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In a message dated 5/31/02 11:30:46 AM, staff@ncfda.org writes:
NORTH CAROLINA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
919-876-7886 * 800-616-2332 * FAX: 919-876-5382
http://www.ncfda.org
E-LINE DATE: May 31, 2002
TEN DAYS AND COUNTING
We are now in the final days of planning for the 2002 NCFDA Convention.
Exhibits have been sold out and the hotel reports room reservations have
exceeded our projections. If you have not made your plans to join us at the
Grove Park Inn in Asheville, June 10 - 12, we urge you to do so. If you
wish to play golf and have not registered, please contact us ASAP.
For your advance registration fee of $50.00 ($55.00 at the convention) we
will offer the following:
Dress in Business CASUAL for ALL events
Review 35,000 square feet of the finest funeral service exhibits anywhere
Enjoy an evening of music, food and fellowship on Monday evening
Participate in the business affairs of your association
Hear expert speakers address critical issues in funeral service
Attend workshops and learn from the knowledge and experience of others
Receive five (5)hours of continuing education credit
Join some special supporters for a complimentary Customer Appreciation Lunch
Attend the Past Presidents Reception - Awards, Live Band, Food, Drinks, Fun
and Fellowship
Attend the sponsored breakfast on Wednesday
Plan to attend the NCFDA Memorial Service in honor of those among us who
have died
Listen to Todd Van Beck deliver a dynamic presentation, as only he can
Join old friends and make new ones.
Add it all up and we believe you will find value for your investment in
NCFDA!
A special thank you to our sponsors and contributors:
Access FinancialÐInterment Trust
Asheville Embalming & Removal Service
Aurora Casket Co., Inc.
Batesville Casket Company
Bill Black Cadillac
Capital City & Edgecombe Casket Companies
Carolina Mortuary Transportation Services
Cemetery Funeral Supply
Columbian Financial Group
Deaton-Kennedy Company
First Citizens Bank of NC
Forethought Group
Fortis Family Life Insurance Co.
Gupton-Jones College
Hairfield Vault Co.
Homesteaders Life Company
Imperial Vault Co.
Investors Heritage Life Ins. Co.
Lunsford-Wilson Co., Inc.
Mastercraft Casket Co. Inc.
Maynor Casket & Funeral Supply
Moody Funeral Homes of Mt. Airy & Dobson
NC Funeral Supply Salesman1s Association
Pierce Chemicals Royal Bond
Purple Cross Insurance Agency
Rita Barber, Inc.
Rockwell Casket Company
Roper Insurance Agency
SCI North Carolina Funeral Services
Southland Casket Company
Sumter Casket Co.
US Airways TLC
Wells Funeral Homes of Canton & Waynesville
Wilbert Manufacturers of NC
Winston-Salem Casket Co.
In a message dated 6/3/02 12:10:17 PM, Chris@theoutlookgroup.com writes:
Press Release For more
information contact
For Immediate Release Chris Kuhnen - (800)
331-6270
OUTLOOK GROUP MAKES GENEROUS DONATION TO FAMILIES OF FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Franklin, OH. - The Outlook Group, Inc. Advance Funeral Planning
Professionals (AFPP's) raised over $2,000.00 for the Families of Freedom
Scholarship Fund. On a voluntary basis from October 12, 2001 through April
30, 2002 Outlook AFPP's donated $0.50 from each funded funeral
prearrangement contract to the fund. Outlook Regional Development Directors
matched each $0.50 donation and The Outlook Group, Inc. corporate office
unified the cause by additionally donating $0.50 per contract. That totaled
$1.50 per funded contract.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole
teamed up to chair the scholarship fund campaign that provides educational
assistance for the children and spouses of those killed or permanently
disabled as a result of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The two
promised to help build the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund tm, which
was founded by the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (CSFA) and
the Lumina Foundation for Education. Organizers hope to raise the funds
needed to distribute at least $100 million to financially needy applicants
for use at all types of postsecondary education, including two and four year
collages, trade and vocational schools, and others. The Fund will continue
for as long as there is need from the families of the attack victims.
Charles W. Anderson, CEO and President, The Outlook Group, Inc., stated,
"Outlook employees were deeply affected by the events of September 11 and
were eager to show their support in a positive way". He added, "Donating
unselfishly to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund is an opportunity
for those of us in the advance funeral planning profession to come together
to help ensure a bright future for the many families of the victims of this
senseless tragedy!"
Individuals can donate or apply for scholarship funds on-line at
www.familiesoffreedom.org <http://www.familiesoffreedom.org> or by calling
toll free (800) 335-1102.
In a message dated 6/7/02 10:45:39 AM, kshay@nfda.org writes:
For Immediate Release:
June 7, 2002
Contact: Fay Spano
800-228-6332
NFDA Appoints Public Relations Coordinator
Brookfield, Wis. &endash; The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
has selected Katie Shay of Waukesha, Wis., for the position of Public
Relations Coordinator. This newly created position was developed to
enhance and increase the association's current proactive public
relations efforts.
"NFDA is experiencing an exciting period of expansion and development,"
explains NFDA Chief Executive Officer, Christine Pepper. "Adding Katie
to our communications department team enables us to further increase
public education about the value that a meaningful funeral or memorial
service can offer families after the loss of a loved one."
Shay comes to NFDA from QTI (a fully owned subsidiary of
Quad/Graphics). While there, she more than tripled the company's media
coverReceived: from GRPWISE-MTA byage, and broke into new media markets. She also took part in
promoting and staffing national and international trade shows,
contributed to three corporate newsletters, developed customer profiles,
and conducted speaker training for QTI managers and executives.
Prior to working for QTI, Shay was an Assistant Account Executive for
Mueller Communications, a public relations agency in Milwaukee, Wis.
There she worked with both non-profit and corporate clients on a variety
of assignments including public relations, crisis communications, and
government affairs.
Shay graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
"I look forward to being part of the NFDA team," said Shay. "NFDA has
some exciting times ahead of it, and I plan to do all I can to help
advance the organization's mission of enhancing service to members so
that families receive the highest quality service during one of their
greatest times of need."
NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in
Washington, D.C. It is the oldest and largest funeral service
association, serving about 13,500 members. To learn more about NFDA,
visit our Website at www.nfda.org
In a message dated 6/10/02 9:52:47 PM, SleepingJu writes:
Subject: WORTH READING!!!!!!!!
TIPS ON STAYING SAFE...FOR WOMEN
I learned from my children's karate classes that the elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, and it jolted me. It was given by an amazing man, Pat Malone, who has been a body guard for famous figures like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works for the FBI and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS hand-to-hand combat.
This man has seen it all, and knows a lot. He focused his teachings to us on HOW TO AVOID BEING THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME. He gave us some statistics about how much the occurrences of random violence have escalated over the recent years, and it's terrible. Something like 99% of us will be exposed to, or become a victim of a violent crime.
Here are some of the most important points that I got out of his presentation:
(1.) The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence are:
(a.) Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are & what's going on around you.
(b.) Body Language Keep your head up, swing your arms, stand straight up.
(c.) Wrong Place, Wrong Time DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night.
(2.) Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc).DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
(a.) A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
(b.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
(c.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
(And better paranoid than dead.)
(3.) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
4) If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!
(a.)The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!
(5.) As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed.
(a.) Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
(b.) Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, who came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards her with cops who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the back on the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and then he began cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the 2 older ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers were exit! ting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car, the man was getting out of the back seat into the front and the car sped away.
DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP.
I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.
I was going to send this to the ladies only; but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it on to them, as well. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it....better safe than sorry.
In a message dated 6/10/02 8:31:58 PM, Barry in Georgia writes:
Families Charge Fla. Funeral Home
DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) - Ten families are suing a Florida funeral home, alleging its former director mishandled corpses, took items from the dead bodies and left cremated remains of at least 100 people in his garage.
The allegations against Abbey Parklawn Home & Memory Gardens and its director, Scott M. Daley, have been forwarded to the state attorney's office. The Pinellas County Sheriff's office also is investigating.
No charges have been filed, and Daley has denied the allegations.
The state took over operation of Abbey Parklawn and in January appointed a new director until the business is sold.
The allegations, reported Sunday in the St. Petersburg Times, are the latest in a series of high-profile cases of misconduct involving the funeral home industry in the Southeast.
``When I looked at these depositions, every page was something outrageous. It was sick,'' Mark McGarry of the state attorney's office for Pinellas and Pasco counties told the newspaper.
``My belief is that ultimately the allegations made against Scott will be shown to be false,'' said Bjorn Brunvand, Daley's lawyer.
Abbey Parklawn was hired by Pinellas County to cremate and bury the county's poor and unclaimed dead bodies. Last year, the county canceled its $175,000-a-year contract after several bodies were buried in a single grave.
The newspaper reported that according to sworn statements from a former employee and past girlfriend of Daley's, the funeral director allegedly took jewelry, clothes and other belongings from bodies - and even wore business suits he had allegedly taken.
He also allegedly left the remains of at least 100 people in his garage, the sworn statements claim.
In a similar case in Noble, Ga., Tri-State Crematory operator Ray Brent Marsh, 29, faces 266 counts of theft by deception after 339 corpses were discovered on the crematory grounds earlier this year.
In a message dated 6/10/02 8:43:46 PM, George in Ohio writes:
From Six Feet Under
Michael C. Hall Buries Preconceptions
NEW YORK (AP) - On most TV dramas, David Fisher's homosexuality would be his defining trait. Not on ``Six Feet Under,'' where actor Michael C. Hall gets to take David far beyond any stereotype.
``He's gay and he's conflicted about his sexual orientation,'' Hall explains, ``but no more than about anything else in his life. He's a guy fueled by a sense of conflict'' - about his family, his profession, his faith, and, inevitably, about death.
``I think once a character is that fleshed out, then sexual orientation doesn't matter. The audience recognizes David as a human being.''
What Hall is saying is a nod to what ``Six Feet Under'' fans already know: Human beings are united by a common fate, even as that outcome is in mortal dispute. Just witness the Fisher family. As owner-managers of a Los Angeles funeral home, they assist at the cusp of the hereafter. But they struggle in the here and now.
On ``Six Feet Under'' (whose second-season finale airs on HBO Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT), the Fishers occupy a world where the abnormal and the commonplace co-exist uneasily.
That's certainly the case with David, whose conflicted nature went long unaddressed. He is dutiful, churchgoing, a regular guy, all the more so in comparison to his flighty older brother Nate (played by Peter Krause). And for years he despised it.
``It's usually the gay sibling who runs away and who has the more exciting life and who everybody secretly envies. But that's what Nate has done,'' Hall says, then adds with a laugh, ``David is the one who was bearing the Straight Man's Burden.''
The burden has been lightened since David came out late last season.
``This year has been fun,'' says Hall, ``because there's not such a filter between David and his sense of enthusiasm, and his sense of humor about life and himself.''
Hall, 31, won the role after graduating from New York University's drama school, then landing work on the stage (most recently as the flamboyant master of ceremonies in the Broadway revival of ``Cabaret''). But he had logged almost no on-camera experience.
``I knew they were taking a chance on me for `Six Feet Under,''' he says. ``I didn't have a reel or any tape. I hadn't done anything other than deliver room service on `All My Children.'''
He has delivered magnificently on ``Six Feet Under.'' With his hooded brow and square jaw, he brings leading-man looks to the role, as well as a robust blend of anger, heart and prigishness.
Granted, in real life Hall (who last weekend married Broadway actress Amy Spanger) is neither gay nor, he notes dryly, a funeral director.
``But I don't think closeted homosexual morticians have the market cornered on self-loathing or inner conflict,'' he declares. ``As an actor, you do whatever internal alchemy you have to do to generate those things in yourself. You can't play yourself all the time.''
It's a distinction lost on some audience members, Hall reports. Notably his fellow straight guys.
``Men will come up and say, `Hey, I love your show. Me AND MY GIRLFRIEND love your show.''' He laughs. ``I can't believe how many times that's happened. I tell them, `It's OK. I don't think you're hitting on me.'''
Despite his and David's differences, Hall found early on they have much in common.
In the series' premiere, David's father was killed when a bus smacked into the hearse he was driving. Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., Hall lost his father to cancer. He was just 11.
``It was really strange to do the pilot episode and be at `my father's' funeral,'' Hall muses, ``then remember my own cloudy memories of my own father's funeral.''
As part of his active afterlife, Fisher pere (played by Richard Jenkins) continues to make spectral interventions. When the family marked the first Christmas since his passing in a recent episode, he popped up in David's recollection of a final missed opportunity to tell him, ``I'm gay.''
``Sit down with your pop and tell me what you want for Christmas,'' David heard him say.
``I think David, more than anything, wanted to tell him the truth. But he couldn't,'' Hall explains.
This hit close to home, too.
``Even though in David's case there was some sort of unwillingness to open up, and in my case I was just a kid, a lot of the same regrets accompany the deaths of these two fathers,'' Hall says. ``There's a lot that was never communicated.''
It's a unifying theme of ``Six Feet Under'' - the need to communicate before it's too late - and something any viewer can identify with.
``David's has been the clearest example,'' Hall says, ``but I think all the characters have their coming out to do.''
On the Net:
www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder
We should all check our preferences carefully.
In a message dated 6/10/02 8:44:37 PM, John Utah writes:
I received an e-mail from a friend I thought you would want to know about considering SPAM : Anyone with a MSN passport for Hotmail should go back and check their info. Seems Microsoft added a couple of little blocks that they didn't tell us about---and they checked them. These boxes say "Share my e-mail Address" and the other one gives permission to pass out our personal info i.e. gender, occupation, etc. Go to Hotmail and look to the right of
the address book. I know I had a nasty surprise, some of you may be upset too!
To the right of the address book is "Options". Click and then somewhere you should see Personal Profile. Click and scroll down. Somewhere you should see
something that says "share my e-mail address" and "share my registration information" are something similar. If those boxes are checked you need to uncheck them. Hope this helps you.
In a message dated 6/11/02 3:43:18 PM, info@ejgrey.com writes: Hi John, Thanks for the news letter, I look each Week at it's great. I'm on vacation from 20th August to 1st September, anyone like to visit Ireland for that time, accomadation and car provided, no expense except travel. Thanks again John.
Grey's Funeral Home www.ejgrey.com
Templemore, Co. Tipperary,
Ireland.
In a message dated 6/11/02 4:19:28 PM, Joe.Weigel@batesville.com writes: John, thank you for the opportunity to provide additional information on our sales and delivery policy. As you requested, it is attached.
Memorandum
To: Batesville Casket Customers
From: Mike DiBease Vice President of Sales
CC: Batesville Sales Professionals
Batesville Service Organization
Funeral Directors Assistance Center
Subject: Batesville Sales and Delivery Policy reminder
Date: June 1, 2002
The increasing growth of third party casket sales, especially on the Internet, continues to be a challenge that faces all of us in funeral service. In order to ensure there is no confusion regarding our long-standing policy on the sale and delivery of our caskets, it is beneficial to periodically communicate this policy:
It is and has been the policy of Batesville Casket Company to sell our caskets only to licensed funeral professionals operating licensed funeral firms. Additionally, Batesville will deliver caskets only to licensed funeral professionals operating licensed funeral firms that order the caskets.
Occasionally, a customer requests that we deliver a casket to another funeral home that is not a branch of their firm. In these situations, we will deliver the casket only when the casket is ordered by the receiving funeral home. The purpose of this provision is to ensure we do not inadvertently accept an order from a third party seller for subsequent delivery to a funeral home, thereby becoming their delivery service.
When a CSC location or FDAC receives a call that requests delivery of a casket to a funeral home that is not the firm placing the call (or a branch of it), the Batesville representative will inform the calling funeral home that they cannot accept the order. When necessary, the Batesville representative will remind the customer that it is their (the calling funeral home's) responsibility to contact the receiving funeral home to request the receiving funeral home place the order for the casket. The funeral home which is to receive the casket will then call Batesville, place the order and instruct Batesville to bill the original, calling funeral home.
Batesville is under no obligation to contact the receiving funeral home to request that the receiving funeral home order the casket. In fact, Batesville will not recognize an order in our system until all requirements of our sales and delivery policy are met. It is the ultimate decision of the receiving funeral home whether or not they will order a casket that is being billed to someone else.
This procedure is the way we have chosen to operate and reflects the relationship between Batesville and our valued funeral home customers. We will continue to adhere to this policy that supports the backbone of our business philosophy and has served us well over the years. All sales representatives, CSC personnel and the FDAC operators are expected to comply with this policy.
MORE
John, we stand behind this policy of selling and delivering products only to licensed funeral directors who operate licensed funeral homes. Batesville explores every possible means of ensuring that our products are available through (and our promotional materials are used by) licensed funeral homes.
As you know, direct-to-consumer Internet web sites typically obtain our caskets through funeral professionals who break with tradition and resell them to these web sites. Additionally, the owners of these sites obtain our product information and lithographs without authorization and post them on their web sites. Once we are apprised of these improprieties, our legal department is informed and they use appropriate means to bring about compliance.
Batesville continues to believe that families are best served when caskets are selected from a funeral director, whether that is in a preneed or at-need situation. While the funeral home is required by the FTC Funeral Rule to accept the casket from a source outside the funeral home, it is our understanding that the funeral home is not required to place a call to the casket manufacturer to order that casket for delivery to the firm. And, as our policy states, we will not deliver the caskets until we receive the call from the receiving funeral ordering the casket.
As always, customers are encouraged to contact their Batesville representatives with questions.
*************************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS - June 11, 2002 Edition Vol. 3 No. 15
*************************************************************************
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: mailto:wireless@icfa.org .
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
ICFA Testifies at FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule Hearings
Congressman Proposes Private Sector/VA Pilot Program for National Cemeteries
ICFA NEWS
Deadline for ICFA University Registration: June 14
June Preneed Product of the Month: Wirthlin Report III
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
ICFA TESTIFIES AT FTC TELEMARKETING SALES RULE HEARINGS
ICFA Vice President of Industry Relations Paul Elvig represented the
association at last week's public hearings held by the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) concerning the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The three-day
hearings originally were to be held at FTC headquarters on Constitution
Avenue in Washington, D.C. However, the location was changed to the Grand
Ballroom at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in anticipation of large crowds.
The most controversial aspect of the hearings is the national Do-Not-Call
registry that the FTC has proposed to enact whereby consumers could prohibit
all telemarketers from contacting them.
Phone calls placed by cemetery and funeral home preneed sellers have been
exempt from the TSR since its enactment in 1995 because no sale is made over
the phone and the call is followed by a face-to-face meeting. However, the
FTC has proposed several conditions to maintaining the "face-to-face"
exemption, including the requirement that such callers must not phone any
numbers appearing on the proposed national Do-Not-Call registry.
At the hearing, the ICFA testified that only two telemarketing complaints
involving cemeteries were filed with the FTC over a four-year period, 1997 to
2001. The association also testified that since funeral home and cemetery
preneed calls are community-based, requiring these businesses to comply with
a national Do-Not-Call registry would be unduly burdensome and not justified
by the record of evidence.
The Funeral Consumer Alliance, represented by Lisa Carlson, also testified at
the FTC hearings, claiming that cemeteries and funeral home preneed calls
should be excluded from the "face-to-face" exemption in the TSR. Carlson
offered only anecdotal material to support her organization's position. The
National Funeral Directors Association filed comments with the FTC earlier
this year agreeing with the Carlson position to exclude preneed callers from
the exemption, but the NFDA did not testify at the hearings.
An article on the FTC hearings can be found on The Washington Times Web site
at http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020610-90234924.htm .
---------------------------------------------------
CONGRESSMAN PROPOSES PRIVATE SECTOR/VA PILOT PROGRAM FOR NATIONAL CEMETERIES
Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA) has introduced H.R. 4806, the "Honorable Burial
for Veterans Act," which would establish an innovative partnership between
the government and the private sector in providing burials for veterans.
Faced with a shortage of national cemetery burial space in the San Diego,
California area, the bill initiates a pilot program on two parcels of land
donated by Service Corporation International from Glen Abbey Memorial Park
and Mortuary in Bonita, California, and Eternal Hills Memorial Park in
Oceanside, California.
According to Filner, the acreage would be donated to a charitable
organization known as the Veterans Memorial Center and Museum in San Diego,
which in turn would convey the land to the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs. Describing the program as an "interim solution" to the lack of
another national cemetery in the area, Filner thanked a number of individuals
for their help, including ICFA Past President Richard T. Sells, CCE.
The death rate for the World War II veteran population is expected to peak
during the next few years, after which the demand for grave spaces in most
national cemeteries is expected to decline.
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
DEADLINE FOR ICFA UNIVERSITY: JUNE 14
The registration deadline for ICFA University, July 19-24 at the University
of Memphis, is Friday, June 14. If you have not already registered to attend,
please send in your application this week.
ICFAU offers a five-day program presented by top industry educators and
college business department faculty. Challenging coursework, small classroom
sizes and extra-curricular networking opportunities make this annual school
the preeminent educational experience in the industry.
For complete schedules, course descriptions, prices and registration
information, visit http://www.icfa.org/ICFAU02.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
JUNE PRENEED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: WIRTHLIN REPORT III
For the month of June, the ICFA is offering a substantial discount on The
Wirthlin Report III. The Wirthlin Report is an ongoing study of consumer
attitudes toward death and death care services. Working on behalf of industry
members, the Wirthlin Group has produced a significant analysis of the
consumer market and evolving attitudes toward cemeteries, funeral service and
memorialization.
Released in 2000, The Wirthlin Report III will help you develop effective
communications programs to promote ritualization and memorialization within
your community.
This is the ICFA's lowest price ever on this item, so don't miss out. Regular
price: $25; June price: $15! For additional information, visit
http://www.icfa.org/june.htm . To order, call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
AND MORE É
The ICFA Small Cemetery and Funeral Management Conference, August 22-24 in
Greeley, Colorado, will feature a keynote address by well-known grief
educator Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., as well as educational sessions on topics such
as preneed sales, obtaining revenue from outside sources, the September 11
disaster recovery effort and more. Additional highlights include a tour of
Linn Grove Cemetery, equipment demonstrations and a table-top trade show. For
a complete program and registration forms, visit
http://www.icfa.org/small02.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
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 is the fourth most visited page on
the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why.
The ICFA has spearheaded the Music License Coalition to obtain discounted
music licensing for industry members. The goal of the Coalition is to offer a
discount price of $185 annually for licensing from BMI, ASCAP and SESAC
beginning January 1, 2003. Membership in the Coalition is free and is not
tied to membership in any other industry organization. For more information
or to join the Coalition, visit http://www.icfa.org/music/ or call
1-800-645-7700.
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 .
The ICFA uses a national media placement agency to distribute an ongoing
series of newspaper articles and radio announcements with positive preneed
and memorialization messages. Placements to date have been highly successful,
reaching hundreds of markets throughout the country. For more information and
to view copies of the actual releases, visit http://www.icfa.org/media.htm.
ICFA members can establish their own Web sites for just $14.95 per month,
with no up-front fees. FuneralAssistant.com provides complete Web site
design, up to six pages; monthly site hosting; assignment of a Keyword that
directs Internet customers to the site; and Web site updates. For more
information, visit http://www.icfa.org/WebBenefit.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 2002 International Cemetery and Funeral Association
Date: Monday, June 3, 2002 2:51:05 PM
Hi John, I was wondering if you could place the following in next weeks update.
Thanks,
TJ - Melrose, Massachusetts
*****
I am looking to purchase a used first call/removal vehicle-Chevrolet Caprice or Buick Roadmaster station wagon, or Dodge Caravan etc...(preferably with in the New England area) Please feel free to email me at MACTJ2@aol.com
Thank you
In a message dated 6/4/02 4:17:03 PM Skip in California writes:
Greetings:
Following is an article I wrote for CFDA's publication after the March 5, 2002 DCA public meeting. It was not published in the last bulletin, and because I believe it to be an important subject, I am passing it on for those who might find it interesting. It is an unedited version of the final.
Also, I received a phone call today from a funeral director in SoCal who is having difficulties with a license transfer. I have been very successful effecting transfer when there is "confusion" by DCA staff. If you have problems, I may be able to help!!
Anyway, here is the article:
Public Meetings and Your Responsibility
By Skip Jones
On March 5, 2002, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Funeral and Cemetery
Bureau, held a public meeting in Sacramento. Those who follow these events
know that this was a first since the demise of the Board of Funeral
Directors and Embalmers, circa 1995.
As a former employee of the Board, I have attended close to one (100)
hundred meetings spanning a decade and a half. In a much different role
today, I am struck by a pattern, which to me, is unexplainable: poor
attendance by the industry. I have never understood the apathy and I never
will. The meeting was about thirty (30) minutes late getting
started. This gave me a wonderful opportunity to visit with old
friends. The primary reason they have become my friends is the
associations we have created over years and years of Funeral Board
meetings. There are very few times that I can recall a meeting without
Steve Schact, George Prather Jim Draper, Buck Kamphausen or Patrick Brown
in attendance. I also had a chance to visit with my dear friend Nick Jones
and his son Hamilton who traveled from the Hemet area to attend. They
comprise a small community of active industry participants.
When the meeting finally commenced, the room was about 10% to 15%
occupied. There were a few representatives from the industry, including a
delegation from the California Funeral Directors Association, and, of
course, the non profit consumer funeral associations, from locations
throughout the state. The consumer groups were represented by their
spokesperson, Karen Leonard. They were conspicuous in the front center rows.
Ms. Leonard testified that there were continuing preneed trust violations
by California Funeral Directors, that the Department of Consumer Affairs
was remiss in their investigations, etc. She chided G.V. Ayers for not
noticing consumer groups of the time and place of the meeting; all the time
encouraged by her cheering section. There was no evidence presented by her
to support the allegations, just hearsay. There were occasional rebuttals,
however, they just fueled the fire. Ms. Leonard is a very good advocate;
she did her job well.
The Department of Consumer Affairs licenses over seven (700) hundred
funeral homes in California, and thousands of embalmers. There are now
licenses for funeral directors and crematory operators. Why on earth do
delegations from non profit consumer groups outnumber representatives from
the industry? A small percentage of the total industry population would
fill the room. Employers should encourage their employees to attend. The
schools should schedule the day as a field trip. Cemeteries should send a
delegation representing a cross section of employees. Special members of
CFDA should attend. Wake up! There were items discussed at this meeting
that were shocking, including an unbelievable policy statement that
educators should have no part in the embalmer's examination process. The
industry needs to become part of the process. The association may
represent you ostensibly, but the message is clear to the regulators; the
industry just does not care enough to take an active part when given the
opportunity.
According to G.V. Ayers, there will be several meetings a year. I was sent
an announcement in advance of this meeting, and informed everyone on my
mailing list. Mr. Ayers said that announcements will be posted on DCA's
homepage, www.dca.ca.gov. I would be happy to e-mail anyone wishing a
'heads up' of future meetings or a recap of the discussions and items
presented. If you would like to be added, simply e-mail me at
skip@mail.cwo.com.
I spent fifteen (15) years on the other side of the table; if the industry,
through attendance and presence at these meetings, takes an interest in the
Funeral and Cemetery Bureau's policy formulation, they will listen. Now is
the time to become proactive and let your voices be heard.
Copyright 2002, Skip Jones
Permission to print in the CFDA Newslines granted.
Skip Jones is a Special Member of CFDA
His homepage is www.cwo.com/~skip
PS: As of yesterday, DCA has no information regarding a follow-up meeting.
For those who did attend, GV Ayers stated there would be several meetings a year.
In a message dated 6/5/02 9:12:49 AM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Annual Rhode Island Funeral Director's Clambake/Outing
Thursday, July 11, 2002
Kempenaar's Clambake Club, 323 Valley Rd. Middletown RI
$55.00 Per Person
Call (401) 885-3760 or email RIFDA1@aol.com
Make Reservations by July 1st.
Chowda and clambakes 12:30 - 2:30
Littlenecks @ 2:30
"Authentic " New England Clambake @ 5:00 pm Sharp
Steamers, Mussels w/ drawn butter & broth, 1 1/4 New England Lobster, BBQ Chicken (family Style), BBQ Drumstick, sausage, fresh fish, potato, corn on the cob, coleslaw, brown bread, and seasonal fruit platter, coffee, lemonade, cash bar, and open soda bar
In a message dated 6/5/02 12:13:59 PM, CHeaton@ogr.org writes:
NewsRelease
International Order of the Golden Rule Contact: Janet J. Protzel,
Director of Communications
13523 Lakefront Drive (800) 637-8030 · Fax: (314)
209-1289 · jprotzel@ogr.org
Bridgeton (St. Louis), MO 63045
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OGR LAUNCHES PUBLIC EDUCATION & AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Ads Promote the Benefits of Conducting Funeral/Memorial Services and
the Professionalism of the Funeral Director
ST. LOUIS-June 3, 2002-In response to member feedback, statistical data and
public concern, the International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) recently
launched a new, innovative advertising campaign, titled Public Education &
Awareness Campaign (PEAC). The ad campaign, available only to OGR members,
addresses four key concerns that have been plaguing the funeral service
profession for years: 1) the dwindling number of funeral or memorial
services; 2) the negative image of the funeral professional; 3) the
distinction between local family owned Golden Rule firms and those owned by
national chains; and 4) the negative press related to the Tri-State
Crematory disaster.
Another outcome of the PEAC is that, by promoting a positive image of the
funeral professional, the ads will stimulate an interest in funeral service,
thereby helping to alleviate the difficulty in filling needed positions with
qualified professionals and halt the declining number of bright young people
entering the field.
OGR's new PEAC series consists of four combination print and radio ad
packages:
· Series 1: Funeral or Memorial Service Series - explains the value
and benefits of holding a funeral or memorial service.
· Series 2: Professional Funeral Director Series - enhances the
professional image of the funeral director, thereby elevating the funeral
professional's status in the community.
· Series 3: Corporate "Advertorial" Series - clarifies the difference
between the national chains and locally owned Golden Rule firms.
· Series 4: Tri-State Response Series - assures the community that
Golden Rule firms handle cremation with care, dignity and oversight.
"Regardless of a member's location or size, we know there are problems
common to all funeral homes and funeral professionals," says Michael G.
Butler, OGR president. "Other problems may be particular to a specific
market or are tied to current media attention. We wanted to be proactive for
our members, to give them the right ammunition they need to tell their
stories to the public. This campaign does it in a strikingly effective
manner."
To help support the campaign and heighten awareness of Golden Rule firms'
identity, OGR developed a Member Rebate Program, which provides a financial
incentive to members for their use of these ads during 2002. For questions
about the PEAC, call Janet J. Protzel, OGR director of communications, (800)
637-8030, or email jprotzel@ogr.org. OGR is one of the world's largest
professional associations of independent funeral homes whose members are
dedicated to offering reliability, fair pricing, and dignified, caring
service to families. "Service measured not by gold, but by the Golden Rule"
has been the credo of the association since its founding in 1928.
In a message dated 6/5/02 12:15:11 PM, CHeaton@ogr.org writes:
<< NewsRelease
International Order of the Golden Rule Contact: Janet J. Protzel,
Director of Communications
13523 Lakefront Drive (800) 637-8030 · Fax: (314)
209-1289 · jprotzel@ogr.org
Bridgeton (St. Louis), MO 63045
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
"ROADMAP TO ENRICHMENT" PROGRAM SERIES TAKES MEMBERS
ON EDUCATIONAL EXPEDITION
First Onsite Seminar of Season to be Held in Alaska
ST. LOUIS-June 3, 2002-The International Order of the Golden Rule
(OGR) will hold its first onsite seminar of the year Aug. 15-17, 2002, at
the beautiful, chateau-style Alyeska Prince Hotel, on the grounds of the
Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska. "North to the Future" ends just before
OGR's Special Purpose Symposium "Expedition North Star" cruise and land trip
embarks from Steward, Alaska.
The first of three seminars planned in conjunction with OGR's 2002 "Roadmap
to Enrichment" education series, "North to the Future" will emphasize the
tools needed to expand funeral service planning capabilities; discuss the
economic and legal aspects of running a funeral home business; and address
how to determine the direction of an uncertain economy and its likely effect
on your business. Registrants will be eligible to earn up to 9.5 CEUs in
states where approved.
The program is appropriate for funeral home owners, managers and employees
who have contact with families, including funeral directors, pre-need
counselors and administrative staff.
"We are very excited about being able to offer members such an excellent
program at such a beautiful locale," says OGR president, Michael G. Butler.
"The resort's spectacular setting and Alaska's natural beauty combine to
provide an exceptional atmosphere for forging new friendships, building
strong professional relationships and opening the imagination to exciting
possibilities."
Seminar topics/presenters include:
· Understanding, and using, economic forecasts, presented by Delos R.
Smith, senior business analyst, The Conference Board
· Advancing your arrangements conference, presented by Curtis D.
Rostad, CFSP, consultant, Management Associates
· Personalizing eulogies, presented by innovator R. Raymond Rossell,
CFSP, funeral director at Pray Funeral Home
· Determining your business needs and insurance risks, presented by
Ray Perone, Vice President, Meaney Insurance Services
· Idea Exchange (OGR members only), moderated by OGR President Michael
G. Butler
· "Hot Topics Round Robin" (members only)
(more)
Educational Expedition - add one
June 3, 2002
Following is a list of the educational programs being offered
throughout 2002. To register, call the OGR education department, (800)
637-8030, or register online at www.ogr.org/education/atreg.cfm. For
reservations at the Alyeska Prince Hotel, call (907) 754-1111 or (800)
775-6656. OGR's room block cut-off is June 14, 2002. For more information,
contact Mark Allen, OGR director of education, (800) 637-8030; email
mallen@ogr.org.
OGR's 2002 "Roadmap to Enrichment" Educational Program Series
Onsite Seminars
"North to the Future"
August 15-17, 2002
Alyeska Prince Hotel, Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, Alaska
Innovative ideas to keep pace with the changes in funeral service;
Personalizing services, guarding against liabilities. [Note: Special Purpose
Symposium "Expedition North Star" cruise and land trip embarks immediately
following the seminar.]
"The Road to Hope"
October 6-8, 2002
Providence Biltmore, Providence, Rhode Island
Programs to boost funeral professionals' enthusiasm for their profession:
preventing career burnout, stress relief; disaster preparation; eliminating
bad debts; educating people about your funeral home.
"Go West to the Golden State"
November 10-12, 2002
Sheraton San Diego & Marina, San Diego, California
Tips for forward-thinking funeral professionals: educating people about
funerals and about your funeral home; returning bodies from international
locations; customer service ideas.
Live Distance Audio Seminars (presented via telephone)
"Navigating Your Way through a Community Disaster"
June 13, 2002, Presenter: Brad Taghert, DMORT Commander
Learn how your funeral home staff can prepare contingency plans in the event
of a community disaster. Taghert also will give an overview of the purpose,
scope and volunteer opportunities with DMORT.
"Steering Your Funeral Home Away from OSHA Citations"
August 8, 2002, Presenter: Gary Finch, Compliance Plus
Learn no-nonsense tips for getting-and keeping-your funeral home ready for
an OSHA inspection.
"Charting a Course When Involving Children in Funerals"
October 10, 2002, Presenter: Karen E. Nilsen, R.N., The STAR Class
Find out how funeral directors can help children have a productive
experience with the funeral process and retain positive attitudes about
memorialization.
"Mapping Your Merchandising"
December 12, 2002, Presenter: Jan Bell, Batesville Casket Company
Learn about merchandising philosophies to enhance selection room comfort and
appeal.
Technical Workshops
"Organ Donations and Body Reconstruction"
October 19, 2002
Boston, Massachusetts (facility to be announced)
The first half of this body-present program will present techniques for
removing organs, tissue and bone. The second half will demonstrate
techniques to restore the body's appearance.
In a message dated 6/5/02 12:16:12 PM, CHeaton@ogr.org writes:
NewsRelease
International Order of the Golden Rule Contact: Janet J. Protzel,
Director of Communications
13523 Lakefront Drive (800) 637-8030 · Fax: (314)
209-1289 · jprotzel@ogr.org
Bridgeton (St. Louis), MO 63045
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FAMILIES RATE GOLDEN RULE FIRMS "EXCELLENT"
"Basic Services" Rank Highest Element of Family Contact Program
ST. LOUIS-June 3, 2002-Members of the International Order of the
Golden Rule (OGR) had another remarkable year, according to the 2001 Family
Contact Annual Report. Family Contact is a follow-up program designed to
elicit immediate and honest feedback from families that have recently
utilized the services of participating members. The Annual Report is a
statistical summary that shows the total number of Standard Input Forms
submitted during the year and the total number of Response Forms received
from families. It also shows the breakdown of the respondents' rate of
satisfaction with the firm. Members also receive a comparison report that
illustrates the statistics of all OGR firms in the Family Contact Program.
This enables participating members to compare their performance with that of
the general membership.
"OGR wholeheartedly supports this worthwhile, complimentary member
benefit," notes Anita L. Bauer, OGR director of member services. "Family
Contact provides an enormous amount of objective data members would
otherwise not have access to."
Reporting 71,000 families served during 2001, the 571 OGR member
firms participating in the Family Contact Program generated a 98 percent
satisfaction rate from the responders. Reflecting this outstanding
accomplishment was the fact that 97 percent of the respondents said they
would be happy to recommend the firms in the future. In addition, the vast
majority of the families even took the time to explain why they felt so
strongly about their experience.
"People don't always tell us their complaints," says Janice
Stradling of Stradling Funeral Home in Ephrata, Pa., which has participated
in Family Contact throughout the program's existence. "We can use this
[Family Contact] to solve those issues if they should arise."
Each report is divided into six classifications: burial, shipout,
body donations, cremation, other and extemporary comments. Each
classification is then subdivided by Service and Merchandise categories. The
Service category consists of: basic services, embalming, other preparation,
facilities for viewing, facilities for ceremony, facilities for memorial,
ceremony at other location, graveside services, transfer of remains, hearse,
limousine, other automobiles, forwarding of remains, receiving of remains,
pre-need and other. The Merchandise category consists of: casket sale,
casket rental, vault, liner, urn sale. flowers, marker, acknowledgement
cards, clothing and other.
(more)
Family Contact
Add one
June 3, 2002
Answers given in the survey range from the quality of service to the
high caliber of the facilities. But above all, it was the compassion and
care shown to families that was most highly valued by families. Among the
best examples of this can be found in the winners of OGR's Exemplary Service
Awards, which draw on Response Forms sent by families. From 28 firms
nominated for the 2001 honors, OGR's Regional Chairs voted for three firms
as exceptional models deserving of these prestigious awards. These firms,
which were recognized in March at the OGR Annual Conference in San Antonio,
were: Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle, N.C. (Gold Award winner);
Vander-Plaat Funeral Home of Wyckoff, Wyckoff, N.J. (Silver Award winner);
and Olthof Funeral Home, Elmira, N.Y. (Bronze Award winner).
Headquartered in St. Louis, OGR is one of the world's
largest professional associations of independent funeral homes whose members
are dedicated to offering reliability, fair pricing, and dignified, caring
service to families. "Service measured not by gold, but by the Golden Rule"
has been the credo of the association since its founding in 1928.
For information on Family Contact, contact Anita Bauer, OGR director
of member services, (800) 637-8030; email abauer@ogr.org. For other
information, contact Janet J. Protzel, OGR director of communications; email
jprotzel@ogr.org.
In a message dated 6/5/02 3:53:05 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Business of compassion
Business of compassion Sunday, June 2, 2002By LORI STABILE Ronald E. Harrell, owner of Harrell Funeral Home, recently attended the National Funeral Directors Association 2002 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. Harrell, whose term as president of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association just ended, said funeral service professionals met to discuss issues facing the industry and how to attract quality people into the business. The directors agreed that they need to become more vocal about their needs and lobby their legislators. Harrell followed in the footsteps of his father, James Harrell Jr., and took over the business after his father's death. He speaks at local schools about his profession, where questions range from "Are the bodies cold?" to "How much do limousines cost?" One of the most pressing issues facing independent funeral homes is the struggle for survival. Large companies, such Service Corporation International, Carriage Services International, Loewen Group and Stuart, have bought out many independents. According to Harrell, the four corporate giants own approximately 7,000 of the nation's funeral homes, and often retain the name of the home they took over. About a half dozen local homes have been bought out by these large companies. He even was approached with an offer, but declined. "When you sell the rules change. You're no longer in charge . . . and ultimately, after a certain transition period, I think the corporates are going to want to put their own people in. If you become one of their people that's great, but if not, they're ready."
Q. What made you want to follow in your father's footsteps?
A. Knowing how much he had sacrificed . . . I wanted to keep it going. It's a very difficult business to start. Most of his career he had to have a second job &emdash; carpentry, electrical work, construction. He also worked nights at the post office . . . for money to put into the business.
Q. Why did your father want to get involved in the funeral home business?
A. (chuckles) I've wondered that myself. He did have an experience when he was young in the 1930s that, as I recall the story, he applied for a job that hadn't been specific as to what the job would entail. Around 2 or 3 in the morning, he got the call (from the funeral home). My grandmother made him get up and go. It turns out what he really wanted to do was sweep the sidewalk and wash the cars . . . handling a body on your first day at work (wasn't what he expected). But after he got over that, he decided it was something he wanted to pursue.
Q. How many people work here?
A. Two full-time. A half dozen people as needed.
Q. How long has Harrell Funeral Home been in business?
A. Since 1961.
Q. How many members are in the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association?
A. Approximately 575 members. Roughly 90 percent of the funeral homes in the state are members. The Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association represents funeral directors, and that is a continuing issue of conten- &emdash; tion amongst some &emdash; both our regular members and the leaders of the organization. It seems like it comes up every year. We feel we need to be a voice for funeral service, regardless of what the ownership structure is. We are the primary avenue for dealing with legislation and regulation, and issues with other agencies, such as the Medical Examiner's Office or the Department of Vital Statistics that handles death registrations, or the Massachusetts Cemetery Association.
Q. So have you noticed that a lot of the independent funeral homes are getting swallowed up?
A. I think it's been more in the Boston area, but there certainly has been an impact here. The forward-looking funeral directors realize it is going to be a bigger issue sooner or later, whether it's through anything that the corporate funeral home chains do or whether it's just by natural selection as some of us reach retirement and don't have anyone to pass it along to. We encourage funeral homes as a business to have a succession plan. A lot of times funeral directors are too busy trying to serve family after family after family that they don't have time to sit down and think about that until it's too late. Then they become just another statistic.
Q. Is this a very competitive business?
A. Yes, extremely competitive. I think that in general &emdash; at least here &emdash; relations are amicable between independents and corporates. There have been some hiccups. I think that a lot of the independents feel threatened by the eventual thought of a takeover, whether it's friendly or unfriendly.
Q. Are the funeral homes run by large corporations cheaper than the independents?
A. That hasn't generally been the case here. But it certainly is true in other cities. But there hasn't been a lot of the price competition brought in by chains.
Q. What do you think about the show "Six Feet Under" &emdash; is that an accurate depiction of the industry?
A. No it's not. I think we have to separate in that show funeral service and the dysfunctional people placed there to generate viewership. I see maybe one out of maybe every four or five (episodes). I think the focus of the show has been less on the funeral home and more on these really strange people. If we can remove them from the mix, I think the show has done wonderful things for letting the public have a peek at what happens behind the door of a funeral home that certainly we're not going to talk about, in part because a big part of what we do is confidential. We can't talk about the cases. The show does. But I have more people coming up to me and saying, 'Boy you guys have it real tough, we didn't know all these things happen and you have to deal with it and make it better.' In that respect we are very pleased with the show.
Q. Are more people getting involved in the business?
A. Not enough, that's something that's a big concern &emdash; not just getting more people but getting more quality people. We're finding that the schools aren't having as many people enroll. I think a lot of it has to do with the lifestyle. It's a very grueling day, long hours &emdash; especially at midsize funeral homes. You're working practically 24/7. In our case, I'm the only funeral director so I have nobody to cover me at the end of the day. Basically I'm on call seven days a week.
Q. Is it a depressing career, having to deal with death all the time?
A. It certainly can be &emdash; but you can get used to that. It's more trying to deal with what the survivor is going through, the accidents, kids, fires, cancer . . . trying to be attached to emotions of survivors, but stay detached. It's a very delicate balance, and it takes people who can be compassionate. Folks who are strictly business need not apply. But then again, if you're strictly compassion you won't continue to exist.
Q. Did you always know you would be in this business?
A. No, I didn't always know. That's why I went to school for engineering. I felt I should be prepared to do something else.
Q. What was the summit like?
A. The National Funeral Directors Association has run (the summit) for many years. This year we broadened our base and invited other funeral service organizations to participate . . . on the final day we had the Federal Trade Commission, we had the Cemetery Regulation Board, AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), and any of the national agencies that were in any way related. We sat down, talked about what's wrong with the industry and how we can work together to make it better for the consumer. Keep in mind, this was shortly after the incident in Noble, Ga. (Where more than 300 corpses were discarded and left to rot at the Tri-State Crematory. The owner was jailed for allegedly taking payment to cremate the dead and passing off cement powder and dirt as human ashes.)
Q. What did you think of that incident?
A. (The association's) initial response to that was how could anybody do this? Our second response was we're sure glad this wasn't a funeral director. Cemeterians were invited to the summit, but they're not part of the association. Then we realized it didn't matter if it was a funeral director or not. It was somebody who was part of the funeral industry network and we all get painted with the same broad brush when something goes wrong. So we've endeavored to try to get regulation of cemeteries in states where it doesn't exist.
Q. How many states lack regulation?
A. About a third of the states.
Q. Does Massachusetts regulate its cemeteries?
A. Yes, Massachusetts has regulations on the books, but it doesn't have a board of registration like it does with funeral service. To be a funeral director you have to take written exams. There's a board that meets on a regular basis and administers exams and issues licenses to individual funeral directors . . . cemeterians don't have that piece. (The FTC has been extremely active in regulating funeral homes for the past 15 to 20 years.)
Q. How many funeral homes are in Western Massachusetts?
A. In the four county area, I'm guessing we probably have 80 to 100.
Q. Are there any other minority-owned funeral homes in the region?
A. There's four others in all of Western Massachusetts, and I don't believe there are any in Worcester County.
Q. Do you work on the bodies?
A. Yes, I do. Being an embalmer is a prerequisite for being a funeral director.
Q. You're kind of like an artist in some ways?
A. Very much so &emdash; in a good sense. A lot of what is done with the body is camouflage or sleight of hand. We take things that are not real good sometimes and try to make it look good to people. We develop a lot of techniques that are designed to give the families peace of mind. People are always trying to invent new things that would do a better job, do it in a shorter period of time, with fewer people involved.
Q. Was it scary when you first saw a dead person?
A. Oh, sure . . . I definitely found it scary at first. My first introduction to it was when I was about 9 years old &emdash; and the idea of sleeping on the second floor when there's a dead body in the basement, that wasn't the easiest thing to digest. But I think the challenges are more with the living than the dead.
Q. Are more people going the cremation route?
A. In this part of the country it's mostly burial, but we're definitely seeing an increase.
Q. Do you do that?
A. Massachusetts law specifically requires that all crematories be located at a cemetery. None of the funeral homes in Massachusetts are crematories.
Q. Do you think the industry is any better off today than it was a few years ago?
A. I think our service is better, from top to bottom. I think our service to the public is better off than it used to be, whether that's through leadership, whether that's through just good business sense and whether that's through getting thumped upside the head . . . but I think it's more competitive, less profitable and more difficult to maintain than it used to be.
Q. How so?
A. If you take cremation for instance. Cremation involves less service, less product than full burial . . . There may very well come a day when operating the way that we are is not viable for most of us . . . Is it good for the community? Probably not. I think a lot of the personal service that they get now they won't get 30 or 40 years out, but maybe that's just the way of the world. It's happened in a lot of industries &emdash; why should we be special. That's the nature of business.
In a message dated 6/12/02 7:45:48 AM, Mike in Massachusetts sends us:
NYPOST.COM Regional News: GUNS ARE DRAWN OVER GOTTI BODY By MURRAY WEISS
GUNS ARE DRAWN OVER GOTTI BODY
By MURRAY WEISS IN AND OUT:
Under tight security, a funeral-home vehicle in Missouri carries the remains of John Gotti from prison yesterday.
June 12, 2002 -- Federal prison guards drew their guns on John Gotti's son at a Missouri funeral home last night in a furious argument about when the Dapper Don will head to his final resting place in New York, family sources told The Post. Peter Gotti and Lewis Kasman - a family friend known as John Gotti's "adopted son" - went to the Springfield, Mo., funeral home where the cancer-stricken mob boss' body was being prepared. The pair asked that the feds release the body to them so Gotti could be flown home, the sources said. No, said federal Bureau of Prisons officials - the body needed to be embalmed. "Do what you have to do. I just want to take him," said Peter Gotti. After the embalming was completed, officials insisted that they had to dress Gotti's body. "I want my dad," an exasperated Peter Gotti replied. "You don't have to prep him. We have a funeral home in New York. They'll dress him." When Gotti and Kasman pressed the issue, family sources said, an officer said: "He's still in federal custody." Then, at gunpoint, correction officers ordered Gotti and Kasman - who were unarmed - to leave the funeral home, the sources said. Bureau of Prisons officials could not be reached last night. Gotti's family has hired a lawyer, and doesn't expect the body to be released until late today, at the earliest. Gotti's body was autopsied yesterday over his family's objections - and last night's incident further angered his heartbroken relatives. Shortly after Gotti was pronounced dead Monday, his body was sent under heavy guard to St. John's Regional Health Center morgue in downtown Springfield, Mo., for the autopsy. Such autopsies are not uncommon, a Bureau of Prisons spokesman said. The autopsy results were not disclosed. Afterward, the body was taken under armed guard to the one-story brick funeral home. Meanwhile, Gotti's son, John A. "Junior" Gotti, who's serving a five-year sentence for racketeering, has requested he be let out of prison for the funeral. He could come to New York under armed guard or with a weekend pass for a private moment with his dad's body. Gotti, 61, died after a nearly four-year battle with head and neck cancer.
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In a message dated 6/12/02 5:54:28 PM, Anthony in New Jersey writes:
Mob Boss Gotti Denied Funeral Mass
NEW YORK A Notorious mob boss John Gotti will be interred in a Roman Catholic cemetery alongside his son, but his family was denied permission to hold a funeral Mass for the convicted killer. Gotti, responsible for at least five murders during his bloody reign atop the Gambino crime family, will not receive a Mass of Christian burial, the Rev. Andrew Vaccari, chancellor of the Diocese of Brooklyn, said Wednesday.
Instead, Vaccari said in a one-sentence statement, ``there can be a Mass for the dead sometime after the burial of John Gotti.'' Gotti died of cancer Monday at a prison hospital in Missouri. He had been sentenced to life in 1992.
The decision on the Mass echoed the ruling made by church officials after the Gotti-ordered murder of his Gambino predecessor, ``Big Paul'' Castellano, in 1985. Castellano's family received permission for a private Mass after his burial, but was denied a funeral Mass with the body in the church. But unlike Gotti, Castellano was also denied burial in a Catholic ceremony because of his life of crime.
Gotti's remains were removed from the Missouri prison on Tuesday for their eventual return to New York and his family, which has been splintered by federal prosecution. Two of his brothers, his son and his ex-son-in-law were all jailed at the time of his death; another brother and a nephew were under indictment.
Gotti will end up in the family mausoleum that holds his son Frank, who died in 1980 at age 12 when he was accidentally struck by a neighbor's car. The neighbor, 51-year-old John Favara, disappeared four months after the accident and is believed to have been murdered.
The mausoleum is inside St. John's Cemetery in Queens, where an assortment of Mafia figures found their final resting spots. Those buried at St. John's include Carlo Gambino, Carmine Galante, Vito Genovese and Charles ``Lucky'' Luciano.
Wednesday's announcement did not say why Gotti was deemed qualified to be buried in a Catholic cemetery.
In addition to Castellano and Gotti, the church has denied a funeral Mass to other mobsters: Galante and Gotti underboss Frank DeCicco.
At issue is a church precept called ``scandal'' - the idea that by granting a funeral Mass to someone who lived outside church teachings, the wrong message would be sent to the church faithful.The denial is not a judgment on the deceased's lifestyle, since the church believes that only God can make that determination.
In a message dated 6/12/02 11:23:25 AM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
MTV Sued Over Reality Show Corpse Gag
Hidden Cameras Placed In Room To Catch Reaction
Posted: 7:20 a.m. EDT June 12, 2002
LAS VEGAS -- How's this for a funny idea? We take an unsuspecting couple, give them a Vegas vacation -- and film their reaction when they find a mutilated corpse in their room. James and Laurie Ryan didn't think it was very funny, either
The Washington couple has slapped MTV and the Hard Rock hotel-casino with a $10 million lawsuit. The couple said they were given a room with hidden cameras. Their reaction to finding what looked like a corpse was filmed for the MTV series "Harassment." When they tried to leave the room, two actors posing as security guards forced them back inside. The show's host finally emerged to reveal the gag. The Ryans claim their privacy was invaded. No comment yet from MTV or the Hard Rock.
In a message dated 6/12/02 5:54:28 PM, Andrew in California writes:
Higgins Resigns as VA Under Secretary
WASHINGTON, June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Robin L. Higgins, who led the National Cemetery Administration through its response to the Sept. 11 attacks, has submitted to the President her resignation as the under secretary for memorial affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"In the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, our nation has had to bury many veterans and their loved ones whose time was not supposed to come so soon. VA employees did that with care, grace and dignity," Mrs. Higgins said. "I'm honored to be a part of that."
As under secretary, Mrs. Higgins directs the operation and maintenance of 120 national cemeteries and oversees VA's other memorial-related programs, including processing a record number of veterans' headstones and markers at private cemeteries.
She presided over the opening of a new national cemetery at Ft. Sill, Okla., and moved five others -- Atlanta, south Florida, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Sacramento, Calf. -- closer to completion.
While at VA, Mrs. Higgins also has made it a priority to ensure that long- deferred maintenance is performed at national cemeteries, and she has revitalized VA's relationship with state officials through a grants program for state veterans cemeteries.
"Mrs. Higgins is an esteemed leader," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "She brings dignity and compassion to VA. She is committed to ensure that the final resting places for our nation's veterans are national shrines."
Mrs. Higgins was confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2001. A 20-year veteran of the Marine Corps, she is the widow of Col. William R. (Rich) Higgins, a Marine officer captured by terrorists in Lebanon in 1988 and later murdered. She is the author of "Patriot Dreams - The Murder of Colonel Rich Higgins."
She cited personal and health reasons for resigning. The resignation is effective Sept. 1, 2002.
In a message dated 6/12/02 7:55:34 PM, Greg in Ohio writes:
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 2002--
Leading supplier of quality burial vaults and services to use Frontstep Solutions to increase operations efficiency and drive competitive advantage
Frontstep, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSTP), a leading global provider of business software and services for discrete, to-order manufacturers, today announced that Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Wilbert, Inc., has selected Frontstep's business software and services.
The selection of Frontstep is a part of Wilbert, Inc.'s overall corporate IT strategy leading to a standardized business solution and increased operational efficiencies and competitive advantages.
Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc., a leading single-source supplier of burial vaults and services in North America, will implement Frontstep's software solutions to support the manufacturing and quality control of their complete line of burial vaults and urns. These solutions will offer Wilbert, Inc. the ability to run their different businesses with as little or as much interaction as required and will provide seamless financial integration, improving manufacturing accuracy and controlling costs across the company's operations.
"Our selection was based on our business requirements today and five years from now," said Bruce Azuma, Corporate Director of Information Technologies for Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. "Frontstep was the clear choice to help us meet those requirements. Frontstep's SyteLine ERP, CRM, and supply chain capabilities designed specifically for manufacturing operations will allow us to increase customer service levels while reducing the costs of expediting. Our manufacturing and customer operations will be aligned to meet customer requirements. Frontstep demonstrated their solutions would fit the needs of the Wilbert organization as it expands."
"We are delighted to provide the innovative and pragmatic solutions that will enable Wilbert Funeral Services to streamline operations and reinforce its commitment to quality products and services," said Larry DeLeon, Executive Vice President, Global Field Operations for Frontstep. "We applaud Wilbert Funeral Services' commitment to utilizing technology to meet and exceed the e