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ICFA 2004 Convention & Exposition
March 10-13, 2004
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
Program Chair: Ray Frew, CCFE
Program Schedule
Prices
Continuing Education Credits
Cancellation Policy
Speakers
Sponsors
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Please note: The ICFA room block at the Nashville Renaissance is at a sell-out level. Call (800) 327-6618 for availability. If you are unable to reserve a room at the Renaissance, please check out this list of nearby alternate hotels.
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EXHIBITORS: View 2004 Exposition Prospectus
Nashville Local Attractions
Convention Program
WEDNESDAY, March 10
5:30 - 6:00 p.m.
First Timers Reception in Exposition Hall with ICFA officers, board members and staff
Sponsored by Carrier Mausoleum Construction Company
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Grand Opening Reception in the Exposition Hall
Sponsored by Cornerstone Family Services & Cold Spring Memorial Group—Granit-Bronz—Private Estates Entertainment Sponsored by United Memorial Products
THURSDAY, March 11
7:15 - 8:15 a.m.
Prayer Breakfast
Facilitated by Frank Stewart
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Coffee with Suppliers
Sponsored by Fortis Family & Keystone Group Holdings
9:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Keynote Address: Recognizing the Value in Everyone
Tom Sullivan
Author of "If You Could See What I Hear" and "Seeing Lessons," Tom Sullivan has refused to let the fact that he is blind stand in the way of his success as a singer, composer, actor, author and golfer. He believes that any life event can motivate you to find the strength to become a better person than you ever thought possible.
In this uplifting session, Sullivan will share specific advice for our industry following his recent experience with the death of a loved one. He will show you how to recognize the defining moments in your life—your turning points—and use them to become your best self. This lively and touching presentation will be interspersed with music and song.
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Annual Meeting of Members
All ICFA members are encouraged to attend this Annual Meeting to learn about the association's current activities and future goals and to vote for eight new members of the Board of Directors. This year's slate of nominees represents a broad cross-section of the cemetery and funeral service profession. This year's ICFA Hall of Fame inductee, Irwin W. Shipper, CCE, will also be honored.
11:45 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Lunch at the Expo
Sponsored by United Memorial Products and National Prearranged Services Inc.
2:30 - 4:10 p.m.
Keynote Address: Keys to Building An Entrepreneurial Environment
Michael Gerber
Sponsored by BLP Bronze International & Cypress Lawn Cemetery
As leader of the Small Business Revolution and author of the best-selling "E" (Entrepreneur) business books, "The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" and "E-Myth Revisited," Michael Gerber has helped more than 25,000 small business owners jump start their operations in areas such as management, customer service, sales, expansion and many others.
In this anchor keynote address based on his work with companies both within and outside the cemetery and funeral service profession, Gerber will present proven strategies to keep your entrepreneurial spirit alive and help you build your future one success at a time. In this session, Gerber will discuss:
- How to go to work on your business, not just in it.
- The true work of the entrepreneur.
- Your business as a franchise and as a brand.
- How to free yourself of the tyranny of routine.
- The keys to building a business that works.
4:20 - 5:10 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops:
E-Myth Continued Michael Gerber
Ready to join the Small Business Revolution? Want to learn more about E-Myth? Gerber will provide a more in-depth look for building your future.
Protect Yourself from Employee Fraud and Abuse Robert A. Garvey Jr., CPA, CrFA
You—and possibly generations before you—have built a successful business through years of working hard and developing goodwill in your community. Yet one instance of employee fraud or abuse could damage your operations and your reputation irreparably. In this presentation, forensic accountant Bob Garvey will examine:
- The scope and cost of employee fraud and abuse in general;
- The types of fraudulent activity prevalent in the cemetery and funeral service profession;
- Demographic and socioeconomic symptoms of the typical fraudster;
- Reasons employees commit fraud;
- Pressures in the cemetery and funeral service profession that cause employees and organizations to commit fraud;
- Business practices in the profession that cause fraud exposure; and
- Ways you can prevent fraud within your company.
Funeral Celebrant Training Doug Manning & Glenda Stansbury
Since its beginning in 1999, Doug and Glenda's Funeral Celebrant training has changed the conversation in funeral service. Met with a great deal of skepticism initially, this innovative approach to planning meaningful, personalized funerals for families—with a special emphasis on serving those families who do not have a religious affiliation or do not wish to utilize a minister—is having enormous success. The firms who are using celebrants are reporting incredible feedback and satisfaction from the families they serve.
The training includes a special emphasis on graveside ceremonies or committals to encourage more interest and participation at the cemetery. See firsthand what a celebrant funeral looks like and hear the "value of the funeral" premise upon which the celebrant movement was founded.
5:15 - 8:15 p.m.
IMSA Exhibitor's Reception
FRIDAY, March 12
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
The Challenge of Change: Building Your Sales Future Dave Wharmby
Sponsored by McClesky Mausoleum Construction Co.
Cemetery marketing and sales executives have been inundated with change in many markets throughout the country. These include dealing with the "Do Not Call" list, demographic changes, increased costs in lead procurement and many others. In this informative, humor-filled session, industry sales veteran Dave Wharmby will show you how to:
- Identify changes in your market;
- Diagnose those changes accurately; and
- Adopt the proper marketing strategies to deal with those changes.
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Spouse/Guest Program
 Join Linda Dyer, Antiques Roadshow appraiser, for a day of treasure hunting in historic Franklin, Tennessee. Learn the ins and outs of antiquing while exploring one of Dyer's favorite antique malls. She'll regale with you "trash to treasure" stories from her six seasons on PBS' Antiques Roadshow and teach you how to buy from the heart rather than strictly as an investment. The morning's shopping will be followed by lunch at "Lillie Belle's," a historic tearoom in the heart of downtown Franklin. After dining on scrumptious salads, soups, sandwiches and a variety of specialty teas, you'll return to the Renaissance Nashville Hotel with time to relax before the St. Patrick's Day Banquet.
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Full Value, Full Price Thomas J. Winninger
Sponsored by Service Corporation International
The mass merchandiser mentality is thriving in our profession and is shifting the market from a service and value motive to a price motive. However, only about 27 percent of consumers are motivated by price alone. At the other end of the scale are the 17 percent who can be classified as "upscale" customers, who are driven by exceptional service and value.
Based on his new book, "Full Price: Competing on Value in the New Economy," market strategist Thom Winninger will offer insights on how to capture this portion of the market. You'll learn how to generate higher profits and customer loyalty by focusing on value rather than competing on price
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Brunch at the Expo
Sponsored by United Memorial Products and Wilbert Funeral Services Inc.
2:00 - 2:50 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops:
Beyond Personalization: Developing a Sense of Showmanship Mark Krause
Your funeral home is all about personalization. Anything your families ask for, you give them. That puts you on the cutting edge of funeral service, right? Wrong, says funeral director Mark Krause. If you're offering your families memory boards and custom casket corners, you're simply doing the minimum necessary to have a thriving business five years from now. Today's savvy consumers expect these personalized touches.
If you want to stand out, you have to go beyond the basics—and do more than passively respond to requests. You, as a funeral professional, need to be able to guide families to create the memorable services they want but don't know how to plan. Learn from one of our profession's most innovative funeral directors how to develop a sense of showmanship so that families will leave your services saying, "Wow, now that was a funeral!"
Maximizing Your Cremation Opportunities Richard Verrier & Jeff Johnson
As more and more families choose cremation, it becomes increasingly important for the cemetery and funeral service profession to offer these families meaningful, quality products and services that will allow them to memorialize their loved ones.
In this session, you'll discover innovative concepts to help you better serve cremation families. Using specific examples of creative cremation options already in use at select cemeteries throughout North America, this session will show you:
The important link between cremation choices and grieving, and how your property can best meet the needs of those who are grieving a loss.
- How to engage the consumer's senses to ensure a memorable and healing experience.
- The value of offering choices for cremation disposition, including some options you may not have considered.
- How to use applied marketing principles such as tiered pricing, media relations, market research and others to their full potential when marketing cremation.
- Common "traps" to avoid when developing your cremation products and marketing.
With their combined hands-on experience encompassing construction, sales and marketing, Richard Verrier and Jeff Johnson have been involved, from conception to completion, in over 350 cremation projects across North America. They will share their ideas in a way that will help you look at cremation in a whole different way.
Memorialization in Europe: Revenue-Generating Ideas for American Cemeteries Joe Bartolacci
European memorialization options differ from what are traditionally offered in the United States, particularly with respect to the concept of "personalization through choice." In this session, Joe Bartolacci, former president of Matthews Europe, will share how European options differ in terms of aesthetics and how moving toward this European sensibility can enhance your product lines and raise your average revenues significantly.
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops:
Establishing a Foundation: Diversifying Resources for Your Cemetery Michael C. Hutchinson, CCE & Ed Holbrook, CFRE
If your cemetery or memorial park is currently using its general operating budget to fund community events, monument restoration, historic documentation and other such projects, you'll want to attend this session on establishing a foundation and community fund-raising program.
Mike Hutchinson, CCE, recently undertook this endeavor at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mike will share his experiences with the "preparation and launch phase" of establishing a foundation, which are absolutely essential to a successful program. Next, Ed Holbrook, executive director of the Wyuka Historical Foundation since 2000, will share how these planning efforts were then formulated into the fundraising efforts of the foundation and the subsidiary organizations developed by the foundation.
Beyond the Numbers: Protecting Your Organization Through Sales Ethics Christine Toson-Hentges & Cindy Thompson, CCFE
Without ethics, everyone in your organization is at risk. But many people are willing to risk everything just to "hit their numbers."
Ethics play a powerful role in any organization. In sales, it is especially critical, though often overlooked. As a cemetery or funeral home owner or manager, you are ultimately responsible for what your sales staff are doing and saying in the field. How can you be sure your company's ethics and values are being communicated at all times? This session is geared toward owners, managers and sales managers and will show you:
- How to define and promote your company's ethical standards.
- The fact that ethics are measured at individual levels—and how to communicate this to your staff.
- The types of checks and balances you can put into place to monitor ethics—even when you cannot be in the room with your sales staff.
- How to help your sales counselors realize that ethics are critical to their sales success.
Achieving Success: One Employee at a Time! Darin B. Drabing
Whether you manage one employee or—like presenter Darin Drabing—more than 500, the success of your business ultimately depends on the productivity and professional development of each member of your staff. In this session, you'll discover innovative approaches to employee development, improving interdepartmental relationships and building moral and employee loyalty. Learn new ways of communicating and sharing information to create a productive work environment and foster employee dedication.
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops:
What's Right About Funeral Service: We're in the Gallup Poll Top 10! Todd Van Beck
For the last 13 years, funeral directors have been rated by the average American citizen in the "top 10 most esteemed professions" in their communities. Renowned industry educator, trainer—and funeral director—Todd Van Beck will discuss why that is, what it means to you and why it will continue to be the case in the future.
Objections: It's All in Your Head Neil Carlson
Objections. You spend hours training your sales counselors on how to anticipate them, interpret them and overcome them. But guess what? They don't exist! In this session, a preneed sales management and training veteran will prove that objections are all in our imagination—something we are conditioned to expect and therefore actually promote. Discover the negative effects conditioning can have on the sales process and how your counselors can overcome their conditioned expectations and responses to build rapport, better serve families and boost sales.
Innovative Accounts Receivable Financing Wayne M. Crane
In this session, cemetery and funeral service providers will learn an innovative method of using accounts receivable financing to increase sales and profitability—your bottom line. Join Wayne Crane as he explains how to increase cash flow and develop that all-important heritage business. This is a great opportunity for owners and sales managers to gain state-of-the-art knowledge and professional information on how this type of financing can be implemented in your business.
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Organizational Board Meeting
7:00 p.m.
St. Patrick's Day Banquet
 Banquet Theme Party Sponsored by Stewart Enterprises, Inc.
Entertainment Sponsored by Batesville Casket Company/The Forethought Group
Relax and enjoy dinner and a show, featuring the award-winning Nashville Irish Step Dancers in "Celtic Rhythms on Fire."
SATURDAY, March 13
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Address: Go FISH to Improve Employee Morale and Customer Relations J. Daniel Garrison
Sponsored by Green Hills Memorial Park
As a business owner or manager, you are responsible for the overall culture and morale at your workplace, from the management team to the line staff and from the back of the house to the front desk. Wouldn't you love to be able to build an environment where employees can grow and excel, and where they truly understand that they make a difference in the everyday lives of the families you serve?
In this session, Dan Garrison will share a proven, effective management model that does all this and more. You'll discover:
- Easy steps to follow to improve relations with both your employees and your customers—at the same time;
- Your role in building those relationships;
- How to deal with burnout and employee retention;
- How to turn your workplace into a community; and
- How you and your staff can have FUN doing it!
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Government & Legislative Update Irwin Shipper
Join Irwin Shipper, CCE and the members of the ICFA Government and Legal Affairs Committee for the latest regulatory news and insights affecting your operations. Issues discussed will include the Dodd legislation, fallout from the GAO investigation, tax developments, Do Not Call and telemarketing, industry litigation and more. Not to be missed!
Don't Leave Your Chad Hanging! Paul Elvig
Make your vote count! Are you an "insider"? Do you have political clout? Just how do you get on the "inside" of things?
As cemetery and funeral service issues come under increasing scrutiny in the state and federal legislatures, your ability to speak out, be heard and influence the process becomes ever more important. You'll still have time following this Annual Convention to become an insider with political clout—you'll have 238 days before the last hanging chad is counted in November.
During the next seven months, you can multiply your political power many times over the single vote you will cast on Election Day. Paul Elvig will show you how to expand your influence with those yet-to-be-elected future political leaders. Find out how to become a leader in political circles and how to be heard when matters of cemetery and funeral service come to the fore. Sound difficult? It's not...but you must know how.
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
State Association Roundtable Mark Revitz
From newsletters and fundraising to lobbying and more, representatives from state associations will meet to exchange ideas and experiences on "What Works for Us."
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
"Hall of Fame" Reception
Sponsored by Matthews Bronze
All Convention & Exposition attendees are invited to attend the first ever "Hall of Fame" Reception, a grand finish to the 2004 Convention.
You'll enjoy an evening of food, drink and networking with your industry colleagues as we recognize the ICFA's past presidents and Hall of Fame members. Please plan to attend this significant and prestigious concluding event!
Prices
Register by February 2 to take advantage of these low prices:
- Members: $375
- Non-Members: $520
- Spouse/Guest: $240
- Member Supplier/Professional: $475
- Non-member Supplier/Professional: $610
- One-Day: $130
Continuing Education Credits
Funeral directors may earn up to 13 continuing education credits at the conference, pending state credit awards. CE Attendance Certificates will be available at the ICFA on-site registration desk.
Cancellation Policy
Registrants canceling prior to February 2, 2004 will receive full refunds. All cancellations must be in writing and will be subject to a $50 processing fee. Registrations canceled after February 2 will not be refunded. For ticketed events, refunds will be offered if a cancellation request is received in writing at ICFA headquarters prior to February 2, 2004, less a $5 processing fee per event. No refunds will be offered after this date.
For more information, call the ICFA Meetings Department at 1-800-645-7700
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