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President's Letter:
Paul Elvig , ICCFA president for 2007-2008
Gaining friends by association
"Bob from Post Falls has just called and wants to know …." So the intercom announcement goes. Picking up the phone, I had a delightful visit with a retired funeral director who now manages a 60-case-a-year cemetery in northern Idaho. We discussed issues that cemeterians face every day and issues that only those who have managed cemeteries ever encounter.
"Paul, have you ever heard of enterprise funds? And tell me, what is the Mack Moore case all about? And what can I be doing to make sure our cemetery never becomes a reason for the FTC to seek regulation?"
It was good talking to Bob Harvego about his responsibilities and his Minnesota background in funeral directing. He was quick to say that he relies on the ICCFA and its network of friends to keep him current on issues that directly affect the day-to-day operations in Post Falls' city-owned Evergreen Cemetery.
"Networking" is one of those overused words such as "paradigm" and "out of the box thinking," but it accurately describes what involvement with our association really means to most of its members.
Those of us who are active in association work and who attend all the conventions and conferences sometimes lose sight of the fact that there are cemeterians, funeral directors and cremationists who, without the network we provide, would be operating almost in an information vacuum.
I spent time visiting with association members in Tulsa, Oklahoma, late last year and again was reminded of the importance of contacts and friends to whom we can safely reveal our vulnerabilities and honestly say, "I don't know the answer; do you?"
Looking forward to our March 26-29 convention in San Diego and thinking about the networking offered throughout the year (and elevated to a near crescendo at the convention), I couldn't help but ponder the value that ICCFA membership offers through friendships.
Bob Harvego told me that when he has a question, he feels he can contact ICCFA headquarters and get an answer, or he can call a fellow association member, whether it's someone who lives nearby or halfway around the world, and discuss issues or ask for supplier recommendations.
We who have been involved with this industry for decades can easily forget how much we have learned over the years-not what we've learned, but how much. ICCFA General Counsel Bob Fells and I recently discussed how easy it is for "old-timers" to assume that others have experienced the hard knocks, pitfalls and rude awakenings that we have encountered in our careers. The opportunity for education through one-on-one networking is something the ICCFA doesn't pat itself on the back about enough.
Bob of Post Falls put it so well, saying: "When I read an article in the ICCFA Magazine, I feel free to contact the author of that article and I know from experience I will glean more information than could be taught in the average college." Then came the ego inflator: "Paul, that's why I called you."
San Diego will be fun. We'll continue our education by attending the sessions and visiting the exhibits. A person who misses going through the convention Expo Hall has missed the next train to the future. Those who don't avail themselves of opportunities for networking, whether in person or by phone, arguably don't have a future.
And now for the question I'm hoping a fellow association member can help me with: Can anybody tell me what to do about the European crane fly, known in some circles as the leather jacket, and how to avoid damage to turf while getting rid of this pest? Give me a call, or talk to me in San Diego.
Paul Elvig
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