ICCFA Magazine December2015

December 2015
MAGAZINE
CEMETERY
CREMATION
FUNERAL
Poul Lemasters on reducing your business liability

West Laurel Hills outreach to pet parents
Todd Van Becks new series: The keys to service
The importance of preplanning for our pets
2016 SALES OLYMPICS in LAS VEGAS
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D ECEM B ER 2 0 1 5
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association :
Promoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition
Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support
to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
14 management
Participants in West Laurel Hills Woof,

Wag & Walk event enjoy the cemetery.
Story, page 26.
10 Presidents Letter
I believe ...
by Darin B. Drabing
12 Washington Report
The year in review
by Robert M. Fells, Esq.
34 Supply Line
36 Update
44 New Members
45 Calendar

45 Funeral museum
celebrates the holidays
46 Ad Index
46 Classifieds
Death-care business basics: Insurance, hiring and firing Your pet or

human death-care business is a business, and it needs to be run like
one. Reviewing insurance coverage, hiring/firing policies and other
details might not be fun, but you need to do it.
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
22 pet services
The importance of preplanning for our furry & feathered friends

Funeral and memorialization professionals should be discussing the
benefits of preplanning for every family member, including our animal
companions.
by Linda Darby-Dowers
26 pets/community outreach
Welcoming dogs and their humans into the cemetery If you allow
dog-walkers at your cemetery, an organized tour is simply an extension
of the hospitality you already offer them, but even if you dont, its easy
to add dog-centric events to your calendar.
by Susan Loving
32 PRofessional Development
Keys to service: Experience Funeral directors and cemeterians who

love the profession build up a wealth of experience from working with
people that enables them to serve families better and better as they learn
more and more.
by Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE

December 2015
VOLUME 75/NUMBER 10
ICCFA officers
Darin B. Drabing, president
Michael Uselton, CCFE, president-elect

Jay D. Dodds, CFSP, vice president
Paul Goldstein, vice president
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE,
vice president
Scott R. Sells, CCFE, vice president
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, treasurer
Daniel L. Villa, secretary
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &
general counsel
Robert Treadway, director of

communications & member services
robt@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224
Katherine Devins, communications assistant
kd@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1218
Magazine staff
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &

publisher
rfells@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager

rplatter@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213
Brenda Clough, office administrator

& association liaison
bclough@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1214
Susan Loving, managing editor

sloving@iccfa.com
ICCFA Magazine
Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator

(habla espaol)
danielo@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is published by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter
Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468;
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2015 by the International Cemetery, Cremation

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International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral
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TA B LE OF CONTENTS
ICCFA news
39 Wide World of Sales
January 13-15: Make your sales
faster, higher, stronger
So much to see and learn at the
Thank you to our sponsors
41 KIP Awards
Deadline extended to December 18
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Conference
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2016 Annual Convention
& Exposition
April 13-16
Ernest N. Morial Convention
Center & Hilton New Orleans
Riverside, New Orleans, Louisiana
Co-Chairs: Jay Dodds, CFSP, and
Lee Longino
2016 ICCFA University
July 22-27 Fogelman Conference
Center, Memphis, Tennessee
Chancellor:Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
Cemeteries Crematories Funeral homes

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Presidents Letter
by ICCFA
2015-2016
President Darin
B. Drabing
ddrabing@forestlawn.com
Drabing is president
and CEO of Forest Lawn

Memorial-Parks &
Mortuaries.
www.forestlawn.com
n To apply for ICCFA

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ICCFA Staff.
Scenes from
the 2015 Wide
World of Sales
conference.
I believe ...
believe that most successful people are driven

by a passion, an inner spirit that motivates one
to make decisions, to chart a course, to follow
dreams. Often, these passions are formed through
life experiences and honed over time.
I believe in the value of making funeral
arrangements and selecting a final resting
place in advance of the time of need. In fact,
Im passionate about it. This passion has been
deeply rooted in my experience of making atneed arrangements, witnessing the dichotomy
that exists between families whose loved one
had planned ahead and those who had not. The
contrast is staggering.
The emotional energy expended by an atneed family in evaluating multiple options in an
unfamiliar environment, making time-sensitive
decisions and then reevaluating those choices,
robs them of the opportunity to share memories,
console one another and truly plan a celebration
of a life well lived. I believe this as a truth, honed
over time.
I know Im not alone in my passion about
the value of preneed planning. Im confident

in this belief because I attend the ICCFA Wide
World of Sales conference in Las Vegas every
January, where I am surrounded by like-minded
professionals who believe in the value of preneed
planning, just like I do. Theyre passionate about
doing their jobs well, learning presentation skills
from world-class sales professionals during the
educational sessions, rubbing elbows with icons
such as Gary OSullivan at his fire-side chat, or
having lunch with legends like Dave Wharmby.
Theyre investing in themselves, charting a
course for success, following their passions.
Whether you are new to preneed sales
or a seasoned professional with a variety of
managerial responsibilities, I can assure you that
the experience of attending the ICCFAs Wide
World of Sales conference is well worth your
time and effort. If youre one who shares this
same passion, you owe it to yourself to join me
at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas,
January 13-15, 2016. Its the only place to be
if you believe.
r
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OF THE WEEK
PRESENTED BY the ICCFAS

WIDE WORLD OF SALES CONFERENCE
ONE PROFESSION
U N IT E D B Y S A L E S
2016 SALES OLYMPICS

in LAS VEGAS
January 13-15MONTE CARLO
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10
ICCFA Magazine
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Washington Report
by ICCFA General
Counsel Robert M.
Fells, Esq.
rfells
@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1212
direct line:
703.391.8401
Fells is ICCFA executive
director and general counsel,
responsible for maintaining and
improving relationships with
federal and state government
agencies, the news media,
consumer organizations and
related trade associations.
More from this author

Funeral Radio. ICCFA
General Counsel Robert Fells,
Esq., talks about legal and
legislative issues affecting
funeral, cemetery and cremation businesses at
www.funeralradio.com.
More resources
Wireless. ICCFA members,
send us your email address and
well send you our bi-weekly
electronic newsletter full of
breaking news.
The year in review
s 2015 slips away and becomes part

of history its time to assess whether it
should be assigned a good or bad
rating. Typically, each year is a mixed bag of
successes and failures, but overall a trend is
usually apparent, at least in retrospect.
For example, 2008 seemed a relatively good
year until that September when both the housing
market and the stock market tanked. Even today,
some seven years later, references to 2008 can
bring shudders to many people. While 2015
is still barely with us, lets attempt to assess
this year as it particularly affected government
relations and the cemetery/funeral profession.
What didnt happen

If we had compiled a list of federal regulatory
or Congressional actions that could be expected
during 2015and some people didwe would
find that most things on that list did not happen.
Chief among them are tax reform, immigration
reform and, to some extent, healthcare reform.
By that, I mean Congressional proposals that
were meant to correct flaws in the Affordable
Healthcare Act.
All three areas are divisive for politicians
because their constituents are divided on each
issue. Without a clear consensus, politicians
default into a kick the can down the road
mentality even when, as in 2015, there is no
November election looming over their heads.
So, as in that famous Sherlock Holmes story, the
remarkable aspect of this year on Capitol Hill is
that the dog did not bark.
If a fire department reported to the city council
that the number of fire alarms were down this
year, presumably nobody would propose that the
number of firefighters should therefore be cut.
Everyone realizes the risk factor of future blazes
and that a properly staffed fire department must
be trained, equipped, and ready on a moments
notice. A government relations program is no
different and the ICCFA continues to monitor
daily the activities in Congress, in the federal
regulatory agencies, and in the courts.
What did happen
Perhaps the major development for our
members businesses in 2015 is the proposal
by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to
raise the minimum annual salary requirement
to exempt workers from receiving overtime
compensation. The current minimum is
$23,660 annually but the DOL wants to raise
that minimum to $50,440 in 2016. The ICCFA
12
ICCFA Magazine
submitted comments in opposition to the

level of the increase and pointed out that past
methodologies used by DOL would today
establish the increase at $30,000 or no more
than $34,000 annually.
Fortunately, our industry is not facing this
challenge alone. The DOL proposal will affect
all American businesses across the board. Some
observers have raised the question of whether
funeral directors can be exempted from the
overtime requirements. However, DOL has
answered these concerns some years ago by
stating that overtime exemption questions for
funeral directors must be addressed on a caseby-case basis. So the question of exemption is
separate and distinct from the proposal to raise
the minimum salary to $50,440. We can expect
a final rule from DOL at some point in 2016.
Whats next
If past is prologue, then it may not be difficult
to suggest an issue that can become prominent
during 2016. The increase in body donations,
and in particular, in tissue and organ donations,
is largely unregulated in the 50 states. Prosecu
tions for unlawful trafficking have already
occurred in New York and Arizona. Rep. Paul
Gosar (R-AZ) has told the ICCFA that he
intends to introduce legislation to regulate the
trafficking in body parts and welcomes the
ICCFAs participation. In a related matter, the
ICCFA and CANA published a joint statement
on non-organic waste recycling during 2015.
Many observers believe that both these issues
will gain traction during 2016.
Federal legislation seeking to increase the
regulation of the funeral/cemetery profession
has been introduced three times since 2000, but
nothing had been introduced from 1787 to 2000.
No such bills have been offered during the 2015
Congressional session, but three shots across
our bow in recent years suggest that more bills
can be expected. For example, a cemetery or
mortuary scandal would be a likely catalyst for
the introduction of such legislation. As a result,
the ICCFA government relations program, like
the fire department, remains on full alert.
Also ahead in a few more years, the Federal
Trade Commission Funeral Rule is scheduled
for review in 2019. Questions are already being
raised of expanding the rule to include Internet
sales and to deal with other 21st century issues
that did not exist when the rule was enacted in
1982. In retrospect at least, 2015 will be looked
r
upon as a wonderfully quiet year.
Your voice should be heard. ICCFA helps cemeteries and funeral homes do
what none can do alonespeak together as an industry. ICCFA regularly
works on matters affecting our members with courts and agencies at every
level of government. Even the U.S. Congress looks to ICCFA when an expert
on deathcare is needed.
ICCFA developed a set of 28 model guidelines to help inform the creation of
state laws and regulations, and we provide the services you need to keep
you in compliance with all local, state and federal rules and regulations.
Visit iccfa.com/voice to be notified when impending legislation threatens to
burden our profession.
iccfa.com/join
Membership That Matters.
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.

M A N A GE M E N T
Your pet or human death-care business is a business,

and it needs to be run like one. Reviewing insurance
coverage, hiring/firing policies and other details
might not be fun, but you need to do it.
Death-care business basics:

Insurance, hiring and firing
513.407.8114
poul@lemastersconsulting.com
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight

Lemasters is principal of Lemasters
Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio.
www.lemastersconsulting.com
He is an attorney and funeral director,

graduated from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science in 1996 and from Northern Kentucky University, Chase College of
Law, in 2003. He is licensed as a funeral
director and embalmer in Ohio and West
Virginia and admitted to practice law in
Ohio and Kentucky.
ICCFA membership benefit
He is the ICCFAs special crema-
tion legal counsel. ICCFA members in

good standing may call him to discuss
cremation-related legal issues for up to 20
minutes at no charge to the member. The
association pays for this service via an
exclusive retainer.
Lemasters also provides, to ICCFA members in good standing, free GPL reviews to
check for Funeral Rule compliance.
Go to www.iccfa.com to the Cremation

Coaching Center, where you can post a
question for Lemasters to answer.
Lemasters will be at ICCFAs Wide
World of Sales seminar, January 13-15, in

Las Vegas. www.iccfa.com/events
2016 SALES OLYMPICS

in LAS VEGAS
PRESENTED BY the
ICCFAS
WIDE WORLD OF SALES

CONFERENCE
January 13-15 MONTE CARLO www.iccfa.com

O N E P R O F E S S I O N U N IT E D BY S A L E S
14
ICCFA Magazine
Editors note: This article is excerpted from

Lemasters presentation at PLPA College
during the 2015 ICCFA Convention &
Expo. His advice is applicable to human
funeral home and cemetery operators as
well as those who run pet businesses.
ecently, a friend of mine in death
care called me up and said, Poul,
Ive got a problem. He had just
gotten a letteractually, he had received
a couple of letters, but he told me about
the first letter, which was from an attorney
informing him that he was going to be
sued. Thats always a scary letter.
The letter laid out the claims, which
Im not going to list because thats not the
point of this anecdote, and said they were
suing for $1 million.
You might think thats what people
always ask for when they sue, but actually,
what a typical lawsuit will ask for is an
amount in excess of $75,000. The reason
they use that number is because that
will allow them to get into federal court
if they want to, since thats one of the
requirements. Again, not important here,
just a little fun fact.
In any case, when my friend got the
letter, he was scared to death. Wouldnt
you be? So he called his insurance
company, and they sent him a reservation
of rights letter. Now, this isnt a plug for
my business or lawyers in general, but
your first call should be to your lawyer,
not your insurer.
Why? Well, when you call your
insurance agent, the first thing theyll
probably say is, Hey dont worry about
this, you pay premiums, weve got you
covered, youre in good hands. So
you feel better, but heres whats going
on behind the scenes at that insurance
company: They are flipping through that
insurance policy that you have but never

read and theyre looking for a reason not to
cover you.
I used to be an insurance defense
attorney, and I learned that they have a
motive you might not be aware of: theyre
trying to be profitable. And one of the best
way to stay profitable is to not pay claims.
What a reservation of rights letter
means is that the insurance company has
looked at your policy and is reserving the
right to cover you.
How scared do you think he was now?
I told him it wasnt time to worry yet.
Reservation of rights letters are common.
I asked him to send it to me and let me
look into it. After I read the letter, I called
him back and asked him to explain exactly
what had happened.
What had happened is he had gotten
in trouble with a family and then with the
state licensing department, but had thought
it wasnt a big deal, that it was something
he could handle himself.
So he went before the licensing depart
ment and basically fell on his sword, said
he was sorry and that he hadnt meant to
make a mistake. The department told him
they agreed with him that it wasnt a big
deal, but the family had complained and
technically the business had not followed
the law. They gave him a slap on the wrist,
a $250 fine, and he felt pretty good about
the outcome.
He shouldnt have. I asked him, Guess
what one thing is never covered by your
insurance? Breaking the law. That is one
thing I promise you will never be covered
by your insurance policy.
So that little $250 fine for what was
technically a legal violation cost him his
insurance coverage; he was on the hook for
the entire claim. His whole business could
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M A N A GE M E N T
have gone down the tubes over $250.
It was his fault, and its something I
see a lot in businesses, be they pet funeral/
cemetery operations or human ones:
People dont understand the ramifications
of the things they do, and the fact that one
thing can lead to another.
The fact is, you can be great at
marketing and dealing with pet parents,
but if youre not running your business
properly, you could lose everything.
Insurance
I want you to understand what it is and what

it covers.
General liability. A lot of people get
confused and think this covers everything.
What this covers is the business itself, things
such as small negligence. If someone has a
trip and fall accident on your premises, for
example. It covers your general premises,
not what you do.
Property. This covers your brick and
mortar. A great question that many people
never ask is whether this covers intangible
property such as accounts receivable,
proprietary information, copyrights,
computer systems, etc. Many times it does
not, so always ask.
Business owners policy. A BOP is
a very common package that people get
and think, OK, Im covered. But a BOP
includes only general liability and property
coverage.
Professional liability. Im afraid that
many people dont have this, and this
is what protects your actions, the things
you do. Think of it as your malpractice
insurance.
I know this is a highly debated issue,
because Ive had people say, Poul, Ive
called my insurance company, and after I
tell them what I do, they say there is no such
thing as professional liability insurance for
a pet provider. If you hear that, keep on
lookingthere are providers out there who
will cover you.
One of the biggest problems I see is
business owners who do not explain exactly
what they do and the risks entailed to their
insurance agents for the simple reason that
they dont want their rates to go up.
Automobile. Im going to talk about
automobile coverage and tie all these things
together. I had a case where someone was
using an independent contractor to make
removals and transfers. That agent got into
an accident while transporting a body, and
16
ICCFA Magazine
right insurance.
Professional liability insurance, which
would cover emotional damage, doesnt cost
much in a lot of cases, because the lawsuits
that weve seen have not been for huge
amounts, so insurance companies know that
their chances of having to pay a big claim
are low. And that means the premiums are
low.
Right now, emotional damage claims
involving pet death-care are not common,
but they do exist, and the fact is, the simple
filing of a lawsuit means money will have to
be spent to defend against it.
Umbrella insurance. This gives you
additional coverage for every policy you
Ive had people say,
have; its great. The nice thing is that many
Poul, Ive called my insurance times when you sign up for it, you get added
coverage that you might not get separately,
company, and after I tell them
so if youre thinking about umbrella
what I do, they say there is
coverage, you should ask if there are any
additional benefits that might be included.
no such thing as professional
EPL, employment practices liability.
liability insurance for a pet
This is probably the must under-bought
provider. If you hear that, keep protection. Its what covers you for
things such as discrimination and sexual
on lookingthere are providers harassment claims that you might receive as
an employer.
out there who will cover you.
Recently, I talked to someone who had
the body was damaged.
fired someone who turned around and
I know that seems weirdthe person was claimed age discrimination, which is a
already deadbut the body was damaged
very costly lawsuit, and an easy one for the
further, and when the family found out they
plaintiff to begin.
got upset and sued.
The first thing this employer learned was
There were several reasons insurance
that he did not have EPL coverage to defend
didnt cover what happened. First of all, the against this suit, which meant he would
independent agent wasnt included on the
have to pay for the defense completely out
companys auto policies. Secondly, the third- of his own pocket. So he settled for about
party crematory that was receiving the body $50,000. He overpaid, but these lawsuits are
also failed to include the independent agent
expensive ones to defend against because
as a additional insured, so there was no
theyre very discovery-oriented.
coverage there, either.
Heres how it can go: The person who
Third, the family claimed emotional
was fired files a claim with the Equal
damage, and automobile insurance doesnt
Employment Opportunity Commission,
cover emotional damage. So there was no
which typically says, We think theres
coverage.
enough evidence; go ahead and file a
The claim was very defendable, but the
lawsuit. Attorneys are happy to take these
firm had to pay for the defense without any
suits on a contingency basis, because as
help from the insurance company. They had soon as theyre filed, the burden of proof
to pay the costs completely out of pocket
shifts to the employer.
because they had never explained to their
Thats the scariest thing about a
insurance company exactly what their
discrimination or harassment suit, the fact
business did to make sure they got all of the that once the lawsuit has commenced, the
coverage they might need.
burden of proof falls on you.
Insurance is important. Its a cost of
Typically in a lawsuit the plaintiff
doing business. You need to understand
has to prove his or her case, but not in a
that, explain fully what your business
harassment or discrimination claim. In those
entails to your insurance agent and get the cases, you as the employer have to prove the
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December 2015
17
M A N A GE M E N T
allegations are not true, and that gets very
expensive, since it involves depositions and
discovery.
Additional insured. I talk about this
one a lot. It allows you to add people to
your insurance policy and it allows you to
be added to the policies of others, providing
mutual protection. In the case I mentioned
above where a body was damaged during
transport, the companies should have had
additional insured coverage.
In a pet business, its very easy to add, for
example, a veterinary practice to your policy
as an additional insured so that if you make
a mistake theyre covered and if they make a
mistake youre covered.
Lets say you pick up a pet from a vet and
do a communal cremation when the family
asked for a private one. Maybe it was the
vets faultthe paperwork was wrong. Or
maybe it was your fault. In any case, the
family contracted for the cremation through
the vets office, which means the vet will be
the one sued.
If the vets office is an additional insured
on your policy, your insurance will cover the
vet. The vets office should have you as an
additional insured so that if you get sued
for a mistake the vet made you can use the
vets insurance to handle the claim.
By the way, the cost of adding an
additional insured party many times is
nothing; its just a matter of filling out
paperwork. I recommend that you make
every veterinary office you work with an
additional insured if your policy allows it.
This can be a great sales tool.
Exclusions. The last thing Im going
to tell you about in terms of insurance is
exclusions. If youre ever inclined to sit down
and read every word of your insurance policy,
I promise you it will be a horrible experience.
If you want to get the gist of the experience,
go through it with a highlighter and highlight
the word exclusion.
Everything after that word is not covered
by your policy. Do you know whats not
covered by your policy? You need to know.
Handling employees: Hiring
The hiring process is not too bad as far

as lawsuits. There arent a lot of claims
filed about hiring, as opposed to firing.
Nevertheless, you should make sure you
follow best hiring practices. Lets cover
the three areas where the most violations
occur, two questions people ask and one
requirement they include with applications
18
ICCFA Magazine
sign something giving it to us, so its OK.

No, getting a person to sign a piece of paper
does not give you the right to break the law.
You can only run a credit check if the
person is going to be in a position to handle
money; you cant just do it routinely for every
hire.
Social media check. This is a new one,
and its my favorite. Many people say its
fine to get on the Internet and search for
everything you can find about a potential
employeeor about existing employees
but its not that simple. The rules on this
are changing daily; there are a lot of issues
involved.
Insurance is important.
There was the case of an employee who,
after a bad day at work, went on social media
Its a cost of doing business.
and blogged about how bad the boss was,
You need to understand that,
and people were commenting on what was
explain fully what your business written. The next day, she was fired. The
issue went to the National Labor Relations
entails to your insurance agent Board, who ruled her blog post was protected
speech, because she was talking about her
and get the right insurance.
working conditions (having to work on
Sunday). The company had to rehire her.
that they shouldnt:
In another case, a mortuary student said
1. Where were you born? You cant ask
on Facebook that she was in an anatomy
that, but you can ask whether someone is a
lab learning about how to use a trocar, and
citizen.
would like to shove a trocar in the neck of a
2. Whats your marital status? You cant
few of her professors. The next day, she was
ask this.
expelled.
3. Submit a photo with your resume. You
Again, the NLRB took the case, but this
cannot ask for a photo because this can be
time the outcome was different, because she
seen as you trying to discriminate by gender
had violated policy and there were questions
or race or age.
of safety. The student had to go through
Background checks are probably the
biggest issues in the hiring process. There are an anger management program and repeat
the class. The case was headed to the state
different kinds of background checks:
Criminal background check. Thats OK, Supreme Court, but she died before it could
be adjudicated.
but theres a new issue in this area, the Ban
The problem with firing someone who
the Box movement.
has made disparaging remarks about you
Many employment applications have
on Facebook is that social media has been
a box they ask people to check if theyve
deemed to be a forum for communication.
ever been convicted of a felony. There are
municipalities that have banned that practice, That type of public speech tends to be more
protected.
because the claim is that creates automatic
A lot of people say to me, for example,
discrimination. Studies have shown that if
you check that box you will never even get an But Poul, I have a policy that says
employees are not allowed to discuss their
interview.
wages. But thats an illegal policy. You cant
Youre still allowed to ask the question,
fire someone for breaking a policy that isnt
but it has to be later in the process, when
legal. People have the right to speak freely
youre ready to offer employment.
about their wages and work conditions.
Drug test. Yes, you can make
When youre checking social media
employment contingent based on drug testing
before hiring someone, there are several
results.
problems. First of all, there are actually
Credit check. A credit check is allowed
companies now you can hire to scrub your
for certain jobs. Some people who want to
run credit checks on every potential employee online presence of information you dont
want found, or to push it so far down in the
say to me, We ask for permission and they
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M A N A GE M E N T
search results that no hiring manager will
ever see it.
Then theres the problem that if youre
checking people out on social media youre
seeing things that you shouldnt see, such as
photos of them, or membership in religious
groups or statements about political issues.
You cant unsee these things, so if youre
the person doing the hiring, you shouldnt
go looking, because youll make yourself
vulnerable to discrimination claims. One
thing you can do is have someone else in
your organization not involved in hiring do a
search, looking for possible issues to flag but
filtering out all protected information.
Tell the interviewee you do an Internet
search as part of the hiring process and ask
if theres anything he or she wants to share
before you do. Give them a chance to explain
something questionable (perhaps some
unfortunate photos from college partying
days) that might get flagged by the person
handling the search.
Independent contractors. This is an
area thats becoming increasingly regulated.
Make sure anyone you call an independent
contractor actually is.
If you have to train him to do the job, hes
probably not an independent contractor.
If youre paying her as you would an
employeewithholding taxes, for example
shes not an independent contractor.
If theyre wearing your uniforms with
your logos on them and handing out business
cards with your contact information on them,
theyre probably not independent contractors.
Those are only a few examples. Just
be aware that this area of independent
contractors is being reviewed more and
more closely by the government.
Hiring mistakes include:
Acting too quickly. One of the biggest
mistakes people make is to hire someone
quickly because they just need to get
somebody in place.
Looking for the bad. Often people
doing interviews are just trying to see if
theres a reason not to hire the person, rather
than a positive reason to hire.
Talking too much. You should be letting
the interviewee talk rather than dominating
the interview yourself. The interview should
be open-ended. People will share all kinds
of information about themselves if you give
them an opportunity to talk.
Discrimination. Are you allowed to
discriminate in hiring? Actually, you can.
20
ICCFA Magazine
If theyre wearing your uniforms

with your logos on them
and handing out business cards
with your contact information
on them, theyre probably
not independent contractors.
This area of independent
contractors is being reviewed
more and more closely
by the government.
Heres an example: I apply for a servers job
at Hooters and they reject me, saying they
only hire women. Thats bold and blatant
discrimination, but theyre allowed to do it
because its their company policy, its their
culture.
If you run a pet business, you can refuse
to hire people who dont like animals, have
never had pets or are allergic to pets. Your
company culture is pet-centric, and hiring
only pet-friendly people is allowed.
Handling employees: Firing
Do you need a reason to fire someone? In

most states, the answer is no. In most
states, employment is at will, meaning
you can hire or fire anyone for any reason.
But should you have a reason? Yes. By the
way, not fitting into a companys culture is a
valid reason.
Documentation. Should you document
your reasons for firing? Yes and no. This is
not legal double-talk. What I mean is, you
should not list reasons in writing. You dont
put a lot in a termination letter. It should
be something to the effect of: As of this
date, your employment is terminated. Your

final paycheck will be in the amount of $X.
Please return the following items (such as
keys).
What you dont do is list the reasons you
want to fire the person; that is not going
to help your case if theres pushback. You
can talk to the person about it (You were
late 366 days last year, which is amazing,
since there are only 365 days in a year),
but you do not put that information in the
termination letter.
If you put reasons in writing and the
person files some sort of claim, those listed
reasons become things that person can try to
disprove.
The other area where you document
things is in the employee files. During
reviews, its important to include the Hoover
discussion. This is where you tell the
employee where he or she sucks. Thats a
Hoover discussion, and theyre not fun.
The problem is, we want to tell people
how good they are. We want to tell them
what theyve done right. But every year, you
need to also tell employees what theyve
done wrong and what they need to work on.
If you fire someone whos been with you
for 10 years and his file makes him look like
hes been a star employee, thats not going
to help you.
Pay violations. I see many employers get
in trouble over firings not because of some
discrimination claim but because of pay
violations. When you fire someone, dont
start making up reasons why you dont want
to pay that person.
Most states require you to make that final
paycheck after termination faster than your
normal payrollsometimes as quickly as
within two or three days. You definitely have
to make it no later than your normal payroll.
Some employers want to withhold
money. You are not allowed to do that. If
you think theres a reason for doing so, you
need to get a court order.
Accrued vacation. A lot of states require
you go pay for unused vacation time, and
a lot of employers dont want to pay. But if
your state requires it, do it.
Dont start creating issues and problems
for yourself over a few hundred dollars in a
final paycheck.
Impatience. One thing I see a lot is
employers putting up with problems for a
long time and them all of a sudden deciding
to fire someone on a whim. Do not do that.
You should take longer to decide to fire
M A N A GE M E N T
someone than you do to hire someone.
I dont mean you should procrastinate
about dealing with issues. Address issues
quickly. But before you fire someone,
investigate things thoroughly.
Employee manuals. Abraham Lincoln
once said, I never had a policy, Ive just
tried to do my very best each and every
day. Powerful stuff, right? No; that was an
idiotic thing to say. Its probably the worst
advice you could give to someone running a
business.
Employee policy manuals are good, as
long as you have good policies and you
follow them. If you dont follow your
policies, having an employee manual will
hurt you. So create good written policies and
follow them.
If you have a policy manual, make sure
all employees sign a statement that theyve
read it, they accept it and theyre going to
follow it.
Also, review and, if necessary, update
your policy manual every year. During
that annual employee review youre going
to schedule, have each employee read the
updates and sign off on them.
Customer complaints
How do you handle complaints by

customers? You dont ignore them. You
apologizebut you dont. You apologize by
saying I understand youre upset, but you
dont say, Im sorry we made a mistake.
You recognized that the customer has an
issue, and you document your response, but
you dont take the blame for it.
This advice is especially important if
youre writing the customer a letter. You do
not want to put in writing that youve done
anything wrong.
The leading cause of lawsuits by
customers is having a complaint ignored.
Dont put these people off; I guarantee it
will come back to haunt you.
If a customer threatens a lawsuit, call
your attorneydont call their attorney. A
lot of times people think if they can just talk
to the irate customers attorney and explain
what happened, they can make the attorney
and his clients understand. You cant. The
only thing youll do is open yourself up to
more liability.
When you talk to your attorney, that
conversation is privileged, protected. But

when you talk to someone elses attorney,
what you say can and will be used against
you.
So if people threaten you with a lawsuit,
ask them for a reasonable period of time to
make amends. Give them a timeline you
can stick to, and dont threaten them in
return. Then call your attorney and try to
find a resolution.
And dont ever say, You know what, go
ahead and file a lawsuit.
The media. The media are not your
friend. When theyre talking to you it might
seem like theyre your friend, but they are
not, and you need to know that.
If youre going to be interviewed,
prepare a statement and keep it simple.
Never misstate the facts. Theres always a
way to write something thats true and that
makes things sound great.
Before you talk to the media, go over
your statement with people you trust who
are not in the industry, because you need
to make sure that members of the general
public will be able to understand what
r
youre trying to get across.
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December 2015
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by Linda Darby-Dowers
linda@trigard.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Linda Darby-
Dowers is CEO
of Trigard, Trigard
Memorials, a
memorial park and
seven funeral homes
in Illinois, Indiana
and Arizona. Her family has been in the
funeral industry for four generations,
helping families remember, celebrate and
heal.
www.trigard.com
Trigards display at the 2015 Annual

Convention & Exposition included a
section on pet memorialization.
22
ICCFA Magazine
PET SERVICES
Funeral and memorialization professionals

should be discussing the benefits of preplanning for every
family member, including our animal companions.
The importance of preplanning

for our furry & feathered friends
s members of the memorialization

and funeral profession, we
understand the importance of
preplanning our final wishes. We know how
important it is to give the gift of peace of
mind to the families we serve, the peace that
comes with knowing your loved ones final
wishes are squared away. We understand that
by planning ahead, these families wont be
burdened with making important decisions
Part of Terrybears display at PLPA
during an incredibly difficult time.
College, held during the 2015 ICCFA
When we talk about family, whom do we Convention.
mean? We can mean a husband and wife,
mother and father, sisters, brothers, aunts,
disposition and memorialization of their
uncles, close friends and so on.
family pet.
But many people forget that our furry
Talk to them about disposition options
and feathered friends are also part of many
and help them decide between traditional
families, and thinking about how their lives
burial and cremation. If they choose
will be honored is important, too.
cremation, make sure they know about the
For many of us, our pet is a dinner date,
many possibilities for the final disposition of
a snuggle buddy, a wing man, a friend to
cremated remains.
exercise and play with and so much more.
Talk to them about service options, as
Our pets love us and depend on us. I believe well. Maybe they would like to hold a short
they deserve the same respect as anyone else graveside service with a balloon release to
who has touched our lives.
which they invite friends as well as family.
If a family has already preplanned their
Or maybe they want a more intimate
final wishes, the wisdom of preplanning
ceremony with only the immediate family
a pets final needs shouldnt be a difficult
present.
conversation to begin.
If they want to bury their cherished
What does a pet prearrangement include? companion, help them pick a pet casket
Families more apt to choose a traditional
and vault. If they choose cremation,
burial for human members might be willing
show them your selection of urns and
to be a bit more creative with the final
cremation jewelry. Preplanning gives you
Part of KapLinds display at PLPA College, held during the 2015 ICCFA Convention.
P E T S ervice S
plenty of time to discuss memorialization.
Families have nearly countless options for
telling the story of their pets life through
memorialization.
Even if youre used to families choosing
from the same small selection of memorial
borders and styles for their loved ones,
dont be afraid to introduce new pet
memorial products.
There are beautiful bronze ground
memorials with full-color pictures, memorial
rocks that hold cremated remains in a
compartment
and niche
towers that
nestle into the
landscape of
your cemetery.
The number
of cremation
options
Part of Meadow Hills
display at PLPA College, designed
held during the 2015
specifically
ICCFA Convention.
for pets has
proliferated the past few years and continues
to grow, so make sure you attend trade
shows, read trade magazines and pour over
supplier catalogs to keep up with the latest
offerings.
What if a family doesnt preplan final
wishes for their pet? You need to help
families understand that, as in the case of
any loved one, the arrangements will need
to be made at the time of their cherished
companions death. It will be a difficult and
possibly overwhelming process, just like any
at-need arrangement.
Families unaware of the possibilities
may simply have their veterinarians
office cremate the animal. The family will
take home their pets cremated remains,
which may sit on a shelf or get lost in
a closet without any kind of permanent
memorialization.
Its probably worth asking families
preplanning for a pet if they have the
cremated remains of previously deceased
pets stored at home. They might want to
bring those old containers out of storage and
place the remains in a new urn and/or other
cremation memorialization product.
For many families, a pets life is no less
important to remember than any other. As an
animal lover, I understand the heartbreaking
grief families suffer when they lose a beloved
pet. That is why we must educate pet owners
about the options available for memorializing
r
these important family members.
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Funeral Data AD 1 of 2
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by ICCFA Magazine
Managing Editor Susan Loving
P E T S / CO M M UN IT Y O UT RE A CH
sloving@iccfa.com
ICCFA Magazine subject spotlight
If you allow dog-walkers at your cemetery,

an organized tour is simply an extension of the hospitality
you already offer them, but even if you dont,
its easy to add dog-centric events to your calendar.
This monument in West Laurel Hill Cemetery is for Lee A.

Holloway, a man who loved his pets. Though West Laurel Hill is
just now working on developing a pet cemetery, it has long welcomed dog-walkers, and holds two dog-centric tours each year.
Priyanka Setty is events coordinator
for West Laurel Hill Cemetery. In addition to organizing pet-friendly events for
the cemetery, she also works with local
pet organizations to further their missions in the community.
ps@forever-care.com
Rachel Wolgemuth is historian for

West Laurel Hill Cemetery and leads a
variety of tours throughout the year.
Incorporated in 1869, West Laurel Hill
Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania,
is a non-profit and non-denominational
cemetery. It is associated with Bringhurst Funeral Home and Turner Funeral
Home.
www.westlaurelhill.com
26
ICCFA Magazine
Welcoming dogs and their

humans into the cemetery
est Laurel Hill Cemetery

& Funeral Home in Bala
Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, is
just now working on getting into the pet
cemetery business, but animal lovers have
been enjoying the grounds for years. In
addition to being among the cemeteries
that welcomes dog-walkers, WLH holds
two events each year that raise the historic
cemeterys profile among pet owners and
generate donations for pet causes.
West Laurel Hill has an extensive
community outreach effort, with events as
varied as a book club, a fun run, an Easter
egg hunt, a beer tour and tasting and a
murder mystery dinner theater.
Pet-themed events provide yet another
way to bring visitors into the cemetery,
perhaps reaching different people, said
Priyanka Setty, West Laurel Hills events
coordinator. And once the planning was
under way for a pet section, pet events
provided an additional way to let animal-
Participants in the Puppy Prance enjoy

a springtime tour of the cemetery.
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P E T S / community outreach
Above and below, notices in the cemeterys newsletter about West Laurel Hills two
pet-themed annual tours.
28
ICCFA Magazine
lovers know about planning for this new

service.
In the fall, Woof, Wag n Walk offers
guided walking tours of the cemetery while
raising money for a local pet-related charity.
This years recipient was Paws and Affection,
a nonprofit group that trains service dogs for
children with disabilities.
This event also includes a pet fair,
featuring vendors such as pet stores, dog
walkers and others who provide pet goods
and services. Its a fun little fair for people to
check out before the tour, Setty said.
While West Laurel Hill has been hosting
dog walks for nine or ten years, the events
have grown over time and now have more of
a focus on community partners. Woof, Wag
n Walk was our first signature pet event, and
Puppy Prance came more recently.
Last year we really wanted to focus on
the Montgomery County SPCA, Setty said.
Its located close to us and weve worked
with them in the past, so thats how the Puppy
Prance came about. And we wanted to do a
signature spring event.
The Puppy Prance also involves a guided
tour, this one featuring pet stories unearthed
by staff historian Rachel Wolgemuth, whose
duties include doing research on the people
interred at the cemetery.
Pets arent yet buried at West Laurel
Hill, but the stops on the Puppy Prance
tour include Septimus Winner, 1827-1902,
a songwriter who wrote Oh Where, Oh,
Where Has My Little Dog Gone, and
Eldridge Reeves Johnson, 1867-1945, who
founded the Victor Talking Machine Co.,
known for its trademark featuring Nipper the
dog and the tagline, His Masters Voice.
We dont have an unlimited supply of
pet-related stories, so depending on the route
we take through the cemetery, well include
other notable people, Setty said.
The walking tours last around an hour,
perhaps a bit longer. The organizers try to
keep in mind that some of the small dogs can
only walk so far without tiring, Setty said.
This year everyone stayed with us for the
entire tour.
Little staff time is involved in repeating
these type of events once theyve gotten off
the ground, Setty said. Wolgemuth routinely
does research about the cemetery and the
people interred there, providing material for
the different tours offered throughout the
year. Because of the pet fair, the Woof, Wag
n Walk does take a bit more time to organize
than the Puppy Prance, Setty said.

to page 30
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P E T S / community outreach
Above, people and pups participating in a tour at West Laurel Hill pose with the Holloway monument, which symbolizes his
deep affection for his pets, calling them more than just friends. Below, a table at the Woof, Wag n Walk vendor fair.
from page 28
Events are listed on West Laurel
Hills website and included in the
newsletter, and the cemetery has an
email list for contacting people about
events. When you partner with a local
organization such as a humane society,
that group helps with promotion, Setty
pointed out. West Laurel Hill markets
events on social media and in local
newspapers, as well.
Reaching out to pet-related
businesses and organizations is the most
important thing to do if your cemetery
wants to start holding pet-themed
events, Setty said. They will have
the contacts with people who will be
interested in pet events.
And dont be discouraged if you
dont get a large turn-out the first
time you hold a new event, Setty said.
Consistency is the key. Start small and build
up over time. Word will spread.
Also, with outdoor events you need
30
ICCFA Magazine
to decide whether the event will go on

regardless of the weather or whether
you want to plan for cancellation or
postponement to a later date in case of rain
or snow. If you have an alternate date

set in case of bad weather, be sure to
include that in the announcement.
Holding raffles at these events is a
good way to build a list of names and
contact information while offering an
added inducement to attend, Setty said.
West Laurel Hill has people register,
providing their name and their dogs
name, and then raffles off several prizes.
We also work with one of our local
pet stores to provide little goodie bags
so that each dog goes home with one
its really cute.
For now, the cemetery has settled on
two pet events per year, but more might
be added in the future, even if theyre
simply low-key dog-walking events,
Setty said.
People like bringing their dogs to
the cemetery for a walk, and with plans
to open The Laurels: For the Love of Our
Pets pet cemetery soon, West Laurel Hill is
happier than ever to accommodate them. r
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by ICCFA Magazine columnist

Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE
toddvb52@gmail.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Van Beck is one of the
most sought-after speakers

and educators in funeral
service.
www.toddvanbeck.com
He is the director of continuing educa-
tion for John A. Gupton College, Nashville,

Tennessee.
www.guptoncollege.edu
He is dean of ICCFA Universitys

College of Funeral Home Management.
Van Beck received the ICCFA
Educational Foundations first ever

Lasting Impact Award in 2014.
Like Todd Van Beck

on Facebook today!

Van Becks new
book, Reverence
for the Dead: The
Unavoidable Link.
The book addresses
in detail the ethical
standards of caring
for the dead and the
ethical consequences of not doing so. It
can be ordered at
www.amazon.com
P RO FE S S IO N A L DE V E L O P M E N T
Funeral directors and cemeterians who love the profession build up

a wealth of experience from working with people that enables them
to serve families better and better as they learn more and more.
Keys to service: Experience
have often thought and said that most

funeral/cemetery professionals deserve
a PhD in experiential expertise. In
other words, their life knowledge really
goes way beyond the standard academic
degree. There is nothing comparable in the
world to the experiences of the average
funeral director or cemeterian across the
globe.
Platitude or not, I believe there is
deep substance in the idea that the more
we strive to know about ourselves, the
better we can understand, evaluate and
control our behavior, and the better we can
understand and appreciate the behaviors of
others.
This is what experiential expertise is
all about, and this type of deep knowledge
takes time, a great deal of time, to bear
fruit.
Such an attitude definitely helps the
bereaved client family to trust us. They
know who we are, for we, the funeral and
cemetery professionals, having accepted
what we are, shall feel no need to hide
behind a mask, to be a phony, to be an
arrogant snob.
As most veteran funeral/cemetery
professionals have learned well, it is
crucial in the arrangements interview that
as professionals we not be preoccupied
with ourselves but concentrate whole
heartedly on the client family. This is a
skill that takes time to acquire. The more
you do it, the better you getor that is the
idea, anyway.
We can be free to listen, to attempt to
understand just as much as possiblein
brief, to be genuinely interested, because
nothing in us gets in the way of our task,
which is to build a trusting, respectful and
lasting relationship with the client family.
It is in the arena of human communication
that truly experiential expertise blossoms.
A case study
Years ago, I worked with a young person

who had just graduated from mortuary
32
ICCFA Magazine
college and was serving an internship at

the funeral home I managed in Iowa. She
interviewed very wellshe made a great
first impressionbut after one month most
everyone who worked in the mortuary
realized that she was not devoted to funeral
service. She was devoted to the drama in
her soap opera lifestyle.
Her normal day revolved around playby-play reports of her latest argument
with the latest of her suitors, and if in the
middle of her theatrics she needed to go
on a death call, she actually gave every
indication that she was being put out
by having to respond to the death of a
human being, despite this being the funeral
homes mission.
Her addiction to her own life dramas
was so self-consuming that she even began
sharing (more like boring) her theatrical
life issues with people who came off the
street to innocently attend a visitation or
service. To be sure, she was young, terribly
young, and to be sure we had conversation
after conversation about how she needed to
improve her behavior.
Nevertheless, in the end her soap opera
life prevailed and she found employment
in another funeral home, a place that, in
her own words, understood and appre
ciated her.
If she indeed was allowed to continue in
her behavior, all chance of her developing
solid experiential expertise was simply
frozen, paralyzed. She was licensed; she
passed the National Board; she passed
her state exam, but that was it. In terms of
professional development, she was stuck!
Have you ever encountered anyone like
that in your workplaces?
Looking back, I have concluded that
this young lady was not derailed by her
personal crises per se, but because she
was missing the one essential ingredient
necessary for a funeral/cemetery
professional to develop experiential
expertise: a genuine love of funeral and
cemetery service.

to page 33
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
People who genuinely love something or somebody usually have a myriad of suggestions
on how things can be done better, more safely, more creatively and more lovingly.
that they had never thought about before.
People who genuinely love something
A genuine love of our great and beloved
or somebody usually have a myriad of
profession is one of the foundational
suggestions on how things can be done
bedrocks if we are to explore the substance
better, more safely, more creatively and
and meaning of funeral/cemetery expertise.
more lovingly. Most parents understand
Without genuine love of service in our
this approach to suggestion-making very
profession, your efforts will always be
well indeed. If you love something, your
less than they could have been. When
experiences and your developed expertise
this happens, it is a pity for everybody
naturally lead you to offer your thoughts,
involved.
counsel, advice. This is an essential in our
Because of the immense power that a
professional expertise.
genuine love of funeral service possesses
The result of suggestion-making
in purity of purpose, the authentic
is that because most funeral/cemetery
funeral/cemetery professional developing
professionals possess priceless experiential
experiential expertise sees as its very
antithesis the idea of having an out-ofcontrol ego or being so caught up in your
own agenda, as that young woman was,
that you have nothing to offer others.
A selfish funeral/cemetery professional
(now theres something that ought to be
an oxymoron) actually ends up working
to shore up her insecure ego or trying
to make up for whats happening in his
dysfunctional life instead of helping client
families make difficult decisions, which is
what provides experiential expertise.
This approach in pursuing funeral/
cemetery expertise holds that at its core
is the basic human concept of selfless
humble service to others. Without this, the
profession loses its sacred aspect. Without
a genuine love of funeral/cemetery
service, the arrangement conference
descends into an experience for the family
which might be analogous to having
an appointment with H&R Block or an
insurance representative.
Trusting our own ideas and feelings
constitutes another important quality of
funeral/cemetery expertise. To me, this
type of trusting in no way entails us telling
the client family what to do. Most veteran
professionals would not do that even if
asked.
Instead, this type of expertise centers
around the professionals openness, ability
and knowledge in presenting options,
alternatives and suggestions.
One of the new responsibilities of
the contemporary funeral/cemetery
professional is to take on the role of the
suggestion-maker, of telling families about
options they have no idea are available,
from page 32
expertise which cannot be found anywhere

else, we (you and I) have an important and
valuable story to tell, and we ought to be
able to make one suggestion after another,
simply based on our experience.
We have the knowledge that comes
from being in the trenches, being on the
front lines confronting death on a hourby-hour basis. We need to tell our client
families what we know. We always need to
tell our storywe should never be timid
or shy about doing so. Our story in and
of itself will help us move far beyond the
traditional, old-fashioned order-taking
r
method of making arrangements.
SEP AD
1/6 H
Madelyn AD
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October 2015
33
Supply Line
Passages new catalog.
Organizing Your Family Legacys guide

to organizing end-of-life documents
and wishes.
READERS: To find the products and services you need online, go to www.iccfa.com
and select directory to find:
Supply Link Search
Engine, the fastest way
to find the products and
services you need at your
funeral home, cemetery or
crematory.
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes and
other news to sloving@iccfa.com
for inclusion in Supply Line. Large files that
will not go through the ICCFA server can be
sent to slovingiccfa@yahoo.com.
34
ICCFA Magazine
n passages international,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, has released
a new product catalog, which is available
online. The catalog introduces several new
products, including two new scatter tube designs, a new shell color, two new coffins and
shrouds. 1.888.480.6400;
sales@passagesinternationalcom;
www.PassagesInternational.com
n organize your family legacy, Traverse City, Michigan, provides a
comprehensive guide to organizing key
records and documents as well as end-oflife wishes. Co-written by Edward C. Meyers and Sharon K. Nick, the user-friendly
guide offers clearly written instructions and
a step-by-step plan to organize documents
and data such as insurance information,
financial and banking data, wills, trusts, account information, digital account credentials and end-of-life wishes in one location.
Meyers discovered firsthand the need for
this resource after his wife died. The product
received the Publishers Choice Award in the
July 2014 issue of Boomer Times.
1.800.644.0133; ecmyers@apepress.com;
www.organizingyourfamilylegacy.com
n Funeral Directors Life INsurance Co., Abilene, Texas,
has named Don Strickland
as a new director of sales development. He has extensive
experience with insurance
needs and personnel training. Strickland has worked as
a client consultant, business
developer, salesperson and
Strickland
marketing advisor. He owned
and operated a business in the insurance
field for almost 15 years. Most recently, he
led the sales team at an international corporation through education seminars, event
marketing, employee recruitment and direct
sales. www.funeraldirectorslife.com
n Legacy.COM, Evanston, Illinois,
has introduced a features sections with
original articles on topics examining life
and death. Senior Managing Editor Halley
Burns and her team have created a series of
interviews giving voice to the terminally ill,
exploring death cafes and educating readers
about natural burial options. Topics range
from celebrity deaths to everyday heroes,
from practical guides on funeral etiquette to
articles on how sharing a secret might be a
first step in preventing a suicide.
www.legacy.com
n Frontrunner, Kingston, Ontario,
has unveiled an advanced funeral website.
It features up-to-date mobile-friendly technology and the Book of Memories memorial
website generator. It also includes unlimited
FrontRunners new website and printed

materials that can be generated.
DVD tribute video generation and unlimited print-on-demand custom stationery at

no extra charge. It also includes a document
handler engine that instantly prints all forms
such as proof of death statements, clergy
and cemetery records and a growing selection of in-house and government forms.
Funeral homes using this new edition will
have the choice to turn on revenue generators or opt to turn them off.
1.866.748.3625; www.FrontRunner360.com
n national mortuary shipping, Cleveland, Ohio, has promoted
Katherine M. Lipa to second
shift supervisor. Lipa has
been with NMS since March
2005 working in the accounting department. She has also
worked alongside funeral
Lipa
directors assisting with outof-town deaths for the past three years.
www.natlmortuaryshipping.com
n Funeral research
and insight, Indianapolis, Indiana, has debuted a
family satisfaction survey.
The survey has been designed to be brief and can be
completed over the phone,
online or with mobile devices
at the familys convenience,
Milto
company President Rose
Milto said. It measures various aspects of
families funeral experience. In addition to
quarterly scorecards, annual results identify
those aspects that drive satisfaction at the
funeral home, for both cremation and burial
families.
317.865.1413; rose@funeralresearch.com;
www.funeralresearch.com
n Kyle & Associates, Hebron, Indiana, recently made a donation to Bridging Bionics Foundation in honor of Mike
Medo. Medo was diagnosed a quadriplegic
in 2001 after a slip and fall accident at his
Michigan home. He always believed that
S U P P LY L I N E
Alice Kyle of Kyle & Associates provides Mike Medo with a check.
hed walk again and is closer than ever

thanks to groundbreaking technological
advances and assistance from the Bridging Bionics Foundation, Basalt, Colorado,
and new technology called the ReWalk.
He has used a ReWalk at the University of
Michigan, but his insurance will not cover
the $90,000 cost it would take to bring one
home for daily use. Kyle and Associates
stepped in, making donations each time a
Facebook friend visited thecompanys Facebook page and hit the like button.
219.613.6481; alice@netnitco.net
n orlando creative services,
Clearwater, Florida, offers promotional
tools for funeral professionals. Services
include design, websites, branding, image
enhancement and other promotional tools
for print and electronic media. Creative
Director Paul Orlando was co-founder of
Adfinity and worked for MKJ Marketing
and FrontRunner Professional.
727.791.7160;
paul@orlandocreativeservices.com;
www.orlandocreativeservices.com
n Great western
Insurance Company,
Ogden, Utah, has promoted
Shelly Payan to client and
company relationship
expert. She joined GWIC in
1987 as the first employee
and has served in several supervisory and management
Payan
positions. She is a business administration

graduate of the Stevens Henager School of
Business in Ogden.
Also, Great Western recently surpassed
the milestone of $1 billion in assets. GWIC
was founded in 1983 by John E. Lindquist,
owner of Lindquist Mortuaries & Cemeteries. With over $1 billion in assets, the firms
surplus to liability ratio is among the highest in the industry.
1.866.689.1415; www.gwic.com
n StoryClip, Conway, Arizona, has a
new video memorial application allowing creation of personal video keepsakes.
Following a memorial during which family
and friends record messages, StoryClip
automatically combines video recordings
into a single polished video, along with
the obituary photo and funeral home logo,
making it available for viewing, sharing
and download via the web or smartphone.
StoryClip is accessed via an easy-to-use
touchscreen tablet with video camera and
microphone, all housed in an optional
all-wood housing and stand. Guests can record their condolences using a touchscreen
interface that operates with the simplicity
similar to recording a voicemail greeting
on a phone.
www.StoryClip.com
n passare, San Francisco, California,
has launched a new website designed
for funeral service providers at
provider.passare.com. Passares consumer-facing website offers many tools and resources for families, but has been deficient
in information for providers who may wish
to learn more about Passares SaaS (software as a service)-based platform, said
Kris Seale, company president. This new
website was created to help funeral service
providers learn more about Passares
unique solution for enhancing their service
to families in the digital age.
The new website features in-depth
information on the Passare platform,
including how Passare works, the benefits
of using Passare for funeral directors and
families alike, and how Passare is helping
clients reimagine the funeral experience.
925.968.9495;
www.passare.com
n Kubota, Torrance, California, has introduced three new commercial walk-behind gas-powered mowers, the WG14-36,
WH15-48 and the WHF19-52. The mowers
are available in three deck widths and each
model is powered by a reliable Kawasaki Vtwin gasoline engine with outputs ranging
from 14 to 19 horsepower. The WG14-36
features a five-speed gear-drive transmission with reverse assist, and the WH15-48
Above and below, StoryClips touchscreen tablet, used for recording memorial messages.
A screen grab from the explanatory video at Passares new website designed
specifically for funeral professionals.
and WHF19-52 use proven hydro-gear

variable displacement pumps with Parker
wheel motors. All three mowers feature
fabricated welded steel decks and are
equipped with a powerful 125 foot-pound
electric clutch, maintenance-free spindles
and easy-to-use controls. All three mowers
have adjustable cutting heights.
1.888.458.2682, ext. 900;
www.kubota.com
r
December 2015
35
Update
Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to sloving@iccfa.com. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to sloving@iccfa.com or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.
Above and right, the Stations of the Cross feature at Mobile Memorial Gardens. Cremation inurnment opportunities are available along the path.
n Mobile Memorial Gardens, Mobile, Alabama, recently added a Stations of the Cross feature in its Catholic Garden of Crucifixion. Star Granite designed 14 etchings in black granite panels attached to gray granite memorials. The passion journey begins and ends at
the Crucifix Mausoleum. Cremation inurnment options are available along the path, and sponsorship of the individual stations is also available.
When the memorial park was founded more than 60 years ago, founder Charles Miller envisioned telling stories of the life of Christ in different
gardens, including the Gardens of Last Supper, Gethsemane, Transfiguration, Sermon on the Mount, Apostles, Waters of Life, Tree of Life, Peace
and Resurrection.
Also, Richard F. Dick Perl, CCFE, retired from the company effective September 30. He had served as the companys vice president,
sales and marketing, for the past 11 years. He provided training and guidance during his tenure for many counselors entering the death-care
field for the first time. He will continue with the company in a consulting role for the next year.
r
n Stygar Family FUneral Service, St. Charles and Florissant, Missouri,
are helping local first responders by making
available download of the Vital ICE phone
app. The app allows users to store their
contact information, emergency contacts, allergies, current
medications,
allergies to
medications,
medical history
and a copy of
their insurance
card. The app
also provides
first-aid sceThe Vital ICE phone app
narios, a onebeing provided by Stygar touch dial of
Family Funeral Services.
911 with GPS
location and an
emergency group that can be notified of the
users distress and location. It also includes a
reminders section where the user can enter in
doctors, appointments and daily medications.
The program also includes distribution of Vitalboards by the funeral homes.
They are write-on/wipe-off magnetic memo
boards that can be affixed to a refrigerator.
36
ICCFA Magazine
The boards include a planner, shopping list,

note area and a section for important phone
numbers. On the reverse side, there is room
for each residentto record critical health
information.
Stygar is providing the app and boards as a
way to give back to the community.
n pittsburgh institute of Mortuary science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is holding a continuing education event,
2015-PIMS Best Practices 102, on December 4. The program features What is your
funeral home worth in todays marketplace
and how to prepare for succssion, presented
by Shannen Mayfield; In consideration of
ethical funeral service practice, presented by
Dr. Barry Lease; and Child abuse: Recognition and reporting, presented by Dr. Joseph
Marsaglia. Effective at the beginning of this
year, licensed funeral directors in Pennsylvania have had to comply with a new license
renewal requirement to include child abuse
content in continuing education courses.
n Old City Cemetery, Lynchburg,
Virginia, held a blessing of the animals during a celebration of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Episcopalian clergy provided the
service in front of the cemetery chapel. Visi-
Old City Cemeterys animal blessing.
tors were invited to bring their pets or photos

of their pets for a blessing. Donations of dog
or cat food or money were requested for the
Lynchburg Humane Society, which was on
hand with animals available for adoption.
n Foundation Partners, Orlando, Florida, has
hired Kitty Alexander as
manager, community outreach and marketing. Alexander brings more than a decade
of long-term care experience
to the position as well as a
Alexander diverse background in funeral
NorthStar AD
1/2 H
4-COLOR
Crystal Remembrance AD
1/2 H
4-COLOR
December 2015
37
UPDATE
service spanning almost 10 years. She began
her funeral service career as a funeral director
in Mississippi and later served as advance
sales counselor with a firm in Tennessee.
After her tenure in funeral service, she joined
a long-term care company in East Tennessee,
which owned and managed four retirement
communities, where she held various marketing, sales and community relations positions.
She has a bachelors degree in biology from
East Tennessee State University as well as
an associates degree in funeral service from
Gupton-Jones College. She also has experience dealing in OSHA matters, state surveys
and Medicare audits.
n The Board of Directors of Carriage
Services, Houston, Texas, has approved
a $20 million increase in its authorization
for repurchases of the companys common
stock. On May 21, the board had approved
the repurchase of up to $25 million of the
companys common stock. Through September 25, the company had used $23.9 million
of that authorization to purchase approximately 1,044,000 shares of common stock,
with $1.1 million remaining available for
future purchases.
n Hartsale Pet Cemetery &
Crematory, Hartsdale, New York, has
become the first and only pet facility in New
York to pass the International Association of
Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC)
accreditation program. Over the years, we
have remained steadfast in adhering to our
responsibility to set a high standard in the
industry, said Hartsdale Pet Cemetery Vice
President Edward Martin III. Accreditation
raises the standard and maintains integrity
in the pet aftercare industry which instills
confidence to those who use our services.
This accreditation validates our efforts just
was it was validated in 1991. That was when
New York State passed legislation to regulate
pet cemeteries, crematories and veterinarians. Legislators consulted with us and used
Hartsdales procedures as a model while drafting those laws. Family-owned and -operated
Hartsdale Pet Cemetery Vice President
Edward Martin III, center, and Chris Cooper,
Hartsdales crematory
manager, accept an
accreditation plaque
from Angie Hansen,
president of the
International Association of Pet Cemeteries
& Crematories at the
associations annual
conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
38
ICCFA Magazine
Buddy Phaneuf, right,

with John
Heald of
Tributes.com
during an
episode of the
radio show
Dying to
Talk.
n Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium and the Cremation Society of New Hampshire, Manchester, New Hampshire,
has started hosting a weekly radio show, Dying to talk. The show features a
lighthearted look at topics no one wants to talk about. The show airs Saturday
mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., with a rebroadcast on Sundays starting at 6:30
a.m. It will run for 52 weeks.
Hosted by Buddy Phaneuf, the shows offer a different discussion topic each
week, with guests appearing as well. Topics include cremation, veterans funeral
and burial benefits, the role of medical examiners, the growth of non-traditional
funerals and religious customs and traditions, of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists,
Muslims and other religions.
I dont think there are many, if any, radio talk shows like this hosted by a
funeral director, said Phaneuf. We want to offer people the opportunity to talk
about some things that they might shy away from, or find difficult to discuss. Well
do this with a touch of humor.
r
for over 40 years, Hartsdale Pet Cemetery
is Americas first pet grounds, established in
1896. It is the only pet cemetery listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and is
ranked as the best pet cemetery in the world.
It is a certified National Wildlife Habitat.
n The Pet Loss Center, Austin, Texas,
has launched two Dallas-area locations and
one Austin location. The company is owned
by business partners Nick Padlo and Coleen
Ellis. The Pet Loss Center offers pet own-
ers and veterinary clinics final arrangement

services including cremation, memorialization, ritual options and pet-loss grief support. Whether through a keepsake necklace,
a journey urn that celebrates the chapter
between pet and pet owner or a memorial
service in one of the viewing rooms, The Pet
Loss Center offers a variety of options for pet
owners to choose from.
The Pet Loss Center developed Trusted
Journey, a software system that tracks pets
from their initial pickup from a veterinary
clinic or pet parents home to their final goodbye. The Trusted Journey software system
ensures pets are well taken care of along every
step of the journey, giving pet owners and vets
peace of mind knowing exactly where their
pet is in the process. Honoring a pet after
death is a natural way to mourn loss, said
Ellis. We give pet parents the permission to
mourn and memorialize their pet. We provide
ways to celebrate the life of a pet while offering emotional guidance for pet parents and
their families, including their children and
other pets who are experiencing the loss of
r
their beloved friend.
I C C FA N E W S
Wide World of Sales January 13-15, 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada
Make your sales faster, higher, stronger

Weldon Long
eldon Long changed his lifeand can change yours

with the Power of Sales Consistency.
For the better part of his first 30 years, Weldon
Longs life was marred with time in prison, poverty and
addiction. In 2003, he walked out of prison broke and homeless.
By 2009, he built an Inc. 5000 company with over $20 million in
revenue.
How did he do it?
He created The Power of Consistency for Sales Excellence,
a sales training program he used to transcend decades of misery
and create an exceptional life of wealth, happiness and peace of
mind for himself and his family.
He will teach you the three cornerstones of his plan, including
how to:
Get your MIND right.
Get the SALES right.
Get the
IMPLEMENTATION
right.
Long will show you how
to create a personalized,
easy-to-follow sales plan.
Using this program on a daily
basis will improve your longterm sales performance. q
Weldon Long
Mike Pierce
as Vegas will feel a fresh, cold breeze coming in on

Thursday morning January 14, 2016, as Antarctic Mike
Pierce teaches you how to Sell at 90 Below Zero.
Pierce speaks from experience. He has a successful 20-year
track record of success in sales, the recruitment industry and the
speaking business.
During his expeditions in Antarctica, Pierce realized that
mental conditioning and persistence are the most important
tools that a person can possess. This goes beyond marathon
running in extreme conditions; it can be applied to the sales
profession.
Specifically about selling and designed for sales professionals
and sales team leaders, this session will teach you how to:
Develop an effective plan of the right sales activity at the
right place and time
Increase mental
strength and develop
sound habits of
discipline
Differentiate yourself
from competitors and
stand out
Spend more time with
customers and the
right prospects
Sell more effectively
and more often.
q
Mike Pierce
So much to see and learn at the 2016 Wide World of Sales
ere is a peek at some of the breakout sessions you

should plan to attend at the 2016 Wide World of
Sales Conference. There is plenty to learn for anyone
interested in sales counseling and managing.
On Thursday morning starting at 10:30 a.m., Dale Amundsen
will present Dealing with the Four F.E.A.R. Motivations.
He explains how in only five minutes, potential customers will
make a decision on whether or not they will
trust you. Five minutes can open, or close,
their minds for good. Learn how to read
what is important to them and relate
to anyone by identifying their primary
F.E.A.R. motivations, whether they are a
Fatalist, Exasperator, Appraiser or Relater.
Later on Thursday afternoon, join

Mike Regina at 2:15 p.m. He will tell
you all about Working Leads with
Technology.
Regina has an MBA in online
marketing along with seven years of
experience in email marketing and sales.
He will explain how consumers now have more access to
information than ever before. Sales teams are leveraging
technology to gain deeper insight into each lead they touch.
Regina will cover some of the most useful software solutions
that advanced sales people are using, as well as how these tools
can be applied to your sales process starting now. Whether you
are tech savvy or a novice, dont miss this breakout.

to page 40
December 2015
39
I C C FA N E W S
from page 39
Gain even more tools and tips about
marketing in the digital age. Eric
Spellmann, owner of a large website design
and online marketing company, will detail
how you could be Turning Clicks Into
Customers.
Your website should impact your bottom
line, and with a few key steps, that online presence can generate
leads and sales. Learn how to plan, prepare and execute a
successful web design project, as well as how to choose the
right web designer before you spend your money on a new site.
WWS isnt just for talks and networking. You will get
a chance to see people in action. This year, WWS offers
an amazing opportunity: a tour of the Zappos corporate
headquarters on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $30
per person. There are only 40 spaces available, so you must
act quickly to reserve your spot. The tour will end in time for
participants to return for the Fireside Chat in the afternoon.
This 90-minute excursion offers a glimpse into the Zappos
culture and a walk in a Zappo employees shoes. Get a
glimpse of their amazing culture-filled departments, such as
merchandising, HR and their customer service team. This tour
of a company that has turned the traditional business model on
its side will be sure to inspire and educate.
The Monte Carlo Resort & Casino not only will be the host
hotel, but also is offering room rates at a discounted $64 a
night. The resort has eight restaurants on premises with a range
of flavors to satisfy your every desire, from American to French
to Italian to Chinese. Recharge by scheduling yourself some
relaxation time at the full-service hotel spa or feel the burn at
the fitness center.
Las Vegas has many attractions near the Monte Carlo for you
to enjoy. World-class entertainment is also available close by.
The Blue Man Group show at the nearby Luxor has earned rave
reviews. The avant-garde troupe combines theatrics, art, music
and science to create an interactive, wild and percussion-driven
experience full of humor and energy. A discount is available for
attendees with tickets starting as low as $56.27. You may order
them online at www.iccfa.com/wws. Group discounts of 10+
tickets are available as well.
And the more people that your company sends to the
conference, the more money you can save!
You can save more on individual registration if you are an
ICCFA member, though you do not need to be a member to
attend Wide World of Sales.
Remember to register by December 7 to receive the early
bird rate. To register online and make your hotel reservations,
visit www.wideworldofsales.com.
q
40
ICCFA Magazine
Thank you to our

sponsors
Homesteaders Life Co.
Service Corporation International
Biondan North America
Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries
Forethought Life Insurance Co.
Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co.
FSI Trust Solutions
Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuaries
Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary
Johnson Consulting Group
Live Oak Bank
Matthews International Corp.
NGL: National Guardian
Life Insurance Co.
Pontem, Cemetery 360 & Osiris
StoneMor Partners LP
TesTeachers LLC
The Signature Group
Trigard
Wilbert Funeral Services
I C C FA N E W S
KIP
Best in Personalization
Award s
5 year
in
t
Celebra g 1
KIP awards deadline extended to December 18
The application deadline for ICCFAs Keeping It Personal (KIP) awards has been extended to Friday,
December 18. The mission of the KIP awards is to recognize personalization excellence in the cemetery,
cremation and funeral services profession.
Applications and profiles of past winners are available online at www.iccfa.com/kip.
q
CELEBRANT TRAINING
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IN-SIGHT INSTITUTE
Become a Certified Celebrant in Las Vegas this January
he ICCFA has again partnered with the In-Sight Institute

for a two-day celebrant training course. Learn how
to provide meaningful and personalized funerals for
families, regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof.
Celebrant Training is being offered before the Wide
World of Sales Conference from Monday, January 11, to
Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at the Monte Carlo Hotel &
Casino Las Vegas, NV.
Doug Manning, Glenda Stansbury and the In-Sight Institute
have been training celebrants who serve families and offer the
best funeral possible.
A celebrant who has been certified by In-Sight has been
trained in the following areas:
Value of the funeral
Family visits
Listening skills
Presentation skills
Elements of funeral planning
Code of ethics
The ICCFA offers celebrant training that aligns with our
mission to help our members continue to thrive in todays
marketplace. Fewer people are choosing to a part of organized
religions or wish to have clergy-led funeral services. Celebrants
offer an alternative option for these customers. Its been found

that Certified Celebrant-led services lead to increased customer
satisfaction, with families finding them more personal.
Celebrants can offer much to funeral homes. They offer
an alternate to church-affiliated services or services led by
clergypersons. Some families may not wish to have a traditional
religious funeral service.
Celebrants are trained to design services that are completely
personal by incorporating unique stories, songs and experiences
that defined the deceased. They schedule a special family
meeting when the family can share memories, anecdotes and
defining moments of the loved ones life. The essence of the
service is based on the remembrances of the family. Family and
friends are encouraged to participate in the service.
Celebrants develop a library of resources for readings, music,
ceremonies and personal touches. They consult with the family
to help them choose elements of the service that best reflect
their loved one. They are bound by a code of ethics for complete
confidentiality in all dealings with the family.
Celebrant training will be held at the Monte Carlo in Las
Vegas, Nevada. Register for both WWS and celebrant training
to save on both events! Cost: $1,100 for members and $1,250 for
non-members.
Learn more at www.iccfa.com/celebrants
q
2016 music licenses now available; lowest price in industry
usic licenses for calendar year 2016

are now available through the ICCFA.
The ICCFA is offering licensing with
ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for $263 per property,
with no additional fees. For any company that
broadcasts funeral services over the Internet, an
added $48 webcasting license will be necessary to be in full
compliance with copyright law.
Purchase your license now for $263 before January 31, 2016.
After this date, the rate will increase to $276. It is the lowest
price in the industry, even lower than the NFDAs.
This rate is a huge savings for ICCFA members. Licensing
directly with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC would

cost more than $600 per location.
Music licensing is the law. Failure to obtain
a license can be costly, and fines of up to
$30,000 for each song can be incurred. If your
company hosts live or recorded performances
of copyrighted music, the copyright owners make it a legal
requirement to pay an annual licensing fee.
To purchase your music license and to learn more information
on music and webcasting licensing, visit www.iccfa.com/music
or call 1.800.645.7700.
q
December 2015
41
I C C FA N E W S
Top executives create blue oceans,

learn to be better managers in Tucson
eaders of premier cemetery, funeral home, crematory and supplier

companies gathered September 30-October 2 at the Loews Ventana
Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, for the ICCFA Fall Management
Conference. The program included a full-day workshop of how to create new
markets for your business, a Government & Legal Affairs breakfast, as well as
sessions on becoming a whole-hearted leader and creating a culture of candor
and change. Mark your calendars for next years event: October 5-7 at the
Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, off the coast
of Charleston. Look for program information next summer.
q
1. Jason Hunter, senior global consultant and practice director for the Blue
Ocean Strategy Network. 2. Stephen Gilliland, professor and head of the
management and organizations department in the Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona. 3. Entrepreneur and author Kevin Kruse.
4. Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, ICCFA vice president of external affairs,
in the Government & Legal Affairs Breakfast. 5. Tennis tournament participants (left to right): Jordan Yearsley, Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, Rob
Treadway, Tim Hentges, Patricia Hansen-Kerr, Amy Shimp, Donna Anspach, Larry Anspach, CCE, and Jeffrey Shimp. 6. Reception attendees (left
to right): Andy Lopez, Scott Sells, CCFE, Lowell Lohman, Gary Freytag,
CCFE, Nancy Lohman, CCFE, and Anthony Lampe. 7. Two photos of the
spectacular natural landscape in the Catalina Mountains surrounding the
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. 8. (left to right) Gregg Strom, CCE, and Jay
Dodds, CFSP, at the Fall Management Golf Tournament.
ICCFA Magazine
7
42
8
IMSA AD
FULL PAGE
page 43
4-COLOR
Statement of Ownership,
Management & Circulation
New Members
Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative
guidance and support to progressive cemetery, funeral and
cremation professionals worldwide
Membership applications
Admission to ICCFA membership normally requires a majority vote of those present
and voting at any meeting of the executive committee. The names of all applicants
must be published in this magazine. ICCFA members objecting to an application must
do so in writing to the ICCFA executive director within 45 days of publication. In the
event of an objection, the executive committee will conduct an inquiry. If an applicant
is rejected, they will be granted an appeal upon written request. The decision of the
Board of Directors shall be final.
For information about the ICCFA and Membership:
Go to www.iccfa.com/membership to download a benefits brochure and an application form.
Call 1.800.645.7700 to have membership information faxed or mailed to you.
Regular
Anthony Funeral Homes

Akron, Ohio
Bouyer Funeral Home Inc.
Royal Oak, Michigan
Grace
New York, New York
Krill Funeral Service
Edgerton, Ohio
Lafayette Memorial Park
Fayetteville, North Carolina
New Orleans Archdiocesan Cemeteries Inc.
New Orleans, Louisiana
OHalloran & Murphy Co.

Roseville, Minnesota
Professional/Supplier
Burnz-Well Inc.
Magnolia, Texas
Professional: Pet Loss Services
Hearts Ease Veterinary Care

Louisville, Kentucky
Twilight Meadows Mobile Veterinary
Services
Raleigh, North Carolina
r
easier way
theres an
Powered by Multiview, ICCFA Supply Link is a

superior tool for our unique community that
streamlines your efforts to find products and services.
Start your search at
www.iccfasupplylink.com
44
ICCFA Magazine
1. Publication title: ICCFA Magazine.

2. Publication no.: 1936-2099
3. Filing date: October 1, 2015.
4. Issue frequency: 10 times per year.
5. No. of issues published annually: 10.
6. Annual subscription price: $39.95.
7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling,
VA 20164-4468.
8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: 107 Carpenter
Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468.
9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of
publisher, editor and managing editor: PublisherRobert Fells, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite
100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; Editornone;
Managing editorSusan Loving, 107 Carpenter
Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468.
10. Owner: International Cemetery and Funeral
Association, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100,
Sterling, VA 20164-4468.
11. Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more
of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other
securities: None.
12. The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this
organization and the exempt status for federal
income tax purposes has not changed during
preceding 12 months.
13. Publication name: ICCFA Magazine.
14. Issue date for circulation data below: AugustSeptember 2015.
15. Extent and nature of circulationAverage no.
copies each issue during preceding 12 months:
(a) Total no. copies8,580; (b) Paid circulation
(b1) Mailed outside-county paid5,164; (b2)
Mailed in-county subscriptions43; (b3) Sales
through dealers and carriers, street vendors
and counter sales and other non-USPS paid
distribution387; (b4) Other classes mailed0;
(c) Total paid distribution5,594; (d) Free or
nominal rate distribution (d1) Outside-county1,965; (d2) In-county0; (d3) Other classes
mailed14; (d4) Outside the mail389; (e)
Total free or nominal rate distribution2,368;
(f) Total distribution: 7,962; (g) Copies not
distributed618; (h) Total8,580; (i) Percent
paid circulation70 percent. Extent and nature
of circulationActual no. copies of single issue
published nearest to filing date: (a) Total no.
copies7,800; (b) Paid circulation (b1) Mailed
outside-county paid5,312; (b2) Mailed incounty subscriptions48; (b3) Sales through dealers
and carriers, street vendors and counter sales
and other non-USPS paid distribution403;
(b4) Other classes mailed0; (c) Total paid
distribution5,763; (d) Free or nominal rate
distribution (d1) Outside county1,381; (d2)
In-county0; (d3) Other classes mailed14;
(d4) Free or nominal rate distribution outside
the mail270; (e) Total free or nominal rate distribution1,665; (f) Total distribution: 7,428; (g)
Copies not distributed372; (h) Total7,800;
(i) Percent paid circulation78 percent.
16. This statement of ownership will be printed in the
December 2015 issue of this publication.
17. Signature and title of editor, publisher, business
manager or owner: Susan Loving, Managing
Editor.
Calendar
E-mail calendar listings and additions or
corrections to Association Pipeline to
bclough@iccfa.com and sloving@iccfa.com.
For continually updated meeting listings and

direct links to websites for professional associations,
go to www.iccfa.com; select Find a Member, then
Industry Associations.
To see all industry conventions and meetings for

a particular month, go to www.iccfa.com; select
Find a Member, then Industry Calendar.
December 1-3: New England Cemetery Assn.

46th Annual Frederick R. Laffond Cemetery
Mgmt. Sem., Boxborough, Massacusetts.
www.newenglandcemetery.org
December 3: Maryland Cemetery, Funeral &
Cremation Assn. 8th Annual Holiday Gathering,
The Rusty Scupper, Baltimore. www.mcfca.us
December 15: Maryland State Funeral

Directors Assn. Annual Holiday Mtg. & Party,
The Hotel at Arundel Preserve, Hanover.
www.msfda.net
2016
January 13-15: ICCFA Wide World of Sales
Conf., Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas,
Nevada. www.iccfa.com
January 14-16: Utah Funeral Directors Assn.
Mid-Winter Mtg., Best Western Plus Abbey Inn,
Saint George. www.ufda.org
January 15-17: Mid-Atlantic Monument
Builders Assn. Annual Convention Marriott
Waterfront, Baltimore, Maryland.
www.mid-atlantic.com
January 18: New Hampshire Funeral Directors
Assn. Annual Mtg., Church Landing, Inns & Spa
at Mill Falls, Meredith. www.nhfda.org
February 3-4: CANA Cremation Symposim,
Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada.
www.cremationassociation.org
February 2-4: The Center for Loss & Life
Transition training for funeral directors,
Opening your communitys eyes to why we
need funerals, facilitated by Dr. Alan Wolfelt,
Scottsdale, Arizona. www.centerforloss.com
February 12-14: Maryland State Funeral
Directors Assn. Mid-Winter Retreat, Clarion
Resort & Conf. Center, Ocean City.
www.msfda.net
February 13-20: FrontRunner & American
Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service
7th Annual Funeral Business & Technology
Workshop Cruise, departing from Miami, Florida.
1.866.748.3625;
www.FrontRunner360.com/cruise
February 24-25: International Conference
of Funeral Service Examining Boards Annual
Mtg., Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, California.
479.442.7076; www.theconferenceonline.org
February 26-28: Monument Builders of North
America Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia.
www.monumentbuilders.org
February 29-March 2: MKJ Marketing seminar,
Top-Line Growth, The Westin Riverfront Resort &
Spa, Beaver Creek, Colorado. 1.888.MKJ.1566
March 3-5: Casket & Funeral Supply Assn. of
America Winter Seminar, Ft. Myers, Florida.
www.cfsaa.org
March 17-19: California Assn. of Public Ceme
teries Annual Convention, Embassy Suites,
Monterey Resorts. publiccemeteries@aol.com
March 21-23: MKJ Marketing seminar,
to page 46
Go to www.iccfa.com and choose Find a Member/Industry Calendar to see a

monthly calendar of industry association meetings worldwide.
Museum celebrates with memorial tree, food drive
ith the help of the local community,

the National Museum of Funeral
History is decorating a special holiday
tree to recognize and honor our departed
friends and family.
During December, visitors can decorate
a paper holiday ornament at the museum
and write the name of a deceased loved
one. The ornament will be displayed on
the holiday tree in the museums rotating
exhibit space. Families are welcome to
decorate and take home a special ornament
for their own tree.
Through the end of the year, people who
bring in a non-perishable canned food donation for the museums food drive will receive The holiday tree at the National Museum
$2 off admission.
r of Funeral History.
December 2015
45
ad index
17 Abbott & Hast
31 AFCTS
4 Affordable Funerals Networks.com
23 American Cemetery/Mortuary
Consultants
19 ASDAnswering Service
for Directors
23 Biondan North America Inc.
11 Carriage Services Inc.
5 Continental Computer Corp.
37 Crystal Remembrance
27 Ensure-A-Seal
19 Flowers for Cemeteries
31 Franklin Wrap
17 Funeral Call Answering Service

24 Funeral Data Manager
25 Funeral Data Manager
43 IMSA
29 Kryprotek
9 Live Oak Bank
33 Madelyn Co.
7 Matthews International
29 Meadow Hill Corp.
3 Merendino Cemetery Care
17 Miles Supply Inc.
27 Nomis Publications
37 NorthStar Memorial Group
27 Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell &

Hippel
15 Perfect Memorials
21 Regions Funeral & Cemetery
Trust Services
33 SEP Technologies
44 Supply Link
17 SVE Portable Roadway Systems
23 The Key Chain Urn Co.
48 Trigard
2 U.S. Metalcraft
19 WithumSmith + Brown
47 Worsham College
19 Zontec Ozone
calendar
from page 45
Top-Line Growth, Ritz-Carlton Resort, Amelia
Island, Florida. 1.888.MKJ.1566
March 30-31: Utah Funeral Directors Assn.
Annual Convention, ErgerySolutons Arena, Salt
Lake City. www.ufda.org
April 1-3: TANEXPO, Bologna, Italy.
info@tanexpo.com
April 13-16: ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo,
Classifieds
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center & Hilton

New Orleans Riverside, New Orleans, Louisiana.
www.iccfa.com
April 18-22: Catholic Cemeteries of the West
Annual Convention, Harrahs Reno, Nevada.
www.ccwecare.org
May 8-11: Tri-State and Kansas Funeral
Directors Assn. convention. www.ksfda.org
May 17: Ohio Funeral Directors Assn. Annual
Check the classified announcements at www.iccfa.com/employment.htm

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

receivables financing
We will lend your company money

on your receivables, or we will
Convention. www.ofdaonline.org
May 22-25: North Carolina Funeral Directors
Assn. Annual Convention, Raleigh.
www.ncfda.org
June 12-14: Southern Cemetery, Cremation &
Funeral Assn. Annual Convention, with Georgia,
North Carolina and South Carolina cemetery
assns., Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, South
Carolina. www.sccfa.info
r

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Either way, you retain access to

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To advertise in the January 2016 issue, which will include the program
for the 2016 ICCFA Convention & Exposition and will be read
not only by ICCFA members but also by thousands of non-members,
contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com
46
ICCFA Magazine
Worsham AD
FULL PAGE
page 47 (C3)
4-COLOR
Trigard AD
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ICCFA Magazine December2015

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Poul Lemasters on reducing your business liability

2016 SALES OLYMPICS in LAS VEGAS

WIDE WORLD OF SALES

JANUARY 13-15 MONTE CARLO

Participants in West Laurel Hills Woof,

Death-care business basics: Insurance, hiring and firing Your pet or

The importance of preplanning for our furry & feathered friends

Keys to service: Experience Funeral directors and cemeterians who

Darin B. Drabing, president

Michael Uselton, CCFE, president-elect

Robert Treadway, director of

Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &

Rick Platter, supplier relations manager

Brenda Clough, office administrator

Susan Loving, managing editor

Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator

2015 by the International Cemetery, Cremation

Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

Cemeteries Crematories Funeral homes

Submit your news

Have you held a groundbreaking or grand opening for a new facility?

Subscribe to ICCFA Magazine

r One-year subscription (10 issues) for just $39.95*

Web Expo directory of suppliers

Name as it appears on card

Security ID (3-digit # on back of card or 4-digit # on front of AmEx)

Live Oak Bank AD

and CEO of Forest Lawn

n To apply for ICCFA

believe that most successful people are driven

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PRESENTED BY the ICCFAS

2016 SALES OLYMPICS

Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

More from this author

The year in review

s 2015 slips away and becomes part

What didnt happen

submitted comments in opposition to the

Membership That Matters.

by Poul Lemasters, Esq.

Your pet or human death-care business is a business,

Death-care business basics:

ICCFA Magazine author spotlight

Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio.

He is an attorney and funeral director,

tion legal counsel. ICCFA members in

Go to www.iccfa.com to the Cremation

World of Sales seminar, January 13-15, in

2016 SALES OLYMPICS

WIDE WORLD OF SALES

January 13-15 MONTE CARLO www.iccfa.com

Editors note: This article is excerpted from

insurance policy that you have but never

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Handling employees: Hiring

The hiring process is not too bad as far

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