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INDUSTRY NEWS International Cemetery and Funeral Association Changes Name to Include 'Cremation' On October 4, the International Cemetery and Funeral Association Board of Directors voted unanimously to change the name of the association to the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. The name change will take effect on January 1, 2007. According to ICFA President Tom Roberts, CCE, the change is part of a natural progression for the organization, which changed its name from American Cemetery Association to International Cemetery and Funeral Association in 1996. "When families say they are going to be cremated, they think of it as an independent option, as opposed to going to a cemetery or a funeral home," Roberts said. "It has itself become a final or third option, a separate type of funeral service with its own traditions. Our new name reflects our organization's mission to represent the entire profession with one voice. Just as many of our members have added 'crematory' or 'cremation garden' to their company names, the ICFA Board felt it was time to add 'cremation' to the association's name." Along with the name change, the ICFA plans to expand its already broad range of cremation-related benefits and programs. "With more than 24 hours of instruction each year, the ICFA University Cremation College is currently the most extensive educational opportunity available for those in our profession who are interested in improving cremation operations, sales and service," Roberts said. "We plan to continue building on that program. And of course, all of our conferences, our Annual Convention & Exposition, our Web site and our flagship magazine, International Cemetery & Funeral Management, will continue to include useful educational material on cremation." For more information on the ICFA and its programs and benefits, visit www.icfa.org or call 1.800.645.7700. As of January 1, 2007, the association's Web site domain name will change to www.iccfa.com. ICFA NEWS Now Online: 2007 Convention & Exposition Schedule The program schedule for the ICFA's 2007 Annual Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada is now online at www.icfa.org/ac07.htm. In keeping with its theme, "Expanding Your Horizons," the ICFA has extended the number and variety of its educational sessions to include a comprehensive selection of topics pertaining to cemetery and funeral service management, cremation, preneed sales, international funeral and burial customs, technology and more. In addition, simultaneous English to Spanish translations will be provided for all general sessions and selected breakout sessions. Stay on top of the latest trends in the cemetery and funeral service profession by attending the following breakout sessions:
Motivate your sales team: Attend the 2007 Wide World of Sales Conference! Motivating your sales team to perform at their potential is easier than it may seem! At the 2007 Wide World of Sales Conference, January 17-19, at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, you will learn effective tips and techniques for recruiting top-performers, managing and motivating staff, and ultimately increasing your company's revenue. Give your business an extra boost by bringing along your staff too! This year, for the first time, separate counselor and manager breakout sessions will be incorporated into the program, so that attendees can choose the sessions most relevant to them. While you are taking part in sessions on management-related topics, your counselors will be receiving separate training on prospecting and referrals, sales techniques and more. Companies registering multiple staff are eligible for discounted registration rates. Every year, counselors and managers leave the Wide World of Sales Conference feeling confident, inspired and ready to apply what they've learned to their everyday jobs. Attendees from the 2006 Conference raved about its educational value and extensive networking opportunities. Among their comments:
One Session Remains: Todd Van Beck's Advanced Seminar in Quality Funeral Service You have only one more opportunity to become certified in the Principles of Advanced Quality Funeral Care. Todd Van Beck's final seminar will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, December 1-3, at the Wyndham Albuquerque Airport Hotel. The Advanced Seminar in Quality Funeral Care shows funeral home owners, managers and employees how to apply the principles of quality funeral service at their firm to result in better service, strengthened relationships with families and higher visibility in the community. Attendees receive a disk filled with materials to take back to the community and apply immediately to their work. Seminar topics include:
CLASSIFIED ADS Sales Manager/Family Service Manager Opening Premier Cemetery location in Northern Virginia seeks energetic leader for its cemetery sales manager / family service manager. We offer excellent training, full benefit package, great 401k plan, and performance based compensation package. To join our growing team email confidential resumes to donna.meier@sci-us.com or mail to Donna Meier, Mount Comfort Cemetery, 6600 S. Kings Highway, Alexandria, Virginia 22306. Mausoleum Sales Representative Wanted: Mausoleum Sales Representative. Cemetery in Southeast Tennessee, 100 interments per year, 90% traditional ground burial. Located in small town located within 25 miles of major metropolitan area. If interested send resume to: Mausoleum Sales, P O Box 8888, Chattanooga, TN. 37414 or email to: boydinv@bigplanet.com Come to Florida Wanted: Funeral Director/Embalmer Family-owned. Multiple locations in FL. Great work environment and schedule. Will keep confidential. Contact Michael Szymczak Call or fax 386-441-1144 Multiple Combination Locations in Florida Looking for energetic leaders to run sales force. Sales Managers and Family Service Counselors needed. Leads furnished. Highest compensation in the industry. Growth opportunity. For confidential interview call Mr. Green at 386-235-8045. Reach Thousands of Cemeteries and Funeral Homes With Your Classified Ad!
And more ... For a limited time, ICFA 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 December 31, 2006. 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 2006 Music Licenses are available for just $220, 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 ICFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICFA 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 ICFA 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 ICFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why. The Network is an online e-mail service that offers ICFA 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 ICFA 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 ICFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today! Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's HR Law Benefit program offering members no-cost telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICFA via an exclusive retainer agreement. ICFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICFA 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 ICFA 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 ICFA Insurance Program, administered by Driver Alliant, 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 ICFA Wireless: The ICFA accepts limited advertising in the ICFA Wireless newsletter, a bi-weekly newsletter e-mailed to all ICFA members that are current on their dues and have provided a current e-mail address. For rates and to place your insertion, contact Kim Ferguson at kferguson@icfa.org or 1.800.645.7700. To unsubscribe from the ICFA 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 and Funeral Association 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 Sterling, VA 20164 1.800.645.7700 703.391.8400 Fax: 703.391.8416 www.icfa.org Copyright 2006 International Cemetery and Funeral Association. |
