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INDUSTRY NEWS U.S. House Bill to Restore VA Plot and Marker Cash Allowances Introduced at ICCFA's Request On March 1, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) introduced H.R 1273, a bill to restore the veterans plot allowance eligibility and the headstone or marker allowance for use in private and religious cemeteries. These two cost-effective burial benefits were popular for many years with veterans and their families who preferred interment in non-government cemeteries for personal, ethnic or religious reasons. In 1990, Congress suddenly curtailed the eligibility of wartime veterans to receive the plot allowance unless they were receiving VA compensation, pension benefits, or died of service-connected injuries. At the same time, Congress abolished the marker allowance that provided a cash reimbursement, based on the government's wholesale costs of furnishing markers, to veterans and their families who preferred to purchase their own marker or headstone for placement in a private cemetery. H.R. 1273 was introduced at the request of ICCFA, which had brought to the attention of the House VA Subcommittee on Memorial Affairs in April 2005 the inequities of abolishing these two burial benefits. Since that time, the Association has been working with Rep. Berkley's office to develop legislation addressing the restoration of these important benefits. The bill will be pending over the next two years until the 110th Congress adjourns in late 2008. Currently, the ICCFA is organizing a campaign among its members to seek co-sponsors for the bill in the House and the introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. The text of H.R. 1273 can be viewed at http://www.iccfa.com/pdf/wireless031307.pdf Missouri State Funeral Board Settles FTC Charges Prohibiting Third Party Casket Sellers Last week, the Federal Trade Commission announced that the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors had agreed to settle antitrust charges alleging that the Board had restricted the sale of caskets at-need solely to licensed funeral directors. According to the FTC draft complaint, the Board was accused of having "illegally restrained competition by defining the practice of funeral directing to include selling funeral merchandise to consumers on an at-need basis. The six-member Board, which included five funeral directors, ended the restriction last year. Under the settlement, the Board will not adopt such anticompetitive regulations in the future." The FTC stated that under the proposed settlement, "The Board must include in its newsletter and Web site the consent order and a statement that its rules and regulations 'do not prohibit persons not licensed as funeral directors or embalmers from selling caskets, burial receptacles or other funeral merchandise to the public in the State of Missouri.' Also, in half-page ads in Missouri Funeral Directors Association Magazine, the Board must announce the agreement, including a statement that, 'Persons may offer for retail sale caskets and other funeral merchandise to customers in Missouri without obtaining a license from the Board.'" The order will be subject to public comment for thirty days, until April 9, 2007, after which the Commission will decide to make it final. The Board-FTC agreement and related materials can be viewed on the FTC web site at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/03/missouriboard.htm. Cemetery Consumer Service Council Announces Complaint Activity Survey Results for 2006 Yesterday, the Cemetery Consumer Service Council (CCSC) announced the results of its annual activity survey for the year ending December 31, 2006. A total of 207 complaints and inquiries were received during the year and 181 were resolved. Twenty-six complaints and inquiries were pending at the beginning of the year while another 33 remained at year's end. These figures are based on the responses provided by 21 of the 40 state CCSC committees and state agencies where no CCSC committees exist. Among the various types of complaints and inquiries received, 48 dealt with improper cemetery maintenance, 60 with questionable sales practices, 17 with Truth in Lending matters and other contractual issues, 17 with cemetery rules and regulations, and another 38 with a variety of other issues. Not all agencies track the types of inquiries they receive. CCSC is an industry-sponsored volunteer organization now in its 28th year of operation. The group is funded by ICCFA, the Cremation Association of North America, Central States Cemetery Association, Southern Cemetery and Funeral Association, Illinois Cemetery and Funeral Home Association, Western Cemetery Alliance, and the Cemetery and Mortuary Association of California. The complete CCSC Annual Activity Report for 2006 can be viewed at www.iccfa.com/docs/survey07.doc. ICCFA NEWS Last Chance to Register for ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Expo If you aren't already registered for ICCFA's Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, it's not too late! Don't miss out on the most comprehensive educational event the cemetery, cremation and funeral service profession has to offer, covering all areas of cemetery management, funeral service, cremation, memorialization, sales and marketing and more. Get ready to network: With this year's registration numbers at the highest in years, you will have even more opportunities to make business contacts and expand your global networking sphere. The International Reception on Thursday night offers an ideal setting to meet your colleagues from across North America and around the world. The number of ICCFA booths is also up from previous years, with 230+ booths registered. Enjoy free food and beverages while exploring the expo Hall and discovering the latest products and services available to you and your client families. Also, be sure to stop by the ICCFA booth and meet "Men of Mortuaries" calendar models, Justin Zabor and Marty Byars, who will be selling and autographing the calendars at the Thursday Luncheon. Proceeds go towards KAMM Cares, an organization supporting breast cancer patients. For the Convention schedule and to register, visit www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm; or call 1.800.645.7700. ICCFA University Program Now Online! The 2007 session of ICCFA University will be held July 20-25 at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennesseee. ICCFAU is comprised of five colleges, including the College of Administration and Management, College of Land Management & Grounds Operations, College of Sales & Marketing, College of Funeral Home Management, and the College of Cremation Services, which this year includes an all-new Cremation Certification Program. Whether you are a company owner, manager, staff member, or supplier, ICCFAU will help you develop the skills and techniques necessary to be successful in your career. The small classroom setting allows students to interact with the professors by asking questions and participating in group discussions. The program also provides students with valuable opportunities to network and meet fellow colleagues from across the country and around the world. Check out the 2007 program online by visiting www.iccfa.com/iccfau07.htm. For students interested in the College of Cremation Services, a brand new Certification Program is available. Visit www.iccfa.com/iccfau07_certification.htm to learn more about it. ICCFAU programs will be mailed to members within the next few weeks. Call 1.800.645.7700 with questions. Product of the Month: Books by John Llewellyn For the month of March, the ICCFA is offering a discount on two books by John Llewellyn, CCE, president and chief executive officer of Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks and Mortuaries in Southern California, and a past president of the ICCFA. "A Cemetery Should Be Forever: The Challenge to Managers and Directors" examines the philosophy, management, development and challenges of cemeteries, including an historical perspective as well as practical business advice and visionary ideas. An excellent resource for owners, managers and governing boards. Regular price: $16.95 for ICCFA members; $24.95 for non-members. "Saying Goodbye Your Way-Planning or Buying a Funeral or Cremation for Yourself or Someone You Love" helps consumers navigate through the many choices required for making final arrangements. Topics include hospice care, prearrangement, grief, personalization, funeral ceremonies, decisions to be made at the time of death, selecting providers and more. The book is a useful giveaway to introduce your company to prospects and groups within your community or can be added to your facility's library. Regular price: $12.95 for ICCFA members; $14.95 for non-members. For the month of March only, the price for both books is $23.95 plus shipping. Call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 to place an order. Earn CE Credits Online: ICCFA Online Institute and Dignity University Cemetery and funeral home owners, managers and staff can now participate in online safety training, thanks to a partnership between the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association's Online Institute and Dignity University™, an educational arm of Service Corporation International. On February 1, the ICCFA and Dignity University™ launched 12 Web-based courses on topics related to safety training for cemeteries and funeral homes. The courses can be accessed through the ICCFA Web site at www.iccfa.com/institute. Developed specifically for the cemetery and funeral service profession, the courses can be used to fulfill OSHA training requirements, and ICCFA-member funeral directors in most states can earn continuing education credits. Visit www.iccfa.com/institute for more information, or call 1.800.645.7700. CLASSIFIED ADS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) The Town of Christiansburg is soliciting proposals for cemetery management services to oversee operations including but not limited to: ownership or management or cemetery property including all aspects of business such as managing and growing investments in perpetual care fund; manage files of those interred on the property; and oversee maintenance of cemetery including selling cemetery plots; orchestrating burials with funeral homes; mowing/weed-eating, debris removal, etc. Full copy of RFI may be obtained from the Office of the Town Manager, 100 East Main, Christiansburg, VA 24073, (540) 382-6128. Proposals must be received NO LATER THAN 5 PM, Thursday, March 30, 2007. 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 ... ICCFA Introduces New sales Training Programs by sales trainer and professional speaker Gary O'Sullivan, CCE. O'Sullivan's two latest products include 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. Click here to download a detailed description of each prodcut: www.iccfa.com/docs/osullivan.doc. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards! The KIP Awards recognize outstanding examples of personalization of services or products in the cemetery and funeral service profession. Read about the winning entries at www.iccfa.com/kip.htm. 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. |
