November 2017

MAGAZINE
CEMETERY CREMATION FUNERAL

Honoring veterans &

educating the public:
French Funerals/
Sunset Memorial Park
White Chapel Memorial
Park Cemetery
Arlington Memorial
Gardens
Sales & marketing:
Creating an effective
preneed training program
Marketing to committeds
vs. uncommitteds
Relationship 101:
The art of the long-term
care connection
Also:
How to take care of yourself
when youre a people-pleaser
Help for suppliers who
want to sell to global markets
Isard on whats involved
in starting a cemetery

ICCFA:
KIP Awards
entry deadline:
November 3!
Wide
World of Sales: Register now!
Apply for a scholarship
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 NOVEMBER 2017
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association
Promoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition

Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support

to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide

10 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Arlington Memorial Gardens revamped Memorial Day obser-
vance draws thousands Memorial Day observations have long been a
staple of cemetery event calendars throughout the United States. With
the World War II generation rapidly shrinking and a population largely
removed from those who serve in todays armed forces, what can we
Clockwise, from upper left, Sunset
do to ensure it remains a vital tradition? by Julie Whitney
Memorial Park and French Funerals- 18 2016 KIP: EVENT
Cremations living history exhibit helps
educate people about the meaning of Sunset brings the meaning of Memorial Day to life with a media-
Memorial Day; fireworks at The Arlington savvy educational focus Many people cant even tell you the origins
Memorial Gardens week-long, revitalized and meaning of Memorial Day. Sunset Memorial Park and French
Memorial Day observance; and the Funerals-Cremations decided to do something about that with a media-
Patriots Race at the cemetery on the
savvy publicity campaign leading up to a living history Memorial Day
day of White Chapel Memorial Park
Cemeterys War on Terror Memorial event.
unveiling. Sunset Memorial/French Funerals
22 2016 KIP: EVENT
Patriots Race helped bring attention to White Chapels War on
8 Washington Report
Terror Memorial Even if you are known for events honoring veter-
ICCFA submits comments
to DOL about proposed ans, successfully starting a new one takes careful planning, outreach to
overtime regulations community groups and a willingness to promote it through interviews,
by Robert M. Fells, Esq. advertising and social media.
48 Supply Line White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery
50 Update 28 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
61 Calendar Relationship 101: The art of the long-term care connection
61 New Members Asking to give a preneed planning seminar at a local long-term care
62 Classifieds center is not the way to win friends and influence people. You have to
be willing to put in the time to help them in ways they truly appreciate,
62 Ad Index
to slowly build honest relationships. by Kitty Alexander

ICCFA officers 10 times per year, with combined issues in

Scott R. Sells, CCFE, president
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE,
president-elect
Andrs Aguilar, vice president
Jay D. Dodds, CFSP, vice president
Paul Goldstein, vice president
Mitch Rose, vice president
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, treasurer
Robbie L. Pape, secretary
Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director
Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel
Magazine staff
Susan Loving, managing editor
sloving@iccfa.com
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager
rplatter@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213
Katherine Devins, communications &
member services manager
kd@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224
Jason Brown, communications assistant
jason@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1218
Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director
& publisher
nadira@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1225
Robert M. Fells, Esq., general counsel
robertfells@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext.
1212
November 2017
VOLUME 77/NUMBER 9
Brenda Clough, office administrator
& association liaison; bclough@iccfa.com;
1.800.645.7700, ext. 1214
Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator
(habla espaol)
danielo@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is published
by the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite
100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; 703.391.8400;
FAX 703.391.8416; www.iccfa.com. Published
March-April and August-September. Periodicals
postage paid at Sterling, VA, and other offices.
Copyright 2017 by the International Cemetery,
Cremation and Funeral Association. Subscription
rates: In the United States, $39.95; in Canada,
$45.95; overseas: $75.95. One subscription is
included in annual membership dues. POST-
MASTER: Send address changes to ICCFA
Magazine, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100,
Sterling, VA 20164-4468. Individual written
contributions, commentary and advertisements
appearing in ICCFA Magazine do not necessarily
reflect either the opinion or the endorsement
of the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Funeral Association.

4 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 ICCFA news
57 Marching forward, making sales at
2018 WWS in NOLA
January 10-12, 2018
58 December Cremation Certification
training goes live
58 2017 KIP Awards
Deadline: November 3, 2017
58 Apply for a scholarship to attend
2018 WWS or ICCFAU
59 Sponsorship opportunities:
2018 WWS, 2018 Annual Convention
59 Thank you Fall Management
Conference corporate partners
60 ICCFA 2018 Convention & Expo
Message from the program co-chairs
April 18-21, 2018
To support the ICCFAs
goal of raising
money to fight lung
cancer, todays #1
killer of women, go to
http:/www.iccfa.com/lungforce
Catch the WIRELESS newsletter in
your inbox for industry news, stories about
colleagues making headlines and updates on
ICCFA educational events & conferences
Follow the ICCFAs LinkedIn
page to read breaking news
about colleagues, the profession
and the association
http://bit.ly/2du252P
Follow the ICCFA on Twitter
to receive instant updates on
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events & conferences
http://twitter.com/iccfa
Like and follow the ICCFA
to read up-to-date news on
the industry, ICCFA members
making headlines and ICCFA
events & promotions
6 ICCFA Magazine
TABLE OF CONTENTS
32 MARKETING
Strategic marketing to committeds vs. undecideds
Marketing is crucial to your future, but its difficult. It takes thought
and planning, as well as the discipline and time to follow through with
your plan. One crucial step is determining what segment of the market
is likely to respond positively to your marketing message, and then
figuring out how to reach it. by Jeff Harbeson
36 PRENEED SALES SUCCESS
The elements needed to create an effective preneed training
program Training preneed salespeople properly is a necessity if you
want consistent results from your sales team. Instead of hoping that
youll stumble across a sales superstar, institute a good training
program and watch your average salespeople succeed.
by David Shipper and Gary OSullivan, CCFE
40 SERVICE TO FAMILIES
Preplanning tips for families When people come to you to preplan,
youre in the perfect position to help them with ideas for what else to
plan for beyond funeral and cemetery arrangements.
by Brenda Clough
42 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
How to take care of yourself while trying to please everyone
People in the funeral and cemetery profession tend to be people-
pleasers. In many ways, this is a good thing, but you know what they
say about too much of a good thing. We need to take care of ourselves
as well as others. by Ann Marie St. George, CPC
44 CONTRACTS
Cemetery Impossible: When is it OK to insert to the best of my
knowledge in warranties & representations? by Dan Isard, MSFS
46 SUPPLIERS
Make locally, sell globally
U.S. Commercial Service urges funeral suppliers to think internation-
ally by William Lawton
ICCFA calendar
go to www.iccfa.com for program, registration & scholarship information
2018 Wide World of Sales Conference
January 10-12
New Orleans Marriott, Louisiana
Co-chairs: Jill Muenich and Lori Salberg
2018 ICCFA Convention & Expo
April 18-21, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada,
Co-chairs: Shawna de la Cruz and Andy Lopez
2018 ICCFA University
July 20-25, Fogelman Conference Center,
Memphis, Tennessee
Chancellor: Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
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own, or as a frame for an additional feature. With minimal on-
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Washington Report
by ICCFA General
Counsel Robert
M. Fells, Esq.
robertfells@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212
direct line: 703.391.8401
Fells is ICCFA general
counsel, responsible for
maintaining and improving
relationships with federal
and state government agen-
cies, the news media and
consumer organizations.
Fells has worked on
behalf of the cemetery and
funeral service profession on
legal and legislative issues
since 1975 and joined the
ICCFA staff in 1983. He is
retired from his position as
the associations executive
director, which he held for 17
years.
MORE FROM
This AuThor
Why we vote. A series
of articles on the impor-
tance of engagement in the
democratic process in the
United States.
www.iccfa.com
Funeral
Radio. ICCFA
General Coun-
sel Robert Fells,
Esq., talks about legal and
legislative issues affect-
ing funeral, cemetery and
cremation businesses at
www.funeralradio.com
8 ICCFA Magazine
ICCFA submits comments to DOL
about proposed overtime regulations
I
n late September, the ICCFA submitted
comments to the U.S. Department of Labor
(DOL) concerning proposed overtime
regulations. The comments were filed through
a coalition of businesses and trade associations
called the Partnership to Protect Workplace
Opportunities (PPWO), spearheaded by the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce. The DOL had requested
comments on revising the minimum salary
threshold at which employees earning at least the
threshold salary would be exempt from receiving
overtime pay.
Currently, the minimum annual salary to qualify
for OT exemption is $23,660, set in 2004. Last
year, the Obama administration determined that
this amount should be increased to nearly double,
or over $47,000 annually. However, this new salary
threshold, scheduled to go into effect on December
1, 2016, was enjoined by a federal court and
subsequently invalidated.
The PPWO document addressed the 11 areas
the DOL sought comments on. Specifically, the
comments urged that should the DOL decide to
increase the salary threshold in excess of the 2004
level, a similar methodology should be used. The
$47,000 level that was struck down was based on
a methodology the DOL had never used before
and was generally considered to be flawed. The
departments apparent change of heart in 2015-16 is
unsupported by the data or the regulatory record and
was driven by the inappropriate goal of increasing
the number of employees eligible for overtime.
By contrast, the salary level in 2004 was entirely
appropriate for its more legitimate purpose: to
screen out clearly nonexempt employees while still
requiring employees earning in excess of the salary
level to go through the gauntlet of the duties tests.
The departments 2015-16 claim of a mismatch
between the salary level and the revised duties tests
is fictionalized. The 2004 standard duties tests are
not equivalent to the old short tests, which might be
used to justify a higher standard salary level. In fact,
the pre-2004 short test for the executive exemption
required only that the employee have a primary
duty of managing the enterprise (or a recognized
department or subdivision thereof) and customarily
and regularly direct the work of two or more
other employees. The 2004 regulations, however,
added a third requirement: the authority to hire
or fire other employees or whose suggestions and
recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advance-
ment, promotion or any other change of status of
other employees are given particular weight. On its
face, this added requirement means that the 2004
duties tests are more stringent than the pre-2004 short
tests.
The DOL also sought comments on the wisdom
of eliminating the duties test in determining
exempt status. The Departments 2016 standard
salary level of $913 per week ($47,000+ annually)
would have operated as a de facto salary-only test,
thus eclipsing the role of the duties test. The PPWO
articulated these concerns in its comments to the
departments 2015 proposed rule, and agrees with
the [court decision invalidating the higher amount].
At $913 per week, many employees performing
exempt duties would have been excluded from
the exemption based entirely on salary level, thus
eliminating the relevancy of the duties test for those
employees. This has never been the departments
objective in setting the salary level.
The specific salary level at which the duties test
no longer fulfills its historical role in determining
exempt status is unclear. It also is unnecessary to
determine where that line is with any precision.
Because the historical role is one of gatekeeper, there
is little harm in setting the level too low-- even if
the employee meets the salary level, she still must
meet the duties test. On the other hand, setting it
too high would mean that the department would
have again failed to regulate in accordance with
congressional intent. Accordingly, applying the 2004
methodologywhich was favorably referenced by
the [federal court]to current data would appear to
be the solution that best comports with congressional
intent.
The 2016 regulations also sought to automatically
index future increases in the threshold salary. The
PPWO commented that we object to an automatic
increase in the standard salary level or the highly
compensated employee total annual compensation
level. Although automatic increases are a bad idea for
a variety of reasons, as an initial matter, the PPWO
believes the department lacks the authority to create
them. The department cannot avoid its obligations to
engage in notice-and-comment rulemaking simply
because notice-and-comment rulemaking takes
time and resources; a federal agency cannot exceed
the limits of its authority or otherwise exercise its
authority in a manner that is inconsistent with the
administrative structure that Congress enacted into
law no matter how difficult an issue it seeks to
address.
ICCFA members wanting to review the entire
comments may access the document under
https://www.iccfa.com/legal/advocacy. r
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
by Julie Whitney
julie@ COMMUNITY OUTREACH
pwcommunications.net
ICCFA Magazine Memorial Day observations have long been a staple
author spotlight
of cemetery event calendars throughout the United States.
Whitney is a public
relations professional With the World War II generation rapidly shrinking and a population
in Cincinnati, Ohio. She
started her career in
largely removed from those who serve in todays armed forces,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as an account what can we do to ensure it remains a vital tradition?
executive and media planner/buyer. She
moved to Columbus, Ohio, to become
director of public relations for the Hyatt
Regency Hotel. She relocated to Cincin-
nati to work as an account supervisor at
an advertising agency and later became
director of tourism for the Greater Cincin-
nati Convention and Visitors Bureau,
community affairs director for WLWT-TV
and marketing development director for
WKRC-TV, prior to starting her consulting
practice in 2000.
pwcommunications.net

The Arlington Memorial Gardens,

Cincinnati, Ohio, was established in 1934
on Johnsons Picnic Grove, a recreation
area that had been built by a group of
businessmen. Today, Arlington encom-
passes 165 acres, with all but 30 devel-
oped. A board of trustees oversees the
memorial parks nonprofit corporation.
www.amgardens.org
Retired Cpl. Mike Strahle, USMC, one of the few surviving members of Lima Compa-
ny 3/25 and director of The Eyes of Freedom exhibit, stands in the Field of Memories.

Arlington Memorial Gardens

revamped Memorial Day
observance draws thousands
A
n estimated 10,000 visitors
experienced the real meaning of
Memorial Day at The Arlington
Memorial Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Commemorate & Celebrate, a week-
long series of free events and ceremonies
hosted by Arlington, was headlined by the
impressive Field of Memories exhibit
consisting of 800 three-by-five-foot
American flags
These patriotic events are a rare
opportunity to reach out and catch the
attention of the public, while highlighting
and honoring the sacrifice of those men
and women who have died serving and
defending our country, said Arlington
President and CEO Dan Applegate.
Public interest in Memorial Day is
something that has waxed and waned
over the years, but more recently theres
been a sense of malaise. Memorial Day
events have been held for many years
here at Arlington, Applegate said, but
attendance had become spotty at best, with
mostly a core group of people in their 50s,
60s and 70s attending. The lack of broader
interest was troubling.
The laid-back disregard for Memorial
Day is particularly disturbing for veterans
groups who feel that its true meaning has
been eclipsed by a three-day weekend
filled with pool openings, picnics,
barbeques and other fun events signaling
the start of the summer, Applegate said.
The focus is purely on the social aspect
instead of paying tribute, which probably

10 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Right, Above, the lead singer of Forever Diamond
six of the serenades the crowd at The Arlington Memorial
members Gardens.
of Team
Fastrax
perform
their pa-
triotic flag
jump over
the Field
of Memo-
ries.

Above, a patriotic fireworks display illuminated

the Field of Memories, concluding Fridays
events.

Left, the Eyes of Freedom exhibit touched

thousands of families during the Memorial Day
celebration at The Arlington Memorial Gardens.

View the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 11

 COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Lunch With A Veteran has caught on, and for the past couple of years,
more than 250 people have attended. The real benefit, according to Meyer, is that most people
come for lunch and then stay for the meaningful flag-raising ceremony that immediately follows.

The Arlington Memorial Gardens 2017 Field of Memories at dusk. The display featured 800 American flags.

shouldnt be that surprising, the Cold War era may have

given some of the dynamics at scared us to death, but that
play. experience also sharpened our
The all-volunteer military collective sense of patriotism
has been enormously which animates reverence for a
successful on many levels, but holiday like Memorial Day.
the loss of shared sacrifice is While the overtly patriotic
one glaring area of weakness. impulse of World War II and
As a point of reference, 12 post-World War II generations
percent of the American contrasts vividly with the
population served in the armed subdued form of patriotism
forces during World War II often displayed by Generations
and civilians were affected by X, Y and Z, that doesnt mean
rationing and encouraged to theyre unpatriotic. I believe
contribute to the war effort in theres a plausible case to be
many ways. made that they just havent
More than 250 people attended Lunch With A Veteran at Ar-
The percentage of the experienced that riveting
lington Memorial Gardens on the Sunday before Memorial Day.
population in the armed forces moment that defines the way
has now dropped to one-half of methodical patriotic messaging that they think and arouses their
one percent, and the ultimate result is that galvanized an entire generation during patriotic enthusiasm.
far fewer people are personally acquainted the Cold War came to an abrupt end once And so Applegate and the Arlington
or intimately identified with someone the Iron Curtain collapsed. This isnt team, with the support of its Memorial
in the military. In other words, there are something Ive heard discussed, but I think Day Committee, have consciously and
fewer stakeholders. theres something to it, Applegate said. systematically developed a Memorial
But thats not all. The consistent and I personally think that living through Day program that promotes patriotism,

12 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 When I Needed Help Selling Halo,

Johnson Consulting
Was There For Me.
Everyone knows Johnson Consulting Group is the leader in
brokering funeral homes and cemeteries. They also understood
how Halo - an online urn and merchandise catalogue business - fit
into the industry and offered the most comprehensive service and
competitive rate. Most importantly, they know the right people and
could make the right contacts for me.
- Mark Pennington Previous Owner & CEO of Halo International Corp.

The principles of mergers and acquisitions are the same, regardless of the
nature of the business. By specializing in the death care business, JCG has a
better understanding of your business, whether serving families, or serving the
businesses that serve families.
- Jake Johnson, President of Johnson Consulting Group

Contact Jake Johnson or any of his team of death

care industry consultants for solutions to your
management or merger challenges.
2017 MKJ Marketing

888.250.7747
www.JohnsonConsulting.com

Mergers & Acquisitions Valuations Accounting Management Services Financing Customer Surveys

Above, the view of The Arlington Memorial Gardens Field of Memories from Ronald
Reagan Highway at night. Right, proceeds from the Field of Memories benefit-
ted Operation: Ramp It Up for Veterans, an organization which raises money and
builds accessibility ramps for disabled veterans.
remembrance and honor while adding in
other activities that have a broader appeal.
If we can bring people onto our
grounds through non-traditional and less
solemn means and inspire them to consider
the true meaning of Memorial Day, then I
think weve served a noble purpose.
A difficult start
The turnaround had an inauspicious
beginning. A few years ago, Arlington
Vice President Ann Meyer suggested
combining a picnic lunch with the long-
standing traditional flag-raising ceremony
held on the Sunday before Memorial Day.
That suggestion became a reality with
Arlingtons Lunch With A Veteran.
We invited the entire veteran commu-
nity, their families and the public to enjoy
a great picnic lunch that was prepared and
served by our staff, Meyer said. We felt it
was a wonderful opportunity for the civilian
community to meet, greet, chat and get to
know veterans.
However, that first year the event
seemed like a flop. We had enough food
to feed an army, Meyer said, but no
more than 75 people showed up.
Nevertheless, Lunch With A Veteran
has caught on, and for the past couple of
years, more than 250 people have attended.
The real benefit, according to Meyer,
is that most people come for lunch and
14 ICCFA Magazine
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
then stay for the meaningful flag-raising
ceremony that immediately follows.
Its gratifying to see more people of
all ages attending the ceremony and being
exposed to first-hand stories of sacrifice,
Meyer said.
Last year, Applegate asked the
Memorial Day Committee to take on
even more. Several years ago, he saw an
impressive field of flags while passing
through a Columbus, Ohio, suburb. It left a
lasting impression.
Its power almost took my breath
away, Applegate said, and I made a
mental note, hoping that one day we might
do something like that at Arlington. His
verbal description of the visual power of
the flags initially failed to register with the
committee, but Lisa McClain, Arlingtons
customer care specialist, listened and
eagerly followed up.
McClains father is a veteran and
active in veteran organizations, and her
significant other is a retired Marine who
was twice deployed to Iraq between 2003
and 2005. The idea of a field full of flags
piqued my interest, and as I did some
research, I began to understand what Dan
was talking about.
McClain and Applegate talked about the
project several times before she accepted
the responsibility of coordinating what
became the Field of Memories. Its a
Above, a U.S. Navy petty officer plays
Taps at the Field of Memories during
the daily 3 p.m. Moment of Remem-
brance.
lot of hard work, McClain said, adding
that its also a beautiful and emotionally
gratifying labor of love.
Last year, the experimenting, learning
and testing of the waters resulted in the
placement of 400 flags on Arlingtons
reserve land that runs parallel to Ronald
Reagan Highway, an east-west connector
that carries 60,000 vehicles a day.
Temporary lighting towers lit the field
at night and the response, according to
McClain, was beyond our expectations.
The public was offered the opportunity
to personalize a flag tribute to a veteran,
a public servant or first responder, or
someone who was simply a personal hero.
We took orders for just over 200 $35
personal tributes in 2016, but realized
that there was incredible interest and the
potential for a lot of growth.
I can guarantee that the sight of a
field full of American flags is everything
that Dan said it was, McClain said. The
visual from the highway is incredible,
especially at night. The steady sound of
horns honking in approval as traffic passes
by on the highway is one of her more vivid
memories from 2016.
Building on success
Last years success encouraged the
Memorial Day Committee to consider
additional enhancements in 2017. First of
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 COMMUNITY OUTREACH

If we can bring people onto our grounds through non-traditional and less solemn means
and inspire them to consider the true meaning of Memorial Day, then I think weve served
a noble purpose.Arlington Memorial Gardens President and CEO Dan Applegate

Above left, Brad Wenstrup, U.S. Representative for Ohios 2nd congressional district and Army Reserve officer, reviewing a
KIA flag tribute. Above right, Forever Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute band, performed a free concert at The Arlington Memo-
rial Gardens the Friday evening before Memorial Day as part of the week-long patriotic observance.

all, the committee decided to double the
number of flags, from 400 to 800.
Furthermore, during the 2016 debut,
McClain had established a good working
relationship with a UPS employee-
supported nonprofit organization called
Operation: Ramp It Up For Veterans, which
raises money to build accessibility ramps
for disabled veterans.
A large contingent of volunteer UPS
employees, including UPS delivery driver
Greg Schneider, helped install the 400 flags
in the field. Schneider, Ramp It Ups founder,
was so impressed with the Field of Memories
that he promised his assistance in 2017.
As McClain began planning for 2017,
Schneider connected her with Team Fastrax,
a professional parachute group from
Middletown, Ohio. Many of the members
of Team Fastrax are veterans, and they
almost immediately agreed to perform
their patriotic flag jump on the Friday of
Memorial Day weekend.
This incredibly talented group of profes-
sionals, sponsored by Selection.com, a pre-
employment background screening company
founded by decorated military veteran John
Hart, has performed at Ground Zero in New
York City and at the Anniversary of D-Day
in Normandy, France. According to McClain,
once Team Fastrax was on board, the various
other pieces of Arlingtons Commemorate &
Celebrate began falling in place.
She secured the Eyes of Freedom
Memorial exhibit, a traveling display of
life-sized portraits of the 23 men from the
Ohio-based Lima Company who were
killed in action in Iraq during a four-month
stretch in 2005.
We believed that the Eyes of Freedom
exhibit was important because it perfectly
complements the Field of Memories,
McClain said. Both evoke powerful
emotions, and both provide those moments
that drive home the real meaning of
Memorial Day.
Rounding out the events, McClain
arranged a fireworks display scheduled
to follow the Team Fastrax flag jump on
Friday night. At that point, she said, We
decided to make Friday evenings more
celebratory events a contrast to Sundays
more solemn, commemorative tone.
A concert featuring Forever Diamond, a
Neil Diamond tribute band, was hired to fill
the time between the parachute performance
and the fireworks.
The result, according to Applegate, was
nothing short of amazing. I think by and
large, the message came through loud and
clear.
We had over 1,000 people here that
evening, Applegate said. Were some here
for entertainment value only? I suppose
so, but for an hour and a half or so before
Team Fastrax jumped, I saw people of all
ages, including parents with young children,
walking through the Field of Memories
and visiting the Eyes of Freedom exhibit,
spending time and taking it all in. Do I think
it made them stop and contemplate the real
meaning of Memorial Day? Roger that!
The Field of Memories and Comme-
morate & Celebrate festivities received
extensive taped and live broadcast and print
media coverage, beginning several weeks
prior to the event and continuing until its
conclusion on May 31.
McClain was featured in studio on a live
noon show and also at other times live on
location. In addition to the thousands of on-
site visitors, Arlington received more than
17,000 views to their website and Facebook
page during the weeklong celebration. r

16 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
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 2 0 1 6 K I P A WA R D S : E V E N T S

Many people cant even tell you the origins and meaning
of Memorial Day. Sunset Memorial Park and French Funerals-Cremations
decided to do something about that with a media-savvy
First Place, 2016: publicity campaign leading up to a living history Memorial Day event.
Sunset Memorial Park/
French Funerals-
Cremations
Albuquerque, New Mexico

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

n Creative and meaningful for
veterans and families.
n Great way to educate and
raise awareness.
n Extremely creative way to
remind people of what Memo-
rial Day is and means to those
who have suffered loss.
n Love the live green army
men. Well done.
n Very imaginative event
that certainly resonated in the
community.
n Live army men: fun idea.
The billboard was very clean
and easy to read.
n Liked the living history
makes it real.
Actors dressed up as replicas of green army men figures posed as statues in public places
around Albuquerque, New Mexico, as part of the educational and publicity campaign leading
up to Memorial Day activities as Sunset Memorial Park.

Sunset brings the meaning of Memorial Day

to life with a media-savvy educational focus
S
unset Memorial Park, like cemeteries all
over the country, has seen a gradual decline
in attendance at Memorial Day events
honoring fallen veterans, and what is even more
disturbing, a significant increase in the number of
people who have no idea what the holiday even
representsother than a day off from work and a
chance to barbeque.
Rather than continue with the same tired
old Memorial Day Service format that we have
followed for three decades, we endeavored this
Sunsets eye-catching green army man bill-
year to take a completely different track, and to
board stirred up media and public interest.
engage the community in the days and weeks
leading up to Memorial Day, not just on the day/ with the public throughout the city and at the park
weekend itself. on Memorial Day itself.
Partnering closely with our advertising firm, We hit social media with a series of man-
McKee-Wallwork, we developed a plan for the on-the-street interviews, asking members of
entire month of May, including social media the general public if they knew the background
aspects, outdoor advertising and live interaction and meaning of Memorial Day. Though very

18 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 Above and
left, the field
kitchen set
at Sunset
Memorial
Park for the
Memorial Day
living history
presentation.
Actors in
green army
man regalia
acted out a
field kitchen
scene as they
talked about
veterans from
New Mexico.

entertaining, those videos were and are very
concerning, as they portrayed an almost
complete ignorance of the true meaning of
the holiday.
At the beginning of May, a billboard went
up on a heavily traveled section of 1-25, right
in the center of town. This billboard was
unlike anything anyone had seen before.
It featured a gigantic 3D green army
Man standing out from the board and
extending above it. The green army man
was saluting. The only other things on the
billboard were Sunsets logo and a date:
5/30/16.
This billboard immediately generated
interest and media attention, and calls began
coming in to French/Sunset literally within
minutes of its completion. To many, that
simple, minimalistic message did more to
honor veterans than anything else theyd
seen.
The green army man, a toy that almost
all of us played with as children, and that
everyone is at least familiar with after the
movie Toy Story immortalized it, became
a recurrent theme in our event.
Beginning two weeks out from Memorial
Day, a group of three or four professional
actors, dressed completely in green army man
garb, equipment and green face paint, began
showing up in high-traffic public places
throughout Albuquerque.
They stood on what looked like the
plastic stands that the toy green army men
stood on, and held the same poses as the
toys. They were completely still and statue-
like; they did not talk or move.
Once more, this created an immediate
buzz and media attention. Many people posed
for pictures with the green army men.
Finally, on Memorial Day itself, a full-
size Army field kitchen was erected on
the cemetery grounds, using all authentic
Vietnam-era equipment. A local military
history group brought in their vintage military
vehicles and placed them on the grounds.
The same actors who had been seen
around town now used that field kitchen as
a set. Still in full green army man regalia
and paint, they acted out a typical field
kitchen scene, peeling potatoes, washing
dishes, etc.
They were all fitted with microphones,
and while they were doing their tasks, they

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 19

Above, people watch and listen as actors talk about the lives of veterans buried at Sunset Memorial Park. Below, attendees
take photos with the green army men actors and the displays, which included military vehicles as well as the field kitchen.

told stories to each other. These stories were
all about New Mexico veterans who had died
in the line of duty, concentrating on those
buried at Sunset Memorial Park. These were
real stories of real men and women.
After about 20 minutes of this scene,
the speaker broadcast a series of large
explosions and the actors all froze in place.
One stepped forward and gave a brief
explanation of Memorial Day, and the honor
that we all owe those who have served and
died. And then the show was over.
This show was repeated five or six times,
about once every 45 minutes, throughout
the day, but each time, the stories recounted
by the actors were different.
Hundreds of people attended and viewed
this diorama, and many stayed for each
rendition, to hear all the different stories.
This was living history, and impacted
people in a profound way.
The historical basis for this kitchen scene
was the life of a veteran, Sgt. Jackson, who
is buried at Sunset. He was working in a
field kitchen in Vietnam when a mortar
attack killed him and his three buddies
instantly.
Months later, people are still referring
to this event and thanking us for honoring
veterans in this way.
The core purpose of this event was
to honor veterans, though many leads
have flowed from it. The event received
huge buzz in the media, and resulted in
lots of goodwill and grateful individuals
throughout the area, both veterans and non-
veterans. It increased traffic in the park,
and corresponding sales, and continued to
brand French/Sunset as an organization that
truly honors veterans and cares about this
community. r

20 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
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 2 0 1 6 K I P A WA R D S : E V E N T S

Even if you are known for events honoring veterans, successfully starting a
new one takes careful planning, outreach to community groups and
a willingness to promote it through interviews, advertising and social media.
Honorable mention:
White Chapel Memorial
Park Cemetery
Troy, Michigan

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

n Wonderfully executed and
thoughtful event, full of special
touches.
n It was also a fundraiser
excellent!
n Excellent job and a very
creative event.
n What an excellent event
commemorating 9/11 and
fundraising for wounded
warriors.
n Very professional and well
done.
n Great community outreach,
and fundraiser for a great
cause.
White Chapels War on Terrorism memorial, created by Matthews International.

Patriots Race helped bring attention to

White Chapels War on Terror Memorial
W
hite Chapel Memorial Park in Troy,
Michigan, is known for its events
honoring veterans, including its
annual WWI Polar Bear Memorial Service
(observed for the 87th time in 2016) on
Memorial Day, its V-J Day service featuring
Gold Star Mothers and its annual care package
drive for military members overseas, which takes
place in September.
The cemetery decided to inaugurate a new
eventa 1-mile run/walkto mark the unveiling
of its new War on Terror Memorial on the 15th
anniversary of 9/11.
White Chapel set a target of 300 participants for
this inaugural event, as well as a goal of significant
media coverage. In order to meet these goals, the
organization expanded onsite media interview
opportunities, did both print and online advertising,
contacted local businesses to serve as event
sponsors and leveraged social media, including
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to broaden
awareness of the Patriots Race.
White Chapel conducted extensive research to Participants run through the cemetery.

22 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 23
Above, particiants get ready for the start of the race/walk. Below, some of the veterans on hand for the service.
select a nonprofit organization as
the race beneficiary. Ultimately,
White Chapel selected the
Michigan Wounded & Returning
Warriors Project, a 501 (C)3,
American Legion member
organization supporting veterans.
Meanwhile, White Chapel
contacted Good Boy Events, a
local company that facilitates run/
walk events. White Chapel worked
with them to design within the
cemetery a legitimate 5k timed
race course and a 1-mile walk so
that it took runners/walkers by all
of the onsite memorials, including
the Polar Bear World War I, World
War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian
Gulf War and MIA combat troops memorials,
as well as the new War on Terror Memorial.
The course design also featured more
than 500 large American flags and more than
2,000 small American flags that lined the
entire race course.
White Chapel reached out to local military
service and community organizations to
include them in the commemoration. A Troy
Fire Department battalion raised a large
American flag over the course and rang a
bell in observance of a moment of silence to
honor those who lost their lives on 9/11.
In addition, a 21-gun salute was conducted
24 ICCFA Magazine
by the Troy Police Honor Guard and a flag-
folding ceremony took place with assistance
from local American Legion chapters. The
flag was then presented to a Gold Star Mother
who lost her son in the War on Terror.
Volunteers from the Gold Star Mothers,
Blue Star Mothers and Michigan Military
Moms handed out bottles of water to runners/
walkers and cheered them at the finish line.
A soloist performed the national anthem,
America The Beautiful and God Bless
America during the War on Terror Memorial
Service. The ceremony concluded with a
bagpiper performing Amazing Grace.
White Chapel hired someone to capture
the event in photos, as well in video via
a drone. Numerous businesses
helped sponsor the event, including
industry suppliers The Life Chest
and Matthews International, as
well as local firms.
White Chapel set up a food
tent and eating area and received
assistance from a number of local
area restaurants that donated and
provided food and beverages
before and after the race for the
race participants and attendees.
White Chapel also set up a
childrens activities area where
children could write thank-you
notes to our men and women in
uniform serving overseas, play
childrens games and receive free patriotic
face painting.
Runners and walkers were offered
massages by a local massage company after
the race.
White Chapel hired an advertising firm
to design a logo for the Patriots Race, which
was included on t-shirts and dog tags that
all race/walk participants received; develop
print and digital advertisements; design a web
page and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
pages for the Patriots Race; and design a flyer
distributed in southeast Michigan, including
at stores geared to runners.
They also hired a public relations firm
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 2 0 1 6 K I P A WA R D S : E V E N T S
Left, some of the
attendees take
advantage of
shaded seating
under tent to
watch the days
events.
Below, a folded
American flag is
presented to a
Gold Star Mother
who lost her son
in the War on
Above, David R. Krall, vice president and Terror.
general counsel for White Chapel Memorial
Association, congratulates a race winner.
He was the principal person involved in
organizing the race and the War on Terror
Memorial. Below, White Chapel Chairman,
President and CEO David P. Krall, who was
also heavily involved in the projects.

to develop news releases and Krall did a live, in-studio interview

media advisories to promote the at the ABC affiliate which was
Patriots Race and Ninth Annual picked up by The Huffington Post.
Care Package Drive for Overseas The Detroit News did a feature
Military, and to follow up with the story which ran in the September
media. 12 print and online editions.
White Chapel contacted local Several community newspapers
dignitaries to help unveil the War ran news briefs in advance of the
on Terror Memorial, including Patriots Race.
Rep. David Trott and county and The Oakland Press ran a large
state officials. White Chapel and follow up story on September 18
the Life Chest gave each dignitary, and Michigan Runner magazine
including the Gold Star Mother assigned a photographer to cover
whose son died in the War on the event for a story to run in a
Terror, a Life Chest, an heirloom future edition.
quality keepsake chest that can be All attendees received a dog tag medallion with the event Participants praised the event,
used to store military uniforms, logo, as well as a t-shirt. with many suggesting adding a 10k
photos, etc. Media results obtained in the Detroit race in 2017.
The event was a success by all measures. market included a balance of print, radio and Much of this success has been achieved
Considerable funding was raised for the television. Media coverage was significant, as the result of a strategy of creating a well-
Michigan Wounded & Returning Warriors with all three Metro Detroit television rounded event that appealed to an audience of
Project. The inaugural Patriots Race drew 350 networks conducting interviews. Two days all ages, including runners, walkers, veterans
runners/walkers, exceeding the goal of 300. before the event, White Chapels David R. and the community. r

26 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 27
by Kitty Alexander
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight COMMUNITY OUTREACH
kitty.alexander
@foundation Asking to give a preneed planning seminar at a local long-term
partners.com
423.426.3927 care center is not the way to win friends and influence people.
You have to be willing to put in the time to help them in ways
Alexander is com-
munity outreach and they truly appreciate, to slowly build honest relationships.
marketing manager for
Foundation Partners
Group, Orlando,
Florida. Relationship 101: The art of
the long-term care connection
Foundation Partners Group is a private
R
company which serves more than 13,500
families annually at 72 funeral homes and
nine cemeteries in 17 states. adio and television writer Andy
www.foundationpartners.com Rooney once said, The best
classroom in the world is at the
feet of an elderly person. Over my years
of working with seniors, I have found this
to be true, and I believe it is important that
we truly care for individuals in their elder
years.
While long-term care centers (LTCs)
have come a long way, it wasnt long ago
that the public viewed both nursing homes
and funeral homes through the same taboo
lenstwo places to avoid at all cost. LTCs
were viewed as places for seniors to live out
their last days, often looked at as the last
stop before the funeral home.
Those of us in the funeral profession
are making gains to change the publics
perspective, just as long-term care facilities
have made strides to change the cultures
perception.
LTCs are now viewed as places to live
out your golden years with life and vigor.
Today, LTCs and funeral homes can work
together to both enhance the lives of the
elderly and strengthen and grow their
businesses at the same time.
By serving alongside LTCs, your funeral
home will help meet the needs of those
residents by giving them extra assistance,
and you will become a trusted guide in their
community. I have seen this first hand after
working as a healthcare professional for 12
years in a large, not-for-profit retirement
community.
A retirement community that provides
a continuum of care is the ideal place
to begin your journey into a rewarding
professional relationship. The progression
in a continuing care retirement community
(CCRC) consists of: independent living,
assisted living, memory-deficit care, skilled/
rehabilitation help and long-term care.
Building strong and authentic
28 ICCFA Magazine
relationships with the facility management
and staff is important, but learning and
getting to know the wonderful people in
the facility is valuable for the LTC, for the
funeral home, for the resident and for your
personal growth.
The days of preneed and financial
planning seminars at the LTC facilities are
over. Dont fall back on these over-used and
tired topics. Baby boomers and members of
the Greatest Generation are savvy when it
comes to marketingand they know a sales
pitch when they hear one.
In fact, according to Marketingprofs.
com, Baby boomers do not like to be
sold, because they do their research.
They want a products value proposition
explained without being pushy or
patronizing.
For this reason, it is important to think
outside of the typical box. In LTC facilities,
patients are referred to as residents. It
is important to keep in mind that you are
going into their homes, so make sure you
entering as a valued guest, not a door-to-
door salesperson.
The steps to take
By following a few simple steps, funeral
directors can establish genuine relationships
with LTCs:
1. Make friends with the gatekeeper.
A gatekeeper is the person (or persons)
responsible for the daily activities at that
community. Their title could be activities or
wellness director/coordinator.
The gatekeeper will help your funeral
home determine where the LTCs greatest
needs are. If you are challenged to make a
connection, try this very simple question:
What is the one thing funeral homes in
our area could do to serve you and your
residents?
2. Let them know that your funeral
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Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 29


Ask them if you and your staff can volunteer at the activities.
Every LTC has an activities calendar for events based on the level of need and the
cognitive abilities of their particular residents. They are always in need of volunteers
and sponsors who have the ability to donate money, items or time to the residents.
home is committed to serving the
community and each generation. Tell them
about programs and organizations you are
currently a part of.
For example, you could say: We are
committed to helping all types of organiza-
tions in our community. Our homes serve
the Childrens Miracle Network, and we
feel like we are touching that generation.
Now we are looking for ways to help you
with the senior generation. How can you
use our staff and our resources to help you?
Could we get on your calendar to help with
something?
Make sure they know it is a genuine
effort on your part to reach all generations,
which will help ease any fear they might
have of funeral homes preying on seniors.
3. Commit your time on a consistent
basis. For instance, sponsor the monthly
residents birthday party, social event,
cocktail hour, game night, movie night
or outing. This allows you to present
your funeral home in a positive light by
providing them with help they can count on.
4. Ask them if you and your staff can
volunteer at the activities. Every LTC has
an activities calendar for events based on
the level of need and the cognitive abilities
of their particular residents. They are
always in need of volunteers and sponsors
who have the ability to donate money, items
or time to the residents.
What many LTCs need most is
volunteers who will give of their time,
committing to help with activities such as
birthday parties, fundraising events or other
activities for the residents.
5. Take the tour! Most of us see only
certain parts of the building when we make
a removal, so it makes sense to see where
the residents are living and spending most
of their time.
6. Dont wear your business attire.
Let them be comfortable around you, not
worried that you are there to pick up their
neighbor. Ask the coordinator what would
be the best fit based on the activity youll be
attending.
7. Get to know the staff. In most
communities, it is likely that you already
30 ICCFA Magazine
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
know someone who works or lives there.
Reconnect and embrace those connections.
8. Dont forget the night shift. Most
activities revolve around the daylight hours,
but in the retirement communities you
will find events that take place after their
evening meal.
9. Create a system to enable your staff
to embrace this project. We all know
that funerals tend to happen in threes, so
plan ahead to make sure you dont miss
your commitment to the LTC because of
scheduling difficulties. They are counting
on you.
10. Invite them to your funeral home
for special events. Whether it is a holiday
remembrance service, a Mothers Day/
Fathers Day remembrance service or multi-
generational Easter egg hunt, work with the
LTC gatekeeper to invite seniors to these
events.
At one of our funeral home locations, we
use our ShareLife screens, a large high-
tech screen with multi-sensory components,
to hold a movie night for a local senior
living facility, complete with popcorn and
drinks. The last movie night brought in
30 residents. Everything was coordinated
through the gatekeeper, and the seniors
loved it.
One of the important things to keep in
mind is that many seniors in LTCs are busy
with activities on a daily basis. Their minds
are active, many are physically active, so
it is up to funeral homes to partner with
them, helping and volunteering in those
communities.
Often, family members dealing with a
loved one who has died or is near death will
consult with the staff, asking for funeral
home recommendations, especially in the
case of family members who live out of
town. Those caregivers often have strong
relationships with the families, and if they
know us and trust us, we are going to get a
good recommendation from them.
Building a trusting and authentic
relationship with residents is so important.
Many times, funeral homes are contacted by
financial planners and preneed professionals
who want to come into the retirement
community and do a seminar, but it is
important to remember that many of the
residents have already preplanned, and
others simply dont want to be reminded of
death in a very sales-focused, inauthentic
approach.
When you establish relationships over
time, they will call you. You dont have to
do a full-fledged preneed seminar and drive
them away from you the moment you are
introduced. Again, seniors are savvy and
understand the difference between being
sold to and being cared for.
Building established relationships with
LTCs doesnt take as long as you may think.
We have our funeral homes take birthday
cakes to residents, and once they get there,
they are asked to stay and join them.
At another location, our funeral home
employees went into one of the nursing
facilities and built planter boxes so that
residents can garden from their wheelchairs.
When we sacrifice our time and labor
to care for residents, the LTCs dont feel
like our staff is taking advantage of their
residents, so instead of being turned away,
they are welcomed in.
It takes time and it takes consistency, but
building trustworthy, authentic relationships
with LTC staff and their residents pays off,
not only in a financial sense, but also in a
way that provides value to the residents and
the funeral homes staff members who have
the opportunity to give back.
LeadingAge.org reports that approxi-
mately 70 percent of people who reach the
age of 65 will need long-term care at some
point. This statistic is staggering, and those
of us in the funeral profession have the
opportunity to show LTCs what it looks like
when a community funeral home truly cares
for the residents in their facility.
It not only helps the funeral home and
the LTC, but also helps the residents and the
funeral home employees connect with one
another and build relationships and trust that
lead to new friendships and fuller lives.
Building these special relationships is
undoubtedly the beauty as well as the art and
science of the long-term care connection. r
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by Jeff Harbeson
602.274.6464
jeff@theforesight
companies.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Harbeson is the direc-
tor of marketing for The
Foresight Companies
LLC, a Phoenix-based
business and management consulting
firm specializing in mergers and acquisi-
tions, valuations, accounting, financing
and customer surveys.
He is a funeral home owner, business-
man and former Batesville representative
who has marketed his companies under
the social media label of The Funeral
Commander.
MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR
Harbeson teams with Ryan Thogmartin
to co-host a weekly video podcast called
Funeral Nation.
Educational information, including
copies of this article, can be found at
www.theforesightcompanies.com
For more information on Harbeson or
The Foresight Companies, follow them on
Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
32 ICCFA Magazine
MARKETING
Marketing is crucial to your future, but its difficult. It takes
thought and planning, as well as the discipline and time to follow
through with your plan. One crucial step is determining what
segment of the market is likely to respond positively to your
marketing message, and then figuring out how to reach it.
Strategic marketing to
committeds vs. undecideds
I
am going to provide you with specific
ideas about how to create a simple but
effective marketing plan. No, not a
cookie-cutter step-by-step guide you could
find anywhere on the internet, but insights
that are funeral-business specific.
Despite offering such insight, I realize this
is an exercise in futility, and for the most part
a waste of energy and ink. Why? Because
sharing this information is very similar to
a funeral director telling a family how to
conduct their own funeral, from removal/
transfer to interment. Most likely the family
will not have the discipline to follow the plan
as instructed. They will waste time trying to
figure everything out, and end up having to
spend more than expected for DIY.
The same thing is true for funeral
directors developing their own marketing
plan. Most will fail to follow the plan, fail
to have the discipline to execute it. In most
cases, the result will be loss of business
because they were too cheap to hire a
professional.
But if you are still reading this article
and want to give it a try, lets start with
the basics of developing a marketing plan.
What do you want to accomplish from
marketing your funeral home brand? A
good foundation is to carefully identify
objectives, create a long-term approach to
meet the established objectives and, most
important, determine how those objectives
are going to be accomplished.
To get started, what is the goal of a
funeral home marketing plan? Of course,
I know the #1 answer, the first one: more
calls! Well, yes, but youre still not ready
for a cameo appearance in Mad Men as
a creative director at their Madison Avenue
advertising firm.
What will compel a family to want
to move from a relationship with their
current funeral service provider to one with
your establishment? No, not the funeral
profession mantra of we give better service
and care more than they do.
Consider the #1 reason a consumer
chooses one funeral home over another:
the consumer either knows the owner
or someone working at the firm. These
people are the committeds. They already
have established a relationship with a
funeral provider. Its difficult to get the
committeds to change their loyalties,
so exhausting time, money and effort on
marketing to them is not a good idea.
But these days, how many consumers do
have a relationship with a particular funeral
home? As a society, we have scattered all
over the country (and even the world) and
an increasing number of people do not have
a clue about which funeral home would be
their first choice.
Pay attention now, because Im going
to give you nugget of gold: There are more
undecideds about funeral homes than
committeds. The question is, how do you
reach this elusive undecideds group?
I suggest studying the how the U.S.
Army develops a combat plan. The
Armys five-paragraph operations order
lists situation, mission, execution, service
support and command and signal.
Note that the first need is to identify
the situation. Now lets apply this to the
development of your marketing plan.
Think of whats going on at your funeral
home. Has the market you are serving
changed? Is there new competition? What is
the old competition up to?
Further questions to consider:
Why would someone choose our firm?
What makes our firm unique?
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Every casket you sell affects not just st the in pric
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of the
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There are statistics that suggest boomers are more uncommitted and fall into the
undecided category simply because boomers are not coming to terms with their own mortality.
But if this is true, if boomers are not making end-of-life plans for themselves,
who will be making those decisions for them? Bingo, Skippy! Gen Xers and millennials.
Who are the people at our funeral home
who make us special?
After a family is served by us, how do
they feel about the experience we created?
What message do we want to convey to
people about our firm?
If the undecideds are the largest
opportunity for new business at a funeral
home, the message and how its delivered
should be at the top of the list.
The best way to find out why your
current committed families chose your firm
is to conduct a survey. A professionally
conducted survey reveals not only what
your families think about your funeral
home, but also what they are telling others
in your community.
Also reach out to families you have
served recently, both first-time clients
and long-time ones. Invite them to lunch,
offsite, and talk to them about what they
liked and didnt like, and what you can
do better. Ask them to provide you with a
testimonial. For example: We have been
coming to this firm for three generations
because or With an unexpected death
in our family, we chose this firm because
they provided so many options to celebrate
the life of
Testimonials are good, but no one will tell
your funeral home story better than you and
your team. Heritage is important, but proceed
with caution, as it does not resonate with
the younger generations making end-of-life
decisions for their elderly family members.
We see what was considered the norm for
consumer behavior becoming unimportant.
The best example of this shift is church
attendance. Across religions, participation
continues to plummet and is especially low
among millennials. When creating your
funeral homes story, your family history
is honorable and should be a part of your
storybut not your whole story.
What are consumers looking for today?
The first thing that probably pops into your
mind is low price, but thats simply not true.
If that were the case, funeral homes would
be closing in droves.
Most people are looking for a good
experience. Yes, its possible to have a good
experience in both a Chick-fil-A as well
34 ICCFA Magazine
MARKETING
as a Mortons of Chicago, as long as your
expectations are set correctly. Conversely,
its also possible to have a bad experience at
both ends of the restaurant spectrum.
The point here is that consumers are
seeking a positive experience and cost is
not the driving factor. When creating your
funeral home story, make sure the positive
differences you made on what most people
consider their worst day are known.
We care more does not accomplish
that. Instead, share celebrations of life
examples and testimonials; tell others about
the people who work at your firm; add
visually inviting graphics of your location.
All of your story cannot and should
not be told in a two-minute video. In
fact, attention spans for watching such
advertisements are much shorter, so
break your video up into segments. Did
I say video? Yes; dont waste your time
or advertising dollars with copy (written
words). There is a place for written articles,
but think: Whom are you trying to reach?
After you create your story, its time to
consider the best methods for distributing
your message so that it reaches the most
undecided people. Unfortunately, one size
does not fit all.
Im sure its no surprise to you that
delivering a message to consumers can
be a dicey situation. You may have the
most compelling advertising in the funeral
business, but if no one sees it, whats the use?
Lets think about who the undecideds
are. I am going to take a scientific guess
that Gen Xers and millennials combined
(those born between approximately 1965 to
1995, respectively) make up the majority of
this consumer segment.
By the way, millennials have surpassed
the baby boom generation as the largest
living population. If baby boomers are the
target clients for funeral homes (they are
next in line to die), which category would
boomers fit intocommitted or undecided?
There are statistics that suggest boomers
are more uncommitted and fall into the
undecided category simply because
boomers are not coming to terms with
their own mortality. But if this is true, if
boomers are not making end-of-life plans
for themselves, who will be making those
decisions for them? Bingo, Skippy! Gen
Xers and millennials.
OK, now Ive got a tough question for
you: Where do you think Xers and millen-
nials get their information and news? No,
its not from the local Daily Disappointment
newspaper. Nor do these folks seek out a
funeral home in the Yellow Pages. In fact, I
am going to go way out on a limb and guess
that these folks didnt even notice the much-
coveted advertisement on the diner placemat.
Without any trepidation, I surmise that
the best channels of distribution for your
funeral home story is on the internet. (If
you are among those who still think the
interweb is witchcraft and of the devil,
please keep the Yellow Page ads in your
budget for next year.)
The very first location to place your
story is on your funeral home website. My
suggestion is to have several short videos
covering many subjects about your firm and
the services you offer.
An inviting and well-designed website
pays tremendous dividends, because this
is where the undecideds are going to learn
about you. Perhaps you may even convert
some of them to committeds. If your
funeral home has not updated its website in
the last three years, it is outdated and needs
to be refreshed.
Frankly, there is no excuse for funeral
homes not to invest in this showcase of your
business with a global reach, your website.
A robust social media campaign will
drive traffic to your funeral home website,
but deciding on the right content to be
posted is key. Unfortunately, this is an area
where funeral professionals fail.
Preneed solicitations, obituaries and non-
relevant content along with inconsistent
posting is a waste of time. The methodology
of social media reach is complex, especially
for businesses that rely on this medium as
part of their marketing program. Remember
what I said at the beginning of this article
about DIY funerals? The same holds true
for social media: If you dont know how to
do it, hire a pro.
Social media, videos and websites are
not the only tools contained in a savvy
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 MARKETING

funeral home marketing plan. The creation provides your funeral home with the ability to firehouse waiting for the death bell to ring
of community educational events is one of become a resource for people working with does nothing but make you crazy and lazy.
my favorites. If your firm has a retort, youd families dealing with end-of-life issues. Here is the bottom line: If you want
be surprised how many people will show up Share with hospice workers your state a million-dollar business, you cant
for a tour. regulations on topics such as 48-hour make a minimum-wage effort marketing
When was the last time you sponsored refrigeration or embalming rules and the your funeral home. There is no magic to
a seminar? If you and your staff are time period a physician has to sign a death marketing, but it does require thought,
not equipped to be speakers, invite certificate. The transfer of knowledge to planning and execution.
professionals, experts in different topics of hospice only pays dividends. Marketing is like planting seedsyou
interest to your community. How do you move the committeds from dont get fruit after a few weeks of watering
You and your staff can certainly present your competitors funeral homes? Usually, and cultivating. It takes time, energy,
information about topics such as: the other funeral home sends them to you consistency and execution to turn marketing
The top 10 mistakes made when by screwing up. The easiest way to attract into death calls at your funeral home.
planning for a funeral. committeds is to be a top of mind firm You may have read this entire article
Veterans benefit information for where your brand stands out from the others. thinking this sounds pretty easy. But a
survivors. One of my favorite marketing activities true evaluation of your own marketing will
50 ways to celebrate the life of your is if the phone isnt ringing, go out measure not only whether your firm has
lover (referencing the Paul Simon song). singing. In other words, if its quiet at the grown in call volume but also whether it
If you offer a free lunch, too, you will funeral home, fire up the lead car and go has increased in value. If not, perhaps its
boost attendance. shake hands. Visit anyplace that has any time to take a step back and talk with a
How about inviting all the hospice social community influence. professional to create positive momentum.
workers and marketing staff for a seminar Have something interesting to say, such The time requirements of being a funeral
about what happens after their work is as your story. Leave something behinda director coupled with the tasks of operating
done? This is particularly effective because thumb drive containing all your videos and a business can lead to business strategies
you become the subject matter expert to planning informationand always offer created without the attention they deserve.
the people who spend time with those who good writing pens. Get your carcass out At the top of the list is marketing. r
are dying. Educating hospice organizations of the office, because sitting back at the

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Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 35

by David Shipper and
Gary OSullivan, CCFE
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight
OSullivan and Shipper are co-authors
of THE SYSTEM, the professions only
complete preneed selling online training
program, and LeadTrak, the industrys
leading CRM. THE SYSTEM University
program of online training for sales coun-
selors and managers is offered exclusively
by the ICCFA at www.iccfa.com.
ds@djshipper.com
Shipper is a third-
generation funeral home
and cemetery owner and the
co-creator of THE SYSTEM,
the industrys only complete
selling system for cemeteries
and funeral homes.
He has been involved with the ICCFA
since 1978 and has served in all officer
positions, including president in 2000-
2001. In 2014, he was inducted into the
ICCFA Hall of Fame.
go@garyosullivan.com
OSullivan is president of
Gary OSullivan Co., Winter
Garden, Florida, a consult-
ing firm specializing in the
cemetery and funeral profes-
sion. He works with clients in
the areas of leadership and management
development, service and sales processes
and corporate culture.
www.garyosullivan.com
twitter.com/GOgaryosullivan
facebook.com/garyosullivancompany
linkedin.com/in/garyosullivancompany
His experience began at 18 years of age
selling cemetery property door-to-door and
includes leading a national sales organiza-
tion and then forming his own consulting
and speaking company in 2001.
In 2014, OSullivan received the first
ever Lasting Impact Award from the ICCFA
Educational Foundation, in recognition
of the significant educational contribution
he has made to the profession. In 2009,
the ICCFA presented OSullivan with an
honorary doctorate for his 20 years of con-
secutive participation in ICCFA University,
where he is dean of the J. Asher Neel Col-
lege of Sales & Marketing.
MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR
OSullivan is dean of ICCFA
Universitys J. Asher Neel College of
Sales & Marketing. The next session will be
July 20-25, 2018, at the Fogelman Confer-
ence Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
36 ICCFA Magazine
PRENEED SALES SUCCESS
Training preneed salespeople properly is a necessity if you want
consistent results from your sales team. Instead of hoping that
youll stumble across a sales superstar, institute a good training
program and watch your average salespeople succeed.
The elements needed to create an
effective preneed training program
Special offer: At the end of this article is consistent and repeatable.
a free download link to our entire training We also realized that if everyone was
schedule. doing the same thing (using the same scripts),
M
we could analyze the results and learn what
illions of people have watched worked much faster than if everyone was
Tiger Woods hit thousands of golf doing things their own way.
balls. Yet no one thinks they will be In the end, we have learned that
able to do what he does simply by observing concentrating on prospecting activity is the
how he hits golf balls. key ingredient for success. We also learned,
Nevertheless, when training people in from analyzing hundreds of thousands of
our business, managers and owners still say, prospecting hours, what works and what
Welcome, Mr. or Ms. New Hire, today I will doesnt. More importantly, we can predict,
train you on how to make preneed sales. All with startling accuracy, what results each
you have to do is watch me and do what I do prospecting hour will bring, meaning we can
and you will be trained. pinpoint how many prospecting hours we
Gary: How many times, as a young sales need at each location to hit our sales goals.
manager, did I make this statement? More It would be impossible to produce the
than I care to admit. Despite seeing my new same successful results at every (or any!)
recruits fail, I simply continued to do what I location unless we had a highly structured
now refer to as the great information dump. training program that would create consistent
I knew what is was doing and how I did results wherever it was properly executed.
it, but those observing me rarely, if ever, were In order to achieve success, the scripts
able to learn how to do it simply by watching and materials have to be ones that average
me. It was like watching David Copperfield salespeople can use. If you need the best
making a jet disappear on a Las Vegas stage salespeople to carry out a program, its not
and then asking an audience member to come practical, as most markets wont supply
up and do what they just saw him do. enough supremely talented salespeople.
David: About 10 years ago, I heard a Therefore, a properly constructed training
very good sales manager declare: David, I program contains material that most people
have no idea why we have a good week or who have enough desire can understand and
a bad week. After 30 years in the business, be successful with.
I was shocked by this. How could we be In order to have a good training program,
in the position of not knowing what our you cant have people doing things the
outcomes would be on a weekly basis? way they like to do it. Or doing what
Thats when Gary and I started working on a they think works for them. We all know
success formula that would work under any from experience that what a non-preneed
circumstances, with any group of salespeople. professional thinks will work never works.
Our idea was to script out every single Theres no reason to allow salespeople
interaction a salesperson could have, test to try (and often fail) to figure out their
each scripts success and then go back and own formula for success, costing your
reworking them until they worked at a known funeral home or cemetery money and lost
level. This means that for every input of work opportunity.
such as prospecting, everyone in the process Youre the boss. Learn to say: This is our
could know what the probable outcome of training process. You dont need to reinvent
that effort would be. Thats what makes it the process; you simply need to learn it and
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 PRENEED SALES SUCCESS
Prospecting willingness is so crucial to success that we have candidates prospect
before we hire them. If a person is willing to dial a few numbers and try to read through a script,
they have within them the necessary ingredients for preneed sales success. If they run
screaming from the room, you have saved yourself a lot of time and effort by not hiring them.
execute it. Our process is proven.
A structured and consistent training
program will have everyone in your
organization working together with the same
tools, producing similar results.
If you already have a sales team in place
when you implement a new training program,
your goal will be to improve the performance
of all existing salespeople. Successful
salespeople will resist change. In the end,
some will significantly improve their results
while others will find other employment.
Change is always disruptive. The question
you will need to ask yourself as a manager
or owner is, Am I really willing to change
my organization or am I too fearful of losing
existing salespeople?
My answer has always been, Yes, I am
willing to risk losing current sales production
in order to permanently improve my results.
I have terminated the highest grossing
salesperson in the company at least three
times and have never regretted it.
Eventually sales volume was always
improved by having more people doing
most of the right things and talking to more
families. But this was only the case because
I had a lot of confidence in our training
program and knew that perspiration is almost
always more successful than inspiration.
1. Clearly defined curriculum
In creating the curriculum for your training
program, think short-term and long-term,
and about how elements of it can be used
when people get off track and need to get
back on track. For the short term, think in
terms of survival skills. What does someone
need to know to be able to generate preneed
sales quickly, while ensuring that they are
knowledgeable about what they are selling?
These survival skills include knowing how
to effectively prospect, set appointments and
manage the objections they will get when
attempting to set an appointment.
Additional survival skills are knowing the
elements of an effective preneed presentation
(the warm-up, the presentation of your
planning guide, the preneed presentation, the
explanation of products and/or services being
presented and the effective close).
Of course, there is much more to learn, but
38 ICCFA Magazine
always think in terms of, How much do we
need to teach a new employee to find out as
soon as possible whether or not they will be
successful?
We first teach a few prospecting methods.
If they wont or cant prospect successfully,
they dont need to know the details of the
products and services you offer, or how to fill
out a contract. Someone who cant prospect
wont have anyone to make a presentation
to, so they dont need to know the difference
between various caskets or the difference
between a grave and a mausoleum.
Prospecting is the first stage of survival.
Prospecting willingness is so crucial to
success that we have candidates prospect
before we hire them.
This might shock you, but we believe that
if a person is willing to dial a few numbers
and try to read through a script, they have
within them the necessary ingredients for
preneed sales success. If they run screaming
from the room, you have saved yourself a lot
of time and effort by not hiring them.
For the long term, you will want to
include all the deeper level of skills and
knowledge they will need to grow and
improve their skills. A good quality training
program includes different levels suitable to
salespeople at all levels.
You also want to look at the structure of
your training process to ensure you cover the
core elements of this business. New hires are
not the only ones who will need to review
the material at times; seasoned veterans
sometimes get off track and will benefit from
a refresher in core essentials. As we state in
The System, we believe that you train people
initially and you develop them perpetually.
2. Time frames
Its essential to have well-defined time frames
for acquiring the skills and knowledge you
expect your salespeople to master.
These time frames should be a bit aggres-
sive yet achievable. You need to know, sooner
rather than later, if the new hire is going to
put in the energy and effort needed to learn
and be able to execute a sales plan.
If your time frames are realistic yet
aggressive enough to require an intense focus
to meet, it will go a long way in helping you
assess if an individual is willing to put in the
effort needed to succeed in a direct-selling
career.
Remember, if they don't have people to
see, then nothing else really matters.
3. Activity and engagement
Your training curriculum must include
specific activities and engagement. Showing
and telling are part of the training process.
However, until you have them doing specific
activities and get them engaged in using the
skills and knowledge you are teaching, you
wont know if they can be successful.
Early activities certainly should include
daily prospecting and appointment-setting.
Having them actively prospecting every day
will show you not only their willingness to
prospect, but also whether they have the grit
to keep up the grind until they succeed.
Also, getting engaged is essential for a
new hire. Role-playing, observing proper
prospecting and presenting protocol, will set
the stage for success early. But its not until
a properly trained sales person or manager
observes them in action that we can begin
to determine if someone is going to be
successful.
Going back to the Tiger Woods analogy,
millions of people watch him hit golf balls
without improving their own games, but
if you could have Tiger Woods watch
and comment on your swing, it would
immeasurably add to the strength of your
game. Thats the stage we need to reach in
order to make real progress.
Too many times in our profession a new
recruit will embark on their first solo preneed
presentation without ever having seen anyone
make one in a real-life situation, or without
having given a presentation to a family with a
supervisor on hand to watch.
Yes, role-playing has its value, but it does
not compare to seeing the process put into
action with a real prospective client.
Yes, a sales manager can get a sense
of how well a person has learned the
presentation through role-playing, but until
seeing them make a presentation in a live
situation, the manager wont know how well
they understand what they have learned. Nor
will they know if the novice salesperson can
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 PRENEED SALES SUCCESS

properly respond to objections and help a
real family secure the protection and peace of
mind provided by preplanning.
4. Learning objectives
As part of the designing process of your
training program you should also define your
learning objectives. This should spell out
what the trainee should be able to do, and do
effectively, once the training is completed.
These objectives are the fundamentals of
their newly acquired skills and knowledge. At
the end of your specific time frames, these are
the things they should know or be able to do.
The goal of effective training is to ensure
your new hire knows what it takes to succeed
in selling preneed. They should be willing
to be held accountable for successfully
accomplishing the daily activities needed to
achieve their sales objectives.
Your learning objectives should be de-
signed to help you ensure that your training
program instructs someone new to this pro-
fession what they will need to do, every day,
and how to do it effectively and efficiently.
They should include daily prospecting
and appointment-setting, as well as making
a professional and compelling preneed
presentation. Knowing what you want
accomplished and whether it has been
are essential to building a sales team that
achieves consistent results.
Sounds great, guys, but I just don't have
the time to do all this.
We cannot tell you how many times over
the years we have heard sales managers say,
I really need to hire someone, but I just don't
have the time to train them.
More often than not, the problem is not
a lack of time but the lack of a well-defined
training process. Without this process, the
sales manager can easily feel frustrated,
knowing they need to hire more people, but
unsure about how exactly to get them trained.
Help is on the way
If you have read to this point, chances are
you agree about the need for a well-defined
training process that will allow a manager
to be more confident in hiring and more
effective with the people selected.
We have created a 15-day initial training
outline within The System that were offering
as a free download.
If you are familiar with The System
University, you know it offer a host of
online learning modules and videos, as well
as hundreds of pages of written content.
This free training outline guides you to the
needed scripts, models, videos and/or reading
materials in The System library to make the
learning process as seamless as possible.
This unique online learning program
can be of great support and help to a sales
manager in any organization, of any size.
As time is always an issue, The System
becomes your assistant sales trainer. It allows
you to direct people to specific areas either
when a new trainee is going through their
initial training or when a trainee or seasoned
veteran needs to review a specific area.
To download our entire training schedule,
please go to: https://thesystemuniversity.com/
pre-need_superstore/ and click on the last
image on the bottom of this page titled Free
Download/Training Guide.
If you have any questions or comments,-
please contact us. r

IN THE DEATHCARE INDUSTRY

IN THE DEATHCARE INDUSTRY

Dedicat and focused, Bills

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

Bill Newman, CPA

Partner

withum.com

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 39

by Brenda Clough
S E R V I C E T O FA M I L I E S
When people come to you to preplan, youre in the perfect position to help them
with ideas for what else to plan for beyond funeral and cemetery arrangements.
Preplanning tips for families
E
bclough@iccfa.com veryone in the funeral and cemetery
1.800.645.7700 ext. 1214 profession knows to advise families to
ICCFA Magazine preplan. Obsequies, how they want to be
author spotlight remembered and interred (or otherwise disposed
of)people come to you for that.
Clough is office ad People generally know they should make a will,
ministrator and asso- designate a power of attorney and medical power of
ciation liaison for the attorney. But beyond those obvious tasks are some
ICCFA. smaller ones that will make things run smoother and
She is a prolific author, that funeral professionals are in a position to advise
having published five families to plan for.
novels, as well as short As someone who has recently dealt with the loss
stories and nonfiction. of both parents, I would like to pass along these
Her novella, May Be preplanning tips you can offer families:
Some Time, was a final-
Make a list of everyone you want notified of
ist for both the Nebula
your death. It should include not only your close
and Hugo awards.
friends and relatives but also all the people on your
holiday card list. What about the people you see
when you walk the dog, or the bridge club you
were president of three years ago or the block party
committee in your neighborhood?
Making the notification list as complete as possible
not only ensures that everyone who needs or might be
interested to know will be told, but also that nobody
will be hurt to learn that they werent informed.
Do not forget your online existence, your Facebook
account, the chat groups you frequent. Make sure your
password is recorded so a family member can get into
your account and let people know what has happened.
Update this list every now and then, because youre
sure to develop new interests and friends. In the last
year of her life, my mother became a Golden State
Warriors faneven though she knew nothing about
basketball and had never so much as touched one in
all her 89 years. Friends had her sit with them to watch
the games, and in no time she had an entire gang of
new buddies to hang with. It was important for those
new friends to get the word of her death.
Simplify your financial picture. When you
die, every account, every insurance policy, every
investment fund, will have to be changed or closed
out. Your executor will have to file papers and submit
your death certificate to each one of these entities. If
you dont need them to be separate for some reason,
consolidate all those small savings accounts into one.
Make your records easy for your executor to find.
Get a copy of everything into one place. Even a simple
file folder labeled Death is helpful, if you put a copy
of bank statements, insurance mailings, brokerage
40 ICCFA Magazine
accounts and so on inside. (This is also the place to
keep that updated list of people to be informed.)
Reevaluate your stuff, especially if you care who
gets what and whether there could be bickering over
the division of your personal property. If you know
whom you want to receive an heirloom, dont take that
secret with you to the grave.
Theres something to be said for a sticky label, or
a small Post-It note, firmly applied on or inside your
treasures so that your survivors will know who should
get that vase or book. Or take photos of special items
and write the names of the person theyre intended for
on the backsomething else to place in the Death
folder.
You say youve told your children who gets what?
Remember, theyll be dealing with a million major
things after you die; their faculties will be clouded by
grief and good decisions will already be difficult to
make. Dont make things harder for them.
Even if you dont know who will want it, its
worth marking the items you know have intrinsic
value. Who knows better than you that you bought
that Hemingway novel the first day it appeared in the
stores? A slip of paper inside that first edition, saying
Dont send this to Goodwill; have it valued first
could save your family from a costly mistake.
This especially goes for antiques or jewelrynot
many of us can tell at a glance a real pearl from
a department-store one. Boxes labeled real and
costume jewelry would save your kids a lot of
aggravation at a time when they wont be thinking
clearly.
Dont forget your digital presence. The first thing
your survivors might do is to cancel your cell phone
and online shopping accounts. Pulling the plug on the
credit cards is sensible and prudentyou dont want
some crook to skate off with your Amex number while
everyone in your family is in mourning. But when
your cell phone or email account is canceled, all the
contacts tied to that account vanishforever.
If you have a tech-savvy friend or relative who
could serve as a digital executor, hand the job over to
them and remind them to save all those numbers and
email addresses.
Start a file of user names, account numbers and
passwords so that someone can deal with these
accounts after youre gone. Here is a link to an article
that goes into vastly more detail: https://www.cnet.
com/how-to/5-steps-to-settle-your-digital-affairs/. r
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 Its whats inside
that gives you
knowledge.

With our trust administration technology inside

your business, you can check the balances of your
trusts daily, track your receivables and earnings
down to the contract level, and even access monthly
statements immediately. Unlike others, all our
monthly statements add up to the market value of the
trust. Youll know exactly whats going on with your
trust. And its all backed by unparalleled customer
service. So the question remains: What does your
trust run on? FSI. Any trust, any state, any time.

fsitrust.com
by Ann Marie St. George, CPC
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight
annie@cffinc.com
1.800.336.1102
St. George is the
New York regional
manager for Coop-
erative Funeral Fund.
She has worked in
the funeral industry
for the past 30 years.
She is also a mortu-
ary officer for both DMORT Region II and
Kenyon International Emergency Services.
I
Cooperative Funeral Fund Inc. (CFF)
specializes in the management of preneed
and perpetual care fund accounts. CFF
has provided a program for the death
care industry to facilitate the creation,
investment, tax compliance and payout of
funeral trusts since 1989.
www.CooperativeFuneralFund.com
42 ICCFA Magazine
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
People in the funeral and cemetery profession
tend to be people-pleasers. In many ways, this is a good thing,
but you know what they say about too much of a good thing.
We need to take care of ourselves as well as others.
How to take care of yourself
while trying to please everyone
am the last person to ever let you
down. Yes, we are all probably a little
guilty of using this response when
Joe Public makes fun of what we do and
who we are. Seriously, these are the same
people who depend on us during one of
the most traumatic times in their lives. The
ironic part of this statement is that those of
us working in the death care industry never
want to let anyone downmetaphorically
speaking of course.
According to Psychology Today
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/
shrink/201210/are-you-people-pleaser),
A people pleaser is one of the nicest and
most helpful people you know. They never
say no. You can always count on them for
a favor. In fact, they spend a great deal of
time doing things for other people. They
get their work done, help others with their
work, make all the plans, and are always
there for family members and friends.
Hmmm, does this sound vaguely familiar?
Collectively, those of us in the death-
care industry are the ultimate People
Pleasers. Universally, we are the most
polite and accommodating people who will
never (well, almost never) say no.
No matter what aspect of death-care
services we provide, we all embody
the true definition of people pleaser.
I wonder if those of us taking care of
families, either preneed or at-need, were
born people pleasers, or did our choice of
profession make us this way? Maybe our
nature it is what led us to this profession.
In searching for information, I found
more material on the negative aspects of
people-pleasing:
People-Pleasing: The Hidden
Dangers of Always Being Too Nice
(https://lonerwolf.com/people-pleasing/
Unhealthy People-Pleasing
Behaviors You Need to StopVerily
https://verilymag.com/2015/06/unhealthy-
approval-seeking-behavior-people-
pleasers
How to Stop Being a People
Pleaser: 8 Steps (with Pictures) http://
www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-a-People-
Pleaser. This last one had me intrigued
because it included visuals which looked
like something right out of the 1950s
check it out for yourself.
The positive aspect of being
a people-pleaser in our profession
However, as a whole, people in our
profession fall on the positive end of
the people-pleasing spectrum. Here are
10 examples of our people-pleasing
characteristics that make us all really good at
what we do:
1. Calm in an emotional storm. We are the
calming voice of reason for the families that
we serve.
2. Awesome listeners. We hear what the
families are asking for, even when they are
not able to exactly express their wishes.
3. Authority in adaptability. We are able to
find a way to modify the situation to suit the
familys needs.
4. Go-with-the-flow pros. Because we are
likeable, people trust in us to always take care
of them with honor and respect.
5. Resident experts. We enjoy sharing our
wealth of knowledge with those in need of
our serviceswe just cant help ourselves.
6. Boxing ring referees. We work out
any disputes with poise and confidence and
with minimal eye-rolling.
7. Cruise directors. We are able to
coordinate details involving many people
and places to accommodate any reasonable
request.
8. Quick thinkers. Because we are
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Keep an eye on any building resentment. Make sure you have an outlet where you can
deal with your feelings, whether by talking to someone you trust or by practicing yoga or meditation.
If that approach isnt your cup of tea, maybe put a punching bag in your meditation room.
always thinking on our feet (even while people-pleasing nature, it is only the other happy, healthy, fulfilling lives. We, of
we are sleeping), we are able to handle persons fault one time. After that, the fault all people, know that life is too short, a
anything thrown at us at the last minute is yours. mantra we often forget. Now do yourself
and make it work. Finding balance between work, family a favor and dont ever let yourself down.
9. Entertainers. We specialize in and play is important if we are to live (Sorry, I just couldnt resist!) r
putting the fun in funeralwhen it is
appropriate, of course! With more families
wanting a celebration of life, it is
becoming more the norm.
10. Your way is our way gurus.
Because we dont want to ever let anyone
down, we are the best people to be the last
people to let you down.

How to practice self-care

Too much people-pleasing can contribute
to job burnout, so it is important for us to
take care of ourselves as we take care of
the people we serve. In doing so, it is vital
to remember a few things:
Never neglect yourself. Make sure
to feed your soul physically, mentally and
spiritually by setting aside a designated
time to take care of yourself.
Keep an eye on any building resent
ment. Make sure you have an outlet
where you can deal with your feelings,
whether by talking to someone you trust
or by practicing yoga or meditation. If that
approach isnt your cup of tea, maybe put a
punching bag in your meditation room.
Stay present. Watch for signs of
disengagement. An example of this would
be when you are in a room full of people
and you feel like you have mentally
checked out.
It is impossible to be everywhere people
ask us to be. It is OK to know when you
can and when you cannot be somewhere. If
that fails, there is always cloning .
Watch for and deal with stress
and depression. If you are feeling
overwhelmed, ask for help. If you have
a long honey-do list, prioritize. I will
bet you a week on any tropical island that
there are a few items that can wait until
much later to complete.
Remember that you dont have
to say yes to everything. No one
wants to be taken advantage of. Set your
boundaries and know what situations you
are comfortable with.
If someone is taking advantage of your

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 43

by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS
1.800.426.0165
danisard@theforesight
companies.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Isard is president of
The Foresight Compa-
nies LLC, a Phoenix-
based business and
management consulting firm specializing
in mergers and acquisitions, valuations,
accounting, financing and customer
surveys.
He is the author of several books,
and frequently speaks at industry conven-
tions.
MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR
Educational information, including
copies of this article, can be found at
www.theforesightcompanies.com
You can follow Isard on Twitter at
@f4sight and on LinkedIn, and like The
Foresight Companies on Facebook.
Editors note: The Cemetery Impossible
column is written by the staff of The
Foresight Companies. If you have a
question you want to be featured in this
column, please send it to danisard@
theforesightcompanies.com. Dan Isard
or a member of his staff will call you to get
more information and a recommendation
will be provided via this column, helping
not only you but also others who are
facing similar challenges.
44 ICCFA Magazine
CONTRACTS
Selling a business can be nerve-wracking, especially when the
buyer wants all of your warranties and representations unqualified.
Is this a reasonable position for the buyer to maintain?
Cemetery Impossible
When is it OK to insert to the best of my
knowledge in warranties & representations?
Dear Dan,
I was recently in the process of selling my
cemetery. The lawyers produced a sale
agreement. When it came to the representat-
ions and warranties of the seller (me), there
were items that I know are accurate and I can
opine to. However, on some items I asked
my lawyer to insert the phrase, to the best of
my knowledge. The buyer would not allow buyer about the business.
this modification. They wanted an unlimited
statement from me which I felt unqualified
to give.
I called off the sale. I know you are not
a lawyer, but I also know you have been
through hundreds of transactions in your
lifetime. Was my lawyer wrong or was the
buyers lawyer wrong?
X important if the seller gets cash.
Dear X,
In any business transaction, there are fears
and insecurities present for all parties
involved. The sellers fear is that they will
not get paid. The buyers fear is that they are
buying a pig in a poke. To mitigate each
fear, the lawyers step in and write terms and
conditions within the contract to protect their
respective clients.
The sellers attorney will insert language
regarding the security on any note that the
seller will assume. Of course, no one defaults
on cash paid at closing. However, there
could be a clawing back of some of that cash
paid at closing if it is determined the seller
misrepresented something.
To protect the buyer, their lawyer will
attempt to make certain that the things the
seller told the buyer during the negotiations
are accurate. There are two broad actions
that buyers take to make sure they are buying
what they think they are buying. These are
called warranties and representations.
The first step buyers take to know the
business is to perform due diligence. During
this investigation, the buyers learn a lot
about the business. The warranties and
representations memorialize the statements
and points of evidence the seller presents the
The second step a buyer will take is
contained in the legal documents. As you
mentioned, warranties and representations
are contained within the purchase/sale
agreement. These two areas of the contract
attempt to protect the buyer. Of course, there
are representations and warranties the buyer
opines to as well, but they are much less
Warranties, in contract law, have many
meanings. A warranty by one party to another
party says that specific facts or conditions are
true or will happen. This factual guarantee
may be enforced regardless of materiality,
which allows for a legal remedy if that
promise is not true or followed.
A representation is used in a contract to
reference any expressed or implied statement
made by one of the parties regarding a
particular fact or circumstance that serves to
influence the consummation of the deal.
For example, if you are buying a car, the
odometer might read 12,103 miles. The seller
will typically give the buyer a representation
that the odometer has not been altered.
In a typical asset or stock sale agreement,
the buyer can make warranties and represen-
tations as to:
a. Being duly organized as a business
entity.
b. Having the right and authority to make
the purchase.
c. There being nothing pending against the
buyer that could interfere with the closing.
d. Whether the buyer used a broker or
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 CONTRACTS

The warranties and representations will survive the closing.

That means that for some period of time after the closing, if I find out someone
misstated something in a warranty or representation, I have the right to sue.
finder in their acquisition.
Most of these are pretty simple and
nothing that can kill a deal. However, in
a typical asset or stock sale agreement,
the seller is asked to make warranties and
representations to a number of items, all of
which are pretty material in nature:
a. Environmental hazards are not on the
property.
b. The seller has the right to sell.
c. The seller owns all the shares.
d. Schedule or list of assets being bought
with the business including furniture,
fixtures and livery, is accurate.
e. No known litigation pending or
threatened.
f. All of the accounts receivable are
accurate.
g. The list of all employees and their
compensation is accurate.
h. The account of historical operations,
including case count and advance sales, is
accurate.
i. Financial statements are accurate and
accounting is consistently applied.
j. There will be no change in the business
up to the day of closing.
k. Funeral preneed (if any) was properly
handled.
l. Seller has clear title to all assets.
m. And many other items.
The key for the buyer is to make sure
that they are able to have those assets the
moment after closing if they give you a
boatload of money.
If it seems like the seller gives more
warranties and representations than the
buyer, that is correct. The buyer gives
money and the seller says, There, there;
everything will be all right. This is why
lawyers get paid the big bucks.
The warranties and representations will
survive the closing. That means that for some
period of time after the closing, if I find out
someone misstated something in a warranty
or representation, I have the right to sue.
The term of survival is one of the big
items lawyers will fight about. This is
where it is beneficial to have someone who
has considerable closing experience. If a
lawyer wants a survival to last 10 years, but
someone else involved knows the typical
term is five years, they can negotiate it.
Sometimes a seller wants to limit the
unconditional representation with the
phrase, To the best of my knowledge.
This limits the matter from an absolute to
something less.
For example, I warranty and represent
there are no environmental problems with
anything on my property. That is a very
absolute answer. If it is later found there is
an environmental issue, the seller is going
to pay to clean it up.
If that seller had said, to the best of
my knowledge there are no environmental
problems with anything on my property,
and it is later found there is an environ-
mental issue, the seller may not be
accountable for this if they truly didnt
know it existed. Sometimes the buyers will
agree to this limitation.
However, the question in law is, what
should I, the seller, have known? This is
where we start to split legal hairs. For exam-
ple, if I drive my car every day and no one
else drives it and I say, to the best of my
knowledge, the car was never in an accident,
a buyer should be able to live with that.
However, suppose I own a 200-year-
old building on my cemetery and I say,
to the best of my knowledge, there are
no environmental problems, and later a
problem is foundsay the building had
lead paint from the 1930s that had been
painted over five times. Should I have
known about it? This is where jury trials
may come into your life.
Clearly there are some things that you,
the seller, should be able to say absolutely,
without adding to the best of my know-
ledge. Your lawyer should know the
difference, if they are a business lawyer. Keep
in mind, in a small town, lawyers have to
know many different aspects of the law. They
may not know transaction law and may think
the modifier is fair in all cases. It is not.
Ask yourself this: If you were the buyer,
would you accept the representation with
that modifier? If so, have a go at it. If not,
then why should you expect your buyer to
accept it? r

Investing for the future because forever is a long time

With more than 20 years experience in managing endowment care funds, well help ensure they withstand the
test of time long after the last plot has been purchased. Call for a complimentary review of your endowment
care investments.

Pat Severo, CIMA, AWM SB Wealth Strategies

Managing Director Financial Advisor
9665 Wilshire Boulevard, 3rd Floor | Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone: (310) 205-7797 | Toll Free: (866) 657-8876
Fax: (310) 205-7727 | pat.severo@rbc.com

2016 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 45

by Bill Lawton
William.Lawton
@trade.gov
305.526.7425, ext. 27
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Lawton is a senior trade
specialist for the U.S.
Export Assistance Center,
U.S. Commercial Service,
International Trade Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Miami, Florida.
www.export.gov
The U.S. Commercial Service has a
network of export and industry special-
ists located in more than 100 U.S. cities
and over 80 countries worldwide. These
trade professionals provide counseling
and a variety of products and services to
assist small and midsized U.S. businesses
export their products and services.
46 ICCFA Magazine
SUPPLIERS
Diversifying is good not only when youre investing in the stock
market but also when youre looking for markets for your products.
Yes, even funeral and cemetery products.
And the U.S. government can help you figure out how to do it.
Make locally, sell globally
U.S. Commercial Service urges funeral
suppliers to think internationally
W
ith more than 95 percent of
the worlds consumers living
outside of the United States, the
opportunities are great for U.S. companies
looking to boost their competiveness and
bottom line through exporting, and one of the
largest potential beneficiaries of export sales
is the U.S. funeral supply industry.
As economies go up and down,
international diversification can help many
funeral-related businesses weather the
changes. For example, while an economic
downturn in the U.S. typically results in
more consumers purchasing low-end funeral
products, there tends to be growing demand
for high-end products in many worldwide
markets.
The trending growth of cremation services
and the shrinking U.S. market for traditional
burials is leading many funeral product
companies to diversify their sales and product
lines through exports.
There are growing opportunities in Europe
and Asia, markets which have traditionally
lagged behind the United States in the
amount spent on funerals. Now, as incomes
and exposure to U.S. funeral traditions
have increased, millions more international
consumers are trending toward purchasing
higher-end products and services.
According to the National Funeral
Directors Association, top markets for funeral
service products include Oceania and the
countries of Australia, China (particularly
in the autonomous territory of Hong Kong),
Malaysia, Korea, Philippines and Singapore.
In particular demand are caskets,
embalming and restoration services, cemetery
devices, computer-assisted training software,
monuments and memorial products, web
casting and more.
Dispelling export myths
In my 20 years of experience in counseling
small businesses, by far my biggest
challenge has been convincing companies
that international customers will buy their
products or services. That is certainly true
among our new-to-exporting funeral industry
clients.
The good news is that, worldwide,
consumers have a strong affinity for goods
and services with the Made in the U.S.A.
label, purchasing some $2 trillion in
American exports in 2016.
The reputation for American quality
encompasses the U.S. funeral supply industry.
U.S. companies are shipping container-loads
of caskets to Africa, memorialization products
to Asia, preparation equipment to Europe and
funeral vehicles to markets worldwide.
Other innovative American entrepreneurs
are taking advantage of niche opportunities
such as pet funeral products, webcasting and
new memorialization products, to name a
few.
Another challenge we face in convincing
people to try exporting is that many smaller
businesses believe its too complicated.
However, getting into the export market
doesnt have to be burdensome.
Thanks to the internet, improved logistics
options, free-trade agreements and an array
of assistance from the federal government,
exporting is more viable than ever. Thats true
for even the smallest businesses.
In fact, 98 percent of all U.S. exporters
are small- and medium-sized firms. If they
can do it, so can you. Does your firm have
a good track record of selling in the United
States, one of the worlds most open and
competitive markets? If so, thats a strong
basis for becoming a successful exporter.
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 SUPPLIERS

Export assistance:
One size does not fit all
The U.S. Commercial Services worldwide
LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR PAPER
network of trade professionalslocated
in 108 offices across the United States and
in U.S. embassies and consulates in more
than 75 countriescan help your firm
develop a customized export strategy.
More recently, weve also established
a team dedicated to the funeral industry.
Our trade experts can assess your export
capability and steer you through the export
info@plotbox.io +1-650-320-7685 www.plotbox.io

process. Indeed, the real value of our

assistance is in our ability to tailor it to an
individual clients needs.
Our assistance can take many forms,
including customized market research, help
with navigating customs and documentation,
targeting the best prospects in foreign
markets and business matchmaking. Business
matchmaking is particularly valuable to
funeral industry firms looking for overseas
distributors or joint-venture partners.
Tailored support can assist U.S. companies
in rolling out new product lines, help target
key decision-makers by adding clarity to
client presentation and put firms in touch with
the export financing resources of the Export-
Import Bank of the United States and U.S.
Small Business Administration.
Of course, its always best to meet
potential customers face to face, but many
small companies dont have the time or the
budget for extensive travel. Our international
partner search service enables companies
to find qualified distributors and end-users
overseas without traveling abroad, and our
staff presents detailed results of the trade
leads to the U.S. companies that request the
service.

The time is right

Exporting does take patience and require a
long-term upper-management commitment of
time and resources. However, when it comes
to increasing your sales, the biggest risk you
can take is not looking beyond U.S. borders.
As we like to say, if youre not exporting,
youre leaving money on the table.
Are you ready to get started? Find out
more on how you can prepare your company
to export by visiting export.gov. On that
site, you can view our export basics video
series, our video on U.S. Commercial Service
resources and office locations and our
country commercial guides containing the
latest market intelligence on more than 140
countries. r

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 47

Supply Line
The n PIERCE/THE WILBERT GROUP,
gold- Broadview, Illinois, raffled off a gold-
plated plated Duotronic embalming machine to
Duo- commemorate the 50th anniversary of
tronic
the Pierce Duotronic. Raffle proceeds will
em-
balm- go to The Wilbert Foundation, a nonprofit
ing ma- organization that provides pediatric chaplains
chine with resources to help children cope with the
trauma of sickness, grief and death.
Pierce/
The 1.888.WILBERT; www.wilbert.com
Wilbert
n PASSARE, San Francisco, California,
Group
raffled has released a new care center section
within its case management platform.
off to
The improvement is available through the
raise money for charity.
companys standard subscription service. The
care center allows funeral homes to move to a
completely paperless system if they want to.
You will be able to track the transportation
of a decedent as well as the care and prepara-
tion of the body, including embalming and
cremation, dressing and cosmetizing, casket-
ing and more, said Nick Tunheim, Passare
The new care section on Passares product manager.
case management platform. 925.968.9495; www.passare.com
n new MeMorials Direct, Gig
Harbor, Washington, has released its new,
improved jewelry brochure. It features a
step-by-step guide to help families select
New
what they want and provides an overview of
Memorials
Directs options, including desired metal; personaliza-
tion with fingerprint, photo or custom writing;
new
and inclusion of space for cremated remains.
jewelry
brochure. 1.877.995.8767;
service@newmemorialsdirect.com;
www.newmemorialsdirect.com
n Funeral Directors liFe
insurance co., Abilene, Texas, again
has been certified as a great workplace by
READERS: To find the products and servic- the analysts at Great Place to work. The
es you need online, go to www. analysts survey employees about their work-
iccfa.com for the Supply Link places atmosphere, facilities and benefits,
Search Engine, the fastest way and the ways the company contributes to the
to find the products and services community. www.funeraldirectorslife.com
you need at your funeral home, cemetery or
n MeaDow Hill, Fox River Grove,
crematory.
Illinois, has named Diana Braun as its
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
new ceo. She had been serving as CEO
about your new products and services, and
about awards, personnel changes and other of Exacto Inc., a family-owned private label
news to sloving@iccfa.com for inclusion in manufacturer of specialty agricultural chemi-
Supply Line. cals in Sharon, Wisconsin. She rose through
the ranks at Exacto, serving as president,
vice president of operations and accounting
manager. She previously worked in training
in the hospitality industry. She has a bach-
elors degree in accounting from Roosevelt
University. 1.877.848.6243;
info@meadowhillco.com;
w ww.meadowhillco.com
48 ICCFA Magazine
n clearPoint FeD-
ERAL BANK & TRUST,
Batesville, Indiana, has
promoted ashlee theising to
vice president, coo. Theis-
ing started with ClearPoint in
2006 in trust administration.
Prior to joining the executive
Theising leadership team in 2015 as
vice president of trust operations, she served
as the trust operations manager, where she
was responsible for all areas of the trust and
recordkeeping operations, including customer
service, reporting, information technology
systems and investment management. She
has a bachelors degree in economics from
Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana. While an
undergraduate, she worked in various bank-
ing enterprises and completed both a finance
internship with Eli Lilly and Co. in Indianap-
olis, Indiana, and an internal audit internship
with Rotary Lift in Madison, Indiana. She
also has completed Cannon Trust School
Levels I and II and received a certificate in
business informatics from Northern Kentucky
University. 1.800.763.0234;
www.clearpointfederal.com
n LINK MANUFACTUR-
ING, Sioux Center, Iowa, has
announced that President
and ceo Denny Michels is
retiring and will be suc-
ceeded by Jim Huls. Huls is
now executive vice president
and COO. Michels will retire
Michels on December 31, 2017, and
Huls will step into his new
role on January 1, 2018. Un-
der Michels leadership, Link
has grown from 20 employees
to more than 200. Among
his many accomplishments,
Michels helped transform the
company into a world-class
Huls automated manufacturer,
diversified the companys product portfolio
and celebrated the companys one millionth
shipment of its Cabmate suspension in 2008.
Huls joined the company in 1994 and has
been responsible for leading manufacturing
operations, product engineering, sales and
marketing and administrative functions, and
for overseeing Link Suspensions of Canada,
which focuses on the heavy vocational and
military markets.
1.800.222.6283; www.linkmfg.com
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

n THE FORESIGHT
COMPANIES, Phoenix,
Arizona, has hired Mark
McGaffin, cPa, as direc-
tor of accounting services.
He has more than 30 years
of experience in accounting
and tax planning. He previ-
McGaffin ously worked as a partner with
Phoenix accounting firms. He takes over the
role formerly held by Mandy Rohde, CPA,
who will continue as Foresights financial
controller.
1.800.426.0165; danisard@f4sight.com;
www.theforesightcompanies.com
n FRONTRUNNER PROFESSIONAL,
Kingston, Ontario, has released its new
website platform. Its new Pulse Websystem
is a DIY website platform, giving funeral
homes unprecedented control over the look,
feel, function and content of their websites.
Funeral professionals can use the drag-and-
drop functionality to quickly edit content,
images, video and other features. In addition,
it includes simple customization options and
a variety of enhanced integrations, includ-
ing the Book of Memories and A Helping
Hand, crowdfunding in partnership with
GoFundMe. A video is available online at
www.1FrontRunner.com.
Truesdell A. Montroy Green
The company also has promoted several
members of its executive team. Jason
Truesdell is now company president, Ashley
Montroy is chief marketing officer and Jules
Green is CEO. All are long-time employees
and family members. Kevin Montroy has
stepped down as CEO but will remain as
founder and chairman.
1.866.748.3625; www.FrontRunner360.com
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com
S U P P LY L I N E
n THACKER CASKETS, Clinton,
Maryland, and has introduced the ability
to change a casket interior for an at-
need delivery through its new tailored
Designs program. The program features
eight in-trend, modern woven fabrics
from which a family can choose: blue
basketweave, white basketweave, rosetan
basketweave, pink linwood, white eyelet,
white pinstripe, white floral and a real-
tree and duck cloth combination. Those
fabrics proved the most popular during test
marketing.
Crepe and velvet, the primary fabrics
used in the casket industry, peaked in
popularity in clothing and home decorating
decades ago. More recently, white eyelet
and rosetan basketweave fabrics have
been well received. Crepes and velvets
are fabrics of yesteryear, said Danielle
Thacker, vice president of sales and mar-
keting. I, like most Americans, dont have
a crepe dress, nor do I have a velvet couch.
However, I do have an eyelet dress, my
husband has multiple pinstripe shirts he
wears to work and my drapes are made of
basketweave.
1.800.637.8891; www.thackercaskets.com
UPDs Laguna water burial urn.
n uPD urns, Three Rivers, California,
has launched the laguna water burial
urn, a handmade flower cremation urn.
Made of thick paper, it is totally biode-
gradable and comes in three sizes: 36
inches (adult and compnaion, 16 inches
(adult) and 8 inches (pet). 1.800.590.4133;
email@updurns.com; www.updurns.com
n DisruPt MeDia, Zanesville, Ohio,
has introduced DeathcareJobs.com. The
platform is powered by ConnectingDirec-
tors.com. 740.617.0599;
www.FUNERALSocial.com r Harvey and irma. Money and first aid
n MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provided informa-
tion on drying out flooded cremators in the
wake of Hurricane Harvey. Since that hur-
ricane struck the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Irma
has raked across Florida and Hurricane Maria
devastated Puerto Rico.
Because of their design, most Matthews
units can withstand as much as 3 feet of
water and still recover without major repairs.
The most critical concern is the control
panel, said Matthews Service Supervisor
Matt Crumbaker. As long as the electrical
components havent gotten wet, the recovery
is pretty simple. If the controls did get wet, he
advised contacting the manufacturer or service
provider for a more complete inspection.
According to Crumbaker, on units where
the controls werent submerged, the biggest
challenge is getting all of the moisture out of
the combustion areas. The refractory lining in
most cremators is a porous material that will
absorb and retain water. It must be dried gradu-
ally to avoid damage to both the cremator and
the surrounding facility.
If you heat the machine too quickly
without drying it out, the water will turn to
a large volume of steam, expanding quickly
and damaging the cremator, Crumbaker says.
In extreme cases the resulting pressure could
even cause an explosion. The solution is to
drain away the visible water and then heat the
unit slowly to remove any remaining moisture.
Full, step-by-step instructions are available
from Matthews.
1.800.223.4964; www.matw.com
n FUNERAL NATION, Zanesville, Ohio,
created the Hurricane Harvey Funeral
Director relief Fund to help those who
suffered a loss as a direct result of the hur-
ricane. Treasured Memories in West Virginia
provided the collection mechanism at
www.tmcfunding.com/harvey, free of charge.
The collected funds will be administered
by the Texas Funeral Directors Association.
Every dollar will go directly to help funeral
directors and their families. Jamie Meredith of
C&J Financial helped Funeral Nation connect
the participating organization to get the fund
launched. funeralnation.tv
n Employees of UNITY FINANCIAL
liFe insurance co., Cincinnati, Ohio,
donated to help the victims of Hurricanes
items, non-perishable food and personal care,
paper and cleaning products were collected.
1.877.523.3231; www.uflife.com r
November 2017 49
Update Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to sloving@iccfa.com. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to sloving@iccfa.com or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.

Above, Fairfax Memorial Parks statue

of Our Lady of Fatima, situated in the
cemeterys new Rosary Garden, was
modeled on the International Pilgrim
Virgin Fatima statue, minus the crown.
Right and below, attendees gather for
a service of dedication and rosary, fol-
lowed by a collation.

n FAIRFAX MEMORIAL PARK,

Fairfax, Virginia, recently dedicated a new
statue of our lady of Fatima and cel-
ebrated her 100th anniversary. Approxi-
mately 200 people from the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan region gathered for the
service, which also marked FMPs 60th
anniversary. Arlington Bishop the Most
Rev. Michael F. Burbidge provided the
honorary blessing, which was followed by
a recitation of the rosary and reception for
all in attendance. Family-owned and -oper-
ated since 1957, FMP serves Catholics and
families of all denominations.

50 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 U P D AT E
n CINCINNATI COL-
LEGE OF MORTUARY
SCIENCE, Cincinnati, Ohio,
has named stephen e.
Bittner, cce, ccce, to its
board of trustees. Bittner is
president of Cincinnati Catho-
lic Cemetery Society (CCCS),
Bittner which owns and operates St.
John, St. Mary and St. Joseph Cemeteries,
manages two other cemetery properties and
handles selling for a third. He is also the vice-
president of the Catholic Family Security
Association, an organization which promotes
and sells final funeral expense insurance.
Bittner started with CCCS in 1967, work-
ing on the grounds. He has held the positions
of superintendent of St. Joseph (1973-1980),
superintendent of St. Mary and St. John
Cemeteries (1980-1991) and CCCS business
manager (1991-1993). He was promoted to
COO in January 1993 and was elected to the
board in March 1995. He was named CCCS LED Lighting Solutions
president in January 1999. for Memorial Products
Bittner is a past president of the Catholic
Cemeteries of Ohio and is presently a mem- E N E R G Y S AV E R
ber of the Legislative Committee. Bittner also
served three terms for the governor on the LED light bulb for Crypt
Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commis-
& Niche Fronts
sion. He is president of the Catholic Cem-
etery Conference and a former member of the
Warm color for Bronzes
ICCFA Board of Directors. E A SY TO I N S TA L L
n CATHOLIC METROPOLITAN www.septechnologies.com
CEMETERIES TRUST, Sydney, Austra-
1 877 515-4672
lia, has obtained government consent to
acquire 44 hectares of land to create 60,000
burial spaces over the next 50 years. The
land is currently being operated as the Wal-
lacia Golf Course. The acquisition follows
research by leading town planning group Ur-
bis, which predicts that burial sites in western TAP INTO the dynamic
Sydney will be exhausted within 28 years, online supplier network
Optimized.
with burials continuing to comprise 30 per of the ICCFA with the
cent of internments in New South Wales.The ICCFA Supply Link.
Powered by MultiView,
forecasts are based on Australian Bureau of the ICCFA Supply Link
Statistics projections that Australias annual is the premier search tool
number of deaths will more than double from for your industry. All the
142,000 in 2012 to more than 300,000 by products and services
2050, exacerbated by an aging population. you need, all within the
supplier network of the
The Wallacia site is located 18km south associaton you trust.
of the Penrith CBD. The population for the
Penrith City area is forecast to increase to Start your search at
over 256,000 people in 2036, with Western our homepage
Sydney on track to becoming the citys most www.iccfa.com.
populous region.
We are seeing strong demand from vari-
ous communities who continue to prefer

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 51

 U P D AT E

in-ground burial, based on their reli- prize of $1,500, donated by New

gious beliefs, said Peter OMeara, York Community Bank. Other
CEO for Catholic Cemeteries & winners, who received lesser cash
Crematoria. Working with the prizes, were Sruthi Manish, Jasmine
NSW government we are committed Palma, Nabid Chowdhury, Clarissa
to ensuring the interment practices Teves, Alexander Santora and Ten-
and beliefs of all religious and cul- zin Panamser Kang. All winners also
tural groups are respected. received a plaque. The presentation
n LEGACY FUNERAL was part of the event led by Queens
GROUP, Houston, Texas, has ac- Gazette publisher Tony Barsamian
quired Galloway Funeral Homes and Ed Horn, CCE, director of com-
and Angelus Funeral Home. munity relations for St. Michaels.
They are located in Beeville and n PROSPECT HILL CEM-
Three Rivers, Texas, and a chapel From left, Perri and Michael Soper, president and CEO ETERY, York, Pennsylvania,
of Legacy Funeral Group, with Elizabeth, John and Andy
facility in George West, Texas. Galloway of Galloway Funeral Homes. observed its 168th anniversary
Galloway Funeral Homes has and the anniversary of 9/11 at
served the community for almost 100 years, founded in 1892, in 1991. FPG owns and its Court of Valor. More than 600 people
most recently under the guidance of third- operates funeral homes, cremation centers attended the ceremony, which included
generation funeral director John Galloway. and cemeteries in 17 states. honoring veterans whose names were newly
Legacy owns more than 100 funeral home n ST. MICHAELS CEMETERY, East added to the Court of Valor monument. The
and cemetery locations across the Southern Elmhurst, New York, this year expanded exhibit featured a Vietnam Huey and various
and Southeastern United States. its annual 9/11 remembrance events to in- emergency response vehicles. The Court of
n FOUNDATION PARTNERS GROUP, clude an essay contest. Students were asked Valor was unveiled in 2009. The monument
Orlando, Florida, has acquired Schneider- to address the topic, What does it mean to be stands proudly at 13-by-11-feet and consists
Michaelis Funeral Home, Jefferson, an American? The winners were announced of a 15,000-pound granite archway that holds
Wisconsin. The acquisition of this firm during the memorial service held each year in a 6by10foot flag. Topping the archway is
adds to FPGs growing network of loca- honor of the first responders who died trying an iconic piece of steel from the World Trade
tions in central Wisconsin. Marla and Ron to help the victims of the terrorist attacks in Center, weighing roughly 3,000 pounds and
Michaelis bought the business, which was New York City. Noor Imram won the grand measuring 9 feet 11 inches long.

n Funeral director Amy Cunningham of

FITTING TRIBUTE NYC, New York City,
New York, has relaunched her website, The
Inspired Funeral, with ideas for both con-
sumers and funeral directors. When she
got her New York directors license in early
2011, it seemed too hard to find language for
some of the funeral ceremonies her funeral
families wanted, Cunningham said.
Services where the family had two faiths
within it going on at once, services for wit-
nessed cremations. Even when it came to the
placement of an urn into a crematory niche,
there was limited language available to read.
She wondered if Jewish liturgy or secular po-
etry could be adapted to read at earth-friendly
burials, since she was also interested in green
burial. She also felt that the funeral homes
transfer from place of death, be it a residence
or a hospital, launched the funeral and was also
an occasion worthy of prayers, poetry, readings
and ceremony.
Cunningham met life cycle celebrant
Kateyanne Unuillisi through the National
The Inspired Funerals home page (above left) offers links to readings for occasions Home Funeral Alliance and before long the
related to death. The site also includes some sample ceremonies (above right).

52 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

n PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF
MORTUARY SCIENCE, Pittsburgh, Penn-
sylvania, recently held its 155th commence-
ment exercises. The commencement address
was delivered by Stephanie Doriguzzi-Des-
pot, president-elect of the Pennsylvania Fu-
neral Directors Association and past president
of the Allegheny County Funeral Directors
Association. She is affiliated with Patrick T.
Lanigan Funeral Homes and supervises the
Turtle Creek location.
Candidates received a diploma in em-
balming and funeral directing; an associates
degree in funeral service arts and sciences or
in funeral service management; or a bachelor
of science degree.
The Memorial Award was presented to
Melissa Kemp, who was chosen by her class-
mates as the student who, through qualities
of leadership, professional conduct and good
citizenship, best typifies the ideals of the stu-
dent body. The John Rebol Award and $500
were presented to Chelsea Cush for maintain-
ing the highest scholastic average for 2016-
2017. The William J. Musmanno Memorial
Award was presented to Tomy Germello in
two were collaborating on the update
of Cunninghams existing blog, The In-
spiredFuneral.com. The greatly expand-
ed web resource includes an abundance
of innovative funeral ideas, funeral
ceremony templates and an obituary
tool called LifePosts.com (which Cun-
ninghams husband invented).
The result is what Cunningham calls
a virtual funeral home with resident
celebrant on hand to serve you. I know
a lot of grieving people are up late,
working without clergy, and trying
to cobble together a funeral service
on their own. They now have good
company. We know we can help a lot of
people, including funeral directors try-
ing to please a new kind of customer.
The site includes sample readings for
before death, dying, at death, preparing
the body, moving the body, commemora-
tive event, at final resting place, firstyear
milestones and first anniversary. A dozen
sample ceremonies include everything
from a basic funeral ceremony to a cer-
emony for placing an urn in a niche, to
ceremony for preparing a group prior to
a ceremony. Also included is a ceremony
for a beloved pet.
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com
U P D AT E
Several new graduates of PIMS.
recognition of his outstanding ability, attitude,
commitment and achievement in the clinical
embalming setting. He received $500 from C. Ogrodnik Entrepreneurial Award for
the PIMS Board of Directors and an embalm-
ing kit from PIMS alumnus Wayne Urbine.
The Pierce Chemical Restorative Art
Award Award was presented to Francis
Kloecker in recognition of his outstanding
ability, commitment, attitude and achieve-
ment in the areas of restorative art and
cosmetology. Michael Kuruc from the Pierce
Chemical Co. made this award available. The
Dodge Award, made available by Matt Black
of Dodge, was presented to Kristen Roy in
recognition of exceptional and theoretical
expertise throughout the embalming curricula
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practicum. She also received a complete
Dodge embalming kit.
The Champion Award for Mortuary
Science Excellence was presented to Taylor
Evans, chosen by the science faculty for
scholarship, aptitude and practical skills in the
CORE science component. It was presented
by Paul Bauman, vice-president and general
manager of The Champion Co. She received
a $500 product credit toward Champion
products.
Adrienne Kloecker received the Eugene
qualities of stewardship, scholarship and
leadership. Kloecker received a $1,000, half
from the PIMS board and half from PIMS
President Eugene Ogrodnick and his wife
Karen.
Ten percent of the graduates received the
Mu Sigma Alpha Award, the honorary society
established by the National Association of
Colleges of Mortuary Science.The recipients
were Chelsea Cush, Jessica Guina, Melissa
Kemp, Adrienne Kloecker, Vickie McClellan
and John VanDenBoom.
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November 2017 53
 U P D AT E

A string trio and a trolley tour that were part of St. Agnes Cemeterys 150th anniversary party.

Above left, Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger gives the blessing during the 150th anniversary party at St. Agnes Cemetery.
Above right, author Kelly OConnell Grimaldi signs copies of These Sacred Grounds during the anniversary party.

n ST. AGNES CEMETERY, Menands,

New York, recently celebrated its 150th
anniversary and the release of the book
These Sacred Grounds. The late sum-
mer cocktail party featured fine foods,
select wines and beer, a string trio, silent
auction and historic cemetery trolley tours.
Guests from all over the country attended.
The event began with a blessing by Bishop
Edward B. Scharfenberger.
It was also the premier of the 160-page
coffee table book These Sacred Grounds: Above, the book cover.
150 Years of St. Agnes Cemetery. The Right, from left, Albany
book takes the reader on a journey from Dio-cesan Cemeteries historian and author Kelly OConnell Grimaldi, the Hon. Paul
the Victorian era into modernity and brings D. Tonko, Albany Diocesan Cemeteries Executive Director Rick Touchette, CCE,
to life captains of industry, war veterans, and the Rev. Donald L. Rutherford.
artists, a famous movie star, politicians, tors. Photographs by Mick Hales, Jennifer and landscape of the cemetery.
tragic deaths and so much more. Mele, Chuck Miller and Jeannie Keefe, as Author and historian Kelly Grimaldi
The Honorable John Jack McEneny, well as community members who partici- signed books at the event, and attendees
a wellknown public figure and local pated in the St. Agnes photography contest received a book with a special commemo-
historian, contributed a feature story for from 2009 to 2013, contributed photos. rative 150th anniversary bookmark.
the book. The descendants of prominent Images are featured on nearly every page Proceeds from the event and book
families wrote pieces about their ances- of the book, highlighting the history, art directly benefit the cemetery. r

54 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 U P D AT E BOOKS

Art. The mummiform coffin was inscribed n DAN REED,

The lid of an Egyptian gilded cartonnage
coffin, now on display at The Metropoli-
tan Museum of Art in New York City.
n THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
OF ART, New York, New York, has
acquired an Egyptian gilded carton-
nage coffin from the first century B.C.
The highly ornamented lid of the coffin is
displayed prominently in the museums Lila
Acheson Wallace Galleires for Egyptian
for Nedjemankh, a high-ranking priest of CCE, has pub-
the ramheaded god Heryshef of Herak- lished his life
leopolis. The elaborately decorated surface story, Tenacity
includes scenes and texts in thick gesso re- & Resolve: A
lief that were intended to protect and guide Sales & Mar-
Nedjemankh on his journey from death keting Titans
to eternal life as a transfigured spirit. The Story of Tribu-
coffins exterior is sheathed in gold, which lations, Victo-
because of its permanent nature was associ- ries, and Love.
ated in ancient Egypt with the gods and the His co-author,
divinized dead. According to ancient texts, his niece Lauren
the use of gold in the coffin would have M. Oujiri,
assisted the deceased being reborn in the edited Reeds
next life. recollections and
Unique to this coffin are the thin sheets anecdotes into
of silver foil on the interior of the lid, in- book format. The book covers his personal
tended to protect Nedjemankhs face. To the as well as professional life, starting with
ancient Egyptians, the precious metals gold his nomadic childhood and his first job
and silver symbolized several things. On a making $1.10 an hour, and going on to
general level, they could represent the flesh describe many jobs, including his success
and bones of the gods, or the sun and the in the funeral and cemetery business. Since
moon; on a more specific level, they were he did not retire until he was 87, his career
identified with the eyes of the cosmic deity spanned decades, so many changes and
Heryshef, whom Nedjemankh served. personalities in the industry are highlighted
Even more remarkably, the long inscrip- as he talks about his career, which started
tion on the front of the coffins lid explicitly in the door-knocking days, and took him to
connects gold and fine gold (electrum) to numerous states from coast to coast as he
the flesh of the gods, the sun, and the rebirth climbed his way up the ladder.
of the deceased. r ISBN: 978-1548330149 r

Cemeteries Crematories Funeral homes suppliers pet loss proFessionals

Submit your news to ICCFA Magazine

have you held a groundbreaking or grand opening for a new facility? hired or promoted someone?
is your company offering a new or updated product to cemeteries and/or funeral homes?
have you recently held an unusual service or a successful seminar at your location? added a grief therapy dog to
your staff?
share your news with colleagues all over the worldsend it in to iCCFa magazine!
its a simple way to receive some well-deserved publicity for you & your staff & to share ideas with peers.
heres how to get your news in iCCFa magazine:
n Write it down. it doesnt have to be written perfectly (thats why we have editors)it just needs to include the
facts. remember the basics: Who, What, Where, When & how (and sometimes Why).
n send it in:
email your Word document as an attachment to sloving@iccfa.com, or write your release in the body of your
email. please include your full name and title and the companys name and location in the body of your email.
if your email is a large file and bounces back, send it to slovingiccfa@yahoo.com.)
photoshigh-resolution jpgscan be emailed. remember you must adjust digital camera settings to take high-
resolution images before taking the photos! Check the owners manual for instructions. (if youre scanning in gloss-
ies, they must be scanned in at a minimum of 300 dpi at the size they are to be printed.)

Questions? Need some guidance? Email ICCFA Magazine Managing Editor Susan Loving at sloving@iccfa.com.

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 55

Who Supplies
the Suppliers?
For funeral and cemetery suppliers, business
has never been more isolating. Often ideas
are done in a vacuum. What you know is only
what you know, which limits how far you can
go. IMSA membership can change that. Weve
brought together some of the top industry
experts to offer our members free one-on-
one advice on marketing, business planning,
legal issues and more. We also bring to
our members insightful business-boosting
webinars, meaningful industry resources and
networking with other IMSA members. All this
for just $175 a year. Were the only association
serving all funeral and cemetery suppliers.
Because whats good for the suppliers is
good for the providers and thats good for the
families. IMSA. Supplying opportunity.

www.IMSA-Online.com

IMSA members now get free consultation with Dan Katz & Rolf Gutknecht of LA ads, Jake Johnson
of Johnson Consulting, Ryan Thogmartin of Disrupt Media and Poul Lemasters of Lemasters Consulting.
 I C C FA N E W S
Marching forward, making sales at 2018 WWS in NOLA
Y
ou will want to make plans now to join the ICCFA
Sales & Marketing Committee, conference co-chairs
Jill Muenich and Lori Salberg and committee chair-
man John Bolton at the New Orleans Marriott on January
10-12, 2018, for the Wide World of Sales Conference. Back in
The Big Easy, you can be sure there will be plenty to keep you
busy, from soaking up the wisdom of keynoter Dave Brown
and his methods of prospecting and overcoming call reluctance,
to being energized by Prezis head of evangelism and creative
services, keynoter David Hooker, as he dives into to the lasting
impressions of conversational presenting, to learning new ways
to help families through decision fatigue by using the heartfelt
sales approach shared by keynoter Shari Levitin.
New to the WWS educational lineup for 2018 will be a ses-
sion specifically designed for suppliers. Nancy Drapeau, with
the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, will talk about her
research into attendee engagement and share ways to maximize
your trade show investment. And while she leads this supplier
brainstorming session, Gary OSullivan, CCFE, will motivate
and inspire sales counselors and managers with his straight talk
and authenticity during his annual fireside chat.
Taking to heart the surveys from last year, the program for
2018 centers on the actual act of sellingno gimmicks, just
proven strategies from experts in their field. Learn from Daniel
Keynote speaker Dave Brown Keynote speaker Shari Levitin
Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com
Thomas, regional sales manager for Forest Lawns Covina Hills
Park, that your farmers market or local dog park are excellent
places to prospect. Ben Upton, vice president of sales and mar-
keting for Harpeth Hills and A Family Legacy, will share his
enthusiasm for aftercare by showing how a successful aftercare
program can be a #servicethatsells touchpoint for your funeral
home. And ICCFAs Cremation Coordinator and Advisor Poul
Lemasters, Esq., will share five concrete things a lawyer can
teach us about sales!
WWS will also challenge cremation and our professions
attitude toward it. Sharing his message of Face, Embrace &
Race, William Bonacorda, president of Trust 100, will show
how embracing the cremation message through educational
seminars and driving preneed sales through package pricing can
ensure your businesss survival. And if, We just want a direct
cremation, is a phrase you hear too often in your funeral home,
be sure to listen to Kyle Incardona, managing partner/funeral
director with Hillier Funeral Home, for his formula on how to
shrink the gap between your burial and cremation averages.
And back by popular demand, the Sales Boot Camp will be
taking new recruits in 2018. Designed for those new to sales in
the deathcare profession, the boot camp is being run by sales
veteran Linda Jankowski, president/owner of Jankowski Con-
sulting Group. Topics to be discussed are: setting and tracking
Keynote speaker David Hooker
November 2017 57
 I C C FA N E W S

sales goals; where do you find leads; common sales mistakes;
how to use top-down selling techniques; conducting a tradi-
tional burial or cremation price comparison; handling common
objections; closing methods; and how to get referrals. The
Sales Boot Camp is limited to the first 60 volunteers, so be sure
to sign up your new sales team members today!
Included in the registration are:
Sales Boot Camp: (free to attend but limited to 60 people)
The Wide World of Sales notebook with complete on-site
schedule along with note-writing space
Welcome reception and networking lunch
Breakfast, coffee and refreshment breaks in between ses-
sions
Mark your calendars now for January 10-12 to attend the
2018 Wide World of Sales conference. Hotel rooms at the New
Orleans Marriott are only $149 per night!
Registration forms, hotel information and sponsorship
opportunities will be available online at
www.wideworldofsales.com. r

December Cremation Certification training goes LIVE

I
CCFA is pleased to announce a new and exciting cremation certification training in December 2017! On December 12 and 13,
2017, the ICCFA, Wilbert and Pierce Mortuary Colleges are joining forces to bring the ICCFA Cremation Arranger and Crematory
Operator Certification Programs to a computer near you.
This live, interactive cremation certification training will all happen via GoToWebinar, so you or anyone from your business can
attend from anywhere you have an internet connection.
The courses are good for continuing education AND operator certification, with up to 15 hours of CEU credit approval pending.
Continuing education must be filed with your state, and to earn your operator certification, you must take and pass an online test.
The trainings will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, with Cremation Arranger training taking place on Tuesday, December 12, and
Cremation Operator training on Wednesday, December 13.
For more information on this online cremation certification training and to register, visit www.cremationcentral.com. r

2017 KIP Awards: Recognizing excellence in personalization

W
e know how much care you put into personalizing the services you offer to
families, the planning that goes into your community events and the designing of
your products that enable families to memorialize the lives of their loved ones.
The KIP Award, created by the ICCFA Personalization Subcommittee, recognizes personal-
ization in funeral, cemetery and cremation products and services in the deathcare profession.
The categories are: Best Practice/Personal Touch, Most Personalized Service or Memorial,
Best Event, Most Personalized Pet Service or Memorial and Innovative Personalized Product
(suppliers only)
KIP entries are due on Friday, November 3, 2017. Visit www.iccfa.com/kip for more
information, entry submission requirements and past KIP winners. r

Apply for a scholarship to attend 2018 WWS or ICCFAU

D
o you want to take advantage of one of the ICCFAs
excellent educational offerings but need financial help
to attend? Apply for a Wide World of Sales or ICCFA
University scholarship. ICCFAs Educational Foundation, a tax-
exempt 501(c)(3) charity, makes it possible for the ICCFA to provide scholarships to attend the associations educational programs.
If you are a sales professional who would like to attend the 2018 Wide World of Sales Conference, apply for the scholarship to pay
for your registration fee and other expenses. The deadline to submit the WWS scholarship application is November 6, 2017.
Several scholarships are presented annually to selected recipients who wish to attend ICCFA University, held each July at the Univer-
sity of Memphis, Tennessee. Applicants must be ICCFA members in good standing and employed in the cemetery, cremation and funeral
profession for a minimum of two years. The deadline to submit an ICCFA University scholarship application for next July is February
19, 2018.
Both applications are ready to download now. Visit www.iccfa.com/education for more information. r

58 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 I C C FA N E W S

Showcase your company with a sponsorship for the

2018 Sales Conference or the 2018 Annual Convention
T
he ICCFA is Marching Forward into the new year with
the Wide World of Sales Conference, on January 10-
12, 2018, at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans,
Louisiana. At this years sales conference, there are a number of
sponsorship opportunities, including:
Breakfast: Sponsor the most important meal of the day!
You can choose between Thursday or Friday breakfast
[$7,000]
Coffee Breaks: Help re-energize attendees by sponsoring
either a Thursday or Friday coffee break. [$5,000-6,000]
Keynote Speaker Shari Levitin: [$15,000]
Popular sponsorships such as the welcome reception and
fitness breaks are also available. Co-sponsorships are also wel-
come. If you would like more information on WWS sponsor-
ships, visit www.wideworldofsales.com or contact Kelly Spann,
ICCFAs meeting planner, at kspann@iccfa.com.
Go All In at ICCFAs Annual Convention and Expo,
April 18-21, 2018, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Have your company on display by sponsoring one of the
many opportunities, including:
Staff shirts: See ICCFA staff walk around with your logo on
their shirt sleeves each day! Limited to two sponsors. [$5,000]
Lunch with the Exhibitors: Have your company recognized
by all attendees during free food & beverage service during
this five-hour Expo Hall session. [$20,000-25,000]
Welcome Reception: Gain attention of registrants during
the first night of the Annual Convention & Expo. [$20,000]
There are many other sponsorship opportunities available.
Contact Kelly Spann at kspann@iccfa.com for more
information.
Additional information on the 2018 Annual Convention
will be available soon. Visit www.iccfaconvention.com to see
updates on hotels and programming announcements. r

New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo Marriott International Inc. Photo Mandalay Bay

THANK YOU TO OUR 2017

FALL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE CORPORATE PARTNERS
American Funeral Financial Assurant Batesville Bessemer Trust Blackstone Cemetery Development
Carrier Mausoleums Construction Cave Hill Cemetery Coldspring Core Scientific Cypress Lawn
Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co. (FDLIC)
Funeral Services Inc. Gibraltar Remembrance Services LLC Global Atlantic Financial Group
Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuary Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary Homesteaders Life Independence Trust Co.
Inglewood Park Cemetery Johnson Consulting Group Live Oak Bank Los Parques
Matthews Memorialization Merendino Cemetery Care National Guardian Life Insurance Co.
Nomis Publications Northstar Memorial Group Park Lawn Corp. Precoa Regions Bank
Service Corporation International Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum StoneMor Partners LP
The Signature Group Star Granite The Tribute Companies Inc. Trigard Wilbert The Woodlawn Cemetery

Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 59

 I C C FA N E W S

Message from 2018 Annual Convention Program

Co-Chairs Andy Lopez and Shawna de la Cruz

T
his year at the 2018 ICCFA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, we are
going ALL IN!
Our team has put together a full house of dynamic speakers and educational
breakouts that will provide actionable and tangible benefits to our members. On behalf
of the ICCFA, we would like to invite you to join us at this groundbreaking event that
will feature sessions addressing the many challenges and opportunities we face in the
ever-changing funeral and cemetery profession.

Andy Lopez Roll the dice and win big by spending time on the exhibit floor and visiting with
vendors from across the industry who will be sharing their innovative products and
valuable services.
Featuring high-caliber keynote sessions, the 2018 convention offers the opportunity
for you learn from three professionals in the communications and marketing field as
they focus on educating attendees about digital media leadership via social media
platforms, finding motivation for ones personal success and improving ones body
language to communicate face-to-face with a clear message. Their sessions are
informative in three critical areas of business: leadership, social media and communi-
Shawna de la Cruz cation. These keynote sessions are guaranteed to open your eyes to new and exciting
possibilities, so dont miss them!
Our commitment as co-chairs has been to over-deliver on your expectations of excellence while providing
you with an experience that will add value to your daily business model. We challenge you to get involved and
participate during the sessions so you can get the most out of your time here. Reconnect with old friends and
make new ones while exploring the many offerings of the great city of Las Vegas.
We are honored by the opportunity to chair the conference and look forward to visiting with all of you at the
convention. Your drive, vision and leadership are what make our profession great.
The ICCFA 2018 Annual Convention & Exposition will be an exciting event for all deathcare professionals.
We hope you can join us, April 18-21, 2018, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, for an event that
promises to be as spectacular as Las Vegas itself. r

For more information on the 2018 Annual Convention & Expo,

visit www.iccfaconvention.com
60 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
 New Members
Providing
exceptional
education,
networking and legislative guidance
and support to progressive cemetery,
funeral and cremation professionals
worldwide
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT
THE ICCFA AND MEMBERSHIP
Go to www.iccfa.com/membership
to download a benefits brochure and
an application form.
Call 1.800.645.7700 to have member-
ship information faxed or mailed to you.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Admission to ICCFA membership nor-
mally requires a majority vote of those
present and voting at any meeting of
the executive committee. The names of
all applicants must be published in this
magazine. ICCFA members objecting
to an application must do so in writing
to the ICCFA executive director within
45 days of publication. In the event of
an objection, the executive committee
will conduct an inquiry. If an applicant
is rejected, they will be granted an ap-
peal upon written request. The decision
of the Board of Directors shall be final.
E-mail calendar listings and additions or corrections
to bclough@iccfa.com and sloving@iccfa.com.
For continually updated meeting listings and direct links to websites for professional
associations, go to www.iccfa.com.
November 8: Funeral Directors Service
Assn. of Greater Chicago Annual Trade
Show. www.fdsachicago.com
November 14-15: Casket & Funeral
Supply Assn. Fall Conf. & Trade Show,
Indianapolis, Indiana. www.cfsaa.org
November 18: Maine Funeral Directors
Assn. 92nd Annual Mtg. & Convention,
Freeport. www.mainefuneraldirectors.org
November 28: Louisiana Funeral
Directors Assn. Fall Mtg., Opelousas.
www.lfdaweb.org
November 22-25: Funraire, Parc des
Exposition du Bourget, Paris, France.
www.salon-funeraire.com
December 7: Connecticut Funeral Di-
rectors Assn. Annual Mtg. www.ctfda.org
December 7: Maryland Cemetery,
Funeral & Cremation Assn. 10th Annual
Holiday Gathering, The Rusty Scupper,
Baltimore. www.mcfca.us
2018
January 10-12: ICCFA Wide World
of Sales Mtg., New Orleans Marriott,
Louisiana. www.iccfa.com
Calendar
January 15-16: Alabama Funeral
Directors Assn. Mid-Winter Trade Show &
Expo, Birmingham. www.alabamafda.org
February 22-24: California Assn. of
Public Cemeteries 60th Annual Conf.,
Embassy Suites, San Luis Obispo.
www.capc.info
March 22-24: Casket & Funeral Supply
Assn. Winter Seminar, Nashville,
Tennessee.www.cfsaa.org
April 18-21: ICCFA Annual Convention
& Expo, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino,
Las Vegas, Nevada. www.iccfa.com
April 29-May 2: Kansas Funeral
Directors Assn. Annual Convention,
Topeka. www.ksfda.org
June 2-5: Louisiana Funeral Directors
Assn. & Mississippi Funeral Directors
Assn. Joint Convention, Golden Nugget,
Biloxi, Mississippi.
www.mississippifuneraldirectors.com
June 3-6: Georgia Funeral Directors
Assn. Summer Convention, King and
Prince Beach Resort, St. Simons Island.
www.gfda.org r

Regular Subscribe to ICCFA Magazine

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Visit the new and improved www.iccfa.com November 2017 61

 AD INDEX

2 Aftercare.com 64 funeralOne 27 Paradise Pictures

43 American Cemetery/Mortuary 15 Global Atlantic Financial Group 47 PlotBox
Consultants 3 Great Western Insurance Co. 29 Pontem Software
39 ASDAnswering Service for 56 IMSA 45 RBC Wealth Management
Directors 43 J. Stuart Todd Inc. 51 SEP Technologies
27 C&J Financial 13 Johnson Consulting 33 Sich Caskets
5 Continental Computer Corp.37 21 Kryprotek 51 Supply Link
35 Cooperative Funeral Fund 51 Madelyn Co. 47 The Foresight Companies LLC
9 Doric Products 23 Memorial Business Systems 21 THE SYSTEM
7 Eickhof Columbaria Inc. 37 Merendino Cemetery Care 25 Triple H Co.
31 Ensure-A-Seal 31 National Guardian Life Insurance Co. 63 U.S. Metalcraft
35 Flowers for Cemeteries 29 National Mortuary Shipping 23 Vantage Products Corp.
17 Foundation Partners Group 29 Nomis Publications 53 VKM International
31 Funeral Call Answering Service 29 Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & 39 WithumSmith + Brown
41 Funeral Services Inc. Hippel 25 Zontec Ozone r

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To place a classified, contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com

projects. facilities management experience. cemetery sales managers and

Cemetery facilities, property
and project manager
Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville,
Kentucky, is seeking a full-time
cemetery facilities, property &
project manager.
Responsibilities:
Coordinate all building &
road maintenance projects with
suppliers, contractors & engineers.
(Ex. plumbers, electricians,
carpenters, roofers, paving
companies, etc.)
Work closely with the president
on land & facilities development &
building projects.
Maintain irrigation system.
Work on future improvement
Design & lay out new cemetery
lots & sections.
Check & approve all marker
& monument foundation orders.
Maintain digital files.
Assist sexton with the sexton
duties. Cover as sexton every third
Saturday.
GPS map all service
information & upload photos of
marker & monuments on web
cemetery program.
Oversee the maintenance of
the cemetery security monitoring
system.
Oversee routine handyman
issues & maintenance.
Perform miscellaneous tasks
when needed.
Qualifications:
At least five-plus years of
High school diploma/GED
required.
Excellent communication &
customer service skills, mature,
organized & confident.
Attention to detail & safety
required. Reliable, self-starter.
Excellent attendance &
punctuality is expected.
Must possess & maintain
a valid United States drivers
license.
Must pass pre-employment
drug screen & criminal
background check.
Benefits:
Health & dental insurance,
401k with match, training program
to support your success.
Please e-mail your cover letter &
resume to Chris Rowan at Chris@
cavehillcemetery.com.
Cemetery sales opportunities
Are you looking for a change?
Are you tired of all the corporate
changes, lowered compensation,
unfulfilled promises and concern
about your job security with your
current employer?
This could be your last call!
The fastest-growing privately-
owned cemetery sales company
in the country, currently with 40
locations in nine states, is seeking
experienced and successful
family service counselors in:
Metro Baltimore, Maryland
Long Island, New York
Peoria, Illinois
Eureka, California
Sherman, Texas
We offer:
The highest commissions and
over-rides in the industry
No caps on income
A compensation plan that has
not changed in over 13 years
An excellent benefits package
including matching 401K
The premier locations in their
markets
An old-school sales mentality,
not a corporate operations
mentality
The opportunity to be the only
salesperson at the location or part
of a sales team
No corporate micro-
management
Relocation assistance
Be appreciated and earn what
youre worth!
Contact Tracy Palm at
410.638.2811; or e-mail me at
cemeterysales@hotmail.com
Those who join our team dont
leave! They have worked for most
of the others but have never been
happier than they are with us. You
can ask any of them. r

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