July 2014

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CEMETERY FUNERALCREMATION

ICCFA 2014Convention& ExpoCoverage

ICCFA 2014Convention& ExpoCoverage

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6 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

Scenes from the 2013 ICCFA Convention & Expo in Tampa Bay, Florida: (1-8) F irst time attendees 1. Holly Sutton (p. 24), 2. Octavio Del Toro (p. 40), 3. Tanya Bal-lensky (p. 36) 4. Charles Bowman (p. 15), 5. Tracy Johnson (p. 40), 6. Robert Clarke (p. 30) and 7. Melissa McDonald (p. 15). 8. Keynote speaker Archie Griffin with the bronze football player at the Astral booth. 9. ICCFA 2013-2014 President Nancy Lohman and her husband, Lowell. 10. ICCFA 2014 Hall of Fame Award win-ner David Shipper with his father, Irwin Shipper, 2004 Hall of Fame Award winner. 11. Keynote speaker Stedman Graham. 12. Educational Foundation Chairman Jim Price, center, with Inspiration Award winners Gary OSullivan and Todd Van Beck. 13. Attendees at a breakout ses-sion. 14. ICCFA President Nancy Lohman and ALPAR President Teresa Saavedra. 15. Pet Loss Professionals Alliance Co-Chairs Coleen Ellis and Bill Remkus cut a cake celebrating the PLPAs 5th anni-versary. 16. The Wilbert Funeral Services booth in the Expo Hall.

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International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral AssociationPromoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition

14 Convention overviewPhotos from the ICCFA 2014 Convention & Expo (more Expo photos pp. 52, 58, 67-71, 84 and 85) 15 First-timers (more first-timers on pp. 24, 30, 36, and 40) Comments from people attending their first ICCFA Annual Convention

16 AwArds & reCognitionsElections add record number of women to ICCFA board 17 Hall of Fame Award recognizes David Shippers service to ICCFA 18 Regions Bank donates $75,000 to foundation for scholarships Ten receive scholarships to ICCFA University Education Foundations Inspiration Award 20 Half Century and Quarter Century awards 20 Certified Pet Loss Professional certifications awarded 21 ICCFA members earn professional certifications

22 JUst for fUnThey didnt really say that, did they?

20 KeYnote speAKers24 Learn what it takes to be a lifelong champion26 Know your message; Reach out to multicultural consumers; Dont let others define you26 Really learn about, understand, the culture you want to serve26 Offer Mexican-American families more direct participation26 Treat gay and lesbian clients the same as everyone else28 Create emotional branding to rise above simple awareness28 Learn about feng shui cemetery design to serve the Asian market30 Dont be afraid to fail

32 mAnAgement32 Talk to younger consumers to find out what they want from you32 Study data available from the census33 Reconsider the price guarantee on preneed funeral contracts33 Encourage preplanning in order to decrease the cremation rate33 Create, manage your personal brand using social media tools36 Run a progressive company if you want to attract millennials36 Learn what millennials offer as employees, what training they need38 Think about becoming a leader38 Embalming: Use drainage to deal with edema40 Learn what questions to ask to keep on top of trust performance40 Handle your responsibilities when your company uses a trust40 Avoid hiring based on love at first sight reaction to candidate42 JFDA: Learn the meaning of Jewish funeral and burial traditions42 Remember that your influence over costs goes down over time42 Dont forget the many costs that are associated with a new building

46 green serviCes46 Accept the choices people make46 Make shades of green available, and dont judge peoples choices48 Develop an integrated pest management plan48 Realize the appeal of natural burial beyond the green market

10 Presidents LetterWhere our profession comes together by Fred Lappin, CCE

12 Washington ReportICCFA supports bill restoring small business expensing to $500,000; FL court: Cremated remains not property by Robert M. Fells, Esq.

78 Update 78 Kensico Cemetery celebrating 125 years 82 Supply Line 84 Convention Speaker Information 85 Ad Index 85 Calendar 86 Classifieds 86 New Members

Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide

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50 CemeterY mAnAgement50 Run a focus group so that you can hear the voice of the customer50 Do something about dirt50 Try to prevent sunken graves50 Institute a documented daily mausoleum maintenance check50 Make mausoleums easily accessible to family members52 Develop a master plan

54 CremAtion54 Get proof of identification when dealing with out-of-town clients54 Ask the right questions and listen during the arrangement conference56 Use an e-commerce site to expand without adding buildings56 Undersstand that consumers are doing research before meeting you58 Use words of value to discuss cremation options with families58 Create a custom title for your cemetery cremation specialist58 Plan how to respond when families toss out a verbal roadblock

60 sALes & mArKeting60 Understand how grief can make it hard for people to make decisions60 Do something for grieving kids60 Help people let go60 Get out of your building, off your own website to raise your visibility61 Try creating an un-funeral home for people who are avoiding you61 Adopt techniques to convert people into fans and subscribers61 Create engaging posts so that your Facebook fans will see them62 Use third-party events to draw in baby boomers who dont plan to die

64 pet serviCes64 Expect laws covering human and pet burial sections to change64 Work with police to set up policy for handling services for K-9s64 Involve several people in setting up a trust to care for your pets65 Figure out what your average sale is, then plan your merchandising65 Buying is based on emotion, so make an emotional connection 65 Display products on end tables, coffee tables and bookshelves 65 Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.66 Use the PLPA due diligence tools66 Learn to be comfortable with pauses and silence

t A B L e o f C o n t e n t sICCFA news73 PLPA College adds new business

bootcamp day for 2014

74 Invest in yourself at ICCFA University still time to register Schmooze & Blues Next Generation event at B.B. Kings Restaurant & Blues Club

74 New webcasting license allows you to broadcast services worldwide

74 2015 ICCFA Annual Convention session proposals due August 1

75 2014 ICCFA Member Satisfaction Survey: Tell us what you think

77 Fall Management Conference Rockefeller habits to ensure employee engagement, solving industry issues and consumer trends on the agenda for Fall

ICCFA calendar

2014 iCCfA UniversityJuly 18-23 Fogelman Conference Center, Memphis, Tennessee Chancellor: Ernie Heffner, CFuE, CC

2014 pLpA UniversityAugust 23-27 Hyatt French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

Cremation Arranger/ Crematory operator CertificationSeptember 10-11 Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Dallas, Texas

2014 fall management ConferenceSeptember 17-19 Ritz Carlton Amelia Island, Amelia Island, FloridaCo-Chairs: Andrs Aguilar and Michael Uselton, CCFE

2015 wide world of sales ConferenceJanuary 14-16 Ballys & Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada Co-Chairs: Paul Goldstein and Wanda Sizemore

2015 Annual Convention & expositionApril 8-11 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and The Grand Hyatt San Antonio, San Antonio, TexasCo-Chairs: Caressa Hughes and Daniel L. Villa

www.iccfa.comDirectorieswww.iccfa.com/directories

Web Expo directory of suppliers and professionals

Association directory Industry event calendarCremation Coaching Center

www.iccfa.com/cremationICCFA Caf Links to news and feature stories from

all over the world

Subscribe to ICCFA Magaziner One-year subscription (10 issues) for just $39.95*r Two-year subscription for just $69.95** These rates for U.S. subscriptions only. In Canada: $45.95 U.S. per year; out-side U.S. and Canada: $75.95 U.S. per year.Name Company name Address City State Zip Phone ( ) Fax ( ) e-mail Payment informationr Check enclosed (please make payable to ICCFA)r Credit card; please circle: VISA MASTERCARD AMEX DISCOVERName as it appears on card Card # Exp. date Security ID (3-digit # on back of card or 4-digit # on front of AmEx) Send form and payment to: Magazine subscription, ICCFA Magazine,107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164; or Fax 703.391.8416

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n To apply for ICCFA membership: Download an application at www.iccfa.com, or Call 1.800.645.7700

Where our profession comes together

lappinf@ sharonmemorial.comLappin is president and CEO of Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon,Massachusetts and Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton, Massachusetts.

by iCCfA 2014-2015 president fred Lappin, CCe

I am honored to serve as the president of the ICCFA for 2014-15. It is a privilege to represent our association and you, our members.

The ICCFA is the only national association that includes cemeteries, funeral homes and crematories, and our annual convention offers a microcosm of our profession and is truly a melting pot of end-of-life services, education and products. Nowhere else will you find this environment of inclusion and collaboration that are such an important part of what define the ICCFA and set it apart as the premiere trade association serving our profession.

We are all well aware of the challenges that

face our profession, and we are all looking for ways to operate our businesses more successfully. What better way to understand these challenges and how to address them than to network and learn from our colleagues so that we can understand all of the components of our profession and the total environment in which we do business?

This is what the ICCFA offers its members, and this is what you will find at our annual convention and our other meetings. So, if youre looking for answers and information through inclusion and collaboration, look to the ICCFA, the association and the convention where our profession comes together. r

Presidents Letter


f Check us out on Facebook!Like us and friend ICCFA Staff.

Fred Lappin, CCE, with some of the many first-time exhibitors at the ICCFA 2014 Convention & Expo, which, as always, included all segments of the profession. Clockwise from top left, Urns of Distincton, The Davey Tree Experts, Stories in Stone, Implement (caskets) and SunTrust Bank.

July 2014VOLUME 74/NUMBER 6

iCCfA officersFred Lappin, CCE, presidentDarin B. Drabing, president-electJay D. Dodds, CFSP, vice presidentChristine Toson Hentges, CCE,vice presidentScott R. Sells, CCFE, vice presidentMichael Uselton, CCFE, vice presidentJay Brammer, treasurerGary M. Freytag, CCFE, secretaryRobert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &general counselmagazine staffSusan Loving, managing [email protected] Platter, supplier relations [email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213

Robert Treadway, director ofcommunications & member [email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224Kirsten Kase, marketing [email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1221

Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &[email protected] ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212

Brenda Clough, office administrator& association [email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1214

0Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator (habla espaol)

[email protected]; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215

ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is pub-lished by the International Cemetery, Crema-tion and Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; 703.391.8400; FAX 703.391.8416; www.iccfa.com. Published 10 times per year, with combined issues in March-April and August-September. Periodicals postage paid

at Sterling, VA, and other offices. Copyright 2014 by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. Subscription rates: In the United States, $39.95; in Canada, $45.95; overseas: $75.95. One subscription is included in annual membership dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ICCFA Magazine, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468. Individual written contributions, commentary and advertisements appearing in ICCFA Magazine do not necessarily reflect either the opinion or the endorsement of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.

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[email protected], ext. 1212direct line: 703.391.8401

Fells is ICCFA execu-tive director and general counsel, responsible for maintaining and improving relationships with fed-eral and state government

agencies, the news media, consumer or-ganizations and related trade associations.MORE RESOURCESWireless. ICCFA members, send us your email address and well send you our bi-weekly electronic newsletter full of breaking news.

by iCCfA general Counsel robert m. fells, esq.

The ICCFA has joined an industry coalition in strong support of H.R. 4457, the Americas Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014. This legislation would restore the small business expensingsometimes called Section 179 expensinglevel to $500,000, including limited improvements to real property, and permanently index the level to inflation. The coalition letter states, Small business expensing allows business owners to immediately deduct the cost of a qualified investment in the year that it is purchased, rather than being forced to depreciate the cost of the investment over time. Since 2003, Congress has steadily increased the amount of investment that small businesses can expense from $25,000 to $500,000. Support for this expansion has been long-standing, bipartisan and widespread.

Legislation expanding and/or extending small business expensing has been enacted eight times, across two presidential administ-rations and six Congresses, under both Democratic and Republican leadership. These higher expensing limits were temporary, however, and beginning in 2014 they reverted back to $25,000 and will remain there unless Congress acts. While expensing provides important relief to small business owners, it is not a tax cut or a tax loophole. Small business expensing simply gives companies the ability to recover the cost of investing in their own businesses more quickly than if they use depreciation. Expensing does not lead to a loss of revenue to the government

over the lifetime of an investmentit is not a matter of if revenue is collected, but when. Additionally, small business expensing is available to all small businesses that purchase less than a specified amount of equipment each year.

Additionally, small business expensing simplifies recordkeeping and paperwork. Under standard depreciation, small business owners must keep records of, and file tax paperwork associated with, their investments for up to 40 years. According to a 2007 Internal Revenue Service study, each small business devotes, on average, about 240 hours complying with the tax code, and spends over $2,000 in tax compliance costs each year. An overwhelming share of the time burden is due to recordkeeping. Furthermore, high tax compliance costs consistently rank as a top concern of small business owners, and act as a drag on investment, growth and innovation. Small business expensing, as the Joint Committee on Taxation notes, reduces the compliance burden for many taxpayers, freeing up time and resources to better devote to their businesses.

At this writing, the legislation was expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives in June. The ICCFA has been contacting key Congressional leaders to encourage their support for H.R. 4457, and individual ICCFA members are urged to contact their Congressional delegation as well. The text of the bill may be viewed at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr4457rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr4457rh.pdf. r

Model guidelinesICCFA Government and Legal Affairs

Committees model guidelines for state laws and regulations

Washington ReportRecent columns are available online

www.iccfa.com

ICCFA supports bill restoring small business expensing to $500,000

Washington Report

In a case of first impression, the Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth Circuit, ruled in the case of Wilson v. Wilson that the divorced parents of a decedent do not have property rights in the cremated remains. While the parents agreed on cremation, they could not agree on the means of disposition. Each wanted to inter the cremated remains in a different location, so the father petitioned the court to declare the remains property, allowing for them to be divided between the parents. The mother objected to dividing the cremated remains.

The court denied the fathers motion, stating that while the issue of dividing crema-

ted remains had not previously come before the state court, historically these were treated the same as bodily remains. In other words, there exist no property rights in human remains to permit the division of them.

The court concluded, Given the sensitive nature of the subject matter, and the fact that, historically, cremated remains have been treated the same as a body, neither constituting property, we decline to craft a policy at odds with our history and precedent. This is a matter best left to our legislature should it decide to address this sensitive policy issue. r

FL court: Cremated remains not property

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L C E M E T E R Y , C R E M A T I O N A N D

1 Keynote speaker Archie Griffin signs autographs at the ICCFA Welcome Lounge. 2 The Clark County Childrens Choir sings during the Annual Memorial Service. 3 ICCFA Board Member Lauren Blevins with Next Generation raffle winner Bethany Tucker. 4 Jane Saxby of Canada meets grief therapy dog Soloman Flynn. 5 New Eng-landers George Milley, CCE; Sean ORegan and Alan McKinnon, CCE, in the Expo Hall.

Convention numbers Total cemetery, funeral home,

crematory and allied business representatives: 966

193 international attendees representing 26 countries outside of the United States, plus exhibitors from two additional countries

Attendee percentagesThe breakdown of 2014

attendance: 18 percent representing

combination cemetery- funeral home operations

27 percent representing stand-alone cemeteries

31 percent representing stand-alone funeral homes

7 percent representing stand-alone pet loss providers

17 percent other, including insurance agents, mortuary school faculty, representatives of industry associations

Attendee satisfactionAttendees rated the event highly,

with 76 percent indicating their overall convention experience was excellent or very good and 86 percent indicating they definitely or probably will attend the next ICCFA Convention & Expo, April 8-11, 2015, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and The Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Texas

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7 Some of the attendees from ALPAR, representing Central and South America, at the Closing Dinner.

6 ICCFA 2013-2014 President Nancy Lohman, CCFE, accepts a gift from Jisheng Wang. The Year of the Horse print represents always moving forward.

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Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com July 2014 15

F U N E R A L A S S O C I A T I O N 2 0 1 4 C O N V E N T I O N & E X P O

8 PLPA Co-Chair Coleen Ellis, CPLP, in the audience at a PLPA session. 9 John Gouch, left, and Andrs Agui-lar take notes on phone and computer while Gary OSullivan, CCE, sticks to pen and paper. 10 ICCFA 2013-2014 President Nancy Lohman, CCFE, holds a Year of the Horse gift repre-senting power and luck from Mongo-lian attendees Endbavar Uchralzaya and Idermaa Garavsuren, president of the Mongolian association, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

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Melissa McDonaldOregon Metro, Portland, OregonThis is a great conventionlots of great people and inter-esting topics.

Andrs UribeFuneral International Group, Rionegro, ColombiaI liked it a lot. Excellent speak ers, great exhibits and very good food. We were treated very well.

Charles Bowman, CFuE, CFSPBowman Fu-neral Consultants, Washington, D.C.Its awesome. The spirit of the entire conven-tion and the session about diversity I very much appreci-ated. I just think its an awesome convention.

What did you think of your first ICCFA convention?

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14 Attendees listen to a speaker in the general session area, which is in the Expo Hall.

11 Keynote speaker Stedman Graham. 12 Ocker Gevaerts and Luise Felipe Baeza of Parque del Mar, Chile, in the Expo Hall. 13 At the Natural Legacy by Hainsworth booth.


ICCFA CONVENTIONELECTION RESULTS

Elections add record number of women to ICCFA board

Elections held at the 2014 ICCFA Convention & Expo resulted in a record number of women being added to the associations board. Six of the eight new board members are female, for a total of 10 women on the 29-member board. Elected board members serve three-year terms and must wait a year before running for another term.

Board of Directors, 2014-2015:Stacy Adams, Serenity Meadows

Memorial Park Funeral Home & Crema-tory, Riverview, Florida

Lauren Blevins, Williams Funeral Home & Crematory, Columbia, Tennessee

Mindy Botbol, Shalom Memorial Park & Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, Arlington Heights, Illinois

Shawna de la Cruz, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California

Allen L. Dave Jr., Allen Dave Funeral Directors & Cremation Tribute Center, Cypress, Texas

Darin B. Drabing, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Glendale, California

Greg J. Easley, CCE, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Nebraska (Past Presidents representative)

Coleen Ellis, CPLP, Two Hearts Pet Loss Center, Greenwood, Indiana (Pet Loss Professionals Alliance representative)

Paul M. Elvig, Everett, Washington (Past Presidents representative)

Jennifer Frew, CCE, Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Ray Frew, CCFE, Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes, California (Past Presidents representative)

Paul Goldstein, Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary, Los Angeles, California

Christine Toson Hentges, CCE, The Tribute Companies Inc., Hartland, Wisconsin

Timothy J. Hoff, CFSP, Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service, St. Charles, Minnesota

Caressa Hughes, Service Corporation International, Houston, Texas

Kennan L. Knopke, CCE, Curlew Hills Memory Gardens, Palm Harbor, Florida

John T. McQueen, CFSP, Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes, Cemetery & Crematory, St. Petersburg, Florida

Frederick W. Miller, CCE, Memorial Business Systems, Brentwood, Tennessee (IMSA representative)

Blair H. Nelsen, CFuE, CFSP, Service Corporation International, Richmond, Virginia

Marla J. Noel, CPA, Fairhaven Memor ial Park & Mortuary, Santa Ana, California

Robbie Pape, Service Corporation International, Houston, Texas

James D. Price, CCFE, CCrE, Tampa, Florida

Abigail Brammer Quiocho, Gibraltar

Remembrance Services, Indianapolis, Indiana

M. Yfan Rodrique, Services Comme-moratifs Celebris, Montreal, Quebec

Anthony Russo, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

James R. Starks, CFuE, CCrE, J Starks Consulting, Lutz, Florida

G. Kenneth Stephens, Stewart Enterprises Inc., Dallas, Texas

Gregg A. Strom, CCE, StoneMor Partners, Bristol, Pennsylvania

Daniel L. Villa, Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California

Officers, 2014-2015:President I. Frederick Lappin, CCE,

Knollwood Cemetery Corp. and Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon, Massachusetts

President-elect Darin B. DrabingVice PresidentEducation Michael

R. Uselton, CCFE, Gibraltar Remem-brance Services, Palmetto, Florida

Vice PresidentMembership & Marketing Jay Dodds, CFSP, Signature Group, Houston, Texas

Vice PresidentInternal Affairs Scott R. Sells, CCFE, Service Corporation International, San Jose, California

Vice PresidentExternal Affairs Christine Toson Hentges, CCE

Treasurer Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, Ohio

Secretary Daniel L. Villa. r

From left, ICCFA 2014-2015 Presiden-elect Darin Drabing, newly elected board members Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE, Shawna de la Cruz, Mindy Botbol and Stacy Adams; 2014-2015 President Fred Lappin, CCE; newly elected board member Carissa Hughes; ICCFA Executive Director Bob Fells, Esq.; and newly elected board members Jennifer Frew, CCE, and Paul Goldstein. Missing from the photo is newly elected board member Robbie Pape.


ICCFA CONVENTIONAWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

David Shipper (left) receives the ICCFA Hall of Fame Award from Jeff Kidwiler.

Hall of Fame Award recognizes David Shippers service to ICCFA

Past President David Shippers contributions to the profession and the association were recognized with the ICCFAs Hall of Fame Award during the associations 2014 convention.

Our association today is exactly what David thought of in 2000-2001, said Past President Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE, as he praised Shippers leadership during challenging times. The economic climate, both in the cemetery and funeral profession and in the country as a whole, meant difficult days for the association, with declining attendance at educational programs, he said.

Shipper, who took over as president in spring 2000, made a difference with the force of his personality, Kidwiler said. He walked up to people and asked them to be on committees. Anybody who said, Im not sure its going to work, David said, You go sit in a corner; Ill find somebody else.

We needed somebody at that point to

do what he did. Recent past presidents like myself have gotten to enjoy the great times of our association. David Shipper was thrust into an era that was not good. Im humbled to stand up here and give David Shipper the 2014 Hall of Fame Award.

In receiving the award, Shipper said, No matter how much you give this association, you will always get back much more, and called for his father, Past President Irwin W. Shipper, CCE, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, to join him at the podium for a round of applause.

David Shipper is president and CEO of Futura Group, based in Ewing, New Jersey. The company owns and operates 42 cemetery and funeral home locations serving more than 12,000 families per year. Previously, Shipper served as a vice president and director of corporate development with Loewen Group International. During his tenure, the company closed nearly $1 billion in cemetery and

combination transactions. He has served several terms on the ICCFA Board of Directors and was recently chosen to serve a three-year term on the ICCFA Service Bureua Board of Directors.

The Hall of Fame award is the ICCFAs highest honor. Since its creation in 1965, it has been awarded to 33 individuals. r

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ICCFA University, to be held July 18-23 at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, is the only school of its kind for cemetery, cremation and funeral service professionals. The ICCFA Educational Foundation awarded the following scholarships to ICCFAU:

Phillip Lauriault, Smiths Funeral Service, Burlington, Ontario, Canada (made possible by Regions Bank).

Nora Murphy, Leete-Stevens Family Funeral Homes & Crematory, Enfield, Connecticut (made possible by Live Oak Bank).

Dennis Paulsen, Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (made possible by the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament).

Laurraine Piller, Town of Olds, Alberta, Canada (made possible by Live Oak Bank).

Lisa Vaeth, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartfords Association of Jewish Cemeteries, West Hartford, Connecticut (made possible by Regions Bank).

The Central States Cemetery Associa-tion made an endowment to the ICCFA Educational Foundation in 2009 to establish a scholarship to ICCFAU for applicants from the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Okla-homa and Wisconsin. A CSCA full-tuition scholarship was awarded to:

Samantha Renner, Riverview Cemetery, Jefferson City, Missouri.

ICCFA Next Generation Commit tee scholarships was awarded to:

Zachary Carnley, Greenwood-Mount Olivet-Arllngton Funeral Homes, Arlington, Texas.

Becca Ehlert, Pinelawn Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Heather Leigh, Greenhaven Memorial Garden, Elgin, South Carolina.

In addition, the foundation awarded a scholarship designated specifically for an active or veteran member of the armed forces or military reserves. Recipient of the 2014 Merendino Veterans Scholarship:

Michael Sanchez, Green Hills Mortuary, Rancho Palos Verdes, California. r

10 receive scholarships to ICCFA University

Regions Bank donates $75,000 to foundation for scholarshipsAt the ICCFA 2014 Convention & Expo, Mark Milton of Regions Bank, Houston, Texas, presents Education-al Foundation Chairman Jim Price, CCFE, CCrE, a check for $75,000 to fund scholarships for continuing education.

OSullivan, center, at the reception with Allen Dave, left, and Scott Saltsgaver, both ICCFA University graduates.

The ICCFA Educational Foundation Inspiration Awards were presented at a reception at the 2014 ICCFA Convention in Las Vegas. Recipients were Gary OSullivan, CCFE, and Todd Van

Beck, CFuE. Foundation Chairman Jim Price, CCFE, CCrE, hopes to schedule the reception as an annual event not only to honor the award recipients but also to raise money for scholarships for continuing education. In addition to scholarships for ICCFA Uni-versity, offered each year in July at the University of Memphis, Tennessee, the foundation recently began awarding scholarships for the ICCFA Wide World of Sales Conference in January, the professions premier event for preneed sales training.

Van Beck, center, at the reception with ICCFA 2014-2015 President Fred Lappin, CCE, and Vice President Scott Sells.

Inspiration Award


Gino Merendino, an ICCFA Univer-sity dean whose company funds a scholarship, with Vivian Frew and Ray Frew, CCE, founding chairman of the Educational Foundation.

Next Generation Committee members John Gouch, Abbie Brammer Quiocho and Christie Toson Hentges, CCE, with ICCFA 2014-2015 President-elect Darin Drabing. Hentges was with the Central States Cemetery Association when it en-dowed a scholarship for someone from its member states.

Hancy Blankfard of HSA Associates, Minnesota; Marla Noel of Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, California; and John Mc-Queen, CFSP, of Anderson-McQeen Funeral Homes, Florida.

Hamilton Jones, Miller-Jones Mortuary, California; ICCFA Treasur-er Gary Freytag of Spring Grove Companies, Ohio; Corey Gaff-ney, Gaffney Funeral Homes, Washington; and Kimberly Jones.


At the Educational Foundation reception

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Sixteen persons received the Certified Pet Loss Professional certification from the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance during the 2014 ICCFA Convention & Expo.

The certification recognizes people who have attained the highest level of achievement within the pet loss service profession. Those receiving the certification:

Kathy Beard, Pets & Friends LLC, Tyler, Texas.

Cherie Fry, Paws to Angels, Omaha, Nebraska.

Donald Gleason, D.O. McComb and

Sons Funeral Home, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Lorina R. Hiatt, Rainbow Bridge Pet

Crematorium, Loveland, Colorado. Katie Koewler, Hearts Companion,

Reno, Nevada. William G. Martini, Good Shepherd

Pet Services, Ridgeland, South Carolina. Raeleen Neary, M&R Animal

Cremation, Red Bud, Illinois. Sandra L. Reed, Ducro Funeral

Services & Crematory, Ashtabula, Ohio. Kari Remkus, Hinsdale Animal

Cemetery & Crematory, Willowbrook, Illinois.

Nancy Remkus, Hinsdale Animal

Cemetery & Crematory, Willowbrook, Illinois.

Diane Ross, Clock Timeless Pets, Muskegon, Michigan.

Marjene Schrader, Oakeys Pet Funeral Home and Crematory, Roanoke, Virginia.

Michelle Shook, Oakeys Pet Funeral Home and Crematory, Roanoke, Virginia.

JT Tomczak, PALS Inc., Phoenix, Arizona.

Joanna Woronchak, Until We Meet Again, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Dmitri Zaslausky, Family Pet Memorial Inc., Colbert, Washington. r

From left, PLPA Co-Chair Coleen Ellis, CPLP, Certified Pet Loss Professional certification recipients JT Tomczak, Diane Ross, Raeleen Neary, Donald Gleason and Kathy Beard; PLPA Co-Chair Bill Remkus, CPLP; and ICCFA 2013-2014 President Nancy Lohman, CCFE.

Certified Pet Loss Professional certifications awarded

Left, ICCFA 2014-2015 President Fred Lappin, CCE, (left) congratulates Robert Gordon Sr., CCFE, CCrE, CSE, Eternal Hills Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, Klamath Falls, Oregon, on joining the Half Century Club (for 50 years of ICCFA membership) during the 2014 ICCFA con-vention. Right, ICCFA 2013-2014 President Nancy Lohman, CCFE, congratulates Jonathan Pace, CCE, CCrE, CSE, Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick, New Jer-sey, for joining the Quarter Century Club (for 25 years of ICCFA membership). Also inducted were Kenneth Bell, Woodlawn Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, Nor-folk, Virginia; and Jesse Mulvaney, Cedar Memorial, Iowa Cremation and Compan-ions for Life, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Awards for 50, 25 years of membership


The ICCFA honored a number of members during the 2014 conven tion who have earned certification designations. The certification program recognizes indivi duals who have demon strated a high degree of competence and a high level of cemetery, cremation, funeral management and supplier experience and skills. The ICCFA awarded the following designations:

Charles F. Bowman, Bowman Funeral Business Consultants, Washington, DC, received his Certified Funeral Executive (CFuE) certification.

Kevin D. Brown, received his Certified Cemetery Executive (CCE) and Certified Cremation Executive (CCrE)

certifications. David O. Dahl, Milne Construction

Company, Portland, Oregon, received his Certified Supplier Executive (CSE) certification.

Allen L. Dave, Allen Dave Funeral Directors & Cremation Tribute Center, Cypress, Texas, received his Certified Funeral Executive (CFuE) certification.

George Milley, Forest Hills Cemetery, Crematory & Columbarium, Boston, Massachusetts, received his Certified Cemetery Executive (CCE) certification.

Kenneth G. Myers, Service Corpor ation International, Houston, Texas, re ceived his Certified Cemetery and Funeral Executive (CCFE) and Certified Cremation Executive (CCrE)

certifications. r

Receiving their certification awards (above) from 2013-2014 ICCFA President Nancy Lohman, CCFE, and 2014-2015 President Fred Lappin, CCE, are, from left, Charles Bowman, Allen Dave, David Dahl and Kenneth Myers, and (below) George Milley.

ICCFA members earn professional certifications

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ICCFA CONVENTIONTHEY DIDNT REALLY SAY THAT, DID THEY?

Check out my new urn: What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.

1. Ron LaVigne Sr. shows off the versatility of Polyguard & Co.s vaults. 2. Grief therapy dog Soloman Flynns owner, Tom Flynn (right) of the Avenue of 444 Flags Foundation and Tom Comstock of Billion Graves are just warming up the couch for Soloman, who recognized the ICCFA Welcome Lounges nap potential. 3. Blaine Kitchen of Holsag Canada found an eye-catching way to call attention to the strength of the companys furniture. 4. Dave Dahl of Milne Construction swore this was a skiing accident ... or maybe he fell off a mausoleum or something ... but it was definitely not a chair-related incident. 5. Jim Hardy of Custom Air Trays is truly dedicated to his job. 6. Mark Elder of Starmark Funeral Products takes advantage of one of the free massages offered in the Expo Hall. People must think funeral directors, cemeterians and industry suppliers are really stressed, because there were several booths selling massage products (and offering free massages) on the convention hall floor this year. 7. Kim Andrews staffing the Flagpoles by Uncommon USA booth. 8. Doug Tobey of Mabrey Prod-ucts holds the urn he made for the convention, which says in full: RIP What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but this is ridiculous. 9. The statue of Pope John Paul II is by LP Bronze International.

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I beg to disagree.

Im trying out for Cirque de Soleil later.

Why does everyone keep asking me if I fell off a chair?

Next year were asking for a booth next to this one.

I drew the short straw; everyone else is at a food station or getting beer.

Yes, I dress this way when I fly. The TSA loves it.

The minute their backs are turned, Im hopping on that couch.

Vaults not only protect caskets, they also keep snacks fresh.

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ICCFA 2014 CONVENTIONKEYNOTE SPEAKERS

r Learn what it takes to be a lifelong championArchie Griffin, Ohio State UniversityIm here today to talk about something that cannot be achieved in an hour, a day, a week or a month. Im here to talk about being a lifelong champion, which is more of a process than an event, more of a mindset than it is a goal with a finish line. Just as there are four quarters to a football game, I have found that there are four pillars to being a lifelong champion. Pillar one is values; pillar two is dedication; pillar three is competitive spirit; and pillar four is leadership.

When I think about the importance of values, I travel back in my minds eye to an evening that occurred some four decades ago during my senior year in high school. It was the first time I spent an extended amount of time with coach Woody Hayes.

We had dinner at his favorite restaurant in Columbus and he was trying to recruit me to come and play football him for him at Ohio State University. I remember we had a very pleasant dinner, but it wasnt quite what I had expected.

When I came home that night, my father asked me how the dinner went with Coach Hayes. I said, Daddy, it was a nice dinner, but I really dont think he wants me to play football for him.

My father said, Why do you say that? and I said, Because he never mentioned one thing to me about football.

He said, What did he talk about?I said, All evening all he talked about

was an education and how important it was for me to get a good education.

Well, Ill never forget my father looked at me kind of strangely, and he said, Dont you think he cares about you more as a person and not just somebody who can get on the field and run for a lot of yards for him?

Right then, I really didnt know, but later I found out that my father was right. My father was also clearly impressed with Woodys interest in my future beyond football, and saw it as a sincere expression of the values with which he guided his program.

Woody knew that he ultimately was in the business of serving families, giving

young men a chance to better themselves whether they were star players or on the bench. Woody seemed to spend as much time with the parents of the recruits as he did with the recruits themselves.

When you really think about it, every one in this room is in the same business: To serve families. And how you exhibit your values through a strong work ethic, a commitment to honesty and exemplary service will go a long way toward determining your reputation in your community.

Disciplining yourself to go the extra mile helps you become a lifelong champion. If you have a disciplined approach, the families who lean on you in their time of great need will have confidence in your ability. And perhaps equally important, you will

have confidence in yourself because you were disciplined enough to prepare.

But being a lifelong champion takes more than strong values and discipline. You must be ready to transform the work you have done in preparation into a great competitive spirit.

Like the football field, the funeral industry has become fiercely competitive. You have moments when you fumble the ball, and you will have your share of critics. The key is to stay focused on what you do well and never doubt the rewards that your dedication will bring you. Competition is never to be feared, because when you are challenged, you are forced to improve and become stronger. r

We all come across people who might be smarter than we are, who might have more ability than we have, but if those people are not willing to work the way youre willing to work, then I guarantee you that they cant accomplish the things you can accomplish. Its not the ability you have, its what you do with that ability that really counts.Archie Griffin

Amanda Gibson(with self- described long-timer Julie Hassett) Desert Lawn Funeral Home, Mohave Valley, Arizona

Its been a really great time. Ive learned so much about the businessIve only been in it for about a year. Ive learned a lot of useful tools I can use for my job every day.

Devin StarnesCity of Santa Monica, CaliforniaVery interest-ing; a ton of information. A bit excitingIm not

from the industry, so Im com-ing here to see and learn. As of today, the expo is the best part, because I get to see all these different areas and get a better understanding of the industry.

Holly SuttonCremation Society of Georgia, AtlantaVery informa-tive. There are a lot of great people here who are providing good information for our indus-try. Its very engaging.

FIRST-TIMERS

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r Know your messageStedman Graham, S. Graham & AssociatesYou have to take control of your message today. What is your message? It really is about branding. Whats your message? Youve got 15 seconds to give your message; otherwise people forget. So you have to be clear on what your message is.

r Reach out to multicultural consumersYou have to care about your consumer, you have to care about your customer. Studies have shown that multicultural

consumers are more likely to purchase products and services from companies they perceive as caring about or reaching out to them. What is your community outreach program?

r Dont let others define youMost people are defined by the world and dont know who they are. When you dont know who you are, the world says, OK, Ive got you. You dont know who you are, so Im going to define who you are. Im going to take control of your life. And the world puts you in a box and it defines you by your race and says you cant make it because of the color of your skin. And it creates socially

constructed messages that people buy into.

How many people around the world think they cant make it because of the color of their skin? Millions of people are told theyre second class citizens.

And the world says to women, you cant make it because its a mans world. And women are put into that socially constructed box. How many women around the world buy into that?

And then the world says, Im going to define you by your family.

The world defines you by your house and your car, your religion and your money and your job.

Whoever you let define you will always define you as less than they are, so youve got to be able to take your power back and say, World, Im not going to give you that much power to define me. Im going to define myself in the 24 hours I have every single day. r

If you change the way you think about yourself, theres nothing you cannot accomplish Stedman Graham

r Really learn about, understand, the cultures you want to serveElleanor DavisStarks, CFSP, CCA, 100 Black Women of Funeral ServiceDiversity is about race, its about culture, its about new perspectives, its about new ideas. When you go home, if someone walks in and asks you for a homegoing service for their mother and you dont understand what that is, then youre at a disadvantage.

If we want diversity as part of our establishments, we have to learn those cultures, we have to be a part of that culture to understand. Its not just about making money, but about wanting to provide service.

Tradition is very important. Our roots are in the church, therefore well pretty much always have a funeral service because it goes back to that: our faith is No. 1 and we feel if we havent taken the families back to the church were doing an injustice, and most families feel that way because theyre brought up in the church.

Look around, look in your funeral service

establishment. You should have someone there who looks different than you; you need that for the success of your business.

r Offer Mexican-American families more direct participationAnthony Guerra, Guerra & Gutierrez MortuaryWere a very close-knit community, Mexican- Americans. Offer more family participation, direct involvement. Let the family participate in the Mass. Have the pallbearers place the pall over the casket. Have the spouse or one of the children hold the crucifix, guide the casket down the aisle toward the altar.

Invite a family member to ride in the coach to the cemetery. Pass by the residence on the way to the cemetery. That means planning for motorcycle escortsmention that during the arrangement process.

One thing that has been very successful is wrapping the rosary around the handle of the casket throughout the entire ceremony, the priest blesses it at gravesite and then we

present it to a family member.When you do a removal at a residence,

what works really well is to play a favorite song. There are two songs that mean a lot, have beautiful words in Spanish: Nadie es Eterno and Amor Eterno. As were leaving the residence, the family gathers around their loved one, maybe in the living room or bedroom, and all stand in respect and for a prayer and we play this music.

r Treat gay and lesbian clients the same as everyone elseGwen Mooney, CCFE, Gwen Mooney Funeral HomeWe have funeral homes located in each of the areas in the greater Cincinnati area with the highest concentration of lesbian and gay residents. Spring Grove Cemetery is located in the largest gay and lesbian community in Cincinnati, which is full of retail business and restaurants, so we frequent businesses owned mostly by the gay and lesbian community.

The gay and lesbian community want to

From left, Kenneth Varner, CCFE, of Cypress Lawn Cemetery Association; Gwen Mooney, CCFE, Gwen Mooney Funeral Home and Spring Grove Chapel; Elleanor Davis Starks, CFSP, CCA, 100 Black Women of Funeral Service; and Anthony Guerra, Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuary.

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r Create emotional branding to rise above simple awarenessScott DemingThe formula for personal and professional sustainable success lies within our ability to create. The most powerful, emotional, meaningfulthis is the most important partone-of-a-kind, unexpected brand. Your ability to succeed in life at every single level is directly related to your ability to create a powerful emotional, wheredidthatcomefrom?, nobodyelsedoesthat brand.

I owned and operated a national advertising agency for 20 years, and believe me when I tell you, awareness alone cannot build a powerful emotional brand. Awareness is just thatawareness. Nothing more, nothing less. Emotional branding is the reason why your customers, your community, evangelizes you.

A powerful, emotional, nobodyelsedoes-it, unexpected brand will turn typical customers and community members into raving, lunatic evangelists for life. Emotional branding boosts profits; it builds your bottom line. You cant be successful without it. I dont care what you sell, you cannot have sustainable success without the power of emotional branding.

Branding: The most misunderstood, misused, misquoted topic in all the corporate world.

Believe it or not, what you think you do, and what you think youre selling, is different from what customers would hope you do.

Raise your hands if you are in the funeral, burial, cemetery, cremation

business serving people. Thats not 100 percent correct. Heres the paradigm shift: Youre not in the burial business, the funeral business, the writing software for web pages for burial businesses business serving people. Youre in the people business, offering the most unique, oneofa-kind experience.

We get so caught up in features and benefits that it becomes our focus, and anytime all that stuff comes before relationship, you cant make a sustainable brand.

Heres what I believe you sell: Trust, reliability, relationships, knowledge, comfort, security, better quality of life, unique experiencesdisguised as funeral and burial companies.

Let me tell you, this is what everyone youre serving hopes you sell.

r Appeal to the emotional side of the brain, not the data-drive sideThe more you know about how the brain works, the better equipped you are, the better equipped you are to make meaningful

People dont choose rationally to listen to your message; they choose to listen to your message because they have a feeling about it.Scott Deming

see that theyre accepted and that we care. Theyre looking for options. In Spring Grove Cemetery, for instance, we have a beautiful rose garden, we have chapels on the grounds, we have different areas where we allow weddings; we have quite a few weddings with gay and lesbian couples.

Our staff basically treats this community like everyone else. Our staff is very diverse; we have gay and lesbian staff.

The Cincinnati Pride Parade Event is a huge event in Cincinnati. We get very involved with that so that we can strengthen our relationship. We enter a float in the parade. We make sure we advertise in some of the newspapers and magazines followed by a lot of gays and lesbians.

r Learn about feng shui cemetery design to serve the Asian marketKen Varner, CCFE, Cypress Lawn Cemetery Association In the Asian business, our relationship really starts at the cemetery. The Asian community prefers ground burial. In China, its 100 percent cremation, but when they come to the United States, they would prefer to have a full burial. So what they want is sidebyside burial, premium vaults and upright monuments. Thats our basic Asian package.

The key features in the cemetery are adherence to the principles of feng shui. Its not religious; its a design philosophy that has to do with balance and symmetry, it has to do with what the Chinese call the

management of the life force.There are three critical elements that our

Chinese families are looking for, and if you cant provide those three elements, theyre not likely to buy your property. If theres great feng shui in respect to your cemetery property, they will pay more for that.

Sheltering chi is something thats represented by a high backin our situation, a mountain. Theres flowing chi, which is represented by standing in the garden and having unobstructed views. And resting chi is represented by water, so in our new cemetery, for instance, we have two lakes, and its important where that water is placed. The water is always placed at the foot of the development. r

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r Dont be afraid to failDan JansenTheres a great saying that you cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. To me, it means you cant be afraid to fail if youre going to be successful.

In your industry, changes are happening all the time. You cant be afraid to go with the changes. Youve got to be accepting, with open arms, and find ways to do this.

If you are the best at what you dowhatever it is you doand you continue to do what got you there, youre going to be good, you might be good for a long time, but you will not be the best very long. People will do more, they will be more innovative, they will do what it takes to be looking down at you. Always be willing to make yourself better.

The very first step in setting any goalbefore I tell you that, Ill tell you who is the best at that, step No. 1kids. When my youngest daughter was 10 years old, she

taught me this, that kids are best at step No. 1, simply believing that it is possible. You have to believe that its possible, or dont even begin the process.

One day we were cleaning up in her room, and I found a note on her bedside table, and I read it and it said, Thank you very much, Im so proud, I worked so hard for this. I felt bad, because I didnt know what she had done, if she had won something at school.

I said, What is this? She said, Thats my acceptance speech for when I win American Idol. I thought, this is a great example of the way kids think. They think, Why not? They have no fear. r

Its difficult, if not impossible, to lie to yourself. You are truly the only one who knows if you gave everything you had to be at your best, if you prepared as much as you could and then you did your best. And to me, there is a measure of success in that alone, aside from whatever happens.Dan Jansen

Dan Jansen greets fans after his talk at the ICCFA Convention.

Juanito De AsisSolano Memorial Park, PhilippinesIts very pleasant, and very educational, well organized. The expo is well set up.

Brittany HortonHoff Celebration of Life Center, Goodview, MinnesotaI really loved seeing the Expo Hall, all of the new ideas, and visiting with people Ive never met before.

Robert ClarkeClarkes Funeral Home, Gladstone, ManitobaVery interesting. Lots of interesting displays, good seminars.

FIRST-TIMERS

connections with other human beings. The reptilian part of the brain evolved over 700 million years ago in fish. This part of the brain is responsible for survival; its automatedyou dont have to think about it. If you get tired, hungry, thirsty, whatever it is, the reptilian part of the brain takes care of it for us.

The next part of the brain, called limbic, is 100 percent responsible for memory and mostly emotion. Every desire, fear, love, hate emotion you feel comes from the limbic. It evolved about 300 million years ago. I hear people all the time say, Oh, man, I should have gone with my gut! No, you should have gone with your limbic. Your gut processes food, period.

The outside, the neocortex, evolved only 3 million years ago and is 100 percent responsible for processing language and data.

Heres why Im showing you this: This (linbic) is the part of the brain we use most. We think its so important to give people information; we dont realize thats not helping their decision. This part of your brain has very little to do with the decisionmaking process. Over 90 percent of every choice, purchase or relationship is based on emotion.

Emotion trumps decisionmaking in terms of facts, features, price.

r Innovate with serviceI want you to understand something: Innovation does not mean invention. Im asking you to innovate with your service, but check this out: Steve Jobs didnt invent the computer; he didnt invent cell phones; he didnt invent the tablet; he didnt invent retail shopping. You know what he did? Innovated how all those things enhanced, transformed our lives.

Im not asking you to change what you do; Im not asking you to change what you say. Im asking you to change how you say it. Innovate with service. r

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The generosity of sponsors helps the ICCFA keep convention registration costs low while providing outstanding keynote speakers and giving attendees coffee breaks and refreshments in the Expo Hall. Thank you to 2014 sponsors:Carriage ServicesNGL Insurance GroupNorthStar Memorial GroupStoneMor Partners LPBatesville Casket Co.Matthews International Corp.Service Corporation InternationalPhysicans Mutual InsuranceAstral IndustriesForethought Financial GroupAmerican Funeral FinancialCedar Memorial Iowa CremationColdspringCypress LawnJohnson Consulting GroupLive Oak BankNOMIS PublicationsPrecoaSpring Grove Cemetery & ArboretumWilbert Funeral ServicesCarrier Mausoleums ConstructionForest Lawn Memorial-Parks & MortuariesGuerra & Gutierrez MortuaryRiviera Tailors Ltd.The Signature GroupAmerican Memorial Life Insurance Co.Assurant Life of CanadaFuneral Directors Life Insurance Co.International Memorialization Supply

AssociationMadelyn Co.Star Granite & BronzeStarmark Funeral ProductsIndependence Trust Co.Answering Service for Directors (ASD)Eckco ProductsFrench Funerals & Cremations/Sunset

Memorial ParkAurora Casket Co.Funeral Home GiftsKrause Funeral HomesMessenger Co.Stone Orchard SoftwareAll City CommunicationsFuneral Service Credit UnionGreen Hills Memorial ParkHalo International Corp.Milne Construction Co.Citadel Management &

Dyanne MatzkevichAlanCreedy.orgInevitable ExodusDisrupt MediaGlobal Recruiters of CincinnatiHolman Howe Funeral HomeThe Academy of Professional Funeral

PracticeThe Gardens at Gethsemane

ICCFA 2014 CONVENTIONMANAGEMENT

r Talk to younger consumers to find out what they want from youFocus group facilitators Andrs Aguilar, Abigail Brammer Quiocho and Christie Toson Hentges, CCE, ICCFA Next Generation CommitteeHow do you want to be educated? Online? Would you go to a seminar at a funeral home or cemetery, or would you prefer it to be offsite?Offsite has better appeal. When you say come to the funeral home so we can discuss people dying, I think I would find something better to do.

I think a big presence on social media, because everybody lives a fast-paced life, so nobody wants to go to a seminar, but many people are on social media a lot.

Educational seminars through universities or community colleges. You would be hitting a younger demographic, but you also have faculty and other employees on the campus.

How about partnering up with churches, because I think it would be more powerful to think about it in a church setting.

The first image that comes to mind when you think of cemeteries?

Final. ... Sad. ... Scary. ... Green grass, quietness. ... Freaky. ... Peaceful.... Peace and calmness. ... Scary.

When I say funeral ceremony what is the one word you think of immediately?

Sad. ... Sad. ... Sad. ... Clo-sure. ... Beautifula celebra-tion of somebodys life. ... Stepping into another life. ... Graduation into the afterlife. ... Making peace with God. ... I said sad, but its also a way of bringing peace between you and your loved one. Im

sad, but you have moved on to a better place.Would you make funeral arrangements online?I wouldnt do everything online; I think it would

be lacking the human touch.I think I would make a decision completely

online if I already knew about the facilities and the person beforehand and it was just a matter of convenience. But would I look up on Google, Oh, theres a funeral home? Its like getting a surgeon to do a heart transplant without any reference or anyone whos worked with him before. r

There are about 35 of us in the country who train people on how to use the American Community Survey through the American Fact Finder, the main search engine to mine for data. You can do a specific analysis, you can look at a neighborhood,

or a city or zip codes. You can compare, pull the data, and perhaps theres data you can use in a marketing plan.Armando Mendoza

Above and below, some of the people who agreed to give their opinions on funeral and cemetery services participate in a question-and-answer session planned and moderated by the ICCFA Next Generation Committee.

r Study data available from the census Armando Mendoza, U.S. Census BureauSome projections, all the way to 2060: The population is expected to grow much more slowly over the next several decades compared to the

last set of projections we released in 2008-2009. Thats because the projected levels of births and international migrations are lower than in our projections from our last report, reflecting trends in terms of fertility and international migration.

The older population, the population age 65 and older, is expected to more than double between 2012 and 2060, from 43.1 million to 92 million. The older population will represent just over one in five US residents by the end of the period, up from one in seven today.

The increase in the number of the oldest will be even more dramatic. Those 85 years and older are projected to more than triple from 5.9 million to 18.2 million, reaching 4.3 percent of the total population. r

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Marcia Williams and Greer Redden, Independence Trust Co.r Reconsider the price guarantee on preneed funeral contractsRedden: Declining profit margins in funeral servicethis is sobering. In 1980,

you were at or near 14 percent, and theres been a consistent state of decline since then. Even now, were still hovering around that 6 percent mark. Tighter profit margins mean you need to reevaluate a lot of what may have been done in the past that stronger profit margins obscured.

When you start getting lean, it uncovers a lot of potential issues.

Reconsider the guarantee. Youre taking on a lot of risk.

Consider offering the guarantee, but for a price, a surcharge. What were talking about is offering the surcharge for a guarantee option, where the family has the ability to choose it or not.

The guarantee surcharge is an additional option; the additional cost is not something that goes to reduce profit margins, which is why it can be allowed from the Funeral

Rule standpoint. The additional premium that would be charged or surcharged would go into trust or would go toward the death benefit, so its something that would be available for the families at a later point, at services, if theres a surplus. But most important, help offset some of your inflation risk.

r Encourage preplanning in order to decrease the cremation rateRedden: Forty-one percent cremation rate and the fact that its growing is a known entity. However, based on some surveys

done by Homesteaders and other insurance companies looking at preneed policies and other types of preneed-driven sales, the cremation rate among those who do preneed planning is 34 percent, a pretty significant drop.

Which shows that people who take the time to work with their funeral homes, do the preneed planning, are much less likely to choose cremation, and certainly thats a significant profit driver. And it shows that when those people have time to think about it, they choose cremation less often than they do at need, or their families choose at need. r

Element 6 of effective trainingyou know what it is? Repeat, repeat, repeat. Dan Kientzel

r Create, manage your personal brand using social media toolsDan Kientzel, Service Corporation InternationalJoin the digital and social media age. Its never been more important to do this. How many of you are on LinkedIn and up-to-date on that?

Life isnt about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself, creating your brand.

The personal brand train has left the station. We live in a world where people make decisions on doing business with you before they ever meet you. How many of you know that to be true?

What people think of you will influence decisions to buy from you, spend time with you, work for you or with you, listen to you or even have a relationship with you. And what is this all based on?

Well, your brand is out there, and its important to recognize that your brand preceeds your physical appearance, or

presence. Your personal brand preceeds you.

Those of you who are in a hiring position, who hire people to join your team, do you ever research individuals who are coming in for an interview? Do you ever look to see who they are on social media? If theyre on LinkedIn, on Facebook? Well, those candidates are doing the same thing on you, and theyre making a decision about if they want to come work for you based on your presence on social media.

Is your LinkedIn up-to-date? Are you on Twitter? Do you have a good reputation, a good professional reputation where people recommend you and people write blurbs about you and their experience with you? Its important. To remain relevant, you must proactively manage your personal brand. You must.

Progressive sales leaders use social media to recruit, to sell, to build credibility as a trusted advisor. To create new opportunities. To speed up the sales process. Follow me, that should be what you say. You should ask your family that youre going to present to, Are you on Twitter?

What about Google+? Whats the importance of Google+? Well, Google+ is now competing with Facebook. They want everyone to switch over, and the word on the street is when anybody does a Google search on something or someone, Google will prefer, or push to the top, somebody whos on Google+ over someone whos not.

Even if youre on the right track, youll get run over if you just sit there. This is our present and changing situation, and the line is constantly moving. r

Marcia Williams, right, hands out materials to attendees at the presentation she and Greer Red-den did about boosting profits through the selection of preneed funding.

Greer Redden talks about preneed funeral contracts.

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r Run a progressive company if you want to attract millennialsTimothy Hoff and Brittany Horton,Hoff Funeral and Cremation ServiceHoff: I have found in visits with young people that the quality potential employee seems to really want to work for a pro-gres sive firm. Its very important to them to know they can use the new tools technologically to help them serve families better.

Horton: When I was looking for a new job right out of mortuary school, I basically found the area where I wanted to be and just made a few cold calls. I called Tim to see if they were hiring, and the first thing I asked him was, Do you consider yourself progressive? I wasnt so concerned with anything other than that: How up-to-date are you?

Hoff: Just the other day, Brittany and our preneed counselor came up with a great idea for preneed. They mass mailed a whole town in an inexpensive format for a series of preneed seminars called Pizza and Preneed Planning. The first one of the six events took place with a great turnout and incredible buzz. Most of the people there said, Were coming back next time. That came out of the ingenuity of Brittany and a coworker.

r Learn what millennials offer as employees, what training they need Timothy Kyle Nikola, Families First Funeral Care & Cremation Center, Coastal Empire Preplanning Services, Bonaventure Funeral Home and Savannah Family of CemeteriesNikola: The pros and cons of having millennials work for youI am one, so I am biased.

We want to make money, so were going to work hard. Especially when it comes to sales, specifically, on the cemetery side, its a commission-based job and its a good thing to have somebody whos hungry to make money and with low initial income needs. A lot of times when we hire people, we find, especially if theyre older and have families, they need

to make money right away.It is a blank slate, so there arent bad

habits. We dont have people coming in who have been at this business or this other company and had their way of doing things. Theyre coming in as blank slates, so we teach them the way we want things to be done, the way our presentation is.

Being technologically savvy is beneficial. And theyre energetic. We want to get out there and do things like prospecting that sometimes people arent as apt to do.

On the cons, theres lack of experience, and it comes down to a good training program to gain that experience for them. Maturity level is something you have to watch out for.

Then theres the outside perception, which I saw when I had just graduated from college and gotten into the industry. Youre going out into a persons home to make funeral or cemetery arrangements with them and theyre looking at you like youre their grandchild.

If you can be educated and very well versed in what youre talking about, you can overcome that pretty quickly, but you do need to take that time to learn those things. r

People in my generation, the young 20-somethings, even the 30-some-things, work best when theyre networked together, group projects. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They like to be told theyre doing a good job all of the time. Red tape and constant criticism probably isnt going to work very well. Brittany Horton

From left, Timonth Hoff, CFSP, Brittany Horton and Kyle Nikola discuss hiring and retaining millenial workers.

FIRST-TIMERS Jane SaxbyCity of Winnipeg, ManitobaAbsolutely tons of information to take back. The product displays, in terms of the

number of displays and the in-formation you can get from the exhibitors area, is just phenom-enal. I managed to make some really good purchases.

Michael FlannaganPleasant Valley Cemetery District Association, Overland Park, KansasI think this is

wonderful; I love it. There is great information, great people, great exhibits. Im just kind of blown away by the whole thing.

Willson AcostaJardin Memorial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Excellent; marvelous. An experience that I will never forget. It has been a lot for me. I wasnt expecting so muchit surprised me.

Tanya BallenskyCremation & Funeral Gallery, Billings, MontanaIts been

wonderful; theres a lot to see here.

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Embalmingr Use drainage to deal with edema Shun Newbern, Metropolitan Mortuary Jurupa ValleyHere you see edema all over the body. This is a case where you had organ failure; organs began to shut down, pancreas no longer working, so you had all this fluid being built up in the body.

One of the things Ive done is, while youre embalming, those three points, you can take your trocar and make some entry points right in there, the lower portion of the body, while youre embalming, and allow the decedent to drain.

After youve got strong chemicals, you can go right in there and trocar in there. Or, you can go in and make a nice incision,

separate the tissue and put cotton in the area to absorb the water out of there.

If you dont treat this area, what happens? It later on begins to blister, begins to leak,

and youre forced to use a union-all. This is where you have a horrible situation with a ship-out or a casketed decedent. Even when you use union-alls, you still have problems.

Reduce the swelling; remove as much water as you possibly can. Thats what em-balming isits actually dehydration of the tissues. When youre removing the swelling, youre simply restoring; its actually part of reconstruction surgery.

In addition to your embalming authori-zation, prepare a restorative art or restor-ative surgery authorization. When youve got a situation thats excessive, that youve got to do a lot of work on, include this procedure into what youre doing, and this authorization. r

You should have in your embalm-ing room every possible size of union-

alls. Garbage bags and wraps and those types of things are not proper professional supplies for a funeral home.Shun Newbern

Jennifer Frew, CCE, moderator, panel on women and leadershipr Think about becoming a leader Nancy Lohman, CCFE, StoneMor PartnersHow many people think the world is fair? No one, right? I dont either. So if you were asking me what keys to suc-cess I think are important for women, personally, I think its pretty darn important what your seven-second first impression is.

It takes seven seconds to make a first impression with someone, so you need to be engaging, you need to have good eye contact, you need to have a great smile, you need to dress appropriately and you need to be articu-late. And if youre not sure you can do those things, then work on them.Can you recall a pointed lesson in leader-ship that you learned along the way?Caressa Hughes, Service Corporation InternationalI was 25, I had just graduated from college and I went to work for a lobbying firm.

It was an administrative job and my boss, who was the head lobbyist, took me to a reception. He didnt have a plan for me to do anything, and I remember looking around the room and thinking, Oh my gosh, Ive seen all these people in my book, all the elected officials and the governor. I was just standing

there like a wallflower, and I thought, This is my chance, I cannot just be standing here. I was so scaredIm actually very shy, so it was really hard for me.

So I just thought, Im going to do this; this is my shot. I just sort of started work-ing the room. I walked up to people, total strangersit was so hardand I introduced myself and said where I was working and that I was excited to be in this profession. And it worked. Later my boss said, You are going to go meet with these legislators now.

That was a turning point in my life, and I say: Be fearless, no matter what your age.What were some of your peak experiences on your leadership path?Nicole Wiedeman, Forethought Financial GroupNo one died. I dont mean that as a pun. In my younger life I took myself too seriously. Things would keep me up at night and Id worry over the stupidest thingsbut no one died.

I think I learned a lot from that. Ive gone through seven mergers or acquisitions, whether its my own company or the custom-ers and clients I served. It was awful, but no-body died. Ive had a few people say, Well, you dont know that. But I stopped taking myself too seriously, and when I can laugh, I think that makes me be a better leader.

I may get fired. I may get sick. But I bounce back. Things happen, but no one died.

What is your definition of leadership?Elleanor Davis Starks, 100 Black Women of Funeral ServiceLeadership is having someone who possesses the ability to

accomplish a common goal, set a standard for working together. Leadership is about personality and skills, contributions and mo-tivation, inspiration to others to get involved and to become more than what they would become without being involved with you.

Leadership has to be learned through ac-tive participation and practice. Great leaders, in my opinion, possess three flexible skills: toughness, tenderness and the ability to know when to use which.

What are a few resources you would rec-ommend in gaining insight into becoming a good leader?Christine Hunsaker, Stewart EnterprisesSomething thats important to becoming a good leader is be-coming a good public speaker. Many people are so frightened to become a good speaker, but in order to get your message across, youre going to have to speak not only to the people youre leading but to other groups.

You never want to pass up an opportunity to be a public speaker, and I think its a skill thats learned. r

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r Avoid hiring based on love at first sight reaction to candidate Mark Jorgensen, Global Recruiters of CincinnatiOne of the risks we see in the recruiting pro-cess is what Ill call love at first sight. That is, when you see that candidate or you have that first interview and you believe this is the ideal person for the position you have at the cemetery or the funeral organization.

I guess its just human nature that we have a tendency to do this. It happens on the candidates side sometimes, too, because the candidate believes the position or the com-pany meets some preconceived notions they have about their ideal in the world of work.

The risk of this obviously is that there are these unknowns, what we refer to as knock-out dimensions with the candidate, so what

would seem to be the ideal candidate may indeed be much less than that.

It is amazing, and more prevalent in this profession than others, that people will come to us and say, I really dont have a resume,

or, I really have never needed a resume, somebodys always hired me based on my reputation or where I worked elsewhere, or, I have a resume, but its not been updated in eight or 10 years.

It shouldnt necessarily be a knockout di-mension, but it is a red flag, at the very least. Our experience has been that if people dont have a fairly detailed resume that accurately reflects their experiences, its something you should be concerned about. After all, that is a candidates primary interface with any prospective employer.

Despite how hard it is, I would encour-age you not to fall in love with a candidate early in the process before you go through a checklist of resumes and references, reloca-tion ability, the background checks you care to do and a thorough face-to-face interview. r

r Learn what questions to ask to keep on top of trust performance Bill Williams, Funeral Services Inc.If you really want to know how your trust is performing, you have got to be able to ask a couple of questions of your trustee.

If you get a trust statement that shows that weird number that says your contract is worth this, you need to know if thats fair market value reporting. Every contract in that trust you participate in and your account in that trust should be reported at fair market value. Every single solitary time.

Fair market value is the cash value of all investments if they were cashed in today or yesterday or 10 days from now.

If youre getting a statement that shows you a guaranteed value, you have no idea what the trust is worth. But if its fair market value accounting, you can look at that and see what the actual returns in that trust are, and then you have the ability to go to the trustee or your investment advisor or your association or whomever and say, Lets talk about these investments; theyre

not performing very well.If you suspect a problem in your trust,

two questions: Ask the trustee how much money was put into this trust, and then ask the trustee, Whats the current fair market value of the trust? If the current fair market

value is greater than what was deposited, youre OK. You may not be happy with the total return, but the trust is still positive. But if the fair market value is less than the mon-ies deposited, youve got a serious problem getting ready to happen to that trust.

r Handle your responsibilities when your company uses a trustYour responsibility is to develop the invest-ment policy statement with the trustee. You need to tell the trustee and/or investment manager what your expectations are. Do you want high risk/high reward investments, moderate risk/moderate reward, low risk/low reward investments? You have to tell them that so they can design investment strategy to meet that.

Your responsibility is to send the preneed payments as required by law to the trustee in time.

And you review your account statements every single month. The most important piece of that is to ask questions if theres something you dont understand. r

Elements of a model program: Its got to have an investment policy statement. Its got to have a segregation of duties. It must have fair market value reporting for your monthly trust statement and your preneed contractseverything. Bill Williams

FIRST-TIMERS Tracy JohnsonWilson-St. Pierre, Indianapolis, IndianaIve learned so much. Ive been in this industry almost 25 years, and its been a great program, its

hit just about every aspect of funeral and cemetery service.

Andrew TrafanankoUntil We Meet Again Pet Memorial Center, North Vancouver, British ColumbiaTheres a lot of information; Ive learned a lot. Its

good to be here.

Octavio Del ToroInversiones El Paraiso Parque Cementerio SA, Bogot, ColombiaIm very excited, because Im new in the industry as a cemetery CEO, so for me its very illuminat-ing. I can see what you can offer as an industry in the US, not only

technology but also ways of approaching the funeral service, diversity and different kinds of products and services. Im very well impressed.

What we often find is the best reloca-tions occur in contiguous states. People who are within five hours of where you are are probably a safer relocation than people who are coming all the way across the country. Mark Jorgensen

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r Learn the meaning of Jewish funeral and burial traditionsGail Rubin, A Good GoodbyeOne of the hallmarks of Jewish funerals is burial within 24 hours, traditionally. Why? Its a hot des-ert culture. Theres no embalming, theres no refrigeration. Within 24 hours, decomposition sets in.

Practically speaking, its why we have that, but its also biblical. In Deuteronomy 22 and 23: Thou shalt bury him the same day and his body should not remain all night. We dont bury at night, but we want to bury that body quickly. And it is a mitzvah, a good deed, to bury the dead and to comfort the mourner.

Think of all the things that have to be done. You have to select a casket. If you dont have a burial plot, securing a burial plot. Figure out if youre going to have the funeral at the funeral home, synagogue, grave site, at the persons home. Meeting with a celebrant or rabbi to talk about the person and get background.

There are a lot of things that need to be done, and because we have the 24-hour rulewith refrigeration and air travel you can go up to four days, but still you want to take care of getting it scheduled and done very quicklybecause the bibli-

cal tradition is that the mourners cannot mourn while their dead lie before them. The idea is to get that person in the ground and then the family can mourn.

We are very careful to be respectful of the body. We dont hand things over the body. We dont stand at the head, because thats supposed to be where the shanina, the indwelling presence of God, is still with the body.

We have readings from the Song of Songs and different prayers as we dress the body. When we dress the body we place pottery shards on the eyes and mouth to indicate these eyes will no longer see, this mouth will no longer speak. And

we scatter earth from Israel over the body, just a little bit, just for the resurrection on judgment day, because being in contact with earth from Israel is supposed to help that process.

One of the other traditions: Throw-ing dirt on the casket is another visceral experience to help us get our emotions expressed. Also, using the back of the shovel is traditional, because it should be a hard thing to bury a loved one, so youre using the back of the shovel rather than the front, which would make it easier.

Using your hands is another way of placing earth on the gravejust grabbing a handful or two. r

r Remember that your influence over costs goes down over time Kelly Terwisscha, Terwisscha Construction Co.One of the most important things to under-stand when youre doing any construction process is the cost-influence curve. Early on, when youre in conceptual planning, you have the highest influence on cost, before youve spent a lot of money.

Once you start construction, your influ-ence on costs is very low, and the only thing you can do then is really just cut something out of the project. So early in the process, thats the time you need to spend the most time on your project, in thinking about things and working your way through it.

After construction starts, your influence on costs is really surprises. As in, Surprise, we ran into a landfill under the surface of the dirt. What do you want to do? At that point,

youre committed, so you start paying. If you do all of your homework up front, you can eliminate most of those surprises.

r Dont forget the many costs that are associated with a new building A detailed project cost study is probably the one step that trips people up the most. The most common question I get asked is How much does it cost per square foot to build a funeral home? Well, thats one component.

Youve got construction hard costs thats how much does it cost per square foot

to build a funeral home.Youve got financing fees, interim financ-

ing. Depending on the project size, that can be $80,000 to $100,000

July 2014

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