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In a message dated 11/29/04 3:30:53 PM, Paula in Hyannis, Massachusetts sends us a Cape Cod Times Article
Troubled man's journey ends With police help, ashes sent to Bosnia
In a message dated 11/21/04 4:56:50 PM, Stanley in Iowa sends us:
CHARLES CITY, IOWA --- An owner of a Charles City, Iowa funeral home has pleaded innocent to charges of first-degree theft related to a casket order.
Reportadly Albert Fenzloff, 67, of Sunnyside Memory Gardens funeral home and Sunnyside Perpetual Maintenance Society cemetery business, entered a plea of not guilty to the felony charge last week.
The complaint filed against Fenzloff alleges he wrote a check to a Michigan Casket company, Enduroglas, for $13,491 on Aug. 20. According to Matt Davis, the CEO of Enduroglas, a maker of Fiberglas caskets, Fenzloff and his wife planned to become the Iowa distributor of his caskets. The Floyd County Attorney's Office said the $13,491 check was written on a Sunnyside Memory Gardens account that had been closed. Fenzloff was charged with a Class C felony. A hearing is scheduled in January.
The incident comes after Fenzloff and his wife, Mitzi Fenzloff, 42, failed to acquire a license required to sell pre-need funeral arrangements. Without it, Sunnyside Memory Gardens is not allowed to contract or sell funeral plans. They can discuss pre-arrangements, but they may not sign contracts or exchange money in pre-need funeral plans, under Iowa law.
The director of the Regulated Industries Unit of the Iowa Insurance Division, Dennis Britson, said they deny those licenses for many reasons, and Mitzi Fenzloff's criminal history was one. She has had a number of charges filed against her under her previous last names including Behne and Klemp.
The most recent conviction occurred in Polk County. Fenzloff pleaded guilty in October to two counts of third-degree theft in Polk County District Court. Those Polk County theft convictions led to a probation violation charge due to previous theft convictions in Cerro Gordo County. In 1999, Mitzi Fenzloff was convicted of one count of second-degree theft, a Class D felony, in Cerro Gordo County District Court. She is still serving probation for that Cerro Gordo County conviction. A probation revocation hearing is scheduled in Cerro Gordo County Nov. 29, according to court records.
The state investigated whether the funeral home had been selling pre-need contracts without a license but has found no evidence of that, Britson said. The state investigated because of complaints filed by a former employee and because of the time lag between the Fenzloffs purchasing Sunnyside Memory Gardens and applying for a pre-need license, he said.
The Fenzloffs bought the business from David Lorsung, of Oelwein, in 2003. The license for the perpetual cemetery changed hands in November 2003, according to the Iowa Insurance Division. But it wasn't until April 2004 that the Fenzloffs made their first application for the state-required license to sell pre-need funeral contracts, Britson said.
Sunnyside Memory Gardens reapplied for the pre-need license in September. Britson said Mitzi Fenzloff is no longer listed as the owner of Sunnyside Memory Gardens on the most recent application. The state agency is waiting for financial records before making a final decision, he said.
In a message dated 11/18/04 9:59:20 AM, Mike Flynn in Boston sends us:
John P. Stevens, 27, a former local reserve police officer and a former civilian dispatcher for state police, was arraigned yesterday in Dudley District Court on felony larceny charges totaling more than $21,000 from the funeral home where he worked.
Police said Mr. Stevens also is a suspect in a fire last week at the same funeral home.
Mr. Stevens, of 6 Boyden St., Webster, was charged with nine felony counts of larceny over $250 totaling more than $21,000, nine counts of forgery and nine counts of uttering false checks, all from Richard Majercik, director of the Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home of Webster, for whom Mr. Stevens worked.
He also has a pending Sept. 30 misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of fireworks.
The alleged larcenies were from Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home in Webster, where Mr. Stevens worked at the time, and where a suspected arson fire broke out Friday morning, damaging the interior of the second floor, but not interrupting business.
A not guilty plea was entered on Mr. Stevens' behalf and the case was continued to Monday, when Mr. Stevens is scheduled to return from a four-day psychiatric evaluation in the University of Massachusetts Psychiatric Treatment Unit in Worcester.
District Court Judge David Ricciardoni ordered Mr. Stevens to have the evaluation after Robert J. Simmons, a forensic psychologist with the state Department of Mental Health, testified that Mr. Stevens is a suicide risk because of the current charges and loss of his funeral home job, the fact that conviction would mean the end of Mr. Stevens' hopes of a career in law enforcement, the recent breakup with his girlfriend of two years, and the loss of another job in June.
Dr. Simmons made his recommendation to the court after interviewing Mr. Stevens in the lockup at the courthouse. Webster police had petitioned the court yesterday for a psychiatric evaluation based on Mr. Stevens' comments to investigating officers that he would kill himself if he were released from jail and that he had considered killing himself in June.
Webster police arrested and charged Mr. Stevens Tuesday after the investigation into the cause of Friday morning's fire at the Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home revealed that checks were missing from Mr. Majercik's account, Webster Police Chief William J. Keefe said yesterday morning. The larceny case was investigated by Webster police Officer Donald Southall and state police assigned to Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte's office.
The arson is being investigated by Webster police Officer Gordon Wentworth and the state fire marshal's office. Chief Keefe said Mr. Stevens is a "potential suspect in the arson investigation." He declined to discuss motive.
Chief Keefe said the allegedly forged checks, taken from the back of Mr. Majercik's checkbook over the past couple of months, were made out to Mr. Stevens and cashed by him at various places. According to Chief Keefe, Mr. Stevens admitted to investigating officers that he had forged the checks and cashed them.
Mr. Stevens was held in the Webster police lockup overnight Tuesday in lieu of $15,000 cash bail, or $150,000 surety, and brought to court by police yesterday.
At his arraignment yesterday, Mr. Stevens told Judge Ricciardoni he is unemployed now, and asked for a court-appointed lawyer. Judge Ricciardoni appointed bar advocate John J. Bowes to the case. He argued successfully that Mr. Stevens should be released on personal recognizance, a decision which Judge Ricciardoni later reversed after hearing Dr. Simmons' testimony.
Mr. Bowes told the judge that he and Mr. Stevens both agreed with Judge Ricciardoni's later decision to order Mr. Stevens to the UMass psychiatric unit as a condition of release.
During bail arguments, before Dr. Simmons testified, Assistant District Attorney Scarlett A. Scannell argued for $15,000 cash bail, saying she believed Mr. Stevens is a flight risk because police found no clothes in his apartment when they searched it. She said Mr. Stevens apparently had removed his clothes from the place already. Mr. Bowes said that Mr. Stevens told him his clothes were in the apartment, but police did not see them.
When Mr. Stevens' case was called, Mr. Bowes asked that the arraignment be allowed on the stairwell leading up from the court lockup to the courtroom, instead of in open court, but Judge Ricciardoni declined, saying such allowances are only for misdemeanor charges. He suggested that Mr. Bowes shield Mr. Stevens from a media photographer and the audience in another manner, and offered a blackboard as a shield. Mr. Stevens declined and stood before the court unconcealed.
Mr. Stevens ran unsuccessfully for selectman last May, during which time he was under investigation by state police for alleged mishandling of 911 calls as a civilian dispatcher working in the Framingham barracks. Soon afterward, he was dismissed from his job as dispatcher.
Mr. Stevens also is a former dispatcher for Connecticut state police, a former reserve police officer for the Webster Police Department, a position he resigned; and a former reserve police officer for the Southbridge Police Department.
Southbridge Police Chief Daniel R. Charette said Mr. Stevens resigned his reserve police officer position when he asked about Mr. Stevens' dismissal from his job as a civilian dispatcher with Massachusetts State Police. Chief Charette said his department had conducted background checks on Mr. Stevens before hiring him.
Mr. Stevens was an unsuccessful candidate in Webster for permanent intermittent police officer in September, according to Chief Keefe. He said police passed over Mr. Stevens after the standard background investigation by Webster police. He said he believes Mr. Stevens appealed to the Human Services Division of Civil Service over being passed over. Mr. Stevens was second on a Civil Service list of 21 permanent intermittent candidates from which Webster hired about five permanent intermittent police officers, Chief Keefe said.
Mr. Stevens is also a recent former member of the Webster Finance Committee and, as such, was the Finance Committee's representative on the Personnel Board.
John Dignam of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.
In a message dated 11/17/04 5:29:38 PM, Ralph in Georgia writes:
Anthony Schuchman just wants closure. He sits in his Bellevue home resigned to the fact that he may never know if the ashes he thought were the cremated remains of his son, Gilbert, are genuine.
"I am greatly disappointed," said the 86-year-old Schuchman. "We may never have any closure. I hope they are able to figure out if these are my son's ashes. I feel really sorry for everyone that had to go through this."
Yesterday, a former crematory operator accused of dumping 334 bodies on his property and passing off cement dust as ashes agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges, prosecutors said in a letter to families of the deceased.
The letter, dated last Wednesday, does not give details of the plea agreement with Ray Brent Marsh. However, The Associated Press learned yesterday that Marsh will be sentenced to 12 years in prison with credit for the roughly seven months he already has served while awaiting trial.
The sentence, which covers all 787 criminal charges of theft and abuse of corpses, will be followed by a lengthy probation period.
If Marsh were to go to trial and be convicted on all charges, he could be sentenced to more than 8,000 years in prison.
Marsh allegedly stopped performing cremations at the Tri-State Crematory in Noble, Ga., in 1997, when he took over the family business from his father. In 2002, hundreds of decomposing corpses were found stacked in storage sheds and scattered in woods outside the crematory in rural northwest Georgia.
A hearing to discuss the plea agreement was set for Friday.
"I'm sure a lot of families are going to be verbal at the hearing," said Teri Crawford, whose brother was supposed to have been cremated after he died of cancer in 2001. The family received fake cremated remains and does not know what happened to their loved one.
In January 1993, the Schuchman family buried what they believed were Gilbert's ashes, but later tests could not determine if the ashes were his remains. Schuchman died of cancer.
"We buried his ashes in the same grave with his son in West View Cemetery," Anthony Schuchman said. "Then one day I was watching television and I saw all this was going on and I said this crematory sounds familiar."
Schuchman said the ashes were examined by Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht, who determined they were human ashes.
"Dr. Wecht said it was not enough to do a DNA test," he said.
"So now we have ashes and we don't know what to do with them," said Schuchman's daughter, Paula, 39, of Bellevue. "We may never know if this is my father's ashes. I am happy Marsh is going to jail. It's just not long enough."
Marsh and dozens of funeral homes that sent bodies to the crematory already have settled a civil lawsuit for $80 million.
Editors note, This could be an interesting battle! Feds against State! both have deep pockets, try to keep an eye on this one.
======================================================
"The Federal Trade Commission has ordered the Virginia Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers to cease and desist the enforcement of any rule or regulation restricting the use of truthful and non-misleading advertising of prices and discounts by licenses."
Details http://www.dhp.state.va.us/fun/leg/FTCOrder.pdf
Keith Stein
ISI Consulting
Leesburg, VA 20176
(703) 999-7476
In a message dated 11/13/04 1:18:58 AM, Matt in Albert Canada sends us: Not our funeral home John but we would have got a fax or a letter before we proceeded here, I think some of your readers should be aware, GET IT IN WRITTING EVEN WHEN DEALING WITH THE COPS
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is sticking widows of Alberta Mounties officers killed on duty with hefty funeral costs. Lesley Massey says the Royal Canadian Mounted Police insisted on a full regimental funeral for her husband Dennis, a 33-year member who died in a traffic accident. Massey says the force told her it would handle all arrangements, which it did, and pay all the costs. But three days after her husband was buried in December 2002 she received a bill from the funeral company for almost $21,000.
In a message dated 11/12/04 1:19:00 PM, Mark in New Hampsire writes:
BRENTWOOD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Former Rockingham County Assistant Deputy Medical Examiner Gene Nigro was indicted last week on 22 counts, several stemming from an incident in which he allegedly injected a 21-year-old man with a debilitating narcotic drug and tried to sexually assault him. Unrelated charges allege that Nigro continued to work as a medical examiner after he was suspended from duty.
Mr. Nigro, 46, whose last known address is 31 Prescott Road in Raymond, was suspended from his position as a medical examiner in June on suspicion of illegal behavior.
On Nov. 3, a Rockingham County grand jury indicted him on 16 counts of possession of a controlled drug, four counts of transportation of a controlled drug with intent to dispense and two counts of fraudulent handling of recordable writing.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt but rather a jury's determination that enough evidence exists to bring a case to trial.
In August, Mr. Nigro pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted aggravated felonious sexual assault in connection with the June 2 incident involving the 21-year-old Raymond man. The latest twist in the case involves charges of fraudulent handling of recordable writing, regarding two certificates Former Medical Examiner Nigro allegedly signed on July 11 after examining two bodies prepared for cremation at Brewitt Funeral Home in Epping.
One indictment states that while "acting with a purpose to deceive representatives of Brewitt Funeral Home and to collect payment for rendering services of a duly appointed medical examiner, Gene Nigro falsified a certificate by medical examiner for cremation ... when at the time Nigro knew that any authority he previously had as assistant deputy medical examiner had been suspended by (the) Chief Medical Examiner on or about June 3, 2004."
According to court documents, Gene Nigro examined bodies for cremation in July. John Brewitt, a director at Brewitt Funeral Home, said the funeral home did not know Mr. Nigro was no longer a medical examiner.
There was a lot of investigation by the state police, and they came in the funeral, said Brewitt. Gene Nigro did a couple forms for cremations for us, and that was it. Funeral Directors didn't hear about the charges against Nigro until was reported to the public on television and in the newspaper. Funeral Homes had always, for a while, dealt with Gene Negro, since his suspension was not told to licensed funeral directors and funeral homes around in New Hampshire, they continued to use Mr. Negro.
Deputy Rockingham County Attorney Tom Reid said an investigation into the case is continuing. Reid explained that when Nigro was removed from the medical examiners' rotation when he was suspended.
While D.A. was looking at allegations, they found out that he had a couple of accusations of representing himself as an assistant deputy medical examiner and signed off on certificates of cremation, and was paid according to statute by the crematorium or funeral home, $35. each reportadly the DA has only charged two. There is a new set of rules and regulations in effect that require examiners to take hair samples, photos and possibly fingerprints during examinations.
Seems New Hampshire is cleaning the ME's office out since Katherine Wieder, a forensic investigator and assistant deputy medical examiner, was suspended on Oct. 4. The chief of staff in the state attorney general's office, Kristin Spath, said she could not comment on Wieder's suspension since it's an internal personnel matter. Wieder has worked for the attorney general's office since 1989.
Former Medical Examiner Gene Nigro was arrested July 8 on charges that he injected a Raymond man in the stomach with a syringe filled with Demerol, a narcotic painkiller. Nigro also allegedly gave the victim some pills containing the narcotic Klonopin and a type of OxyContin. According to court documents, Nigro allegedly tried to engage in sexual penetration with the man. It was reported State Police said additional victims have come forward.
Regarding Gene Nigro's indictment on the four counts of transportation of a controlled drug with intent to dispense, officials believe the drugs were taken from medical examiner cases as well as from the deceased. The drugs had been prescribed to more than 10 people, it is not uncommon for authorities to take meds from a place of death. The drugs include the seizure medication Clonazepam, which can cause drowsiness; Oxycodone, a osteoarthritis medication that can cause sleepiness, hallucinations and dizziness; Tramadol, a severe-pain medication for surgery or cancer patients that can cause drowsiness, blurred vision and headaches; and Demerol, which can cause dizziness, seizures, weakness, loss of consciousness, coma and confusion.
When the Former Medical Examiner Gene Nigro was arrested last summer, authorities found blood samples in his home refrigerator and prescription drugs throughout the home believed to have been taken during medical examiner cases. Anyone out there who interacted with Nigro in this capacity that has information that might be helpful in the investigation, we encourage them to contact the state police. We will bring charges that merit prosecution if there is enough evidence."
In a message dated 11/10/04 4:47:05 PM, Bob in Ohio writes:
John there are cemetery crooks too!
http://www.cincypost.com/2004/11/10/bur111004.html
When Josephine McFarland bought her cemetery plot five years ago, she had no idea the cemetery operator was a crook or her family would have to ask a judge for permission to bury her.
McFarland bought a plot on July 13, 1999, from Wesleyan Cemetery, intending it to be her final resting place. What she didn't anticipate was the impact the malfeasance and crimes of cemetery operator Robert Merkle would have on her plans.
After a stormy tenure in which he tangled with a television news crew, forbade relatives from visiting the graves of their loved ones, and let routine maintenance of the graveyard lapse, Merkle was convicted of stealing $93,000 from cemetery coffers. He served more than 16 months in prison for his crimes, but went back to work running the cemetery when he was released.
Because of the havoc Merkle inflicted on the 160-year-old cemetery and those who have family and friends buried there, the Ohio Attorney General filed a lawsuit earlier this year trying to wrest control of it from Merkle and his family.
That left McFarland's son, Ron, in a morbid legal limbo after his mother died Nov. 6. Even though she had bought and paid for her plot, he's not allowed to bury her without a judicial order.
McFarland, in a hearing today, is asking Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Steve Martin to issue an order allowing his mother to be buried in the grave she bought.
"The problem is that cemetery is privately owned. You have to get permission to go on the property," said Gary Iles, a funeral director at Charles A. Miller and Sons Funeral Home, which is in charge of McFarland's services.
The services she paid for included digging her grave and closing it after she was interred. But because Merkle stole so much money from the Northside cemetery, Ron McFarland now has to pay again to have his mother's grave opened and closed.
Merkle was convicted in 2002 of theft and failing to maintain an endowment for the cemetery. He was sentenced in June 2002 to 18 months in prison and released in November 2003.
Ohio's Attorney General filed the suit to allow the cemetery to be mapped and to enable a group of relatives of those interred there, "Friends of Wesleyan Cemetery," to visit graves and maintain the property.
It also seeks to remove Merkle and his family members as cemetery trustees and order Merkle to repay the stolen $93,000.
A similar request led Martin to allow the family of Mary Priscilla Powers Campbell to have her disinterred from her Wesleyan plot.
Martin has ordered Merkle and his family not to sell or transfer any cemetery property while the suit is pending.
In a message dated 11/9/04 11:30:21 AM, wisokait@nfda.org writes:
The Atlanta, Georgia regional office of the U.S. Occupational Safety
& Health Administration (OSHA) is scheduled to launch its Local
Emphasis Program targeting funeral homes and crematories November 15.
Based on past citations, funeral home employers can expect OSHA to
focus on violations of the Respiratory Protection, Hazard
Communication, Bloodborne Pathogen and Formaldehyde standards.
The Georgia program could be extended to surrounding states, or become
a model for a nationwide initiative. See NFDA Safety & Health
Bulletin No. 6-04 for a summary of the most common citations issued by
OSHA in the funeral service industry on the NFDA MEMBER ONLY web site at
www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=545.
The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) boasts that they are the leading funeral service association, claiming they serve 21,400 individual members who may work in or own the 12,486 funeral homes in the United States and other countries. From their beautiful headquarters in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and their Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., NFDA has taken advantage of their position, claiming they protect consumers and are a true advocate for funeral directors and embalmers. Truth be told, NFDA advocates, first, for their own survival and when they are forced to, the association exclusively works for the funeral home owners and not for the protection of consumers nor for the benefit of any employee, non-owner funeral director or embalmer. NFDA also hosts an annual convention where the number of exhibitors is close to the number of attendees.
The preceding paragraph is just the opinion of John McDonough, NFDA member, after studying the organization closely since 1993.
Your company's reputation and standing within the community can mean the
difference between success and failure.
On December 7, from 3-4 p.m. EST, the ICFA will bring you and your staff
training on how to develop "PR on a Shoestring" through a live teleconference
and Webcast.
Presenter Laura Macho, a funeral director at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home
in New York, New York, and public relations director and coordinator for 36
Service Corporation International firms in the Northeast, will provide an
extensive list of community-oriented events and activities that cemeteries
and funeral homes can conduct throughout the year, including suggestions for
both large- and small-scale projects.
Co-presenter Linda Budzinski, communications director for the ICFA, will
share tactics for gaining publicity from these activities through attracting
local media coverage, including specific instruction on writing press
releases, compiling press kits and developing media contacts.
Joining and participating in the conference is simple. The ICFA hosted more
than 30 participants during its first Web teleconference this summer. Those
attendees rated the ease of registration, the ease of participation and the
effectiveness of the technology each approximately an average of "9" on a
scale of 1 to 10.
ICFA members pay just $99 for the training ($159 for non-members), with no
travel costs. What's more, you can allow as many staff as you like to sit in
on the conference (using a speaker phone and a single computer) for no
additional fee!
Participants in this one-hour session will receive extensive handouts,
including samples that can be adapted to your locations.
For complete details and to register, visit www.icfa.org/shoestring.htm or
call 1-800-645-7700.
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
www.icfa.org
MORE
In a message dated 11/9/04 11:25:56 AM, kmonfre@nfda.org writes:
Media Contact: Fay Spano and Katie Monfre
800-228-6332
For Immediate Release
2004 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Recipients Honored
Brookfield, Wis.-Nearly 250 funeral homes from across the United States
were honored as 2004 Pursuit of Excellence award recipients during an
October 18th awards ceremony at the National Funeral Directors
Association (NFDA) Convention & Expo in Nashville, Tenn. The Pursuit of
Excellence program recognizes funeral homes for outstanding community
service, professional integrity and dynamic public relations programs.
"Pursuit of Excellence is NFDA's premier program for recognizing
excellence and high ethical standards within the funeral service
profession. It requires a great deal of hard work and devotion on the
part of the participating funeral homes and they are to be congratulated
for their efforts," said NFDA Chief Executive Officer Christine Pepper,
CAE.
The Pursuit of Excellence program has six levels of recognition:
Achievement, Continuing Achievement, Eagle, Golden Eagle, Emeritus, and
Crystal Eagle. Achieving recognition in the Pursuit of Excellence
program is a detailed process. A funeral home must meet strict quality
service criteria in nine categories of achievement. The categories
include: education, compassionate service, technical skills, community
and professional service, library or media resources, professional
development, in-house staff training, and public and community
relations.
To qualify for Eagle or Golden Eagle, funeral homes also must compile
an extensive scrapbook describing the funeral home's accomplishments
during a one-year period. Those scrapbooks were displayed at the NFDA
convention in the Pursuit of Excellence exhibit.
In honor of all recipients, NFDA declared Monday, October 18, 2004,
"Pursuit of Excellence Day" at the NFDA convention. The day included two
workshops where 2004 Pursuit of Excellence participants and future
participants exchanged ideas on how to attain higher levels of
excellence. A ceremony was also held where Pursuit of Excellence award
recipients were honored in front of their peers.
NFDA is the leading funeral service association, serving more than
21,400 individual members who represent 12,486 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
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.
INDUSTRY NEWS
The New 109th Congress: More of the Same Only More So
ICFA PAC Picks the Winners
Why We Must Lobby: A Cautionary Tale
ICFA NEWS
2004 KIP Awards: Entry Deadline Is December 6
ICFA Reserves Additional Room Block for Wide World of Sales
2004 - 2005 Buyer's Guide & Membership Directory Now Available
ICFA 2005 Convention & Exposition to Host 200+ Supplier Booths
ICFA Web Conference: Learn How to Generate 'PR on a Shoestring'
-------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
-------------------------
THE NEW 109th CONGRESS: MORE OF THE SAME ONLY MORE SO
The re-election of President George W. Bush to a second term and the
increased majority control by the Republican Party in both the Senate and the
House of Representatives will result in maintaining the status quo of the
past four years for the foreseeable future. That prospect provides both
challenges and opportunities when the 109th Congress convenes on January 6,
2005. Senior Democrats in both houses will again be denied the chairmanship
of committees and with it the power to establish agendas and to convene
public hearings concerning issues of their choosing.
As a practical matter, this means that neither house in Congress is likely to
pursue passage of the Dodd/Foley bill, a proposal that seeks the federal
regulation of funeral homes, cemeteries and related businesses. However, this
"back burner" treatment of the Dodd/Foley bill may continue only in the
absence of a "major event" involving the funeral services profession (see the
October "Washington Report" column in the ICFM magazine for details).
Therefore, in the event of a headline-grabbing development concerning funeral
service, the Dodd/Foley bill may then receive front burner status and enjoy
bipartisan appeal. It should also be noted that despite the Republican
victory in the 2004 elections last week, in a mere two years from now
one-third of the Senate and all of the House of Representatives will be up
for re-election. As a result, the majority party in either or both houses
could change during the second session of the 109th Congress.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFA PAC PICKS THE WINNERS
The 2004 elections marked the first time that the newly established ICFA
Political Action Committee made contributions to Congressional candidates and
key leaders. As reported in the last issue, a total of $23,000 in
contributions were made by the ICFA PAC in amounts of $1,000 each to 23
members of Congress in both houses and from both parties. Of those seeking
re-election, all ICFA-supported candidates were successful in their bids
except Tom Daschle (D-SD), the powerful minority leader of the Senate. It is
worth noting that the ICFA PAC Disbursement Subcommittee made decisions on
which Congressional members to support based on each member's key position on
Congressional committees or in the leadership of the House and Senate, rather
than on personal likes or dislikes.
Both Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) were up for
re-election this year and both won impressive victories. In Connecticut, Dodd
received 66 percent of the popular vote, easily winning a fifth term. Foley
won a sixth term in the House, having received 68 percent of the vote in his
Congressional district. Another ICFA-supported candidate, Sen. Charles
Grassley (R-IA), who chaired two days of public hearings on funeral industry
sales practices in April 2000, also won re-election with an astounding 70
percent of the popular vote. The increasing seniority that these three men
continue to gain means that they will be important players whenever funeral-
and cemetery-related issues are considered by Congress.
The ICFA PAC contributions initiated relationships with select members of
Congress to ensure that the voice of the ICFA membership will be heard and
that the association will receive a fair hearing as issues affecting our
members' businesses develop in the future.
---------------------------------------------------
WHY WE MUST LOBBY: A CAUTIONARY TALE
Explaining that funeral coach manufacturers did not complain enough, staff at
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that a rule
requiring all vehicle manufacturers to install standardized anchors to secure
child safety seats would have exempted funeral coaches if they had pressed
their objections more persistently. According to a story in the October 26
edition of The Washington Post, one hearse manufacturer raised the issue in
August 2000 and subsequently obtained a one-year exemption from NHTSA but not
until May 2003. In the meantime, the company, Accubuilt Inc., as well as
other funeral coach manufacturers, complied with the rule and produced
thousands of vehicles with the child safety seat anchors.
On October 15, NHTSA announced that funeral coaches were permanently exempted
and published a new definition of "funeral coach" to avoid confusion: "a
vehicle that contains only one row of occupant seats, is designed exclusively
for transporting a body and casket, and that is equipped with features to
secure a casket in place during the operation of the vehicle." Apparently,
NHTSA regulators expressed regret that manufacturers did not press the issue
as "many petitioners do because (our) intention was to grant the exemption."
Proving that even in government relations, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
---------------------------------------------------
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-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
2004 KIP AWARDS: ENTRY DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 6
Time is running out to enter the ICFA 2004 KIP Awards! The ICFA
Personalization Committee is accepting entries for the KIP (Keeping It
Personal) Awards until December 6. Entries must be postmarked by that date.
The KIP Awards recognize personalization of products and services by
ICFA-member cemeteries, funeral homes and suppliers. Awards will be presented
in six categories: Most Personalized Service, Special Event (Under $1,000),
Special Event (Over $1,000), Product that Personalizes, Innovative
Personalized Product (supplier category) and Magic Moments.
The grand prize winner will receive a free registration to the ICFA Annual
Convention & Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 30 - April 2, 2005. All
winners will be recognized at the Convention and in International Cemetery &
Funeral Management magazine.
Complete rules and entry forms can be found at www.icfa.org/kip.htm or by
calling 1-800-645- 7700. Also available on the Web site are profiles of the
2003 KIP Awards winners and "15 Lessons" from those winners.
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ICFA RESERVES ADDITIONAL ROOMS FOR WIDE WORLD OF SALES
Due to an exceptionally brisk early registration rate for the ICFA's Wide
World of Sales, January 13-14 in New Orleans, the ICFA has booked an extra 50
rooms at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, as well as a new block of 100
rooms at the Doubletree Hotel New Orleans, located just a couple of blocks
(or a short walk through Harrah's Casino) from the Hilton.
To reserve a room at the Hilton, call 1-800-445-8667. If you are unable to
reserve a room under the ICFA rate at the Hilton, you can ask the Hilton
reservation assistant to book a room for you at the Doubletree. (Both hotels
are part of the same family of properties.) Please be sure to identify
yourself as an ICFA conference attendee to receive the discounted room rates.
The Wide World of Sales will bring together hundreds of cemetery and funeral
service owners, managers, sales managers, counselors, insurance agents and
suppliers for two days of "how to" instruction on topics such as lead
generation, sales presentations, marketing to ethnic groups, Do Not Call
compliance, family service, recruiting, motivating staff, closing and more.
For complete details and to register, visit http://www.icfa.org/sales05.htm
or call 1-800-645-7700.
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2004 - 2005 BUYER'S GUIDE & MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY NOW AVAILABLE
The ICFA's 2004 - 2005 Membership Directory & Buyer's Guide was mailed in
October to the membership. This 280-page directory of cemeteries, funeral
homes, suppliers and related businesses and organizations offers the most
comprehensive index of individuals working in the profession.
Members are encouraged to check their listings for accuracy and return the
enclosed correction form if necessary. In addition, members can purchase
extra copies of this valuable resource for just $25. Non-members can purchase
the directory for $45. For more information or to order, call 1-800-645-7700.
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ICFA 2005 CONVENTION & EXPOSITION TO HOST 200+ SUPPLIER BOOTHS
"I want more choices." That phrase typifies today's consumer, and today's
most successful cemeteries and funeral homes are continuously searching out
new products and services to offer families.
The ICFA 2005 Convention & Exposition, March 30 - April 2 at the Las Vegas
Hilton, will include a supplier Expo of 204 booths where cemetery and funeral
home owners and managers can get a firsthand look at the newest products and
services available to help them in their quest to offer more choices and
better serve their customers. This year's event will include more than 10
hours devoted to exploring the exhibit hall, and, as always, free food and
beverage service will be offered throughout all Expo hours.
Suppliers: Please note that for the past two years, the ICFA has had a
sold-out show with a waiting list. Please make your reservations early to
ensure your booth space. Information and applications can be accessed at
http://www.icfa.org/prospectus05.htm or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
A complete Convention educational program and attendee registration materials
can be accessed at http://www.icfa.org/ac05.htm or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
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ICFA WEB CONFERENCE: LEARN HOW TO GENERATE 'PR ON A SHOESTRING'
"PR on a Shoestring," December 7 from 3-4 p.m. EST, will offer cemeteries and
funeral homes a how-to primer on generating goodwill and positive media
coverage in their communities.
Laura Macho, a funeral director at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home in New
York, New York, and public relations director and coordinator for 36 Service
Corporation International firms in the Northeast, will provide an extensive
list of community-oriented events and activities cemeteries and funeral homes
can conduct throughout the year, including suggestions for both large- and
small-scale projects.
Linda Budzinski, communications director for the ICFA, will share tactics for
gaining publicity from these activities through attracting local media
coverage, including specific instruction on writing press releases, compiling
press kits and developing media contacts.
Participants in this one-hour live Web conference will receive extensive
handouts, including samples that can be adapted to their locations. For
complete details and to register, visit www.icfa.org/shoestring.htm or call
1-800-645-7700.
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AND MORE . . .
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!
The Network, the ICFA's online e-mail listserv, allows members to pose
questions and discuss topics with colleagues from throughout the cemetery and
funeral service profession without having to leave their home or office.
Topics discussed to date have included vault selections, staff incentive
programs, marketing success stories, lot card archiving, backhoe purchases,
the Foley bill and more. To sign up, visit http://www.icfa.org/network
Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's benefit
program offering telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICFA via an
exclusive retainer agreement, at http://www.icfa.org/pepperman.htm .
ICFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions
regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments
and more. The ICFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with
Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, D.C., for telephone consultations for
up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member
benefit, call Schneider at (202) 393-7600.
The ICFA and The Transaction Group of Chicago, Illinois, currently offer
members a credit card processing program with a special low discount rate of
just 1.69 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 insurance program, administered by Driver Alliant, allows members to
purchase commercial property and casualty insurance -- including general
liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage,
umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee
benefits and more -- at rates they probably would not be able to afford on
their own. Information on applying for the program is available on the ICFA
Web site at http://www.icfainsurance.com/
The ICFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICFA resources and
training products online. Among the products currently for sale are several
new DVDs: "Recruiting for Preneed Sales," "Lead Generation Innovations:
Volumes I and II," and "Family Service & Aftercare: Volume I." In addition,
the store offers two new preneed sales training CDs by Gary O'Sullivan, CCE,
and "Saying Goodbye Your Way: Planning or Buying a Funeral or Cremation for
You or Someone You Love," a new book by John Llewellyn, CCE. To check out
these items and more, visit http://www.icfa.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
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Hi John
The more I think about it the greater my belief that the NFDA is correct in supporting our re-classification to professional.
I would have no problem being re-classified as a professional providing there was a professional minimum wage of at least 5 times the current prevailing blue collar minimum wage. Being an educated, licensed professional should certainly entitle me to a modest living. And since I'm often dealing with contagious diseases I would expect full health care coverage for both myself and my family. And this health care should continue after I retire. I have no problem with compensatory time in lieu of money, providing I get one and one-half hours off for every hour I work.
Profit Sharing, Retirement, severance and pension should also be included since I'm a professional. And I should get a commission on every funeral I bring in, every monument I sell and every "Package" I talk some family into buying. The company should pay for all continuing education courses and license renewal fees. And since I'm a professional and therefore entitled to a bonus I would expect one.
As a professional I also don't paint, change tires, change oil, mow lawns, vacuum, dust or perform any task usually performed by those who are non-professionals.
Further, any job my state allows non-licensed personal to do I should not be required to do. My professionalism should not be compromised with menial tasks.
Perhaps a professional labor union should be created. And to avoid any right to work state issues we'll call this union an association. Perhaps The Nation Funeral Directors Employees Association É and of course, the owners would pay our dues.
Yours truly,
Andrew Rosenthal
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Got any Hot News for us. Issues that involve funeral service, in your community, it in, Everything you see here was send in by someone just like you. If there is a newspaper article in your area, send the link and we can all learn from it, even if it is your opinion we all learn from one another. Any HOT NEWS OR SCUTTLEBUTT WILL BE POSTED IN THE READER'S WRITE BACK SECTION.
Send your story or issue to FSPA just click here --->Lowellma@aol.com
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Sorry, No posts in this issue.
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You are welcome, to write us with your comments, suggestions, complaints and especially stories about funeral service. Please remember only FSPA members will have information posted in the weekly update, it's easy click here ---> Mailto:Lowellma@aol.com Your participation is appreciated and essential.
You are welcome, to post your professional article here, you need to author your article and agree it will be posted with your full name. Please remember only FSPA members will have information posted in the weekly update, it's easy click here ---> Mailto:Lowellma@aol.com Your participation is appreciated and essential.
FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION does not share membership info with anyone, no one will be given your information with out your permission or a court order.
To Join the Funeral Service Professional Association you must derive some of your income from the funeral industry, students and retirees from the funeral profession are welcome as well, please e-mail the following information.
If you skip answering one of the seven questions, you are wasting your time, the standards are the same for everyone, FSPA is open to everyone in funeral service, we are all equals here no exceptions, FSPA will not tell anyone who you are unless you request your identity be disclosed, FSPA is only open to any type of Funeral Service Professional, or Funeral Service Affiliate such as: Funeral Association employees, Mortuary School Students, Funeral Service product providers and Funeral Service Media.
Accountants will tell you FSPA is a write off ! Please check with your accountant. If s/he approves Go get yourself a nice laptop and possibly write off your hardware as well as AOL or other Internet service charge as an expense, the more your participate in FSPA the more proof you have.
If you have a suggested question this please just send it along, none of FSPA 's mail will be possible with out your sending information into us,
To make life easier on me
First and foremost, Send your info or story in to FSPA.
2nd Please put on the top line your name and location, like "John from Massachusetts writes :"
3rd please address the subject line put:
This is just a hobby, if you send and don't address the subject line with FSPA, it usually delete it because it looks like junk mail, FSPA get over 50 pieces of mail a day, most gets deleted, THE SUBJECT LINE is the key so please, use the subject line properly. Put FSPA in the Subject line along with the flavor of your message.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE the posting(s) you send are some times resent to others be careful, if you are proud of what you said and want the world to know how you feel Put your name, location and e-mail address at the end.
However If you don't want the world to know your ideas and you want to remain anonymous, just put name withheld at the end. FSPA does not reveal who its members are nor does FSPA lend it's list of members to others. There is no need to identify yourself. If you are not proud of your response (like the air line lost a body on us) it is not recommended you identify yourself, since we can all learn from problems. We need your input! Your answers go all over the place, E-mail is so easy to forward. We are happy to learn from your problems and issues, there is no need to identify yourself if you don't want to, South Western United States if just fine.
If the article you want is from a commercial publisher YOU MUST get permission from the person or company who created the story.
Because e-mail can be altered electronically, the integrity of this communication cannot be guaranteed. Any of the items you read here, you are free to reuse, understand, the postings are just that, the items are for the most part cut and pasted from E-mail, others FAXed and of course from funeral publications and other media. What you see here is never checked, if you do decide to republish or quote any thing FSPA puts out, check it out, please do not name the individual who sent the article without their permission. If you see fit to use any information from FSPA please give us credit. Ages ago a state association news letter posted a quote using the senders name, she was not a happy camper nor was her company, please use caution in the future. We appreciate your understanding and we need your support.
Consider these steps for your life.
1. Work like you don't need the money.
2. Love like you've never been hurt.
3. Dance like you do when nobody's watching.
C YA
John
BOTTOM LINE: WE ALL WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSION AND THE DEATH CARE INDUSTRY THE CONSUMERS WE SERVE AND THE PROFESSIONALS WE WORK WITH. IF YOU SEE ANYTHING WRONG, IF SOMETHING HERE REALLY OFFENDS YOU, LET'S WORK TOGETHER. PLEASE NOTIFY FSPA IMMEDIATELY, YOU CAN E-MAIL TO lowellma@aol.com Or call FSPA in the United States Voice 978-458-6816 Fax 978-459-0115 or the old fashioned way through the mail at FSPA c/o 14 Highland Street Lowell, Massachusetts 01852-3399 USA
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