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President's Letter:
Mark Krause, ICCFA President for 2008-2009
Krause presents Jisheng Wang of Shanghai Fu Shou Yuan Industrial Development Co. with a Milwaukee Bucks jersey with the number for Yi Jianlian, who also plays on the Chinese National Team. "I presented it to him as a gift representing the blending and friendship of our two countries," Krause said.
Learning from colleagues everywhere
Education, friendship, networking and discovering the possible are the bread and butter of any trade association. Without any one of these elements, a group will devolve into a social club or lose the synergy of frank and intimate discussion regarding the successes and failures of our businesses. As an association, we must constantly reach toward new promise to stay strong. This does not happen by chance but by the deliberate vision and focus of leadership and staff.
I recently had the opportunity to give two presentations on behalf of the ICCFA to the Third China International Funeral Expo. The experience was remarkable, not only because of the chance to observe cultural differences and amazing sights, but also for the mutual friendships, professional exchanges and the broader understanding of different markets gained.
I had the fortune to meet Darryl Thomas, president of the Australasian Cemeteries & Crematoria Association, as well as individuals from funeral, cremation and cemetery associations in a number of other countries, including Spain, the Philippines, Germany and the Netherlands.
Intellectually, I understood that those of us who live and work in the United States are not alone in this world of deathcare, but to meet and interact with others in a venue where we are not the major player was quite an awakening.
Visiting a country with a quarter of the world's population that has a cremation rate of practically 100 percent and yet retains 80 percent of all cremated remains for memorialization and is dedicated to raising educational standards at the university level for our profession was inspiring. I certainly had the feeling that the Chinese are focused on doing everything at the highest, most professional level possible.
The ICCFA is fortunate to have a relationship with Jisheng Wang and the China cemetery and funeral associations. As our association continues to evolve, we must consider our presence not only nationally but also globally. The "International" part of our name suggests that a larger part of our membership may come from other countries at some point in the future. I certainly felt others from these participating countries wanting to be part of the ICCFA.
The world does look to us for direction and innovation, and we need to look back. We have the opportunity to help mold and shape the customs, products and education of our members and future potential members from a world that has much more in common with all of us than there are differences. Most of all, we have in common life and death and a need to understand both.
Copyright ICCFA 2008
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