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In a message dated 12/16/03 10:27:51 AM, Mildred in Glasgow, Scotland sends us:
A firm of undertakers who took the wrong coffin to a funeral were today apologising to two grieving families.
Staff at the Co-operative Funeral Service in Cheltenham tried to cover up the error by then taking the same coffin to the right funeral to be blessed for cremation a second time.
The error meant that one body was cremated without having been present at the service attended by relatives, or being blessed.
The bungle was withheld from the two families involved until a local newspaper received a tip-off.
Adrian Barradell, a spokesman for the Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op Funeral Service, said an internal investigation was under way into how the mix-up happened at Cheltenham Crematorium in August.
He added that the company representatives were meeting the families to inform them of the error today.
Mr Barradell said: "This is clearly a very serious mistake. It is the case that at one service the wrong coffin was at the service despite our rigorous checking procedures.
"When this was discovered our funeral manager's first concern was to avoid distress to the family and she, therefore, took the decision not to inform the family of the mistake but to ensure that the right coffin was cremated."
The Co-op said it was not taking any action against individual employees but was reviewing the procedures for transporting coffins and checking.
A spokeswoman for Cheltenham Borough Council, which runs the crematorium, said the council would conduct an inquiry into the incident.
"We are very sorry and extremely concerned to hear about this," she said.
"We would like to reassure the families involved that we are making our own investigations to find out exactly what happened, and will be speaking to the funeral director from the Co-op Funeral Service who was involved."
In a message dated 12/17/03 3:55:37 PM, Nelson serving our country aboard The USS Nimitz writes:
John I'll bet you never knew this one!
Funeral Held for Baby Entombed Within USS Utah
Story Number: NNS031216-04
Release Date: 12/16/2003 10:00:00 AM
By Journalist 1st Class Mike Miller, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Dec. 7, a funeral service was finally held at the USS Utah Memorial at Pearl Harbor for a baby girl, Nancy Lynne Wagner, who died at birth. Few know the secret USS Utah (AG 16) has held for 62 years.
Nancy's twin sister, Mary Kreigh, visited the memorial at the 60th anniversary in 2001. Mary Kreigh returned with her daughter Nina Kreigh for the funeral service. Friends and family were present, along with active-duty and Reserve Navy personnel.
Utah was sunk by a Japanese torpedo off Ford Island in Pearl Harbor during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack. Fifty-eight enlisted men and six officers perished aboard and all but four remain inside the hull.
Baby Nancy's father, Chief Yeoman Albert Wagner, was attached to Utah at the time of the attack. Wagner had planned to scatter Nancy's ashes at sea when Utah left Pearl Harbor, but he never had the chance. Chief Wagner survived the attack and remained in the Navy until 1952. He passed away in 1975 prior to interments aboard Utah and was buried at sea off San Diego. Baby Nancy's urn is still in her dad's locker aboard Utah.
Mary Kreigh is USS Utah Association's Public Relations Director. The Navy holds a special place in her heart.
"For sixty-two years, the courageous crew of USS Utah has watched over a tiny secret copper urn hidden in my father's watery locker," Mary Kreigh said after the funeral service. "Nina and I are so grateful that my little twin sister Nancy Lynne has finally received God's blessing in the presence of men and women of the United States Navy. Our tears are tears of joy, not sadness. One day I hope to join Nancy Lynne aboard our beloved ship."
Chief Journalist (SW) Tim Paynter said, "I think it is very fitting that we, as Sailors, paid our respects to baby Nancy and her father, Chief Wagner. It's sad that he couldn't be here with us today for her funeral service, which he had originally intended to hold 62 years ago."
The Utah Memorial rests on the western side of Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. Utah lies firmly within the borders of the naval base, rendering her less accessible to non-military personnel. Dedicated in 1972, active duty, Reservists and veterans pay their respects at the monument located at the site where the hull is still partially exposed.
Utah, a 21,825-ton Florida-class battleship, was built in Camden, N.J., and commissioned in August 1911. Her original hull number was BB 31. Following operations off the U.S. east coast, Europe, and a goodwill visit to South America, Utah was extensively modernized in 1925. In 1928, she carried President-elect Herbert Hoover on his return from a visit to South America. In 1931 Utah was converted to a radio-controlled target ship and redesignated AG 16, a role in which she would spend the rest of her active service.
Just prior to 8 a.m., Dec. 7, 1941, men aboard Utah saw three airplanes heading north from the harbor entrance. The planes dove low at the southern end of Ford Island where the seaplane hangars were located and began dropping their bombs. The attack went quickly for Utah. At 8:01 a.m., the venerable target ship took a torpedo hit forward and immediately listed to port. At 8:12 a.m., her mooring lines snapped and Utah rolled over. Through the heroic efforts of their shipmates, 10 men were rescued from the capsized hull. Sixty-four died aboard. Four were later recovered and interred ashore.
Pearl Harbor-attack survivors who served aboard Utah are entitled to have their cremains interred within the hull. Navy funeral honors are rendered on the memorial, and the urn is slowly lowered to divers in the water, who place it inside Utah.
Utah is the final resting place for 60 men along with their shipmates who choose to join them &endash; and baby Nancy Lynne Wagner.
In a message dated 12/15/03 18:15:19, Kristine in Palm Beach Florida sends us:
John the weather is excellent here, but Funeral/Cemetery reputation is a laughing matter, what a mess this is down here, here is a clip from one of our newspapers
Relatives of two men sued Menorah Gardens and its Houston-base parent, Service Corporation International, "Dignity" on Monday. The suit claims the SCI cemetery west of Palm Beach Gardens buried David Wolff and his father-in-law, Solomon Freedberg, in the wrong spaces and interred an unrelated man in between them.
The suit was filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court in West Palm Beach by Solomon Freedberg's widow, Martha, David Wolff's widow, Diane, and other relatives.
Very embarrasing charge:"They can't find David Wolff," Palm Beach Gardens attorney Ted Leopold said. "His tombstone is there but they believe his body is 20-25 feet away, although they're not sure." He said he plans to dig up the spaces to try to locate Wolff.
Leopold sued SCI in 2002 on behalf of about 67 other families. Leopold already has exhumed two graves and says he plans to disinter more to help determine whether people are buried in the right places.
Reportedly Service Corporation International's spokesman Don Mathis said Monday he had not yet seen the suit but that Menorah Gardens had offered to fix the problem. He said it was discovered by SCI managers and may have predated SCI's purchase of Menorah Gardens in 1995.
Recently, lawyers in several Broward County-based cases, including a class action suit with as many as 1,500 clients, settled with SCI for $100 million.
In this issue...
December 17, 2003
Medicare Prescription Drug Act Keeps Exclusion for Preneed Trusts
Federal Legislation Being Introduced to Make Funeral Rule Law
New Year Provides Even More Professional Development Opportunities
Even During the Holiday Season, Funeral Directors Put Families First
Major National Newspaper Seeks Funeral Home for Personalization Story
Discounted 2004 NFDA Promotional Calendars Available for Members
Website Serves as Resource for Sending Holiday Packages to Military Personnel
NFDA Holiday Hours
FUNERAL FACT
Funeral Fact: Over 2001 and 2002, NFDA's Family Contact Survey reported that consumers rated NFDA funeral homes a 2.88 on their presentation of information during decision-making, on the point scale: (1) could have used more information; (2) adequate; (3) well presented. -NFDA
Medicare Prescription Drug Act Keeps Exclusion for Preneed Trusts
On December 8, President Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. No. 108-173). As an advantage for funeral directors, the act does not eliminate the current exclusion for preneed funeral and burial trusts in order to qualify for this benefit. While the benefit does not begin until 2006, this law creates a temporary prescription drug discount card program expected to begin in June 2004. Both the prescription benefit and the discount card program allow for subsidies for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. They also use different mechanisms and requirements for obtaining the subsidy. For more on this story, visit http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=540.
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Federal Legislation Being Introduced to Make Funeral Rule Law
Senator Dodd (D-Connecticut) and Representative Foley (R-Florida) will again introduce legislation in January that would greatly increase the federal regulation of funeral service and its practices. This legislation suggests placing the current Funeral Rule into law, extending it to all providers of funeral goods or services, an extension for which NFDA has long advocated. In addition, it would establish an office in the Department of Health and Services. This office would administer grants to states that adopt uniform standards as set by the office, for inspecting and monitoring "death care providers." It would also substantially increase federal control over preneed contracts and sales and create a private right of action. This action would permit anyone "injured" by an alleged violation of the Funeral Rule to sue the funeral provider for a minimum of $5,000. The legislation was originally introduced in 2002 and did not pass.
NFDA policy positions related to the Funeral Rule will be reviewed and discussed by the Advocacy Committee at its January meeting. Its recommendations will be referred to the Policy Board for full review and consideration at its March meeting in Washington, D.C.
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New Year Provides Even More Professional Development Opportunities
With the popularity of previous teleconferences and seminars, NFDA has increased the number of these offerings in 2004. Here are some of the upcoming Professional Development opportunities.
Debra Schmidt of Spectrum Consulting Group leads the teleconference, Building Customer Loyalty through Exceptional Customer Service. Her presentation at the 2003 NFDA Convention in Las Vegas was rated number one by attendees and received a standing ovation. Here Debra will share the top six reasons customers leave, how to avoid committing the seven deadly sins of customer service, why dissatisfied customers are worth their weight in gold and how to overcome your barriers to building customer loyalty. The teleconference is January 22, 2004, from 1-3p.m. CST. Registration deadline is January 20, 2004 at 4 p.m. CST. For more detailed registration information, visit http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=82 or call NFDA at 800-228-6332.
NFDA is also presenting its Business Building Seminar, Exceptional Events: A New Frontier for Funeral Service, throughout the year. Richard Aaron will lead funeral directors to enhance their firm's service with strategies and tactics used by event planners, theme development and critical aspects for planning successful events. The first dates include:
* February 23-25, 2004 at Palm Memorial Park and Mortuary in Las Vegas, Nevada.
* April 26-28, 2004 at the Anderson McQueen Funeral Home in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The seminar, Exceptional Embalming, is new for 2004 and will be at the New England Institute in Boston, Massachusetts from March 26-28. We know how important technical skills are to your business. In response to your requests, look for more dates and details to come on NFDA's new embalming seminars in 2004.
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Even During the Holiday Season, Funeral Directors Put Families First
At this time of year, as well as any other, funeral directors put their consumer families before everything. They're on call 24/7, ready to help complete strangers with what may be the most difficult day of their life. Recently we received a story from a member that describes a personal experience he had one Christmas. As a funeral director, it's something that many of you can probably relate to. This holiday season, we'd like to share his experience with you. NFDA commends all of you who consistently dedicate yourselves to the well-being of others.
December 22, 2002, a young marine's life was changed. On what was to be one of the happiest days of his life with the birth of his son, turned out to be one of the most tragic days of his life. Complications during the delivery not only led to the death of his son, but also the death of his beautiful wife.
His only request was to spend Christmas morning with his wife and child. A simple enough request I was glad to fulfill. I remember driving into work Christmas morning in an unusually good mood. Not because it was Christmas, or because I was going to work, but because I was going to help this marine spend time with his wife and child.
I do not recall how long the young man was at the funeral home. What I do remember is the warm feeling that came over me. It was a feeling of realization of just how important family is and how unimportant everything else is. A realization that sometimes my career and other activities sidetrack me and I lose sight of what's truly important, family.
Being in the funeral home that day helped me put my priorities in perspective. In the end nothing else matters, just family. Don't neglect them, and don't take them for granted.
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Major National Newspaper Seeks Funeral Home for Personalization Story
Are you planning a unique personalized service in the next couple of weeks? Would you like to get your funeral home noticed by the national media? A reporter from a major national newspaper is interested in developing a story on the personalization trend. He has already conducted an interview with NFDA President Mark Musgrove on the topic. In addition, he would be willing to travel anywhere on the East Coast or in the Midwest to attend a personalized service. This is a great opportunity for funeral service, as well as your firm, to highlight a positive funeral service story in a major national publication. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact NFDA's PR Director, Fay Spano or PR Coordinator, Katie Monfre at 800-228-6332.
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Discounted 2004 NFDA Promotional Calendars Available for Members
A limited supply of 2004 NFDA Inspirational and Biblical calendars are still available for delivery and distribution in early January. These high quality calendars are beautifully designed and useful in promoting your business to the families in your community. They will allow families to see the name of your funeral home all year long.
We are pleased to offer you 25% off the regular price of these calendars, which means you only pay 82¢ each. This price includes up to five lines of advertising copy with no set-up charges. A minimum order of 100 calendars is required. Call 1-800-827-5151 to order yours today.
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Website Serves as Resource for Sending Holiday Packages to Military Personnel
Sending a member of the U.S. Armed Forces a package during the holidays has never been easier. A Website called Operation Military Pride provides a list of essentials and "just for fun" items, as well as package restrictions, mailing instructions and more. Help out a member of the military this holiday season.
Visit http://www.operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html for more information.
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Advantages to Renewing NFDA Membership by January 1st
Renewing your NFDA membership by January 1, 2004 entitles you to a full year of valuable benefits including our continuously growing Professional Development programming, representation by NFDA's two full-time lobbyists in Washington, D.C., the substantial music license discount and The Director magazine. You'll also be entered in a drawing to win a free convention registration for Nashville! Remember, January 15 is the deadline for membership renewal in choice states. To take advantage of these benefits and more, call NFDA at 800-228-6332 or visit http://www.nfda.org/membershipinformation.php.
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NFDA Holiday Hours
Due to the holidays, NFDA will be open 8 a.m to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve and closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day.
From everyone at NFDA, have an enjoyable holiday!
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Code of Professional Conduct Now in Effect
NFDA Initiates Enforceable Standards for Members
Contacts: Fay Spano, Katie Monfre 800/228-6332
For Immediate Release
Brookfield, Wis. The public can enjoy a new sense of confidence when dealing with members of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). As of January 1, 2004, the association activated its enforceable Code of Professional Conduct. The self-driven set of standards raises the bar for funeral directors by enhancing the professional practices of NFDA members, and allows the public the ability to file a complaint.
By enacting an enforceable Code of Conduct, our hope is that the public will come to recognize the high professional standards of NFDA funeral homes, and begin to seek them out above the others, said NFDA Chief Executive Officer Christine Pepper. Our Code of Professional Conduct is one more measure to give consumers confidence and to distinguish NFDA members as funeral homes of choice for consumers.
Enforcement process in place
The code of conduct outlines various ethical and professional practices to which NFDA member funeral homes must adhere. A Professional Conduct Committee has been established to investigate and resolve complaints that allege violations of the code. The members of the Professional Conduct Committee include Chairman Robert Vandenbergh, CFSP, and representatives of four regions of the country:
Region 1
Bob Shank, Sr., CFSP Ohio
Earl Canapp, Jr., CFSP Maryland
Kent Carlson, CFSP Connecticut
Region 2
Sumner Brashears, CFSP Arkansas
Randy Norred Georgia
Robbie Bates - Texas
Region 3
Bruce Overton, CFSP Iowa
Tim Johnson, CFSP Minnesota
John Berg, CFSP Nebraska
Region 4
Bill Aaron, CFSP Arizona
Amy Bollman Lowery Oregon
Shaun Myers, CFSP - Utah
As part of the enforcement process, an investigation will be conducted by the Professional Conduct Committee into any complaint, and the committee will try to help resolve the problem. If the situation cannot be resolved to the complainants satisfaction, the committee will hold a formal hearing into the matter. What action is taken will vary depending on the violation, with the most severe offenders having their NFDA membership revoked.
A copy of both the Code of Professional Conduct and Enforcement Policy are available on NFDA's Website at http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=543
NFDA is the leading funeral service association, serving more than 20,300 funeral directors who represent more than 12,200 funeral homes in the United States and other countries. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., NFDA provides advocacy, education, information, products, programs and services to help members enhance the quality of service to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org .
MORE
http://www.nfda.org/files/bulletin/issues/Jan14_2004.htm
ICFA wants you to know ICFA INVESTIGATES FTC FUNERAL-RELATED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS: LOW VOLUME, BUT MANY INVOLVE FUNERAL RULE VIOLATIONS
Linda Budzinski
Communications Director
International Cemetery and Funeral Association
1895 Preston White Drive, Suite 220
Reston, VA 20191
1-800-645-7700
lacorn@icfa.org <mailto:lacorn@icfa.org>
www.icaf.org <http://www.icaf.org>
For Immediate Release
For More Information, Please Contact:
Linda Budzinski
1-800-645-7700
lacorn@icfa.org
**************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS January 6, 2004 Edition Vol. 5 No. 1
**************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS is a biweekly electronic newsletter bringing members of the
International Cemetery and Funeral Association the latest government and
legal, industry and association news. It is available to all ICFA members
current on their dues. Comments, questions and "hot news tips" are welcome.
Write to: wireless@icfa.org.
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
ICFA Investigates FTC Funeral-Related Consumer Complaints:
Low Volume, But Many Involve Funeral Rule Violations
FTC 'Sweeps' 29 NYC-Area Funeral Homes, Alleges 12 Violate Funeral Rule
Ranking Member of Special Committee on Aging Retires
ICFA NEWS
Irwin Shipper Receives ICFA Hall of Fame Award
Annual Convention Offers Quality Networking Opportunities
ICFAU Scholarship Applications Due February 6
ICFA Gears Up for Cemetery Operations & Maintenance Conference
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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ICFA INVESTIGATES FTC FUNERAL-RELATED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS:
LOW VOLUME, BUT MANY INVOLVE FUNERAL RULE VIOLATIONS
The ICFA has concluded its investigation of funeral-related complaints filed
by consumers with the Federal Trade Commission covering the time period of
January 2001 through May 2003. The FTC reportedly receives approximately
60,000 consumer complaints annually through its e-mail and toll-free
telephone system. There are approximately 2.3 million funerals and burials
each year in the United States, or about 192,000 per month. For the 29 months
under review, consumers filed 549 complaints against a variety of funeral
homes, cemeteries and third-party retailers, or an average of about 19
complaints per month on a national basis. Approximately 4 percent of the
industry-related "complaints" either contained no information or were
requests for information.
Seventy-one percent of the total, or 391 complaints, involved funeral homes.
Of that number, 55 percent, or 216 complaints, related to alleged violations
of the FTC Funeral Rule. The most common Rule violations alleged were the
lack of written price disclosures and the imposition of casket handling fees
or the refusal to provide services if the casket was not purchased from the
funeral home in question. The national complaint average for funeral homes is
about 13 complaints per month.
Eleven percent of the total, or 62 complaints, involved cemeteries. Of that
number, eight complaints related to alleged violations of the Funeral Rule.
The national complaint average for cemeteries is about two complaints per
month.
Another 11 percent of the total, or 58 complaints, involved third-party
retailers such as casket stores and monument sellers. Of that number, six
complaints related to alleged violations of the Funeral Rule. The national
complaint average for third-party retailers is about two complaints per month.
Three percent of the total, or 16 complaints, involved combined
cemetery-mortuary operations. Of that number, three complaints related to
alleged violations of the Funeral Rule. The national complaint average for
combined operations is about one complaint every two months.
Consistent with a 1999 GAO investigation, overall complaint levels remain low
for all segments of the funeral service profession. However, the new
tabulation confirms the ICFA's long-held position that consumers experience
only isolated incidents of potential Funeral Rule violations by sellers such
as cemeteries that are not covered under the Rule.
The ICFA investigation also provides an important perspective that was absent
from the recent GAO investigation, published in September 2003, which
pointedly omitted any effort to review consumer complaints. Finally, the
complaint tabulation establishes that consumers will file complaints when
they believe they have been treated unfairly by industry members, contrary to
assertions by industry critics that "consumers don't complain." The ICFA will
be forwarding its tabulation to the FTC staff for their information.
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FTC 'SWEEPS' 29 NYC-AREA FUNERAL HOMES, ALLEGES 12 VIOLATE FUNERAL RULE
Last week, the Federal Trade Commission announced it had conducted a sweep of
29 funeral homes located in the greater New York City metropolitan area,
including Kings County, and also Fairfield County, Connecticut, to check for
compliance with the Funeral Rule. Of the 29 funeral homes, FTC staff alleged
that 12 were in violation of the Rule. Test shoppers entered the funeral
homes to determine whether they are providing consumers with copies of an
itemized general price list and similar price lists for caskets and outer
burial containers in a timely manner.
The 12 funeral homes alleged to be in violation of the Rule will be offered
participation in FROP (Funeral Rule Offenders Program) in lieu of formal
legal action against them. FROP was developed in 1996 by the FTC and the
National Funeral Directors Association to increase compliance. Funeral homes
participating in FROP are not publicly identified by the FTC for alleged
Funeral Rule violations and make voluntary payments to the U.S. Treasury in
lieu of civil penalties, among other things. The Funeral Rule became
effective 20 years ago on April 30, 1984.
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RANKING MEMBER OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING RETIRES
Sen. John Breaux (D-LA) announced shortly before the holidays that he would
be retiring from the U.S. Senate after 31 years in Congress when his current
term expires at the end of this year. Breaux served as the ranking member of
the Special Committee on Aging during its historic public hearings on funeral
industry sales practices in April 2000. Later, he chaired the Aging Committee
during 2002 when the Menorah Gardens and Tri-State Crematory events attracted
national headlines. Committee staff at that time announced hearings would be
conducted, but Breaux quickly canceled the event, admonishing his staff,
"Let's not rush into anything."
Last year, Breaux introduced the Elder Justice Act (S.333), a bill to combat
the growing problem of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The ICFA joined
the Elder Justice Coalition in support of the Breaux legislation and
contributed $2,500 to the effort. According to ICFA External Chief Operating
Officer and General Counsel Bob Fells, "Senator Breaux is one of the most
fair-minded individuals in Congress, especially in terms of his treatment of
the funeral services profession. He never believed that one complaint somehow
represented thousands more or that federal legislation should be a first
resort to solve a problem. I think our industry will miss him."
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ICFA NEWS
-------------------
IRWIN SHIPPER RECEIVES ICFA HALL OF FAME AWARD
Irwin Shipper, CCE, president of Rose Hills Memorial Park in Putnam Valley,
New York, and chairman of the ICFA Government & Legal Affairs Committee, has
been named recipient of the ICFA Hall of Fame Award, the association's
highest honor.
Shipper has been involved in the cemetery and funeral service profession for
55 years. He was formerly president of Beth Israel Cemetery Association and
Woodbridge Memorial Gardens of Woodbridge, New Jersey, for more than 30 years
and was involved in the management of five additional cemeteries located in
New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, with a total of approximately 300
employees. From 1972 to 1994, he was chairman of the New Jersey State
Cemetery Board. Currently, he resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where
he serves on the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach
County and is a member of the board of directors of Temple Beth David in Palm
Beach Gardens.
Shipper served as ICFA president from 1996-1998, presiding over the
association's transition from the American Cemetery Association to the
International Cemetery and Funeral Association. He has served as chairman of
the ICFA Government & Legal Affairs Committee for more than 10 years and also
has held the offices of ICFA vice president, secretary and director.
"A role model . . . generous, kind-hearted, hard-working, dedicated,
knowledgeable, professional, soft-spoken, commanding presence, respected,
respectful, steward, helpful, righteous, husband, father, grandfather and
leader. All these attributes and more exemplify Irwin Shipper," said ICFA
Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Bill Wright, CCE. "The members of the ICFA,
his family, his friends, his home community and his Temple have benefited in
wonderful ways from Irwin's tireless leadership in a fashion that is
transparent yet known to all of us who admire him. Irwin's tremendous and
positive contributions on behalf of the industry and otherwise will be felt
for years to come by those of us who have had the privilege to know and work
with him. Personally, there is no one I believe is more deserving of this
honor than Irwin Shipper."
Shipper will be presented the award during the Annual Meeting of Members at
the 2004 ICFA Convention & Exposition, March 10-13 in Nashville, Tennessee.
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ANNUAL CONVENTION OFFERS QUALITY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
The 2004 ICFA Convention & Exposition, March 10-13 in Nashville, Tennessee,
includes numerous functions designed to facilitate networking and
face-to-face learning among cemetery and funeral service professionals and
suppliers.
The First Timers Reception on the first night allows newcomers to the
Convention to meet the ICFA's officers, board members and staff as well as
other first-time attendees. "This is a great opportunity for first timers to
learn more about the association and to get to know some of the people
they'll be spending the next several days with," said ICFA Internal Chief
Operating Officer Joe Budzinski. "The ICFA is known as the most open, sharing
organization in the profession, and many members consider our networking
opportunities to be the most important aspect of the Convention. The First
Timers Reception makes it easy for new folks to take that first step and
begin tapping into the most valuable resource this association has to offer
-- their fellow members."
Additional networking functions include several receptions in the ICFA
Exhibit Hall, which offer continuous free food and beverage service, as well
as the Friday night St. Patrick's Day theme dinner and show and the Saturday
evening Hall of Fame Reception. Spouses and guests of attendees also can meet
new and longtime friends through a day trip to Franklin, Tennessee, featuring
shopping with "Antiques Roadshow" appraiser Linda Dyer and lunch at Lillie
Belle's tearoom.
The early registration deadline for the Convention is February 2. For a
complete schedule and to register, visit
http://www.icfa.org/ac04_earlyreg.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
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ICFAU SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 6
The ICFA Women's Forum will present full scholarships to two selected
attendees at ICFA University, an intensive five-day educational program
focusing on specific areas of cemetery and funeral service management and
operations. The deadline to apply for the 2004 scholarship is February 6.
This year's ICFAU program will be held July 16-21 at the University of
Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. Attendees can attend one of six "colleges"
covering areas such as funeral home management, cremation services, cemetery
grounds maintenance and operations and others.
This is the fourth year the Women's Forum has presented the scholarships,
which cover all registration fees, housing and meals. Winners are responsible
for their own travel expenses. This year's scholarship sponsors are: American
Cemetery Supply, BLP Bronze International, Christy Vault, Crematory
Manufacturing & Service, Doric Vaults, Ferno-Washington, Cold Spring Memorial
Group/Granit-Bronz/Private Estates, Matthews Bronze, Trigard and Wilbert
Funeral Service.
Additional information and a scholarship application can be obtained by
downloading it from the ICFA Web site at
http://www.icfa.org/pdf/icfau04_scholarship.pdf or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
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ICFA GEARS UP FOR CEMETERY OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE
Owners, managers and superintendents of cemeteries of all types and sizes
will gather for the ICFA Cemetery Operations & Maintenance Conference, July
16-19 at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. The conference is a
low-cost, high-content meeting offering 2.5 days of programming, including
"how to" presentations on a variety of cemetery operational issues, a tour of
a local cemetery and several networking events.
The conference will be held concurrently with the 2004 session of ICFA
University. This will allow the ICFA Cemetery Operations Committee, which
develops the conference program, to have unprecedented access to a wide
variety of instructors in all areas of cemetery management, administration
and maintenance. It also will provide attendees with opportunities to network
with the 100+ ICFAU students in addition to fellow conference attendees.
"Whether your cemetery is large or small, non-profit, for-profit, municipal
or religious, the operational and grounds maintenance issues you deal with
tend to be similar," said Program Co-Chair Scott Saltsgaver, superintendent
of Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia. "Our mission with this
conference is to provide excellent cemetery management education and
extensive networking time at an extremely affordable cost. Many cemeterians,
especially those from municipal properties, do not have large budgets to
attend meetings. By keeping the registration fee below $300 and offering
economical hotel room rates, we believe this conference is the best
educational value in the industry."
The Cemetery Operations & Maintenance Conference was formerly known as the
Small Cemetery & Funeral Management Conference, but this year underwent a
name and programming change to provide cemetery operators an annual forum for
learning and sharing ideas specific to their needs.
For more information, visit http://www.icfa.org/cem_op_2004_pr1.htm
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AND MORE . . .
It's not too late to register! ICFA Sales Management & Marketing Conference
registrations have topped 350, a record attendance for this meeting! Several
spots are still available for the event, January 15-16 at Treasure Island in
Las Vegas, Nevada. For a copy of the program and to register, visit
http://www.icfa.org/sales04.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA and Gary O'Sullivan, CCE, have released two new preneed sales
training CDs. "The Fundamentals of the Sales Process" offers important
lessons on the eight fundamentals of selling, covering topics such as
prospecting, objections, closing, referrals, handling rejection and more.
"Selling on Purpose" helps counselors and sales managers define the greatest
motivational force of all -- their purpose. Topics include understanding the
difference between selling as just a job and as a career, ethical challenges,
the relationship between service and sales and more. The price per CD is $20
for ICFA members and $25 for non-members. To order, call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA has created a set of four brochures offering "Straight Answers to
Real Questions" for consumers. Cemeteries and funeral homes will find the
brochures an effective way to reach out to potential customers and educate
them about the importance of ceremony, memorialization and prearrangement.
The brochures cover "Cremation," "Cemeteries & Burial," "Funerals" and
"Advance Planning." The brochures are adapted from the Consumer Resources
section of the ICFA Web site at http://www.icfa.org/consumer.html . For
pricing information and to order, call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA and The Transaction Group of Chicago, Illinois, offer members a
credit card processing program with a special low discount rate of just 1.6
percent. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral
homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who
wish to pay via credit card. For more information, visit
http://www.thetransactiongroup.com/partners/icfa/ or call The Transaction
Group at 1-800-622-7705.
The ICFA News Page at http://www.icfa.org/newspage.htm takes you to sources
throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most
comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available
anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to
national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else
and is the second most visited page on the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day
and you'll see why.
The ICFA Internet Expo at http://www.icfa.org/expo/index.html is the largest
online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and
funeral home owners and operators will find more than 300 providers in over
100 product and service categories at the Expo. Exhibit space is provided as
a free, exclusive benefit to all ICFA supplier and professional members.
Check it out today!
Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's benefit
program offering free telephone legal consultations at
http://www.icfa.org/pepperman.htm .
MORE
ICFA INVESTIGATES FTC FUNERAL-RELATED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS:
LOW VOLUME, BUT MANY INVOLVE FUNERAL RULE VIOLATIONS
Reston, Virginia (January 6, 2004) -- The ICFA has concluded its
investigation of funeral-related complaints filed by consumers with the
Federal Trade Commission covering the time period of January 2001
through May 2003.
The FTC reportedly receives approximately 60,000 consumer complaints
annually through its e-mail and toll-free telephone system. There are
approximately 2.3 million funerals and burials each year in the United
States, or about 192,000 per month. For the 29 months under review,
consumers filed 549 complaints against a variety of funeral homes,
cemeteries and third-party retailers, or an average of about 19
complaints per month on a national basis. The ICFA's finding were as
follows:
* Seventy-one percent of the industry-related complaints, or 391
complaints, involved funeral homes. Of that number, 55 percent, or 216
complaints, related to alleged violations of the FTC Funeral Rule. The
most common Rule violations alleged were the lack of written price
disclosures and the imposition of casket handling fees or the refusal to
provide services if the casket was not purchased from the funeral home
in question. The national complaint average for funeral homes is about
13 complaints per month.
* Eleven percent, or 62 complaints, involved cemeteries. Of that number,
eight complaints related to alleged violations of the Funeral Rule. The
national complaint average for cemeteries is about two complaints per month.
* Another 11 percent, or 58 complaints, involved third-party retailers
such as casket stores and monument sellers. Of that number, six
complaints related to alleged violations of the Funeral Rule. The
national complaint average for third-party retailers is about two
complaints per month.
* Three percent, or 16 complaints, involved combined cemetery-mortuary
operations. Of that number, three complaints related to alleged
violations of the Funeral Rule. The national complaint average for
combined operations is about one complaint every two months.
* Approximately 4 percent contained no information or were requests for
information.
Consistent with a 1999 GAO investigation, overall complaint levels
remain low for all segments of the funeral service profession. However,
the new tabulation confirms the ICFA's long-held position that consumers
experience only isolated incidents of potential Funeral Rule violations
by sellers such as cemeteries that are not covered under the Rule.
The ICFA investigation also provides an important perspective that was
absent from the recent GAO investigation, published in September 2003,
which pointedly omitted any effort to review consumer complaints.
Finally, the complaint tabulation establishes that consumers will file
complaints when they believe they have been treated unfairly by industry
members, contrary to assertions by industry critics that "consumers
don't complain." The ICFA will forward its tabulation to the FTC staff
for their information.
MORE
For Immediate Release
For More Information, Please Contact:
Linda Budzinski
1-800-645-7700
lacorn@icfa.org
IRWIN SHIPPER TO RECEIVE ICFA HALL OF FAME AWARD
Reston, Virginia (January 6, 2004) -- The International Cemetery and
Funeral Association has named Irwin Shipper, CCE, president of Rose
Hills Memorial Park in Putnam Valley, New York, and chairman of the ICFA
Government & Legal Affairs Committee, recipient of the ICFA Hall of Fame
Award, the association's highest honor.
Shipper has been involved in the cemetery and funeral service profession
for 55 years. He was formerly president of Beth Israel Cemetery
Association and Woodbridge Memorial Gardens of Woodbridge, New Jersey,
for more than 30 years and was involved in the management of five
additional cemeteries located in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut,
with a total of approximately 300 employees. From 1972 to 1994, he was
chairman of the New Jersey State Cemetery Board.
Currently, he resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he serves on
the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and
is a member of the board of directors of Temple Beth David in Palm Beach
Gardens.
Shipper served as ICFA president from 1996-1998, presiding over the
association's transition from the American Cemetery Association to the
International Cemetery and Funeral Association. He has served as
chairman of the ICFA Government & Legal Affairs Committee for more than
10 years and also has held the offices of ICFA vice president, secretary
and director.
"A role model ... generous, kind-hearted, hard-working, dedicated,
knowledgeable, professional, soft-spoken, commanding presence,
respected, respectful, steward, helpful, righteous, husband, father,
grandfather and leader. All these attributes and more exemplify Irwin
Shipper," said ICFA Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Bill Wright, CCE.
"The members of the ICFA, his family, his friends, his home community
and his Temple have benefited in wonderful ways from Irwin's tireless
leadership in a fashion that is transparent yet known to all of us who
admire him. Irwin's tremendous and positive contributions on behalf of
the industry and otherwise will be felt for years to come by those of us
who have had the privilege to know and work with him. Personally, there
is no one I believe is more deserving of this honor than Irwin Shipper."
Shipper will be presented the award during the Annual Meeting of Members
at the 2004 ICFA Convention & Exposition, March 10-13 in Nashville,
Tennessee.
MORE
ICFA CEMETERY OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE
FOCUSES ON OPERATIONAL ISSUES FOR MANAGERS, SUPERINTENDENTS
Reston, VA (January 6, 2004) -- The International Cemetery and Funeral
Association (ICFA) will hold the Cemetery Operations & Maintenance
Conference on July 16-19, 2004, at the University of Memphis in Memphis,
Tennessee. Formerly known as the Small Cemetery Management Conference
and, later, the Small Cemetery & Funeral Management Conference, the
conference will focus on cemetery-specific operational issues for
managers and superintendents.
The educational program will cover landscaping challenges, equipment,
administrative management issues, and a variety of other topics,
providing cemeterians with the opportunity to learn about techniques
used on a daily basis by other managers and superintendents throughout
North America.
"Whether your cemetery is large or small, non-profit, for-profit,
municipal or religious, the operational and grounds maintenance issues
you deal with tend to be similar," said Program Co-Chair Scott
Saltsgaver, superintendent of Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia.
"Our mission with this conference is to provide excellent cemetery
management education and extensive networking time at an extremely
affordable cost. Many cemeterians, especially those from municipal
properties, do not have large budgets to attend meetings. By keeping the
registration fee below $300 and offering economical hotel room rates, we
believe this conference is the best educational value in the industry."
The conference will be held concurrently with the 2004 session of ICFA
University, offering attendees of both programs an opportunity to
network with a large number of industry colleagues. Participants in the
Cemetery Operations & Maintenance Conference will also benefit from an
extensive educational tour at a Memphis cemetery with the ICFAU College
of Land Management & Grounds Operations.
The conference is developed by the ICFA Cemetery Operations Committee,
which voted in September to change its name from the Small Cemetery and
Funeral Operations Committee.
"Historically this has been one of ICFA's most important meetings, and
it has gone through several transformations since it was developed in
1986," according to ICFA Internal Chief Operating Officer Joseph W.
Budzinski. "We added more funeral content in the 1990s as more and more
of our attendees were either running or contemplating combination
operations. Recently, as ICFA has created more educational opportunities
for funeral directors at its other meetings, cemeterians have comprised
the main audience for this conference. So the committee decided to focus
on the core audience."
Budzinski notes that "The ICFA currently provides a broad selection of
educational programming for funeral directors and those responsible for
the operations and marketing aspects of funeral home management. There
are many topics covered at the Annual Convention, the Sales Management &
Marketing Conference, and the ICFA University College of Funeral &
Commemorative Services and College of Embalming & Restorative Arts. In
addition, new educational programs on funeral service- and
cremation-related topics are being developed."
Regarding the name change, Saltsgaver says, "The properties managed by
most of the participants really aren't all that 'small' anymore, as may
have been the perception in the 1980s when the Conference was founded.
Because we typically have as many attendees from cemeteries doing 500
interments a year as those doing 100, the committee voted to rename
itself the Cemetery Operations Committee. In any case, the topics we
cover are relevant for everyone."
Co-chairing the 2004 Cemetery Operations and Maintenance Conference with
Saltsgaver will be Eudra Howell, manager of Roselawn Memory Gardens in
Glen Allen, Virginia. The ICFA Cemetery Operations Committee, which
creates the educational program, is made up of cemeterians and industry
suppliers from throughout the United States and Canada.
More details on the program are from ICFA headquarters at
1-800-645-7700, and on the ICFA Web site at www.icfa.org.
ICFA WIRELESS is a biweekly electronic newsletter bringing members of the
International Cemetery and Funeral Association the latest government and
legal, industry and association news. It is available to all ICFA members
current on their dues. Comments, questions and "hot news tips" are welcome.
Write to: wireless@icfa.org.
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
Federal Agencies Increase Funeral Trust, Outer Burial Receptacle Allowances
for '04
FTC to Announce Top 10 Consumer Fraud Complaint Categories
ICFA NEWS
Annual Convention Offers 'How To' Ideas for Innovation
ICFA Expo Almost 90 Percent Sold Out!
Nashville Renaissance Near Sell Out
ICFA Sales Conference Reaches Largest Attendance in History
ICFAU Scholarship Applications Due February 6
Product of the Month: Preneed Sales Training Books by Eric Marmorek
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
FEDERAL AGENCIES INCREASE FUNERAL TRUST, OUTER BURIAL RECEPTACLE ALLOWANCES
FOR '04
Two federal agencies, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, have announced increases in the allowances for prepaid
funeral trusts and for the purchase of outer burial containers, respectively.
The IRS is required annually to adjust for inflation various dollar amounts
used to calculate taxable income. In 1997, a new section of the IRS code,
section 685, allowed trustees of certain trusts, known as "qualified funeral
trusts" or QFTs, to elect to pay any federal income tax in lieu of the
purchaser for earnings on amounts deposited into the trust by the purchaser.
When section 685 was first enacted through the efforts of the ICFA and other
industry groups, it limited the amounts placed into trust for purposes of the
trustee election to $7,000, but the amount was to be adjusted annually for
inflation. For amounts deposited during 2003, the maximum dollar amount per
beneficiary could not exceed $7,800 or a $100 increase from 2002. For 2004,
the IRS has increased the maximum amount by $200 for a total amount of $8,000
for this year. The IRS notice is contained in Rev. Proc. 2003-85, 2003-49
I.R.B.
The VA has announced an increase for the 2004 calendar year of its cash
allowance paid to veterans' survivors who privately purchase grave liners or
vaults for placement in national cemeteries in lieu of receptacles furnished
by the VA. The payment has increased to $154.91 for burials in national
cemeteries during this year. This amount is a small increase over the $153.15
paid for privately purchased receptacles for interments occurring last year.
---------------------------------------------------
FTC TO ANNOUNCE TOP 10 CONSUMER FRAUD COMPLAINT CATEGORIES
On January 22, the Federal Trade Commission is scheduled to announce its
third annual Consumer Sentinel State Trends Report, which includes the top 10
fraud categories for 2003. If the findings are similar to the previous year,
the FTC will claim more than 380,000 complaints, of which 218,000 involve
fraud and the remaining 161,000 complaints involve identity theft. An
analysis of the 2002 statistics indicates that 47 percent of the 218,000
fraud complaints involve Internet-related activities and the remaining 53
percent involve "other" types of fraud.
Types of complaints in the "other" category concern investments, multi-level
marketing/pyramids/chain letters, office supplies and services,
travel/vacation/timeshares, employment agencies/job counseling, charitable
solicitations, credit card issuing, real estate, scholarship/educational
grants, living trusts and viaticals, among other areas. It is significant
that no funeral-related complaints were reported.
The FTC Consumer Sentinel not only reflects complaints reported directly to
the agency but also includes complaints from more than 60 U.S. and Canadian
federal, state and non-governmental organizations. More information can be
found at the FTC web page at http://www.ftc.gov.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
ANNUAL CONVENTION OFFERS 'HOW TO' IDEAS FOR INNOVATION
Staid. Conservative. Rigid. Cemeteries and funeral homes are portrayed in
these terms time and time again. For firms that are looking for ways to break
out of this mold and try new, creative programs to meet their community's
needs, the ICFA 2004 Convention & Exposition, March 10-13 in Nashville,
Tennessee, will offer dozens of practical, proven solutions.
With the theme, "The Business of Innovation: Building the Future One Success
at a Time," this year's Convention will highlight pioneering cemetery and
funeral service practices from North America and abroad as well as thousands
of products and services available to help attendees anticipate and satisfy
the needs of the families they serve.
Just a few examples:
o In "Beyond Personalization: Developing a Sense of Showmanship," Funeral
Director Mark Krause will offer advice on how to "stage" ceremonies that
leave families saying "Wow, now that was a funeral!"
o In "Maximizing Your Cremation Opportunities," Richard Verrier and Jeff
Johnson will present creative disposition options and marketing techniques
designed to better meet the needs of families who choose cremation.
o In "Establishing a Foundation: Diversifying Resources for Your Cemetery,"
Michael Hutchinson, CCE, and Ed Holbrook will explain how developing an
historical foundation can generate income for special improvement and
community projects.
o In "Full Value, Full Price," Thom Winninger will share market research on
how firms can compete within their markets and generate customer loyalty
based on providing value rather than focusing on price.
o In "What's Right About Funeral Service," Todd Van Beck will take a look at
the marks funeral directors receive in the polls and offer advice on making
the most of community relations.
o In "Funeral Celebrant Training," Doug Manning and Glenda Stansbury will
show how using celebrants for funeral and graveside services can encourage
personalization and memorialization among those families who do not have
religious affiliations.
The deadline to receive the early registration discount and the hotel
Convention room rate is February 2. For a complete listing of Convention
educational sessions and to register, visit
http://www.icfa.org/ac04_earlyreg.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFA EXPO ALMOST 90 PERCENT SOLD OUT!
Cemetery and funeral home owners and managers will have an opportunity to
visit nearly 200 booths and table top exhibits showcasing thousands of
products and services designed to help them improve their operations during
the ICFA 2004 Exposition, March 10-12 at the Nashville Convention Center in
Nashville, Tennessee.
To date, 166 of the 184 booths and eight of the 15 table top exhibit spaces
have been claimed by exhibiting companies. Among the products to be displayed
are memorials, markers, caskets, urns, life insurance and financial products,
Internet services, maintenance equipment, vaults, cremation keepsakes and
many more.
To obtain an exhibitor's prospectus or an attendee's registration form, visit
http://www.icfa.org/ac04_earlyreg.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE RENAISSANCE NEAR SELL OUT
The ICFA Annual Convention headquarters hotel, the Nashville Renaissance, has
sold out of rooms outside of the ICFA's room block. This means that attendees
who make their reservations after the February 2 cutoff date cannot be
guaranteed a room or the special Convention rate.
Those who plan to attend the Convention, March 10-13 at the adjoining
Nashville Convention Center, are urged to make their reservations today by
calling 1-800-327-6618. ICFA attendees will receive a rate of $159 per night.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFA SALES CONFERENCE REACHES LARGEST ATTENDANCE IN HISTORY
The ICFA Sales Management & Marketing Conference last week in Las Vegas drew
399 attendees, the largest in the meeting's history. The Conference program
was developed by the ICFA Sales & Marketing Committee and led by Program
Co-Chairs Pat Downey, CCE, and Nicole Wiedeman.
The 2005 Sales Management & Marketing Conference is scheduled for January
13-14 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFAU SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 6
The ICFA Women's Forum will present full scholarships to two selected
attendees at ICFA University, an intensive five-day educational program
focusing on specific areas of cemetery and funeral service management and
operations. The deadline to apply for the 2004 scholarship is February 6.
This year's ICFAU program will be held July 16-21 at the University of
Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. Attendees can attend one of several "colleges"
covering areas such as funeral home management, cremation services, cemetery
grounds maintenance and operations and others.
This is the fourth year the Women's Forum has presented the scholarships,
which cover all registration fees, housing and meals. Winners are responsible
for their own travel expenses. This year's scholarship sponsors are: American
Cemetery Supply, BLP Bronze International, Christy Vault, Crematory
Manufacturing & Service, Doric Vaults, Ferno-Washington, Cold Spring Memorial
Group/Granit-Bronz/Private Estates, Matthews Bronze, Trigard and Wilbert
Funeral Service.
Additional information and a scholarship application can be obtained by
downloading it from the ICFA Web site at
http://www.icfa.org/pdf/icfau04_scholarship.pdf or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: PRENEED SALES TRAINING BOOKS BY ERIC MARMOREK
For the month of January, the ICFA is offering savings on a set of three
classic books by Eric Marmorek, one of the founding fathers of preneed
marketing.
In "The Art of Getting an Interview," Marmorek discusses what to do once
you've segmented your market and located your sales prospects. You will learn
how to schedule qualified appointments, effective listening techniques, the
art of effective communication and how to interview.
"Tools and Techniques of Persuasion" is a must-have for every preneed sales
program, offering a realistic view of the role of persuasion in the ethical
and successful sale of cemetery property. Verbiage, actions and symbols are
all treated as components of effective persuasion. Included is a glossary of
specialized terms used by experienced sales counselors.
"The More Objections the Better," an ICFA best-seller, is a definitive
treasury of ideas, formulas and techniques for handling the objections
frequently encountered by preneed counselors. Three comprehensive sections
cover 295 responses to the most frequently raised objections to the
before-need purchase of memorial property and funeral arrangements.
Regular price for all three titles: $18; January Price: $10! (Shipping is
additional.) To order, call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
AND MORE . . .
Owners, managers and superintendents of cemeteries of all types and sizes
will gather for the ICFA Cemetery Operations & Maintenance Conference, July
16-19 at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. The conference is a
low-cost, high-content meeting offering 2.5 days of programming, including
"how to" presentations on a variety of cemetery operational issues, a tour of
a local cemetery and several networking events. The conference will be held
concurrently with the 2004 session of ICFA University, providing
unprecedented access to a wide variety of instructors and excellent
networking opportunities. For more information, visit
http://www.icfa.org/cem_op_2004_pr1.htm.
The ICFA and Gary O'Sullivan, CCE, have released two new preneed sales
training CDs. "The Fundamentals of the Sales Process" offers important
lessons on the eight fundamentals of selling, covering topics such as
prospecting, objections, closing, referrals, handling rejection and more.
"Selling on Purpose" helps counselors and sales managers define the greatest
motivational force of all -- their purpose. Topics include understanding the
difference between selling as just a job and as a career, ethical challenges,
the relationship between service and sales and more. The price per CD is $20
for ICFA members and $25 for non-members. To order, call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA has created a set of four brochures offering "Straight Answers to
Real Questions" for consumers. Cemeteries and funeral homes will find the
brochures an effective way to reach out to potential customers and educate
them about the importance of ceremony, memorialization and prearrangement.
The brochures cover "Cremation," "Cemeteries & Burial," "Funerals" and
"Advance Planning." The brochures are adapted from the Consumer Resources
section of the ICFA Web site at http://www.icfa.org/consumer.html . For
pricing information and to order, call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA and The Transaction Group of Chicago, Illinois, offer members a
credit card processing program with a special low discount rate of just 1.6
percent. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral
homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who
wish to pay via credit card. For more information, visit
http://www.thetransactiongroup.com/partners/icfa/ or call The Transaction
Group at 1-800-622-7705.
The ICFA News Page at http://www.icfa.org/newspage.htm takes you to sources
throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most
comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available
anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to
national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else
and is the second most visited page on the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day
and you'll see why.
The ICFA Internet Expo at http://www.icfa.org/expo/index.html is the largest
online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and
funeral home owners and operators will find more than 300 providers in over
100 product and service categories at the Expo. Exhibit space is provided as
a free, exclusive benefit to all ICFA supplier and professional members.
Check it out today!
Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's benefit
program offering free telephone legal consultations at
http://www.icfa.org/pepperman.htm .
---------------------------------------------------
International Cemetery and Funeral Association
1895 Preston White Drive, Suite 220
Reston, VA 20191
1-800-645-7700
(703) 391-8400
fax (703) 391-8416
http://www.icfa.org
Copyright 2004 International Cemetery and Funeral Association
CONTACT:
Jason Rogers
Cherished Media Corporation
Phone (866) 764-5518
jason.rogers@cherishedmedia.com
http://www.cherishedmedia.com
CHERISHED MEDIA TO BEGIN OFFERING SAME-DAY VIDEO TRIBUTES
Altamonte Springs, Florida, January 6, 2004 - Cherished Media has begun offering clients a same-day delivery option for its video tribute service. The accelerated service, RapidRender(TM), will allow funeral home clients to download a copy of the video via the Internet for playback at the service, or for VCD or DVD burning.
"Many memorial services are planned with only a day to spare. In some cases, the funeral director only receives family photos the day before the service," states Jason Rogers, President of Cherished Media. "With the introduction of RapidRender, Cherished Media is able to deliver a video tribute product that meets the needs of the time-challenged funeral director."
Cherished Media clients will still be shipped the finished video tribute in a professionally printed media jacket and label when they use the RapidRender service, as they have with Cherished Media's traditional video tribute service. With RapidRender, funeral directors can now download a copy of the video from Cherished Media's server as soon as its completed and either play the video via an A/V link to a television or projector, or create a Video CD (VCD) or Digital Video Disc (DVD) and play the video on any compatible DVD player.
"With our new RapidRender service, funeral directors can now show video tributes at the service and still present families with a professionally produced keepsake," Rogers continues. "The combination of RapidRender with our traditional video tribute service and quality guarantee, truly separates Cherished Media from its competition."
ABOUT CHERISHED MEDIA CORPORATION
Cherished Media Corporation offers the leading video tribute and biography service dedicated solely to the funeral service industry. For more information visit their website at www.cherishedmedia.com, email them at info@cherishedmedia.com, or call them at (866) 764-5518.
WASHINGTON DC -- The Labor Department is giving employers tips on how to avoid
paying overtime to many of the 1.3 million low-income workers who would
become eligible under new rules expected to be finalized early this year.
The Department of Labor's (DOL) advice comes even as it boasts the $895 million in
increased wages that it says those workers would be guaranteed from the
reforms.
Avoiding the overtime pay is to simply follow these rules.
Among the options for employers: cut workers' hourly wages and add the
overtime to equal the original salary, or raise salaries to the new $22,100
annual threshold, making them ineligible.
The DOL says it is merely listing well-known choices available to
employers, even under current law.
"We're not saying anybody should do any of this," said DOL
spokesman Ed Frank.
New overtime regulations were proposed in March after employers complained
they were being saddled with costly lawsuits filed by workers who claimed
they were unfairly being denied overtime. But the regulations themselves
have stirred controversy over how many workers would be stripped of their
right to overtime pay.
The issue is being seized by Democrats in their attempt to win back
Congress and the White House.
A final rule, revising the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, is expected to be
issued in March. The act defines the types of jobs that qualify workers for
time-and-a-half if they work more than 40 hours a week.
Overtime pay for the 1.3 million low-income workers has been a selling tool
for the Bush administration in trying to ease concerns in Congress about
millions of higher-paid workers becoming ineligible.
But the DOL in a summary of its plan published last March,
suggests how employers can avoid paying overtime to those newly eligible
low-income workers.
"Most employers affected by the proposed rule would be expected to choose
the most cost-effective compensation adjustment method," the department
said. For some companies, the financial impact could be "near zero," it
said.
Employers' options include:
* Adhering to a 40-hour work week.
* Raising workers' salaries to a new $22,100 annual threshold, making them
ineligible for overtime pay.
If employers raise a worker's salary "it means they're getting a raise --
that's not a way around overtime," Frank said. The current threshold is
$8,060 per year.
* Making a "payroll adjustment" that results "in virtually no, or
only a minimal increase in labor costs," the department said. Workers' annual pay
would be converted to an hourly rate and cut, with overtime added in to
equal the former salary.
Essentially, employees would be working more hours for the same pay.
The department does not view the "payroll adjustment" option as a pay
cut.
Rather, it allows the employer to "maintain the pay at the current level"
with the new overtime requirements, said the Labor Department's Wage and
Hour Division administrator, Tammy McCutchen, an architect of the plan.
Labor unions criticized the employer options.
Mark Wilson, a lawyer for the Communications Workers of America who
specializes in overtime issues, said the Bush administration was protecting
the interests of employers at the expense of workers.
"This plan speaks volumes about the real motives of this so-called
family-friendly administration," Wilson said.
He says cutting workers' pay to avoid overtime is illegal, based on a 1945
Supreme Court ruling and a 1986 memo by the Labor Department under
President Reagan.
But McCutchen disagreed. If changes were made week to week to avoid
overtime, they would be illegal. A one-time change is not, she said.
"We had a lot of lawyers look at this rule. We would not have put that in
there if we thought it was illegal," she said.
"Unless you have a contract, there is no legal rule ... prohibiting an
employer from either raising your salary or cutting your salary," she said,
adding, "We do not anticipate employers will cut people's pay."
The final plan does not require approval from Congress. That hasn't stopped
Democrats and some Republicans from trying to block the rule, thus far
unsuccessfully, out of fear that millions of workers would become
ineligible for overtime.
Department officials say about 644,000 higher-paid workers would lose their
overtime eligibility. But the proposal says 1.5 million to 2.7 million
workers "will be more readily identified as exempt" from overtime
requirements. Labor unions claim the figure is about 8 million.
The DOL is aware of lawmakers' concerns has read tens of
thousands of comments about the proposal, McCutchen said, more than
likely the DOL paid their employees to read the comments too.
"We understand what the public concerns are and we're going to be doing our
best to address them," she said. "It's important to allow us to finish
that process so we can back up our words with some good-faith action."
Many workers will simply have to put up with lower pay and many will be
happy with a new minimum base salary of over $22,000. Is the US government
here to help or hurt it's work pool.
Even as Gov. Mitt Romney expressed strong support for him yesterday, embattled Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Richard F. Evans is facing a widescale Ethics Commission probe into a wave of alleged abuses during his 10 years in office, according to multiple people in and out of state government.
Ethics Committee investigators have met with at least four whistleblowers and interviewed other current and former M.E. staffers to investigate the following matters:
Whether Evans was truthful when he denied to the Ethics Commission three years ago that he received cut-rate dental care from a $52,000-a-year forensic dentist, Dr. Kathleen M. Crowley, who received a series of no-bid contracts from Evans starting in 1996.
Evans formally denied receiving the free care in 2001, and the Ethics Commission dropped its review. The matter has been reopened, according to multiple sources, because at least six people are now on the record with the commission stating Evans indeed received free dental work.
Crowley was hired by Evans despite having no training in forensic pathology. In a statement to the Herald, the Executive Office of Public Safety, which oversees the M.E.'s Office, admitted that Crowley's contract had been put out to public bid only once - in 2000.
Whether Evans behaved unethically when he invited Tissue Bank International - which harvests corneas and tissue from the dead and makes some available to for-profit companies for cosmetic surgery - to place employees in his office as intake workers. Those workers help solicit corneal and tissue donations from the next-of-kin of the recently deceased.
In August 2002, the Herald reported that TBI had a secret presence in the Medical Examiner's Office and had once issued a memo there stating that ``tissue volume'' was lagging.
Soon after, former Executive Public Safety Secretary James J. Jajuga launched a probe into the tissue bank deal, which was also criticized in a series of audits of the M.E.'s Office by outside agencies.
Jajuga, who is currently under federal scrutiny for his role in the alleged misuse of federal grant money by the office, subsequently declared the arrangement sound.
At hearings before the Legislature's Public Safety Committee in December, aides to Public Safety Chief Edward A. Flynn asserted under oath the deal had been approved by the Ethics Commission.
After inquiries from the Herald about those statements, Public Safety officials said they could find no evidence of any ethics review and had referred the matter yet again to the commission ``for clarification.'' Ethics Commission officials declined yesterday to comment on any investigations.
But multiple sources say the Ethics Commission is also probing whether Evans' office is violating federal medical privacy laws by allowing the TBI intake workers to transmit confidential data about the dead to their home office after it is received by the medical examiner.
Whether Evans or anyone else in the Medical Examiner's Office profited from the illicit use of millions in federal grant money aimed specifically at homeland security, grief counseling and mass disaster relief.
The federal probe, which involves the Justice Department and the FBI, was exposed to the public by the Herald in November and by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Safety in December.
The four whistleblowers aiding the Ethics Commission in all the probes are former medical examiner staffers Melissa Christie, Joseph A. Bryson, Timothy J. Manning and Dr. Alexander M. Chirkov. All say they were forced out of the M.E.'s Office by Evans or his chief administrator, John J. Cronin, on trumped-up charges because they spoke up.
At a press conference yesterday where he swore in a new 16-member medico-legal commission - the panel that by law is supposed to oversee the Medical Examiner's Office - Romney praised Evans as an ``excellent pathologist.'' He said he was ``pleased'' Evans will continue as chief medical examiner in a holdover capacity until the commission can identify a new chief - a process that could take 12 to 18 months.
Romney and Flynn said they were ``acutely aware of the administrative deficiencies in the office'' under Evans and Romney said changes were needed to restore ``public confidence'' in one of the state's most sensitive agencies.
Asked how they could justify keeping Evans in charge after outlining a decade of his administrative failings, Flynn said, ``The historical problems of this office should not in all fairness be totally laid at the feet of this one doctor.''
Evans - who will continue to earn his $128,000 a year salary even though he will now cede admistrative functions completely to Cronin - did not appear at the news conference and did not respond to calls seeking comment.
State Sen. Jarred T. Barrios (D-Cambridge), co-chair of the Public Safety Committee, said, ``Romney's failure to look at this man's record, ask him to step down and appoint someone new shows a lack of concern for the effective prosecution of criminals in this state.''
By state law, at least two of the commission members are required to be forensic pathologists certified by the American Board of Pathology, but none of the members hold that credential, according to the board.
MORE
BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS -- Gov. Mitt Romney yesterday announced plans to completely overhaul the office of the state's chief medical examiner, naming a 16-member commission to find a new chief examiner to replace Dr. Richard J. Evans.
Romney has also proposed increasing by 60 percent the budget for the embattled medical examiner's office, which has been highly criticized for losing body parts under examination and is under investigation by state and federal authorities.
"Both the public and law enforcement authorities should have complete confidence that the office of chief medical examiner is fulfilling its responsibilities in a professional and responsible manner," Romney said at a Statehouse press conference. "We literally have to rebuild the office and instill a new ethic of accountability."
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