany Carrington Mark Jorgensen competencies are expected and what the job
Putnam Funeral Home & I would suggest that starting requirements might be.
Crematory, Kingsland, Texas any job relationship is about It also adds utility for onboarding, because
The convention was very
an onboarding process. The it makes this process really simple. We can
educational. I enjoyed each
onboarding process is based take the job description and sort it by when
of the speakers and the dif-
ferent pieces of information on the idea of what a new you would reasonably expect an employee to
they brought to the conference. I also employee with relevant job have a particular competency that’s in the job
really enjoyed the networking aspect, experience should be expected description.
getting to meet other people who are to do with a family on day one. Very simply, take all the elements in the
just as passionate as I am about serving An onboarding process, I would suggest, job description, break them down and decide
families and learning from them. I am is best organized chronologically. If we take what you would expect this new employee
newly licensed in the state of Texas, so the assumption that the onboarding plan is to be able to do competently by the end of
building this network here with experi- something we directly control in the process the first week of employment, by the end of
enced funeral directors is valuable to me. of bringing a new employee on and keeping the first month and in the first 90 days, which
And, of course, cultivating and continu-
them viable, we would start with the job most of us think of as a probationary period
ing to get to know the people I’ve met
description. I hope you have one, because for an employee.
previously from the mortuary school, the
companies and vendors I’ve worked with it’s a very versatile tool for you. It certainly This then sets the groundwork for your
for many years, has been very valuable. is involved when you decided to advertise six-month or annual performance review.
So it’s been a very enjoyable experience the position, when you begin screening Certainly more frequent is considered better
for many reasons. and interviewing candidates, to be able to by most management scholars today. r
Who Supplies
the Suppliers?
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L O U T R E A C H
Simultaneous Spanish translation was

offered for many educational sessions.
Above, translators at work. Below,

attendees listening to the translation.
Above, Erica Maldonado

and ICCFA Vice President
Andrés Aguilar, Los Parques,
Guatemala, and ICCFA Board
F I RST-TI MER S Member Gisela Adissi, Grupo
Primaveras, São Paulo, Bra-
Roberto Esquivel zil, at the ALPAR booth.
Camposanto la Piedad,
San Jose, Costa Rica Left, ICCFA 2017-2018
I’ve seen many friends—that’s President Scott Sells, CCFE,
the most important thing for exchanges gifts with Wang
me. The products are amaz- Jisheng, vice president of
ing. I really recommend this the Chinese Funeral Asso-
convention to anyone who is ciation, and Juan Pablo Do-
in this business. The different talks are very netch, president of ALPAR,
good. Two that I especially liked were the the Latin American cemetery
one with the major (Scott Huesing) and the and funeral association.
marketing one.
Emny Navarro
Jardin Memorial, Santo Domin-
go, Dominican Republic
It’s very interesting to meet
colleagues from the USA, see
how cremation has evolved,
the funeral rituals that have
changed a lot—which in Latin
America has not yet happened, but can hap-
pen—see those experiences and what we
must not do so that it does not happen to us.
These conferences also given us many tips
to apply in our countries and tropicalize. Socializing at the International Reception.
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FUNERAL SERVICE
Quit analyzing and fol- r Be open-minded about your role, In Austra-
low your intuition. You ready to personalize ceremonies lia, other
have years of experiences Stephanie Longmuir titles are
that have accumulated I used to call myself a funeral celebrant, emerging
and bring you a wealth of for the
but these days, I wonder, “Am I an event
knowledge. Things you’ve work that
planner? Am I a facilitator? Am I a mediator? funeral
been taught, things you’ve
Counselor? Collaborator?” profes-
learned, things you’ve
seen that have gone well, things that Most of the time, I think I’m all of the sionals
didn’t turn out too well.—Dave Shank above. I invite you to consider the changing do. These
shape of end-of-life ceremonies, the families days, we
who are driving these changes, and how we are seeing
r Always asume there’s a camera meet the needs of a changing generation. funeral
Lance Ray There are three things that I want you directors
Who’s got a nest cam—one to take away with you. The first is an calling
of those cameras on the open-mindedness about who we are as
themselves
outside of your house to keep funeral
funeral professionals. The second thing is consul-
track of who’s coming and the ability to identify and serve a family tants,
going? When you’re doing a wanting maybe something non-traditional. funeral
removal and you walk up to And the third are the tools to personalize an planners,
that house, expect that there’s end-of-life ceremony. remembrance consultants and now even
a camera watching you. If people are contacting me after the event manager. And let’s face it, that’s re-
I’m always aware that there could be cremation has been organized and they’re ally what we need to become these days
cameras. They could have set up a nest cam looking for a memorial service, I often say if we’re going to turn a direct, no-service
in that bedroom to watch mom while she was to them, “Why aren’t you involving your
cremation into an opportunity for an end-
ill. I’d be totally silent on a removal, because of-life ceremony.—Stephanie Longmuir
funeral director in this event?” They all
I don’t know where the cameras are. r say to me they didn’t believe the funeral gallery with the deceased’s paintings.
director would be interested in organizing Six months ago, I had 600 mourners
something beyond their own venues. folding origami during a reflection time to
Families will work independently, and present to the deceased. Origami was his
they will make their own arrangements if thing. We made tiny little origami bats.
you’re not prepared to do it for them. There were about 400 bats on top of his
In the past six months alone, I have led coffin, and as we wheeled the coffin off,
services on beaches, in gardens, including these bats took flight and it was a mass of
a beautiful service at the beginning of this colored paper; it was truly beautiful.
year at the croquet lawn of Melbourne’s
historic Como House, where a beautiful r Expand your idea of ritual
marquee was set up for 300 mourners in Ritual: This is interesting. You’ve all heard
the glorious Melbourne sun. It was a very of the dove release and candle-lighting
special place for the deceased; he’d walked and balloons. But have you ever heard of
his dog there every day. apple-pie eating at a funeral service?
I’ve participated in painting and I had a family where the deceased had
r Be prepared to answer questions decorating coffins. I did a service two loved McDonald’s apple pies. He’d been
Damon de la Cruz, PhD weeks ago and the deceased was an artist. in aged care for some time, and his family,
I teach in a mortuary school, and a lot of our We delivered a coffin to the family home his grandchildren and great-grandchildren,
students say, “I don’t need to know all this five days before the service. It was a very had visited him every single week, and it
stuff you’re teaching me.” And then they plain pine coffin, and during the next five was their tradition that they would always
go work at funeral homes and the licensed days, family and friends were invited to bring him a McDonald’s apple pie.
embalmers say, “Oh, yeh, we had to learn all come and paint and decorate the coffin. During the reflection time, we played
that stuff and you’re never going to use it.” His son, who is a filmmaker, set up a some music, and the grandchildren and
In today’s market, that doesn’t work Go-Pro camera in the room and recorded great-grandchildren all came forward with
anymore. Families come into your funeral the five days and condensed the film to five their McDonald’s apple pies and stood
home and they’re going to ask you a question, minutes and we played it at the end of the around the coffin and ate their apple pies.
and they probably already have the answer service. It was beautiful, and the coffin was I had great-grandchildren there ranging
these days. They’ve already Googled it. magnificent. from three to seven years of age, and their
They ask you a question; you make up an I’ve led Saturday services in family first memory of a funeral service is going
answer; and they look at you and say, “I’m homes and family back yards, and Sunday to be eating apple pie with their Pa. I know
paying you thousands of dollars and you services in favorite restaurants. that’s a happy memory for them of a funeral
don’t know what you’re doing.” r I’ve transformed a chapel into an art service. r
Him Jardy
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First-timer James Hale
(with one of the Funeral One
flowers in the Expo Hall) Belle
Vernon Cemetery Association,
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
It’s been really awesome;
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are a lot of neat and exciting
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nice layout, very easy to get
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Behar Mapping
Argent Trust Global Atlantic Roberts & Downey Chapel Equipment
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MANAGEMENT
r Ask questions and guide families all the incredibly valuable things that we do.
Mike Watkins Ask yourself the question: Am I doing any
There are so many funeral professionals or all of those things?
hiding behind a fear of being pushy, or being Ask yourself these tough questions about
too “salesy.” That, unfortunately, precludes the value in all the different services that we
them from giving advice. As we like to say provide—especially when it comes to people
in our company, we have the courage to lead who think they don’t want to do anything.
and advise our families. They come in and Dad’s been saying for 15-
What should we be doing? We should 20 years, “Just cremate me and scatter me.”
be, first and foremost, having conversations. We want to validate that: “I respect your
The family walks in and says, “We want dad’s desire for simplicity. But after this
to have direct cremation.” If your response conversation that we’ve had, you’ve really
is, “Well, OK, but we also have cremation helped me see how many lives your dad has
with memorial services, and we also have impacted, how many lives he’s touched. So I
full-service cremations and you can have a want to ask you, ‘How are we going to honor
viewing,” you’re upselling, aren’t you? your dad’s life?’”
What if your response is, “Yes, we do I don’t care what a person’s been saying
offer a simple cremation, and I’ll be more about simplicity for 15 to 20 years—we want
than happy to explain that to you, but what to respect that, but there’s not a person worth
I first want to do is have a conversation, be their salt that’s going to come in and think
cause I didn’t have the privilege of knowing that dad or mom’s life didn’t have value, and
your dad, and I’d like to get to know him.” that dad or mom’s life didn’t doesn’t deserve
You’re asking some strategic, open-ended to be honored.
questions to really get to know who that How we do that? We have to be a lot
person was and what made them unique and more creative. It can no longer just be, “We’ll
special, and then from there, you’re able to have something in the chapel, and if you
become their advocate and advisor, because don’t have a minister, we’ll get one for you.”
We can’t stand by and say, “Why isn’t
that’s what we’re really there to do. We’ve got to think way beyond that, having
my business doing better?” if we our
selves are not willing to change, to do
We should be learning about that unique celebrants on staff and having memorial
that which makes us feel uncomfort- life, educating that family about the value of gatherings that will help people understand
able.—Mike Watkins ceremony, about permanent memorialization, the importance of the community support. r
r Emotionally prepare families they’re able to answer questions. And as soon

and make your firm one of the best as they walk into that casket selection room,
Jason Troyer, PhD that’s where it hits them.
People want somebody to walk with them Emotionally prepare them for that. It could
through the whole process. Ordering services be a very simple one-line statement: “We’re
and simply having a place where they can going to go to the selection room now.”
have those rituals is not going to be enough if You might already have a spiel about
you want to get into that top 10 percent. caskets and pricing. I would encourage you
What can you do to prepare people for to add this: “Some folks, when they go into
that situation or ritual better? There are two the selection room, it hits them them really
kinds of preparation I would focus on. One hard. I just want to warn you that that could
is practical, and this might be more familiar. happen. It’s perfectly OK; we’ll take as much How many of you know the Johnsons
are showing up at 9 a.m. for an arrange-
Anybody have a little card or handout that time as you need.”
ment conference and you see them
they give families at the point of removal If they don’t have that reaction, they think, pull up in the parking lot and they sit
or transferal to say, here’s what’s going to “Hey, we’re doing better than everyone out in the car, it takes them 10 minutes
happen at the arrangement conference, here else. We’re stronger and tougher.” I would to walk in—not because they’re wait-
are some things you can bring? disagree with that perception a little bit, but at ing for somebody else, they’re just
That’s the type of practical information least they don’t feel bad about it. gathering strength to walk in the door.
I’m talking about: Practical information to The other scenario is that they do have Acknowledge that: “I realize this is the
prepare them for walking in the door. I would an emotional reaction, and you warned them last place you want to be. I realize it was
encourage you to take it to the next level, to about it. What does that say about where you difficult maybe to even walk through the
emotional preparation. door.”—Dr. Jason Troyer
are in synch with them? A quick little phrase;
How many of you have had families in the it’s free; it takes three seconds. what you say. You can’t just say it or put it on
arrangement room planning the service and I know that you care. But families know signs; these are the practical ways they feel
yes, they’re grieving, but they’re doing OK, you care for them based on what you do and it—and they’ll tell other people about it. r
IN THE DEATHCARE INDUSTRY
IN THE DEATHCARE INDUSTRY
Dedicated and focused, Bill’s

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

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FI RST-TI MER S I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N
Staci VanZant MANAGEMENT
Lowell-Tims Funeral Home,
Altus, Oklahoma r Develop new skill sets
It’s exciting. We’re new Alan Creedy
business owners, so it’s The future is going to be different. We’re
awesome to be here and in an inflection point. It’s not the first time
get some new ideas. We’re we’ve been in an inflection point; it is going
having fun! to be painful. But the skill sets that the future
operators of cemeteries and funeral homes
Jasen Crockett and death care need have changed.
Austin Lane Mortuary, Funeral service has been an extraordin
St. Louis, Missouri arily forgiving business. It doesn’t take a lot
I think it was very educa- to make a good living. In the future, you’re
tional from beginning to going to have to have some skill sets that
end. your parents might not have had.
r Know your average sale (funeral)

or average yield (cemetery)
Yoanna Termini I have no interest in turning you into an
Jardin Memorial, Santo Do- accountant, but I am going to tell you there
mingo, Dominican Republic
are about a half a dozen key performance
It’s very interesting,
because many times we indicators you have to know and understand
think we are doing the where they come from, how they’re You’ve got to meet with your accountant
best practices and we are generated. One of them is average sale. at least every two years to look at your
stuck in a way of thinking. If you’re really analytical, maybe you tax strategy. Things change. This is one
Sharing with other cultures and other should look at average burial sale and average year where if you are not meeting with
people with the same experience we cremation sale, but I’m fine with average sale. your accountant to look at your tax strat-
can see different options to change, to You should be looking at your average sale at egy, you’re being negligent. Things have
open the mind, to innovate. That part changed radically.—Alan Creedy
least every six months if not quarterly.
is really very interesting, and also the
I should be able to walk into your you have at-need and pre-need sales and
relationships with colleagues from other
countries that help us have a continuity business and ask, “What is your average revenue from trust funds and openings and
to always innovate. sale?” and you say, “It’s such-and-such.” closings and monument sales and so on, what
And that average sale does not include cash I would do is take your aggregate revenue
advances—that’s very, very important. and divide that by the number of burials.
Sherry Smith
In the cemetery business, it’s a little So, in the cemetery business you’re
Bellefontaine Cemetery,
different. You really need to be looking at looking at average yield, and in the funeral
Columbia, Illinois
It’s been remarkable; I’ve average yield. If your metric is burials and business you’re looking at average sale. r
learned a lot.
r Consider possible upgrades r Find a banker who ‘talks funeral’

Walker Posie Stephanie Castagnier Dunn
Maybe it’s not even generational transition. If you ask your banker, “I’m thinking of
Michelle Alexander Maybe it’s I need to build buying the firm in the next
Angel Paws Pet a crematory, build an event town over; what price should I
Crematorium, Conception
center, make my selection offer?” he’s probably going to
Bay South, Newfoundland
It’s pretty impressive. It’s
room up-to-date—maybe I look at you like a deer caught
been real educational for need some technology in the in headlights.
me—my business part- room, some TVs. Maybe it’s But if you talk to a banker
ner and I just opened our money to grow your business. who lends in the funeral
business in October. We went to the I’ve been at the funeral industry, they’re going to ask
PLPA College, but this is our first ICCFA home long enough to remember cassette you, “What’s the call volume, what’s the cost
convention, and it’s been a real learning tapes, and that went out-of-date and we had for service, what’s the competition, what
experience for us. A presentation like to spend all this money getting CD players, the cremation rate, do they have pre-need,
this one about the PLPA accreditation and that went out-of-date. We did a $150,000 who do they use for pre-need, who are their
program is real illuminating. It helps technology renovation 10 years ago and it’s casket manufacturers, who are their vendors,
us know where we need to go with our
obsolete now. It’s neverending, which is are they positioned—are they growing their
business to make sure we’re giving
our clients what they need and what
another reason why you might need money. pre-need?” If you’re growing your pre-need,
will improve our showing in their eyes, Think about all the things that need to be it tells me you’re gaining market share over
how can we make things better for our upgraded and done in your business to make the competition. So that’s good when I think
clients, for the pets in our care. that experience relevant to consumers. r about your five-year pro forma. r
I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N FIRS T-T IM E RS
MANAGEMENT Denice Norton, DVM, CHPV
River Valley Gateway,
r Hire people who fit your culture schooling, their past employment history, Grand Junction, Colorado
Stan Engh, CCFE what kind of experience they have. But the It has been an eye-opening
We hire our team members, important questions are: What do you do after experience, very well put
our employees, for our culture. work? What are your hobbies? What takes together, tons of informa-
Policies and procedures can up the rest of your time when you’re not at tion.
be taught. The insurance agent work? That’s where you start learning and
is going to get a license from figuring out if this person is going to fit your
the state to sell. We can’t culture. Henry Kerns
teach culture; that comes from Culture is what is going to keep that Weeks Edline-Yahn &
Covington Funeral Chapel,
inside, that’s on who that individual is. It’s person happy. So are we using those talents?
Kent, Washington
who we are; it’s what makes us tick. We hire That’s what we want to do. We want It was fantastic. There
for our culture. to know who people are, and we want to was a great diversity of
When we hire someone there’s a long list have all of that person, not just what they’re topics and I learned a lot
of questions we might ask. We look at their assigned to do. r of things.
Deana Kelly
r Get everyone to sign the contract You want somebody who has money and Cumby Family Funeral
Marty Ludlum, PhD lives in your state. If not, “Sorry, I don’t want Service, High Point,
I don’t know if this comes to loan money to you—because that’s what North Carolina
from mortuary school or what, you’re asking.” You’re not saying, “Please I thought it was fabulous;
I’m very excited to be here.
the notion that if the family sign here.” You’re saying, “I’m loaning
The expo was wonderful,
owes you money, you need you money.” Because I’m going to pay my
and I got so much out of
one and only one person to employees, I’m going to pay for the car bill, the classes I attended. It was a great
sign the contract. Trust me, I’m going to pay for everything. You’re just experience for me.
if the group of you owes me promising someday you’re going to pay me.
$5,000, I’m not having one of you sign, I’m If it comes down to it and you’ve got to Max Francois-Poncet
getting everybody to sign. try to collect the money, you can only go after Wharton MBA,
You have the family come in and grandma people who either signed the contract and the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
who’s on Social Security is the only one who estate, if there is one. Very few people have We’re MBA students look-
wants to sign the contract. No. I don’t think an estate that gets probated. Maybe 1, 1 ½ ing into potentially buying
grandma’s Social Security is ever going to be percent of people have a probated estate. companies in the over-
able to pay you off. All those ads you see in the newspaper arching death-care space,
What’s worse is Jobless Joe, yeh, he’ll about estate planning? They can make it so so we’re here both to
sign the contract for the family. Or the guy even if you’re very wealthy and own lots of learn and meet people—learn about the
from a long way away is willing to sign stuff, you’ll never need probate. industry trends and also maybe find po-
tential acquisition targets. We thought it
it. Trust me, if you’re across state lines, Who ends up having to be probated?
was great.
you might as well be in Australia—it is Somebody who either has a bank account
that difficult to sue somebody who lives in in just their name or owns land in just their
another state. name. r
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First-timer I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N
Heather SCENES FROM THE EXPO HALL
Felkel
(dressed for
the Closing
Reception)
Cloverdale
Funeral Home,
Boise, Idaho
I have been
enjoying the
convention
a lot. I’ve
learned so Precoa Armbruster Stageway
much; I’ve taken many, many notes
and two giant bags of goodies from
the Expo Hall to bring back to my
funeral home. Tons of informa-
tion, tons of new ideas. I’ve been
to ICCFA University twice—that’s
a whole other adventure. At the
university, you focus on one topic, Country Woods Tukios
and here you get so many different
topics and can pull from everything.
This is what
happens
when his
wife is back
at the office
and Dan Isard FuneralTech FuneralScreen The Davis Whitehall Co.
(The Fore-
sight Com-
panies) takes
sartorial
advice from
co-worker
Jeff Harbeson.
Cooperative Funeral Fund Supernova/AP Lazer
Kwynce and Kithryn Thogmartin help at

the family’s Disrupt Media booth, talking to
Daryl Nicholson of Porterville Funeral
& Cremation Center, Porterville, California. S&S/Superior Coach Co. Resomation
RK Productions American Memory Craft Express Funeral Funding Intera
Remembrance Merendino Cemetery

AFCTS Vantage Products PETS Ornaments Pearl’s Premium Care
JFDA
First-Timers
Glenn & Tiffany
Blumenstein
Manchester
Funeral Home,
Manchester,
Connecticut
Tiffany: We’re
meeting a lot
of people in part of the industry that
we’re not too familiar with—cemeteries
and crematories—because we just own
funeral homes. Glenn: We got a very
warm reception from the JFDA. They
invited us to dinner last night and that
was a lot of fun. It’s been good so far.
Dr. Simcha
Raphael speaks
at the JFDA
program about
Jewish beliefs
concerning the
afterlife.
Edward Rusnak, Charles Saloman and

Robert Zimmerman of the JFDA in the
Expo Hall.
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MANAGEMENT
Millennials hate to talk on r Be aware of what therapy dogs my dogs to know is to leave it. Because if
the phone. They’re com- must learn to do—and not do somebody drops something on the ground, a
fortable doing everything Roberta Knauf, CPLP pill or anything, you want that dog, as soon
online; they’re comfort- Therapy dogs need to have a as you say, “leave it,” he leaves it, no matter
able buying online; they’re
very specific temperament, what it is.
comfortable talking online.
And then they come to you
or personality. When we’re He has to tolerate clumsy handling. He
and you want them to call looking at placing a dog or has to remain calm if people are yelling. And
you. So you’re not really helping someone get a therapy these are things that happen in your funeral
serving us in a way that we dog, the first thing I say to home, being approached by somebody who’s
would expect and that most other indus- them is, “You’ve got to know gait is off a little bit, who’s walking with a
tries have adapted into their business. what the personality of your dog is.” cane. They have to be able to be hugged.
—Tyler Yamasaki They have to be calm. Therapy dogs can They have to be able to be bumped from
usually be certified at a year of age. If you behind. To a dog, that is wanting a fight, so
r Use high-quality images on your
have a Lab, as I do, at a year, he’s still going they have to be able to understand that that’s
website to make families select you
to be jumping around. not threatening.
Tyler Yamasaki
They have to have a gentle temperament. They have to accept a treat without biting.
After hundreds of thousands of searches
They have to be well trained and obedient. You’re going to have a whole bag of treats,
and thousands of phone calls to funeral
They have to obey, when you say, “Sit; down; and everybody’s going to want to give your
homes, we were able to understand what
stay; come to me or leave it,” and they have therapy dog a treat, and the last thing you
really made consumers pick a funeral
to be able to walk very nicely on a leash. want him to do is bite someone. So we teach
home, and the first one was high-quality
One of the biggest commands that I want the dogs to very gently take something. r
images.
Images over price, images over
messaging, images over everything made a
person click and call a funeral home. and put the cat in the basket and tuck him
We thought that everyone would in. The family loves it.
have beautiful pictures that we could put What happens when you have a German
online so that people would be able to see shepherd or a dog that is bigger than you are?
them. Funeral homes spend hundreds of That seems to be happening and be the norm
thousands of dollars remodeling these nice versus little dogs.
event spaces, and almost none of them Initially, I started out with one of the extra
have any pictures or take any time to take cots we had. Every funeral home typically
professional photos to put them online. has an older cot. It worked for a short period
of time. The upside of it was that you could
We thought their web presence and
maneuver it by yourself. The cot would drop
imagery would be good. There are way too
down, you could transfer the pet onto the cot,
many doves on funeral home websites—
it could come out, you could roll it nicely out
way too many. I understand what it
of the house and you could lift it by yourself
represents, but as a consumer who’s not If yours is a pet-friendly facility, do you and place it in the van.
used to the industry, seeing stuff like have water bowls out for your pets by
However, then there are things like stairs.
this does not make me want to call your your water fountains? —Jodi Clock
Or the dog owner decides to have a nice
company.
r Think about how you will handle euthanasia outside under the dog’s favorite
There are 1.3 million funeral searches
pick-ups if you start a pet business tree in the back yard, but sadly the dog dies
every single month. That means 1.3
Jodi Clock, CPLP and is under the deck.
million people are looking for information,
If you get into the pet loss business, how are These are all things I found myself doing:
they’re looking for funeral homes, for
you going to get those pets? Are they going to Crawling under decks, going in back yards,
cremation services. When you think about
come to you? Are you going to go to the vet going by lakes. That cot does not work very
your internet presence right now, do you
clinics? Are you going to go to the person’s well. So what you need to do is check into
feel like what you’re putting out there is
home? other alternatives. Our friends in the vet
good enough to get their trust and make
Then, if you are going to go out and clinic community have surgical cots, several
them want to contact you?
make a removal of that pet, whether it’s at a different types. Some that are like hammocks,
Putting a stock photo of a casket and vet clinic or a home, how are you going to some that have wheels.
people you haven’t actually served doesn’t transport that pet into that rolling stock? You want to have several options, and
build trust. This picture could be put up There are a lot of different ways to do it. the other thing that you have to take into
by anyone. The multi-generational happy I initially started out with a basket. A basket consideration is that the majority of pet death
family—this doesn’t tell me anything. is great. You can have neat little blankets removals are a two-person job. A 150-pound
This is on almost every funeral home that have paw prints, you can have it co- Rottweiler is just as heavy as a 150-pound
website—it’s a stock photo. We know it’s a branded with your logo on it. It’s a great woman who dies in a hospice facility, and has
stock photo, so it doesn’t build trust. r little memory picture: You pick up the cat to be handled the same way. r
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P L PA
r Investigate alkaline hydrolysis Photos and videos couple of suggestions. First of all, video today
Paul Seyler are a great way to get does not need to look like it was shot by ABC
What’s the pet equipment engagement online, News. Video you shoot with your mobile
solution that works for you? particularly on social phone is perfectly OK on social media—it’s
media. They have by far
One that’s scalable, because even OK for blog posts. It’s great for getting
better engagement than
to compete effectively, a lot of just regular text posts.
your face, your name, your brand out there.
people are having to scale up. —Kim Butler It sets you up as a human being—people do
They’re having to grow their business with people.
businesses or affiliate with r Create videos for Facebook Start with something simple that you’re
other businesses. Kim Butler comfortable talking about. I’m not talking
So you need something that’s easy to grow, You need to spend time where your audience about 30 minutes; I’m talking about two
that’s going to support high production, that’s does, and they’re not looking in the Yellow or three minutes. Pick a subject that you’re
adaptable. Because what we’re hoping for, Pages anymore. A lot of them aren’t really comfortable talking about, a group of
and what I think we’re beginning to see, is an looking in the newspaper anymore. They’re questions that you hear over and over and
increasing trend toward private cremation. The looking online. over again from your customers. Talk about
combination of private cremation and the need If your audience is on Facebook, you that for two or three minutes on video and
for speed is a big factor. need to be on Facebook. If your audience is post it on Facebook and see what kind of
Profitability is definitely a bit of a juggling on Twitter, guess what? You need to be on engagement you get out of it.
act. On the one hand, some of the alkaline Twitter. You need to be where they are, where Maybe the first two or three times you
hydrolysis machines are very inexpensive and they spend their time, and you need to be try it, no, you just haven’t hit the right topic
can get you into business very inexpensively. giving them information they want and need. yet. But keep trying, because video gets four
On the other hand, the long cycle times can The first question is, how do I know where times as much engagement on Facebook as
limit your growth capacity. my audience is? Two hundred and fourteen any other type of post.
million Americans are on Facebook, the When you feel a little more comfortable
Kathy Cooney, DMV world’s most popular social media network. with video in general, try Facebook live.
One of the things with the low- Forty seven point six million users over the Maybe every Wednesday at 12:00, go live for
pressure alkaline hydrolysis age of 55 are on Facebook as of January a couple of minutes and talk about something
system that is different than the 2018, 35.4 million between the ages of 45 that is of interest to your audience and your
high-pressure systems is that and 54. There’s a good chance that a large business. Or answer questions that your
processing is different. In about portion of your audience is on Facebook. audience may have.
20 hours, this particular cycle Since Facebook is so important to all of Aim for evergreen content, which is
of bones came out just a little us, let’s talk about ways to keep your brand at content that doesn’t expire. Look for content
bit on the green side, and when dried, it’s like a the top of the Facebook news feed. You can’t that is going to be relevant today, six months
light sage green. be relevant when nobody sees you. from now and two years from now. Spend
Never in all of our years has a family said, Use more video—and I know some your time on those initially, particularly if you
“I don’t like the color, it’s different than I people are going to moan about this. They have a limited amount of time to focus on
expected.” We describe it. We say, “The color don’t feel comfortable with video, they don’t social media and blogging and various things
will be anywhere from a white to a light sage know how to use video. Let me give you a online. r
green.” And actually, they seem to like the fact
that it’s a light sage green if it comes that way
because it’s a green process.
r Answer the phone properly Ask open-ended questions. “What kind
Isn’t that funny? You can actually tie that in
Nicole Wiedeman, CSE of dog was Sparky?” “How long did you
together, put a positive spin on it and nobody’s
Simply answer the phone. have Sparky?” By asking questions, you’ve
ever been concerned about that. r
Three key things: Your buffer already kind of given me relief—let me do
words, your company name and the talking.
CPLP certifications your full name. One thing I’ve Express empathy. “I’m so sorry to hear
Pet Loss Professional Alliance Co-Chairs learned from Nancy Friedman what happened to Sparky.”
Coleen Ellis, CPLP, and Bill Remkus, and other resources as I’ve I think in this industry, we get caught up in
CPLP, announced that three individu- studied phone skills is that once being sympathetic. “Oh, my god, I’m so sorry
als had received the Certified Pet Loss you say something after your …” We’re professionals; be empathetic, not
Professional certification in recognition name, it erases your name, and it’s important sympathetic.
of having attained the highest level of that folks know who you are. Deliverables. If somebody says, ‘I’m
achievement within the pet loss services “Thank you for calling Two Hearts Pet interested maybe in having this at a park
profession: Faith Banks, Midtown Mobile
Loss Center. This is Nicole Wiedeman.” somewhere.” “OK, I’m going to look into
Veterinary Services,Toronto, Canada; Rita
Glatzel, Loving Hearts Pet Memorial Ser-
Always have a greeting and a closing. We this for you and I’m going to get back to
vices, Eureko, Missour; Jessica Hoelker, talked about the three things you need in a you.” And what should you do? Get back
Memorial Pet Services Inc., Middleton, greeting. I would repeat your name again at with them. If you say you’re going to do
Wisconsin. the close of a call. Repeat their name. something, do it. r
’s
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P L PA
Above left, Nicole Wiedeman

sings, “Rainbow Connection”
during the presentation of the
PLPA memorial tribute video.
Above right, Tom Flynn accepts
the PLPA’s Golden Paw Award.
With him is his grief therapy
dog, Soloman.
Right, the annual PLPA Recep-
tion. Far right, Nicki Nordeen
and Ben Riggan staff the PLPA
booth in the Expo Hall.
r Market to millennials r Know how to approach veterinary showed up and you’re wonderful. They’re
who spoil their pets clinics based on their practice size going to recommend a change because you’re
Coleen Ellis, CPLP Richard Hobart, DMV showing up multiple times, listening to them,
Twenty-five percent of our You’ve got to prepare more being nice and finding out about them.
population is millennials. Less than ever when you’re dealing You have to study these practices. You
likely to be homeowners, car with veterinarians, because have to find out what their needs are, and you
owners or parents than their of the diversity of the type of also have to find out what mistakes the other
predecessors, but they do lead practices: small practices with providers have made before you get your foot
in one category: pets. only a single, maybe a second in the door.
They weren’t like the boomers who said, part-time veterinarian; practices On this side there will be slightly more
“One of the things we’re going to get into where there are multiple veterinarians or emphasis on your fees, but service is
right away when we adult is get a house, and owners; and corporate chains. important. By service I mean timeliness,
fill it with children. This group is saying, In small practices there’s likely one turnaround, appearance of your workers.
“We’ll stay a little more fluid.” This is going decision-maker. The nice thing about small Then there are large practices. They’re
to play into some marketing. practices is they tend to be more loyal. Once going to give a lot of business. In my
Seventy-five percent of millennials have you have them as clients, they’re very good experience, they make the worst long-term
dogs; 51 percent have cats. This compares to clients. They appreciate what you do. They’re clients, because it’s a business manager or,
50 percent of the overall population with dogs not going to bolt on you. very often, someone in a totally different
and 30 percent with cats. You still have to get to know them. Every geographic location who’s making that
A majority of millennials—76 percent— practice has different needs; every practice is buying decision.
say they’re more likely to splurge on their looking for something. There’s going to be more of an emphasis
pets than for themselves, including expensive In medium-sized practices, likely it’s the on fees, and a willingness to downgrade
treats or a custom bed. So start to think about head technician or an office manager who’s your service for a lower price. You can
your merchandising within your showrooms going to recommend to the owner that you be be doing a totally wonderful job and lose
Because the millennials are saying, “these are their service provider. Changes are difficult. because someone else has come in with a
our first kids,” so they want to spoil them. r They’re not going to change just because you lowball bid. r
Rat Pack Glamour
The closing reception and dinner for the ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition,
April 18-21, 2018, drew people dressed to bring back 1960s Las Vegas, Nevada, style.
Many attendees packed
gowns and fedoras, in-
cluding (far right) con-
vention Co-chairs Andy
Lopez and Shawna de
la Cruz; (bottom right)
ICCFA Vice President
Mitch Rose, CCFE,
CCrE, and wife Nimia;
and (below) Bill and
Barb Toson, parents of
2018-2019 ICCFA Presi-
dent Christine Toson
Hentges, CCE.
Mark your calendar now:
ICCFA 2019 Convention & Expo,
April 2-6, Charlotte, North Carolina
COURTESY OF CHARLOTTESGOTALOT.COM

Supply Line
n ARGENT INTERNATIONAL, Plym- n HOMESTEAD-
outh, Michigan, and FUNERAL SERVIC- ERS, Des Moines,
ES INC., Tallahassee, Florida, have jointly Iowa, has released the
developed a master trust program. The fifth edition of “Pre-
program offers funeral directors and cemetery need Motivators.” This
owners a turnkey solution for their pre-need publication provides
and perpetual care trusts. Through this pro- information about the
gram, owners and operators benefit from the demographics, behav-
resources and expertise of both a trustee and ior and experiences of
deathcare administrator within one agree- people who arrange
ment. The program will initially be available and fund funerals in ad-
in Alabama and Arizona, then additional vance. In addition to providing results from
states in the future. Each firm that participates a biennial survey of policy owners who pre-
in one of the master trusts will have its pre- arranged and funded funerals with Home-
The entrance area of Passages Interna- need and perpetual care funds custodied and steaders, this edition of Pre-need Motivators
tional’s new facility. The nearly 30,000 invested by Argent, which is using record- includes information from a new survey
square foot, state-of-the-art facility will keeping services designed by FSI to meet of funeral directors. This study provides
allow the customer service and sales
the needs of funeral homes and cemeteries feedback about funeral directors’ experi-
teams to work surrounded by the com-
pany’s products. It is in Albuquerque, exclusively. www.ArgentFinancial.com; ences when pre-need arrangements become
New Mexico, where the previous facil- www.fsipreneed.com at-need funerals, as well as their perceptions
ity was located, but at a new address, n HANDFUL OF HOME, Watertown, about their client families’ motivations for
4516 Anaheim Ave NE. 1.888.480.6400; Massachusetts, offers ceremonial canisters prearranging. The book is available as a
www.PassagesInternational.com
filled with two pounds of Irish earth. free download; printed copies are available
Family members can honor their Irish an- by contacting your Homesteaders account
cestry by each taking a handful of dirt and executive. 1.800.477.3633;
releasing it onto their loved one’s casket or www.homesteaderslife.com
urn. www.originalirishdirt.com
Hand-
ful of n SECURITY NATIONAL LIFE
Home’s INSURANCE CO., Salt Lake City, Utah,
cere has hired Gary White and Nicole Kilborn
monial as sales managers. White will manage the
canister West Texas area, and Kilborn the Phoenix,
filled Arizona, area. White worked as a homicide
with investigator in Florida before entering the
earth
private sector as a sales associate with a The front and back of Terrybear’s new
from
supplemental insurance provider. He served infinity hearts pendant.
Ireland.
as a district/regional sales coordinator and
a regional sales trainer in Alabama and
Florida. Kilborn joined SNL in 2017. She n TERRYBEAR, St. Paul, Minnesota,
has 10 years of management experience in and has added a companion infinity
READERS: To find the products and
services you need online, go to various fields, including pre-need sales. She hearts pendant to its Memory of a Life-
www.iccfa.com for the Supply previously held several sales and market- time jewelry line. The pendant features
Link Search Engine, the fastest ing-related positions. two interwoven hearts to signify continuous
way to find the products and 1.800.574.7117; www.snlabetterway.com and forever love and dual, fillable compart-
services you need at your funeral home, ments. The piece is made with 316 stainless
cemetery or crematory. n AXIS CORP., Bellefontaine, Ohio, is cel- steel and is available in 14k gold-plated
ebrating 60 years of building vault handlers (bronze) or stainless finish (pewter). Each
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
for placing and transporting burial vaults. pendant comes with a matching 19-inch
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes
Over the years, the firm has expanded its chain (14k gold-plated or stainless finish)
and other news to [email protected] for product line to include monument handlers, and fill kit.
inclusion in Supply Line. combination vault/monument handlers, The 1.888.588.8767; www.terrybear.com
Truckhoe (a towable backhoe), crane models
for monument setting and self-propelled n PRECOA, Portland, Oregon, recently
dump trailers. Axis is conducting quarterly announced its 2018-2018 pre-need award
drawings to celebrate by giving away ama- recipients. Krause Funeral Homes & Cre-
zon.com gift cards. To enter, go to mation Services, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
www.axisequipment.com/60th. and Steven & Sons Funeral Homes, Miles
www.axisequipment.com City, Montana, each received a Distin-
S U P P LY L I N E
guished Partner Award. Justin O’Keefe,
Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Homes, Biloxi,
Mississippi, received the Sales Leader
Award. Shirley Johnson, Ivers & Alcorn Fu-
neral Home, Atwater, California, received
the Lifetime Achievement Award. Spencer
Roylance received the Precoa Field Man-
ager of the Year Award.
www.precoa.com
n THE DODGE CO., Billerica, Mas-
sachusetts, has added Lincoln Plain to its
team of sales representatives. He takes
over the Minnesota and North Dakota
territory from Gregg Bright, who has
retired. Plain has a bachelor’s degree in
mortuary science from the University of
Minnesota and has been in funeral service
for 28 years, 20 of them with O’Halloran
and Murphy Funeral Home, St. Paul,
Minnesota. He also spent many years as a
trade embalmer/reconstruction specialist in
Western Wisconsin.
1.800.443.6343; www.dodgeco.com
n COLDSPRING, Cold Spring, Minne-
sota, has received sustainability certifica-
tion for its operations in Milbank, South
Dakota. It has received Gold-level ANSI/
NSC 373 sustainable production of natural
dimension stone certification. Developed
in accordance with American National
Standards Institute guidelines, the rigorous
and voluntary ANSI/NSC 373 standard
establishes criteria to determine the degree
to which natural dimension stone is ex-
tracted and manufactured sustainably. The
Milbank operation produces Carnelian and
Prairie Brown varieties of granite.
www.coldspringgranite.com
n PASSARE, San Francisco, California,
has released “check writing” and added TAP INTO the dynamic
inventory management. Check writing online supplier network
allows funeral homes to print and manage Optimized. of the ICCFA with the
check payments to vendors for services ICCFA Supply Link.
and cash advance items. This feature will Powered by MultiView,
help funeral homes improve efficiency,
the ICCFA Supply Link
is the premier search tool
streamline check writing for multiple for your industry. All the
locations, and save time for administrative products and services
staff. The feature can be used to prepare you need, all within the
checks for vendors such as casket suppli- supplier network of the
ers, marketing agencies and fluid suppliers,
associaton you trust.
for example. Start your search at

Inventory management allows funeral our homepage
homes to track and manage merchandise www.iccfa.com.
inventory automatically through Passare’s
collaboration software.
925.968.9495;
www.passare.com r

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.
n Dylan Duncan, an emploee of WHITE In 2010, while deployed during Op- Duncan was awarded the Bronze Star Medal
HAVEN MEMORIAL PARK, Rochester, eration Enduring Freedom, the 101st 3rd with the Valor Device. This is the fourth
New York, was honored at a New York Brigade Rakkasans entered into a three-hour highest military decoration for valor. He also
Yankees game. Listening to Kate Smith engagement along the Afghanistan-Pakistan received the Purple Heart for being wound-
sing “God Bless America” has become a border. They took on heavy fire and an ex- ed by an instrument of war in the hands of
7th inning tradition at Yankee Stadium. The plosion from an enemy RPG hit a tree near an enemy.
Combat Wounded Veterans of America and Duncan and another member of his platoon. Following his military service, Duncan
the Yankees have been honoring a veteran Shrapnel entered Duncan’s arm and hand used the Army GI Bill to attend Monroe
during that time. Duncan was recognized and critically injured his assistant gunner. Community College and joined the interment
for his contribution to the nation and fellow He ignored his wounds helped his platoon crew at White Haven Memorial Park, where
members of the 101st Airborne Division, member. Duncan and his unit were able to he says he takes a lot of pride in preparing
known as the Screaming Eagles. medevac his injured friend, saving his life. burials, especially those of local veterans. r
been members of or supported the Conway FPG President and CEO Bob Bukala. Flahiff
Center for Family Business. Funeral Chapels was founded in Caldwell in
n LEGACY FUNERAL GROUP, Hous- 1952 by Charles and Lucy Flahiff. In 1964,
ton, Texas, has purchased Charlie Marshall they expanded west to Homedale with their
Funeral Homes, Rockport and Aransas second full-service chapel, and added a
Pass, Texas. Charlie Marshall built his first freestanding crematory in 1984. Owner and
funeral home in 1949 and died in 2014, General Manager Adam Krause purchased
having asked his family to sell to Legacy. the business from the Flahiff family in 2010
Legacy, which was founded in 1998, has and will continue to work with the firm post-
more than 100 funeral homes and cemeteries acquisition.
Randy, David, Michael and Kevin
in nine different states. n The annual concert in honor of Scott
Schoedinger.
n FOUNDATION PARTNERS GROUP, Joplin, who is interred at ST. MICHAEL’S
n SCHOEDINGER FUNERAL AND Orlando, Florida, has hired CEMETERY, East Elmhurst, New York, re-
CREMATION SERVICE, Columbus, Mike Bischoff as vice presi- ceived favorable news coverage, including
Ohio, has been inducted into the inaugural dent, business development. a front page article in The New York Times.
class of the Central Ohio Family Business Bischoff has more than 20 The cemetery offered attendees barbecue; a
Hall of Fame by the Conway Center for years of business development lecture by Ed Berlin, who wrote a biography
Family Business. For 20 years, the Con- experience in the funeral ser- of Joplin; and music by Dan Levinson’s
way Center for Family Business has been vices industry. Prior to joining Canary Cottage Dance Orchestra at the
Central Ohio’s resource for education and Foundation Partners, Bischoff concert in honor of the King of Ragtime. The
programming dedicated to the success of was director of strategic ac- Bischoff
Victorian Vaudeville Quartet sang a special
family-owned businesses. To celebrate this counts for Batesville. number at Scott Joplin’s grave.
milestone, 20 of the region’s most success- FPB also has acquired Flahiff Funeral n PARK LAWN CORP., Toronto, Ontario,
ful family businesses were inducted into the Chapels and Crematory, Caldwell and recently elected the following directors:
inaugural class of the Hall of Fame. Inductees Homedale, Idaho. “The acquisition of Andrew Clark, Joseph Leeder, John Ward,
are family-owned businesses with a legacy of Flahiff Funeral Chapels is a great example of Steve R. Scott, Timothy Powers, Winz Mar-
success which have successfully transitioned our strategy to expand our existing networks tina Casagrade, Paul G. Smith and Deborah
to the next generation and beyond, and have in key markets like Southwest Idaho,” said Robinson. r
In memoriam and employees for cemeteries contracted he was asked to address the National Funeral
with SASS. In 1968, he moved to New Directors Association Conference, making him
Thomas J. Gardner Sr. Orleans, Louisiana, to accept a job with the first cemeterian to do so.
Thomas J. Gardner Sr., 90, who in Stewart Enterprises, where he worked as Survivors include a son, two grandchildren,
1985 was elected as president of the national sales director and vice president, two stepgrandchildren, a great-grandchild
American Cemetery Association, pre- and served on the board. After many and two stepgreat-grandchildren. His wife of
decessor to the ICCFA, died Septem- years serving as national sales direc- 71 years, Peggy Gardner, died on November
ber 4, 2017. tor, he changed positions to build and 21, 2017. A visitation and funeral services
He was born in Thomasville, North increase sales in the New Orleans market. were held at the chapel of Mobile Memorial
Carolina and served in the U.S. Army from He served as president of the Louisiana Gardens Funeral Home, Mobile, Alabama.
1946 to 1948. He worked as a cemetery sales Cemetery Association and the Southern Cem- Entombment was in Mobile Memorial Gar-
manager for Southeastern Advertising and etery Association before being elected to lead dens. Memorial donations may be made to the
Sales System, traveling to hire sales managers the ACA. While serving as ACA president, Alzheimer’s Association. r
I C C FA N e w s
WWS 2019 call for presentations: New ‘TED Talk’ format

T
he ICCFA Sales and Marketing Committee is seeking qualified
presenters for the 2019 Wide World of Sales Conference on
January 23-25, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The format has
changed this year, so we are looking for people to present in a “TED
Talk”-style session, limiting your presentation to 18 minutes. So, if
you have something great to share, and can take the fluff out of your
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
standard 50-minute approach, then we want you! The deadline to submit your speaking proposal for WWS 2019
We are looking for sessions that target the following areas: is Friday, July 20, 2018. Your proposal must include:
• customer engagement • Your name, title, company name, address, phone and email
• use of technology in the sales process address.
• direct contact engagement • Specific topic you are addressing (i.e., “customer engagement”).
• customer follow-up and survey programs
• Title and description of your session. Session descriptions should
• event planning
name at least one or two specific skills, techniques or ideas the at-
• selling cremation pre-need, at-need and post-need
tendee will take away from your 18-minute talk.
• the value of celebrations
• selling memorialization • Brief bio regarding your experience and qualifications within the
• presenting industry, as well as any speaking experience you may have.
• aftercare programs All speakers are required to provide a one-page supplemental
• prospecting and lead generation handout which will be printed in the onsite notebook.
• group presentations Please visit www.wideworldofsales.com and click on the 2019
• sales culture Call for Presentations to complete the online proposal submis-
• effective use of CRM sion form by the July 20 deadline.
• activity management and measuring success If you have any questions, please contact Kirsten Kase at
• hiring and training [email protected] or 703.391.8402. q
Proposals to speak at 2019 ICCFA Annual Convention due July 10
C
o-chairs Mat Forastiere and John Gouch Jr. are looking for presentations for
the ICCFA 2019 Annual Convention, April 2-6, 2019, at the Charlotte
Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. If you have expertise in
a particular area of cemetery, cremation and funeral service, we would like to hear
from you! We are also interested in sessions on marketing, human resources, time
management and the 21st century workplace. Proposal guidelines:
• Include your name, title, company name, address, phone, fax and email
address.
• Include the title and description of your session (approximately 100 words).
Session descriptions should name at least two or three specific skills, techniques COURTESY OF CHARLOTTESGOTALOT.COM
or ideas the attendee will take away from the session. We are most interested in
sessions that share concrete, proven techniques and programs, as opposed to theory or opinion.
• Include a brief bio regarding your experience and qualifications within the industry as well as any speaking experience you may have.
• Include information on which areas of our profession are the intended audience, e.g., cemetery owners and managers, funeral home own-
ers, funeral directors, sales managers, etc.
• Include a list of anticipated handouts.
• Note that we ask that speakers refrain from speaking about prices or other issues subject to antitrust legislation. In addition, we ask that
speakers refrain from any type of promotional marketing or selling of any product or service.
• Any requests for compensation must be included in your proposal or it will not be granted.
We typically receive many more proposals than we can fit into the program, so be sure to follow the guidelines and clearly explain the value
proposition for attendees.
Submit your proposal by July 10, 2018, to Kirsten Kase, [email protected]. Questions? Call her at 703.391.8402. q

ICCFA News
ICCFA University 2018 is here and ready for U!
I
CCFAU 2018 starts July 20-25 at the Fogelman Execu- College of Funeral Home Management
tive Center at the University of Memphis in Memphis,
Tennessee. Designed by top cemetery, cremation and funeral
Dean Todd Van Beck, CFuE
service experts, ICCFAU offers a unique blend of intensive, Too many managers consider “creativity” someone else’s
practical classroom training and continual informal idea-sharing. department. In funeral service, creative management is the key
ICCFAU is considered by many to offer the most compre- to differentiation. You’ll learn Dr. W. Edward Deming’s creative
hensive funeral service education outside of attending a mortu- service management system and its specific applications to our
ary school. There are eight colleges to choose from, each with profession.
courses that combine proven business theory with practical
operational instruction. Among the colleges available: College of International Studies
Dean Jim Hammond
College of 21st Century Services Globalization is making the world a much smaller place in
Dean Glenda Stansbury, CFSP, CC which to live. Are you sure you know how to serve families of
How do you respond to a family who says, “We don’t want a all nationalities and religious backgrounds in your community?
traditional funeral”? You’ll learn how to go beyond tradition with Learn about the funeral customs of all major religions and
innovative offerings and become certified as a funeral celebrant population groups from around the world. q
trained to provide meaningful alternatives to clergy-led services.
College of Cremation Services For a complete college and course

Dean Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE listing and registration information
Cremation doesn’t have to mean “no service” or “no memorializa-
tion.” You’ll discover how to better serve families, improve crema-
for ICCFA University 2018,
tion operations and increase your company’s cremation-related visit iccfa.com/university
revenues. You’ll also earn three types of certifications: operator,
arranger (exclusive to ICCFA), and administrator (offered only
once a year, at ICCFA University).
2018 PLPA College: Going back to the future!

T
he Pet Loss Professionals Alliance will be going “Back to the Future” for its 2018 PLPA College, as the members look forward
to more growth within the profession without losing sight of where they have been and the lessons learned along the way. The
event will take place August 22-24 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Cincinnati RiverCenter in Covington, Kentucky.
The meeting will kick off with an evening welcome reception, followed by a full day of programing, including sessions on how to
make the media your friend, pet hospice, estate plans that work for pets, telephone etiquette for your team, legal issues that affect pet
loss businesses and an “ask the expert” panel discussion. The second day’s agenda will include sessions on marketing, veterinarians
and aftercare, compassion fatigue and risk management.
True to form, the 2018 PLPA College will be a forum for learning best practices, sharing ideas and connecting with others who share
your passion for taking care of our four-legged family members and the people who love them. If you are interested in attending, exhib-
iting or sponsoring the event, please visit www.myplpa.org and click on the PLPA College logo or call the ICCFA at 703.391.8400. q
ICCFA News
Foundation awards 31 ICCFAU scholarships

T
hanks to generous Denise Goodwin Brad Mason Michelle Slusher
donors who believe that Curlew Hills Einan’s Funeral Home Green Hills Mortuary
professional devel- Memorial Gardens Richland, Washington Rancho Palos Verdes,
opment is important to the Palm Harbor, Florida Made possible by ASD California
well-being of the profession, Made possible by Park Lawn Andrei Made possible by Park Lawn
the Educational Foundation Corp. Matzenbacher Corp.
was able to award a total of Dora Guereca Grupo Jardim da Ron Swanson
31 scholarships to the 2018 Miller-Jones Mortuary Saudade Einan’s at Sunset
session of ICCFA Univer- & Crematory Curitiba, Brazil Richland, Washing-
sity. ICCFAU takes place July Murrieta, California Made possible by Memorial ton
20-25, 2018, at the Fogelman Made possible by Women In Classic Golf Tournament Made possible by Eagles Wings
Executive Center, University of Leadership Committee Air
Memphis, Memphis, Tennes- Angela McCracken
see. Tyeme Woods- Woodland Cemetery Santiago Tavera
Below are this year’s schol- Harris Dayton, Ohio Funeraria La Esper-
arship recipients: Gregory B Levitt & Made possible by anza S.A., Colombia
Sons Funeral Home Park Lawn Corp. Made possible by Service Cor-
Keith Babbitt Lawrenceville, Georgia poration International
City of Miami Tracy McFee
Made possible by Trigard Monica Torres
Miami, Oklahoma Oliver’s Funeral
Veterans Scholarship Larry Hawkins Home Next Generation
Made possible by Merendino Fort Park Cemeteries Grande Prairie, Mortuary Support
Cemetery Care Shreveport, Louisiana Alberta Phoenix, Arizona
Made possible by ASD Made possible by Batesville Made possible by Memorial
Felipe Alves Badotti
Heidi Hickman Classic Golf Tournament
Memorial Cemiterio e Troy O’Brien
Crematorio LTDA Forest Park Funeral Edmonds & Evans Gretchen Varnell
Passo Fundo, Brazil Home Funeral Home Greenoaks Funeral
Made possible by ASD Shreveport, Louisiana Chesterton, Indiana Home & Memorial
Made possible by Batesville Made possible by Park Lawn Park
Zachary Blotter
Cindy Hulsey Corp. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Green Hills Mortuary
Bulloch Memorial Made possible by Service
Rancho Palos Verdes, Frank Oldani
Gardens Corporation International
California Mt. Elliott Cemetery
Made possible by Service Statesboro, Georgia Association Stephanie
Corporation International Made possible by Memorial Clinton Township, Zimmerman
Classic Golf Tournament Michigan Global Atlantic
Pamela Brown Financial Group
Tom Kiley Made possible by Matthews
Hillside Cemetery Batesville, Indiana
Kirby & Family Aurora
Wilton, Connecticut
Funeral & Cremation Colleen Rafferty Made possible by Batesville
Made possible by
Memorial Classic Golf Services Rose Hills Cemetery Becky Zoch
Tournament Mountain Home, Arkansas Hagerstown, City of Evansville
Made possible by Central Maryland Cemeteries
Sherri Campbell States Endowment Fund Award Evansville, Indiana
Made possible Matthews Aurora
The Homewood Made possible by
Cemetery Heather Leigh Lori Salberg
Greenhaven Memorial Johnson Consulting Batesville
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania Gardens Group For more information on the
Made possible by Live Oak Elgin, South Carolina Scottsdale, Arizona ICCFA Educational Founda-
Bank Made possible byRegions Bank Made possible by Memorial tion, including the opportunity
Diego Molina Lopes Classic Golf Tournament to make a donation or apply for
Deborah Gagnon a scholarship, visit www.iccfa.
Knollwood Cemetery Grupo Primaveras Alesia Skinner
Guarulhos, Brazil Paxtang Cemetery com or call 1.800.645.7700. r
Canton,
Massachusetts Made possible by Harrisburg,
Sustainability Scholarship Cypress Lawn/Kenneth Edward Pennsylvania
Made possible by Laurel Hills Varner Memorial Scholarship Made possible by Women In
Cemetery Leadership Committee

ICCFA News
THANK YOU TO
OUR 2018 ANNUAL
CONVENTION SPONSORS
ACADEMY OF ECKCO PRODUCTS LEGACY.COM
PROFESSIONAL FUNERAL
EMBALM CALC LENDING USA
SERVICE PRACTICE
ETERNITY GARDENS MADELYN CO.
ANSWERING SERVICE FOR
DIRECTORS (ASD) FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL- MATTHEWS
PARKS & MORTUARIES MEMORIALIZATION
ARGENT TRUST
FOUNDATION PARTNERS MERENDINO CEMETERY
ASSURANT
CARE
FUNERAL DIRECTORS LIFE
ASTRAL INDUSTRIES INC.
INSURANCE MILLER CONSULTANTS
BATESVILLE
THE GAFFNEY GROUP NGL INSURANCE GROUP
BLACKSTONE CEMETERY
GIBRALTAR REMEMBRANCE NOMIS PUBLICATIONS INC.
DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES
NORTHSTAR MEMORIAL
C&J FINANCIAL
GLOBAL ATLANTIC GROUP
CAIRN PARTNERS FINANCIAL GROUP
PHYSICIANS MUTUAL
CARRIAGE SERVICES GLOBAL RECRUITERS
PLOTBOX
CINCINNATI
CAVE HILL CEMETERY
PRECOA
GUERRA & GUTIERREZ
CHOSEN PAYMENTS
MORTUARY SERVICE CORPORATION
CLEARPOINT FEDERAL INTERNATIONAL
HEPBURN SUPERIOR US
BANK & TRUST
CHEMICAL SPRING GROVE CEMETERY &
COLDSPRING ARBORETUM
HILLSIDE MEMORIAL PARK &
THE COMPANION ANIMAL MORTUARY STONEMOR PARTNERS LP
EUTHANASIA TRAINING
HOMESTEADERS THE GARDENS AT
ACADEMY (CAETA)
GETHSEMANE
IMSA
CORE SCIENTIFIC
THE SIGNATURE GROUP
INGLEWOOD PARK
CREEDY & CO.
CEMETERY TRIBUTE COMPANIES
CYPRESS LAWN
JOHNSON CONSULTING TUKIOS
DAVEY TREE GROUP
WEBCEMETERIES.COM
DISRUPT MEDIA LANDMARK CONTROL
SERVICES
Heritage Flower Love Urns
Columbarium By Design Knauer Industries
Phyll The Love Withum, Smith & Brown Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co.
C O N V E N T I O N S P E A K E R C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N
Albrecht, Emily Ann (p. 36), Betts, Pat Solutions, Kenner, Louisiana, Louisville, Kentucky,
terson & Mines, Seattle, Washington, [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] Gray, Dianne (p. 32), Hospice and Pollock, Justin (p. 39), Core Scientific,
Blevins, Lauren (p. 31), Williams Funeral Healthcare Communications, Nashville, [email protected]
Home & Crematory, Columbia, Tennessee, Tennessee, [email protected] Posie, Walker (p. 48), Posey Funeral
[email protected] Harens, Michael (p. 30), Coldspring, Directors, North Augusta, South Carolina,
Bolton, John (p. 30), Blackstone Cemetery [email protected] [email protected]
Development, [email protected] Higgs, Michael (p. 36), Cave Hill Cemetery, Raphael, Simcha (p. 51), DA’AT Institute,
Butler, Kim (p. 54), The URL Doctor, Louisville, Kentucky, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] Hobart, Richard (p. 56), Pembroke Animal Ray, Lance (p. 42), Pierce Chemical, Dallas,
Clock, Jodi (pp. 52), Clock Funeral Home/ Hospital, Pembroke, Ontario, Texas, [email protected]
Clock Timeless Pets, Muskegon, Michigan, [email protected] Rubin, Gail (p. 33), A Good Goodbye,
[email protected] Jorgensen, Mark (p. 38), Global Albuquerque, New Mexico,
Collins, Cate (p. 38), Powerful Journey Recruiters of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, [email protected]
Consulting, Columbus, Ontario, [email protected] Salberg, Lori (p. 30), Johnson Consulting
[email protected] Keller, Chris (p. 28), French Funerals & Group, Scottsdale, Arizona,
Cooney, Kathy (p. 54), Cooney Animal Cremations, Albuquerque, New Mexico, [email protected]
Hospice Consulting, Loveland, Colorado, [email protected] Seyler, Paul (p. 54), Competitive
[email protected] Kandt, Jennifer (p. 39), Nevada State Resources Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana,
Creedy, Alan (p. 48), Creedy + Co., Raleigh, Funeral Board, [email protected] [email protected]
North Carolina, [email protected] Knauf, Roberta (p. 52), Heritage, Shank, Dave (p. 42), Batesville, Batesville,
Czegledi, Jim (p. 33), Toronto, Ontario, Pennsylvania, [email protected] Indiana, [email protected]
[email protected] Lemasters, Poul (pp. 30), Sherbekow, Mike (p. 39), Garfield Refining,
de la Cruz, Damon (p. 42), Cypress College, The Poul Lemasters Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, [email protected]
Cypress California, [email protected] Troyer, Jason (pp. 31, 32, 46), Mount Hope
[email protected] Longmuir, Stephanie (p. 42), Grief Services, Maryville, Tennessee,
Dunn, Stephanie Castagnier (p. 48), First [email protected] [email protected]
Bank, Southern Pines, North Carolina, Ludlum, Marty (pp. 36, 49), University of Wasserman, Brad (p. 39), Implant
[email protected] Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Recycling, [email protected]
Ellis, Coleen (p. 56), Two Hearts [email protected] Watkins, Mike (p. 46), The Signature Group,
Pet Loss Center, Southlake, Texas, McKay, Kevin (p. 39), Mid-States Houston, Texas, [email protected]
[email protected] Recycling, [email protected] Wiedeman, Nicole (p. 54), Dead Ringers,
Engh, Stan (p. 49), Memorial Mortuaries & Monahan, Jim (p. 31), Community Hospice [email protected]
Cemeteries, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Palliative Care, Jacksonville, Florida, Yamasaki, Tyler (p. 52), Parting Pro,
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] r
Gober, Doug (p. 28), Gober Strategic Mooney, Gwen (p. 36), Cave Hill Cemetery,

I C C FA 2 0 1 8 C O N V E N T I O N AD INDEX
13 Aftercare.com 27 Kryprotek
59 American Cemetery/ 37 LA Ads
Mortuary Consultants 25 LoveUrns LLC
31 American Funeral & 59 Madelyn Co.
Cemetery Trust Services 4 Matthews Cemetery
47 ASD—Answering Service Products
for Directors 29 McLean, Koehler, Sparks
Coldspring Memori DIamond 2 Astral Industries & Hammond
41 C&J Financial 67 Merendino Cemetery Care
29 Cherokee Casket 47 National Mortuary
55 Columbarium by Design Shipping & Cremation
3 Continental Computer Corp. 45 National Museum
43 Custom Air Trays of Funeral History
27 Eagle’s Wings Air 47 Nomis Publications
49 Ensure-A-Seal 33 Northeast Mausoleum
Terravas Church & Chapel Metal Arts
29 Flowers for Cemeteries 13 Obermayer Rebmann
21 Foundation Partners Maxwell & Hippel
Group 19 Passages International
51 Funeral Call Answering 23 RBC Wealth Management
Service 33 SEP Technologies
68 funeralOne 11 Star Granite & Bronze
53 Funeral Services Inc. 59 Supply Link
5 Global Atlantic Financial 55 THE SYSTEM
Group 17 Triple H Co.
7 Great Western Insurance Co. 9 U.S. Metalcraft
A Simple Thank You Meadow Hill
43 Heritage Flower Co. 41 Vantage Products Corp.
45 Holland Supply 51 VKM International
13 Holy Land Stone 47 WithumSmith + Brown
39 IMSA 25 Zontec Ozone r
29 International Mortuary
Shipping
Axis Corp.; Algordanza Memorial Diamonds;

Calendar
Body Scoop by B-Mobile Skyways Media ➤E-mail calendar listings and additions or corrections to
[email protected] and [email protected].
Classifieds
➤For continually updated meeting listings, go to www.iccfa.com,
click on Events and then go to View Full Calendar of Events.
Check the classified announcements at www.iccfa.com/employment.htm

To place a classified, contact Rick Platter, [email protected] July 18: ICCFA Cremation Tennessee. www.iccfa.com
Operator Training, Dallas July 25: CANA Cremation
Institute of Funeral Service, Operations Certification Pro
Dallas, Texas. www.iccfa.com gram, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
July 18: Alliance of Illinois www.cremationassociation.org
Cemeterians Workshop, Virden July 25-27: CANA Annual
Cemetery, Virden. Cremation Innovation
www.aicemeterians.org Convention, Marriott Harbor
July 19-22: Australian Funeral Beach Resort & Spa, Fort
Directors Assn. Annual General Lauderdale, Florida. www.
Mtg. & Conf., Melbourne, cremationassociation.org
Victoria. www.afda.org.au August 4-8: National Funeral
July 20-25: ICCFA University, Directors & Morticians Assn.
Fogelman Executive Center, Annual Convention, Kissimmee,
University of Memphis, Memphis, Florida. www.nfmda.com r

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 July 2018

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