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INDUSTRY NEWS EPA Confirms 2005 Ruling: Won't Regulate Crematories Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its "Notice of Final Action on Reconsideration" in which it confirmed a December 2005 decision not to regulate human crematories under the federal Clean Air Act. As originally reported in the December 20, 2005 edition of Wireless: At issue was whether crematories should be regulated under the category of "Other Solid Waste Incinerators" (OSWI) in the Clean Air Act regulations. During the rulemaking proceedings, two commenters objected to exempting crematories by claiming that "the incineration of human bodies emits significant quantities of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants." It was also claimed that human bodies were classified as "discarded solid waste" under government regulations. However, the EPA disagreed with these claims and found that the regulatory definitions of "discarded" and "solid waste" do not apply to nonhazardous substances such as human remains. The agency concluded that "the human body should not be labeled or considered 'solid waste'... and [crematories] are not a subcategory of OSWI for regulation...." EPA did leave the door open to potential future regulation but by either the states or "other authorities." In last week's ruling, the EPA denied a request to reconsider human crematories in the OSWI rules. The EPA findings were primarily based on the result of stack testing conducted by CANA and EPA, to which the ICCFA was a financial contributor. IRS Announces New 2007 Dollar Limit For Qualified Funeral Trusts of $8,800 The Internal Revenue Service has announced its annual adjustment of the aggregate dollar amounts accepted into a "qualified funeral trust" for 2007. Deposits up to $8,800 for preneed contracts entered into during calendar year 2007 for the benefit of an individual under the contract will be considered "qualified" for purposes of section 685 in the Internal Revenue Code. This means that the trustee may elect to pay the federal income tax on the trust earnings in lieu of the purchaser of the contract. The trustee election was created under the Tax Reform Act of 1997, through the efforts of the ICCFA and other interested parties, and the dollar amount was indexed for inflation annually. Originally, the dollar limit was $7,000. The 2007 adjustment increases the limit by $300 from $8,500.00 for last year. House Bill Seeks to Expand and Make Permanent "Second Marker" VA Benefit in Private Cemeteries In the openings days of the 110th Congress, Rep. David Reichert (R-WA), a second term Congressman, introduced H.R. 358, which seeks to expand and make permanent a relatively new veterans' benefit whereby the VA would provide a government-issued marker or headstone for a grave located in a private cemetery that is already marked by a memorial. The original legislation was introduced and enacted following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Under H. R. 358, the individual requesting the second marker must certify that "the headstone or marker will be placed as close as practicable to that grave." A similar measure contained in S. 3421, the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, was enacted into law last year (P.L. 109-44) but limited the second marker benefit to an expiration date of December 31, 2007. The current House bill eliminates any expiration date and also makes the benefit retroactive to veterans dying on or after November 1, 1990. ICCFA NEWS ICCFA's Room Block Expected to Sell Out Soon—2007 Convention & Exposition Make your hotel reservations now for ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rooms outside of the ICCFA room block are completely sold out at Mandalay Bay, and rooms within our block are selling out quickly for peak Convention nights. All who plan to attend are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Contact Mandalay Bay at 1.877.632.7000, and identify yourself as an attendee of the "International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association Event" to receive the group rate. Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, among the most prestigious of hotels on the Vegas Strip, offers world-class restaurants and shops, a 135,000 square foot casino, a luxurious spa, a shark reef and more. Visit www.mandalaybay.com to explore the hotel and its many attractions. For program details and to register for the ICCFA 2007 Convention & Exposition, visit www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm; or call 1.800.645.7700. 'Wide World of Sales' Conference Receives High Ratings The ICCFA 2007 Wide World of Sales Conference, held January 17-19 at Treasure Island in Las Vegas, brought in more than 420 attendees and received rave reviews. After two intensive days of speaker sessions and nightly networking events, attendees were sent home with a wealth of practical knowledge and skills to take back and put to use at their funeral homes and cemeteries. In evaluating the Overall Conference, 91 percent of attendees rated it as "Excellent" or "Very Good." Here are just a few of their comments:
Meet the "Men of Mortuaries" at ICCFA's 2007 Convention and Expo Two of the men featured in the 2007 "Men of Mortuaries" Calendar will be selling and signing the calendars at the ICCFA's Annual Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, in Las Vegas Nevada. Justin Zabor, the March model, and Marty Byars, the September model, are both speakers at the 2007 Convention and Exposition. Visit the ICCFA booth to purchase a calendar and meet the two men! The calendars have received national and world-wide attention for their unique approach to raising money and increasing awareness for breast cancer. Funeral home owner Ken McKenzie launched the calendar to raise funds for KAMM Cares, a nonprofit organization he founded in honor of his sister and benefiting women with breast cancer. The men have been featured on the Today Show, David Letterman and other programs across the country, and the calendars have been praised by celebrities including Whoopi Goldberg and Gene Shalit. Show your support for breast cancer by purchasing the "Men of Mortuaries" calendar at ICCFA's Convention and Exposition! Visit www.menofmortuaries.com to learn more about the calendar and KAMM Cares. ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition will offer more than 40 general and breakout sessions taught by the top experts in the profession on topics including cemetery and funeral service management, cremation, preneed sales, international funeral and burial customs. More than 200 booths will offer attendees a chance to explore the latest products and services available to them and their client families. To view the complete conference schedule and to register, visit www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm, or call 1.800.645.7700. Last Chance for January's Product of the Month! Only two days remain to take advantage of the ICCFA's Product of the Month, the 5th edition of "How to Sell Cemetery Property Before Need," by Harold Brown. Purchase the book by January 31 to receive the discounted rate of only $21 (plus shipping and handling)! The price is normally $30.50 for ICCFA members and $40.50 for non-members. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Published in 1996, this textbook-style publication presents a mixture of sound advice and practical wisdom, as preneed pioneer Harold Brown reviews the basics of successful selling and offers inspiration for the salesperson to redouble his or her efforts to attain ever-higher sales figures. Each chapter of the book covers each step of the selling process in detail. At the end of each chapter, readers are asked to answer informative and sometimes soul-searching review questions. This offer expires on January 31, 2007. Call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 to place an order! ICCFA Introduces New Sales Training Programs The ICCFA has introduced two new products from sales trainer and professional speaker Gary O'Sullivan, CCE. O'Sullivan is known throughout the cemetery and funeral service profession for his success in sales and his ability to motivate and train employees to reach their selling potential. His two newest products are a 10 DVD Series—The Power to Sell Preneed, and a training support system called the GoSell System. Both products provide sales managers with tools and training strategies that will help them to strengthen and motivate their teams. "The Power to Sell Preneed" offers 10 DVD sessions covering the major principles for success in sales such as prospecting, effective presentation, overcoming objections, getting referrals and more. It is available for $649 for members, and $799 for non-members. The Go-Sell System serves as a monthly, quarterly and annual training reinforcement tool for sales managers and is designed to help stimulate conversation with their sales teams and engage them in the learning process. It is available to ICCFA members for only $159 and to non-members for $199. Click here to download a more detailed description of each of these products: www.iccfa.com/docs/osullivan.doc. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. CLASSIFIED ADS Chief Executive Officer The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc., seeks a Chief Executive Officer to manage the overall daily operations of the corporation. The authority, duties and responsibilities of the CEO extend to the five major cemeteries and 33 parish cemeteries of the Archdiocese, located in the District of Columbia and five counties of the State of Maryland. Candidates are required to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of five years management experience with three years executive level experience. Years of experience should be with an organization whose operation encompasses multiple locations and over 60 employees. Resumes may be sent to Attn: CEO Search Committee by fax 301-460-7025 or e-mail fjm@ccaw.org. Caring Cemetery Counselors Needed Our Catholic cemetery organization located in Baltimore, MD is looking for Family Service/Pre-need Sales Counselors. Successful candidates will enjoy direct selling; have a proven track record in sales and excellent communication skills, as well as be highly motivated, well organized, and detail oriented. 3-5 years sales experience required, preferably in cemetery sales, but we will train. These positions are commissioned with a draw and benefits are available. Send resume to Director of Operations, 7401 German Hill Road, Baltimore, MD 21222 or email tjdiciurcio@redemcem.org. Exciting Sales Opportunities! StoneMor, a leader in the industry, has exciting opportunities for Sales Professionals at many locations. We boast one of the highest commission rates in the industry and our Sales Managers enjoy triple override bonuses on all location sales after hitting performance goals. We have excellent benefits including:
EOE For more information, please call 877-857-8890 and refer to this ad or send your resume via fax at 215-826-2929 or email it to jobs@stonemor.com. www.stonemor.com Grow Your Business with FuneralHomes.com FuneralHomes.com—the Funeral Director's Resource for Effective Customer Acquisition. We connect At-need and Pre-planning consumers with Funeral Homes in their area, you are missing out on business! Position your Funeral Home at the top—Call us at 1.800.208.2580 to start receiving business today. www.FuneralHomes.com. New Opportunities Await You! People preplan for many reasons. Chief among them is peace of mind. Now you can offer your families additional peace of mind through the Omega Assured Return Plan, a service option offered through Inman Shipping Worldwide. Inman Shipping Worldwide has been the recognized leader in the deathcare industry for the repatriation of human remains, from anywhere in the world, for over 30 years. With society traveling more and more today for business, vacations and even health care in distant cities, death away from home is becoming more common. When death occurs 100 miles or more away from an individual's legal residence, all the necessary services for returning the deceased to their home are covered for those enrolled in the Omega Assured Return Plan. The Omega Assured Return Plan is the logical companion for cemetery, funeral and cremation prearrangements. An ideal supplemental product, the Omega Assured Return Plan provides another opportunity to maintain contact with your client families. A simple enrollment form and onetime payment will provide a lifetime of coverage for this valuable service. Expand your selling portfolio and earn generous commissions. No license is required. To find out how you or your company can offer the Omega Assured Return Plan, call our toll free number at 1-888-889-8508 from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM Eastern time Monday through Friday or send an email to omegareturninfo@yahoo.com. Reach Thousands of Cemeteries and Funeral Homes With Your Classified Ad!
And more ... For a limited time, ICCFA members can purchase the McQuaig Job Survey, the McQuaig Word Survey and the McQuaig Self-Development Survey for just $100 per assessment, a savings of up to 50 percent off the regular price. The member discount offer expires June 30, 2007. Companies assessing more than 100 candidates per year are eligible for additional discounts. For additional information, visit http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig2.pdf and http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig.pdf. For questions and to sign up for the program, contact Michael Gravelle at The McQuaig Institute at 1.800.387.5455, ext. 361, or mgravelle@mcquaig.com. Join today! The 2007 Music Licenses are available for just $232, no additional fees. Covers ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Any U.S. funeral home, cemetery or related business is eligible for membership as a Music License Member. Join today! The ICCFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICCFA resources and training products online. Some products are available for immediate direct download, including the newly released Wirthlin Report on consumer attitudes and article packages on cremation, cemetery and funeral home valuations and trust funds. The ICCFA News Page takes you to sources throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else and is one of the most visited page on the ICCFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why. The Network is an online e-mail service that offers ICCFA members an easy, free way to share questions and answers to everyday on-the-job challenges. Recent discussions have examined issues such as working with the Muslim community, distance between burial sites, direct mail marketing, the growing popularity of geocaching at cemeteries, recruiting staff and more. Ideal for smaller companies with smaller budgets. Join today! The ICCFA Internet Expo is the largest online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and funeral home owners and operators will find 300+ providers in more than 100 product and service categories. Exhibit space is provided as a free, exclusive benefit to all ICCFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today! Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICCFA's HR Law Benefit program offering members no-cost telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICCFA via an exclusive retainer agreement. ICCFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICCFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, D.C., for telephone consultations for up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member benefit, call Schneider at 202.393.7600. The ICCFA and Applied Merchant Systems of Chicago, Illinois, currently offer members a Credit Card Processing Program with a special low discount rate of 1.75 percent, with no per transaction processing fee. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who wish to pay via credit card. For more information, call 1-800-675-6573. The ICCFA Insurance Program, administered by Alliant Insurance Services, allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance -- including general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more -- at rates they probably would not be able to afford on their own. To advertise in the ICCFA Wireless: The ICCFA accepts limited advertising in the ICCFA Wireless newsletter, a bi-weekly newsletter e-mailed to all ICCFA members that are current on their dues and have provided a current e-mail address. For rates and to place your insertion, contact Nichole Causey at ncausey@iccfa.com or 1.800.645.7700. To unsubscribe from the ICCFA Wireless: Send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line to: wireless@icfa.org. Please include your name and company name in the body of the e-mail. International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 Sterling, VA 20164 1.800.645.7700 703.391.8400 Fax: 703.391.8416 www.iccfa.com Copyright 2007 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. |
