One-Day Crematory Operator Training/Certification   NEW THIS YEAR!

The ICCFA is offering a one-day registration for those who wish to attend only the Crematory Operator Training/Certification on Saturday, July 23. This includes:

• Admission to the Friday night University Reception and Dinner
• The all-day crematory operator training and certification on Saturday
• Breakfast, lunch and refreshment breaks on Saturday

The cost to attend this one-day option is $429 per person.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
You may register online by choosing the "One-Day Crematory Operator Training/Certification on July 23" as your choice of college. You may also download and complete the One-Day Crematory Operator registration form, which is also located on page 28 of the registration brochure.

LODGING
If you require housing, please contact the Memphis Doubletree (approx. 1 mile from campus) at 901.767.6666 or call ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 for on-campus dormitory options.

Five days of intensive training unlike anything else in the industry. Colleges include: 21st Century Services, Administration & Management, Cremation Services, Funeral Home Management, Land Management & Grounds Operations and the J. Asher Neel College of Sales & Marketing. For more, visit http://www.iccfa.com/education-events/iccfa-university/iccfa-university.

J. Asher Neel College of Sales & Marketing
Dean Gary O'Sullivan, CCFE

The principles of sales and marketing don’t change; only technique and application do. Learn how to take the tried-and-true principles of cemetery and funeral sales and apply them within today’s highly mobile, multi-cultural, high-tech, information-driven marketplace.

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Keeping Sales Staff Up in Down Times
Gary O’Sullivan, CCFE
What is a sales manager to do to combat the economy, the unemployment rate and the nightly news? In this session, you’ll find there are many things a sales manager can do to change their staff’s perspectives, to shape people’s paradigms and to keep their people up and selling.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
How to Market and Serve Multi-Cultural Markets
Barry Bamford, CCE
As our communities change and become more culturally diverse, it’s important for us to understand a variety of cultural values and traditions. The better we understand what is important to different cultures, the more effective we can be in serving their needs. Learn how best to approach various niche markets with your cemetery and funeral marketing and sales messages.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Keys to Keeping Your Sales Team Productive
Dick Perl, CCFE
When sales people are productive, doing the right things and getting the right results, they make sales. Learning the essential keys to keeping your staff productive is critical in reducing turnover and producing consistent volume. Learn how to keep your sales team active, productive and selling.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Creating Community Connections That Generate Returns
Ty Lohman
In this power-packed session, you’ll learn how to promote and conduct various types of community seminars--seminars that will help you connect with your market in a meaningful way so that you can build your brand and generate preneed leads.  

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
How to Create Positive Teamwork
Dick Perl, CCFE
The better people work together, the better they work. Without question, getting your staff to gel as a team can have a positive impact on your business. In this interactive session you will learn why teamwork is important and how to foster it, and what you as a leader can do to maintain a positive, productive atmosphere.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Master the Art of Top-Down Selling
Barry Bamford, CCE
Top-down selling is one of the most effective ways you help your prospect understand all the options they have. It gives client families a better understanding of your product mix and a compelling understanding of higher-end ownership opportunities. In this session, you’ll discover how top-down selling adds greater dimension to your sales staff, elevation to your sales averages and satisfaction to your customer base.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
How to Plan, Prepare and Conduct Influential Sales Meetings
Ty Lohman
You don’t meet with sales, you meet with people, and in this session you’ll learn how to plan a meeting that is effective and motivating. The purpose of a sales meeting is to educate and motivate staff to become more so they will do more. After this session you’ll better understand how to do both. 

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Making the Service of Family Service Effective
Patrick Downey, CCE
Have you ever wondered exactly how to make great service equal great sales? In this session, that is exactly what you’ll discover. Patrick Downey will explain the presentation and the process required to render great service and generate additional preneed sales. You’ll learn the mistakes many make and where the process too often falls apart.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Creating & Managing a Family Service Program for Cemeteries and Combos
Jim Hammond
In this session, we will look at:

• who makes up the family service unit and how do we select the right person for the position?
• how do we get our family service staff to work with and for each other?
• how do we compensate them fairly?

Jim Hammond will share some new ideas that may seem out of the box but which, mixed with some old traditions, could turn your family service unit into a strong leader within your organization.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
The Web: What We Know and What We Wonder
Robin Heppell, CFSP
There is a lot we know about how to use the web; however there is a lot more that we wonder about. In this session, you’ll see how many businesses today are using the Internet to promote and advertise their business and how they are building relationships in new ways. From websites to social media to mobile marketing, you’ll discover many of the things you’ve been wondering about.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Maximizing Your Management Skills
Patrick Downey, CCE
In this educational and motivational session, you’ll learn how to balance the three most important aspects of staff development. Find out how to determine how much training is needed on an ongoing basis, how to measure success and the key essentials for managing your sales team on a daily basis.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Creating Your Brand: Going Beyond Advertising
Tiffany Gallarzo
What is your brand? How does your community view your firm? What is your competitive edge? If you don’t know what makes your firm unique, neither do your customers. Learn how to develop and execute your own strategic marketing plan, from a system for organizing what you know and what you have to do next to a schedule for reviewing your progress. Walk away with effective marketing strategies that will build your brand and enhance your company’s reputation.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Where to Find and How to Interview Top Sales Talent
Mike Hays
Where is the best place to look for top sales talent? Is it the Internet, the local newspapers, or are there other sources that work? Once you find your top candidates, what are the keys to the interview process to ensure you find the right fit? In this session you’ll find answers to these questions and gain additional insights to help you acquire the people who are the best fit for you and your company.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Branding from the Inside Out
Tiffany Gallarzo

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
The Next Generation of Lead Generation
Robin Heppell, CFSP
What will be the next big thing in lead generation? Can you generate leads on the web? How do you compete against online classified ads? What can Google AdWords and Facebook Ads do to help? What is happening today, and what do you need to do to get ready for what’s next? In this session, you’ll discover both.  

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Preneed Cremation: The Secrets to Selling Tribute and Memorialization
Jim Hammond
Regardless of the types of cremation products and services you offer, you won’t be able to sell it if the value isn’t clear to your staff and to the market and if it is not marketed effectively. In this session, we’ll discuss the important elements of educating cremation clients and marketing cremation memorialization.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
The Ultimate Role of the Sales Manager
Gary O’Sullivan, CCFE
Being a sales manager means many things to many people; however, the role does have an ultimate end. Many people would say it is to produce volume, but Gary O’Sullivan disagrees. In this session, you’ll discover the three things required to fulfill the ultimate role of the sales manager. 

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

Kidwiler	Merendino

College of Land Management & Grounds Operations
Deans Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE, and Gino Merendino

Exceptional cemetery service starts with the grounds and operations department. Without effective land management and a commitment to an attractive, well-maintained property, there will be no sales or service. You'll learn how to succeed and excel in your role as "keeper of the grounds."

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Maintenance: Do You Really Get It?
Gino Merendino
Would you build a house without consulting a blueprint? Would you bake a cake without looking at a recipe? Do you truly understand that cemetery maintenance is more than cutting grass and digging graves? Gino Merendino will teach you more than how things are done; he'll focus on understanding why they are done.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Is Customer Service Part of Your Operations? You Bet!
Anthony Russo
Operations staff can have as much contact with customers as sales counselors and front-office personnel. Yet too often, they are not properly trained to handle customer questions and requests. Customer service is a cornerstone of every business. This class will explore ways to maximize the customer experience and focus on how grounds and operations personnel can most effectively serve customers.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
The Key Steps to OSHA Compliance
Mary Malotke
Cemeterians must develop and implement an OSHA program for grounds and facility maintenance. This program covers OSHA’s expectations for compliance, documentation and training. Topics include hazard communication, chemical safety, outdoor issues such as weather and pests, equipment maintenance, flammable liquids, mowers and trimmers and record requirements.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
OSHA and Gravesite Safety
Mary Malotke
OSHA has regulations for digging in a narrow but deep space such as a grave. This session covers backhoes, ladders, setting vaults, adjacent grave and monument issues and witnessing liabilities. We’ll also examine the requirements for soil assessment, trench protection and air-quality issues that can become critical during opening and closing.

Students will receive a DVD on Gravesite Safety, which you can take back to train your entire maintenance staff to help fulfill your OSHA training requirements. The DVD comes with a user’s guide, instructor notes, student handouts, a quiz and completion certificates.  

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Memorial Park Tour
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
Visit a local cemetery and learn firsthand many ideas and solutions you can take back to your location.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Cemetery Master Planning Strategies
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE
This course will give you an understanding of land use, both developed and undeveloped. We will discuss options for the fully developed cemetery (“We’re out of room!”) as well as techniques you can use for planning the development of unused areas within your cemetery.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Cemetery Liability Issues
Poul Lemasters, Esq.
This session will address a broad range of potential liability issues related to cemeteries in general and land management in particular. We’ll examine risk and liability in a number of different contexts and from the perspective of various parties. The session will stress disclosures and procedures designed to prevent or mitigate liability. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own liability problems, as well as their near misses.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Healing Grief: The Essence of Our Industry
Nancy Lohman, CCFE
Lack of compassion is usually caused by a lack of understanding. Upset families, employees missing work ... why? It is vital that we understand not only the consumer who is grieving, but our fellow employees and ourselves. We will explore our own perceptions, society’s expectations or misconceptions and the realities of grief.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Developing Hidden Treasures on Your Property
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE
Small spaces, V-ditches, fence lines... what are they good for? John Bolton will show you how to turn your neglected spots into money-making treasures.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Those Sales People! What Are They Thinking?
Jim Hammond
Why is it that the sales force is always making our lives difficult out here—selling products that don’t exist, complaining that the property is sub-par and that’s why they can’t sell, scheduling services at the same time? Find out who is right and how our roles are one and the same. The course objective is to train non-sales department heads and middle managers to become “partners” with the sales department.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Handling Veteran Interments and the Rose Hills Lifestyle

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Dazzle Your Landscape with Color and Learn to Prune Like a Pro
Tom Smith
Tom Smith will share his expertise on early spring color, great annuals and perennials, new “must-have” woody plants and key elements of a great landscape design. Learn which plants work best in sun and/or shade and which ones will look splashy and showy for a long time without requiring a lot of attention.

Next, learn how to reduce, reuse, rejuvenate. Proper pruning can create a “Fountain of Youth” for your trees and shrubs. Learn how to apply the right techniques to your operations, including selective pruning vs. shearing, the best times to prune, rejuvenation pruning to renew older gardens and tools of the trade.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Continuous Improvements in Cemetery Operations
Tom Smith
Learn to improve your operations through new product use, new equipment and new ideas and cost-cutting methods.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
The Art of the Interview and the Science of Selection
Mike Hays
Led by one of our profession’s top marketing managers, this session will focus on crucial hiring skills, including:

• how to ask meaningful questions
• how to interpret resumes
• how to identify your ideal candidate
• how to follow up on references
• how to conduct second interviews

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Internal Relationships
Gary O’Sullivan, CCFE
How valuable is it to your organization to have all departments working in harmony? Some experts suggest it is extremely valuable, not only to customer satisfaction, internally and externally, but to your bottom-line profitability. In this session you’ll learn the keys to developing effective internal relationships to help you drive a positive, productive organization.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Students’ Forum: Q&A
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
We’ll take a look at all we’ve covered this week, share ideas and best practices and discuss how to put the ideas we’ve learned to use.

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

College of Funeral Home Management
Dean Todd Van Beck, CFuE

Too many managers consider "creativity" someone else's department. In funeral service, creative management is the key to differentiation. You'll learn Dr. W. Edwards Deming's creative service management system and its specific applications to our profession.

All courses are taught by Todd Van Beck, CFuE. Students will receive the Deming Manual, a Quality Assurance Manual and several additional instruction manuals.

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Create, Don't Compete
We'll introduce "The Worthy Ideal," the philosophy of Creative Management 101 and what management looks like when you base it on the mission of your ideal.

Central to this discussion and to all of the work in this college will be the quality creative service management system of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. We'll discuss:

• the "magic" 15 steps in service management
• Plan, Do, Check, Act - Accomplish transformations
• the Seven Deadly Sins in quality service management

Learn the foundations of quality: what quality service is and what it is not.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Create, Don't Compete (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Create, Don't Compete (cont’d)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Create, Don't Compete (cont’d)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Creative Management
Today's sessions will focus on three key areas of management:

Management momentum vs. management inertia. Discover how to create movement forward as opposed to competing with the competition’s forward movement. There is a difference!

The substance and core of creativity. You will be shown:

• how to create increased visibility for your organization (without breaking the bank)
• how to create increased attention for your organization
• how to create meaningful information for your organization and your community
• how to ensure consistency in your organization so your visions and goals will become a permanent part of your service

The most challenging aspect of management: dealing with staff. This portion will address creative management approaches to improving staff performance and internal communications. You'll learn:

• how to create meaningful staff meetings, including a turnkey four-year program cycle ready for you to take home and use
• how to create a meaningful staff meeting agenda
• how to create meaningful and valuable staff evaluations
• how to create safe, sound interviewing and recruiting procedures

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Creative Management (cont'd)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Creative Management (cont'd)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Creative Management (cont'd)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
The "How To" Management System for Organizational and Service Creativity
Today we'll delve into a four-year cycle of "how to" internal training programs for your staff. You'll receive dozens of pre-prepared training lessons; all you will need to do is present them. Among the lessons:

• telephone etiquette
• a telephone shopping program, including a tracking form, a "visible general price list" and a telephone shopping matrix
• how to calm upset clients
• how to create a funeral home/cemetery advisory committee
• how to create professional ethics
• how to deal creatively with stress
• how to create quality service assurance
• how to develop a meaningful and economical aftercare program

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
The "How To" Management System for Organizational and Service Creativity (cont'd)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
The "How To" Management System for Organizational and Service Creativity (cont'd)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
The "How To" Management System for Organizational and Service Creativity (cont'd)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Implementing What We Have Learned
Today we’ll roll up our sleeves and create individualized "master timelines" to ensure success in implementing the four-year cycle of programs.

You’ll receive the following step-by-step "how to" programs:

• 318 service enhancement ideas
• the "insight campaign"
• the "life planning" series
• annual open house
• charity car wash
• clergy seminar
• holiday memorial program
• promotional ideas for under $500
• cemetery programs such as bird watching, gardening seminars, photo contests and historical tours
• veterans programs such as the Chapel of the Four Chaplains and the Flag Day dedication event

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Implementing What We Have Learned (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Implementing What We Have Learned (cont’d)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Implementing What We Have Learned (cont’d)

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Community Presentations
Discover the power of gaining visibility through interesting community presentations. You'll receive instructions on how to give great presentations that are both entertaining and educational, and you don't have to prepare a thing. The programs are already finished, complete with scripts and PowerPoint images. Here are just a few of the 18 community presentations you’ll receive:

• The History of Grave Robbing
• The Funeral in the Bible
• The Story of the Titanic Funerals
• The Psychology of Grief
• The Presidential Gravesite Tour

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

College of Cremation Services
Dean Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE

Cremation doesn't have to mean "no service" or "no memorialization." You'll discover how to better serve families, improve cremation operations and increase your company's cremation-related revenues. You'll also earn three types of certifications: operator, administrator and arranger.

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 8:45 a.m.
Breakfast

8:45 - 9:00 a.m.
Introductions
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Crematory Operator Curriculum
(presented by Matthews Cremation Division)
Ron Salvatore, Rick Thomas
You will recieve an extensive Operations Manual and training on:

• professional terminology
• incinerator terminology
• principles of combustion
• cremation and the environment
• incinerator criteria and design
• basics of operating cremation equipment
• general maintenance and trouble shooting
• forms and record keeping
• handling and exposure control

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Zoning/NIMBY/Equipment
Ron Salvatore
One of the highest-rated portions of the ICCFA College of Cremation Services, this curriculum covers:

• adding a crematory to your operation
• municipality zoning hurdles to installation
• timing, from ordering to being fully operational
• costs to purchase/maintain equipment
• facility requirements
• considerations in selecting a crematory supplier

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Avoiding Cremation Liability
Poul Lemasters, Esq.
This session will review areas of concern when dealing with the cremation customer and provide guidelines for avoiding liability. What are some best operating practices to incorporate into your standard operating procedure? Where are the areas of greatest risk in the operation of a crematory? What can you do to minimize your exposure?

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Crematory Tour: A Real-World Look at All Aspects of a Cremation Provider
Mark Ballard, Leslie Weaver, Winston Hoover IV
Our tour host operates five funeral homes, two cemeteries and a service center in a market with a 14 percent cremation rate. The service center operates two cremation units performing more than 100 cremations per month. In addition, the service center has a flower design shop and handles all administration for this operation. We will travel by bus and have the benefit of a guided tour of these SCI facilities. Every year, the value of this tour, the presentation and the SCI hospitality receive excellent reviews.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Go Ahead. Don’t Bother. I Dare You!
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
Jim Starks will wow you with a riveting, real-world presentation on operations and compliance. Failure to properly manage the risk of providing cremation services and/or operating a crematory is an invitation for disaster. Learn the steps you need to take to minimize potential problems and liabilities from an expert who has handled compliance and risk management issues for hundreds of funeral homes and crematories.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Administrator Curriculum: The Financial Realities of Today’s Death Care Industry
David Nixon
David Nixon has been serving the industry since 1979 and has created thousands of budgets for clients ranging from 40 to 1,500 events per year. In this session, he will discuss:

• today’s economic picture
• threats and opportunities
• pricing strategies to excel
• commercial courage

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: "I Don’t Want a Funeral, I Want a Cremation"
Julie A. Burn, CCrE, CSE
What do people expect from today’s providers? What mistaken assumptions do providers make? Is there a psychological difference between burial clients and cremation clients? How can a provider effectively understand and relate to both? We’ll take a look at products that people hate, products that people embrace and what makes the difference.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: What Is Your GRASP On Cremation Consumers?
Néctar Ramírez
Many funeral service professionals have a preconceived notion that families who choose cremation do not want to have memorial services. Batesville’s consumer research supports the theory that families who are effectively presented with all of their options for memorialization will choose better than the funeral professional would choose for them. The GRASP approach to the cremation arrangement conference uses a probing model designed to fully engage the family in making the irrevocable decisions that are made when a death occurs. GRASP also challenges the funeral service professional to offer service options for the cremation family similar to what they currently offer the burial family.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Order Taking is Not an Arrangement Consultation
Michael Kubasak
Mike Kubasak is passionate about funeral and cremation service. In this highly interactive session, he’ll focus on the cremation arrangement conference, identifying procedures and methodologies that can help eliminate misunderstandings, reduce exposure to liability and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Order Taking is Not an Arrangement Consultation (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Know Your Cremation Consumer
Doug Gober
Doug Gober is one of our industry’s most motivational speakers. He will share ground-breaking research on what today’s cremation consumers are looking for and what you can do to meet and beat their expectations.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: ICCFA Cremation Code of Ethics
Mark Krause, CFuE
What does it mean to be a first-class and consumer-friendly cremation provider? What makes cremation arrangements more complicated than burial arrangements? What is the attitude difference for the arranger and the customer? Also, how can you go above and beyond? Why might a retort have an oriental carpet in front of the unit? How are appointments like paintings, silk plants and comfortable furniture important around a crematory? What is the connection between food service and cremation service?

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Bringing It Together: Open Forum
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
This open forum will revisit areas of importance that were covered in the three certification designations this week, allowing you to:

• share problems and solutions
• clarify topics covered
• ask questions on implementation
• build future networking with fellow students and faculty
• better understand what the ICCFA has to offer for cremation

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

College of Administration and Management
Dean Nancy Lohman, CCFE

The cemetery, cremation and funeral service profession is changing, and so are the skills needed to manage and lead effectively. You’ll receive solid, relevant, results-focused training targeted at today’s required core competencies. 

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Developing a Leadership Style That's Right For You
Nancy Lohman, CCFE
If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training and experience. Learn how to develop the leader within you by exploring various facets of leadership, including attitude, motivation, vision, self discipline, character and handling change. We’ll explore levels of leadership and how to increase your leadership ability in the eyes of others.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Business Outlook: The Future of the Funeral & Cemetery Profession – Are You Prepared?
David Nixon
What are the consumer trends we’re seeing that affect our industry? How should today’s economic picture and tomorrow’s forecast influence your decision making? Learn what the threats and opportunities are in our profession and specific programs to help you compete both short term and long term. Learn how to build a stronger, more viable business with the knowledge of these future trends and discover programs you can put in place now to prepare yourself and your business for success in the future. 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Strategic Planning Workshop: Define, Manage, Achieve Your Goals and Deliver Results
Gary Freytag
Do you want to create a strategic plan that will provide a clear focus for your company and drive it to previously unachievable results? In this two-session, hands-on workshop, you’ll learn proven planning tools that will help you develop a highly effective strategic plan. You’ll create all facets of a strategic plan, including a mission statement, a set of objectives, an implementation plan and assessment tools based on a funeral home and/or cemetery scenario.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Strategic Planning Workshop (cont'd)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Becoming "Best in Class:" Operational & Administrative Best Practices
Nancy Lohman, CCFE
You’ll learn winning management systems, including:

• phone answering—the top 10 deliverables essential on every call
• arrangements—how to engage families and earn their trust
• forms—ensuring personalization and customization rather than simply gathering statistical information
• follow-up—it’s all in the details and the system
• recovery—gaining back customer satisfaction and loyalty when something goes wrong

In addition, you’ll discover how to achieve administrative and operational effectiveness through “snapshot” monitoring and how to strengthen and maintain consistency in your operations. 

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Finance Made Simple: The Five Numbers You Need to See to Know How You're Really Doing
Gary Freytag
Even if you don’t know a debit from a credit, you need to understand your business’ financial health. Income statements, balance sheets, statements of cash flow... do these reports mean anything to you or do your eyes just glaze over?  Do you understand why more detail is almost never the right answer?Learn the five numbers that will allow you to analyze your business and determine where changes and/or improvements are needed. Hone your financial understanding to better drive the success of your business.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
What's Your Training Paradigm? Rethink Effective Employee Training So Everyone Wins!
Tim Lancaster, CCFE
Well trained employees are the key to every business’ success. Studies have shown that the most successful, productive employees are those who have received the most extensive training. They’re the cream of the crop, often having the strongest stake in the company’s future. Find out how to train a staff that will take ownership of their roles, improve service to families and help you grow your business.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
The Glassdoor: A Look Inside the Best Employee Reviews, Incentives and Motivational Programs
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE
Ever wonder how you can get all your employees involved in helping your business grow? It can be done effectively and objectively by motivating staff through performance reviews that make an impact. You’ll come away from this course with effective employee appraisal tools and templates as well as incentive ideas that will boost employee morale, retention and enthusiasm while increasing workforce engagement and productivity.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Dynamics of the Organization
Robert Taylor
Every business requires an organizational structure appropriate to the nature and size of the company. Successful businesses operate according to certain organizational principles, and this session will cover the basic models as defined in current business educational programs.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Dynamics of the Organization (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Internal Communications
Robert Taylor
We’ll review standard business communications procedures and current technological innovations, including e-mail and other computer networking possibilities. We’ll also examine various organizational structures with reference to lines of reporting and their respective implications for communication policies.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Personnel Management: Employee Engagement, Motivation, Hiring & Firing
Robert Taylor
Your employees are your most important asset. Today’s business environment presents unique challenges because of the high level of inter-industry competition for quality personnel. This session will cover standard business rules for finding, keeping and removing personnel, as well as new ideas for dealing with today’s labor market.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Information Technology: Embrace the Possibilities
Robin Heppell, CFSP
Cemeteries and funeral homes, like all businesses, are learning to embrace computer technology. This session shares:

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Web Presence, Website Effectiveness and Social Media: Harness Today’s Technology for a Successful Future
Robin Heppell, CFSP
Do you have a visible online presence? Is your website effective? Do you make a strong online first impression? Learn the critical website features that can increase your brand awareness and create revenue. Learn the keys to web and social media effectiveness, how to optimize your search engine results and how to measure your web presence. You’ll leave this session empowered to take your next steps to gain a competitive advantage.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Business Law: An Overview for Cemeteries and Funeral Homes
Poul Lemasters, Esq.
When was the last time you reviewed your cemetery bylaws? Do they provide a foundation for consistent cemetery management? Do your rules and regulations support the management and appeal of your cemetery? Is your funeral home federally compliant and shielded by quality management practices against liability? Are you employing sound HR practices? Gain solid legal education to help prepare you in all facets of cemetery and funeral home management.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Your Marketing & Branding Mantra: Building Customer Loyalty
Doug Gober
When someone hears the name of your business, what immediately goes through their mind? Unique logos? Clever taglines? Catchy jingles? Today, customer loyalty is developed with much more than that. Our image is formed through the process of interacting with our existing customers and their guests and often has less to do with what we say about our companies and more to do with what our customers say and think about us.

In this session, Doug Gober will pull together a variety of key branding considerations and apply them directly to cemeteries, crematories and funeral homes. We’ll examine each potential point of customer contact within our businesses and delve into how each of these impacts our existing and potential customers. Discover how this integrated branding concept can help you differentiate yourself in your marketplace.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Best Practices
Nancy Lohman, CCFE, and class
This is your opportunity to share challenges, solutions and best practices with your fellow classmates.

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

College of 21st Century Services
Dean Ernie Heffner, CFuE

How do you respond to a family who says, "We don't want a traditional funeral?" You'll learn how to go beyond tradition with innovative offerings and become certified as a funeral celebrant trained to provide meaningful alternatives to clergy-led services.

Friday, July 22

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 23

8:00 - 8:45 a.m.
Breakfast

8:45 - 9:00 a.m.
Introductions
Ernie Heffner, CFuE

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
A $27,000 Wedding vs. Your Final Celebration
Allen Dave Jr.
At the 2007 ICCFA College of Cremation Services, Professor Julie Burn stated that, according to the July 2007 issue of People Magazine, there are 2.1 million weddings per year with an average cost of $27,690. What makes a $27,000 wedding a perceived value, one on which consumers willingly spend significantly more than on our services?

Find out how Allen Dave made the transition from wedding planner to final event planner, bringing wedding planning practices and hospitality to funeral service. Want to hear how his lack of preconceived notions and “we always did it this way” rationale put him ahead of his competition and gained him customers in a highly competitive market?

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Which Casket Would You Like With Those Chicken Wings?
Mark Krause, CFuE
Including the 41 percent of their customers who select cremation, Krause Funeral Homes & Cremation Service find that up to 80 percent of all their customers opt for the hospitality of food in their plans for final tribute. How did that evolve? What exactly does Krause offer? And what type of revenue stream does that consumer-driven service enhancement generate?

Learn how Krause made the connection between food service and funeral service and then designed and delivered what his customers wanted. Discover additional similar types of service enhancements the firm is using to help create meaningful tributes. 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Consumer Educational Seminars
Ernie Heffner, CFuE
Educating consumers requires a comprehensive plan, a system for consistent implementation and thoughtful preparation. We’ll examine:

• how to create a presentation
• subject matter, including celebrant services
• time commitments
• invitation options
• creating a comfortable environment
• best times and locations for seminars
• who should be the speakers
• staffing and equipment needs
• handout materials

This curriculum provides the outline for taking a proactive approach to educating your community about death care services, options and consumer rights. 

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
70 Percent of Services Are Conducted by Eternal Hills Staff ... Not Clergy!
Tim Lancaster, CCFE
Want to know how this came to be? Think there is any connection between Eternal Hills’ 60 percent market share against three competitors and their approach to providing meaningfulservices?

Operating in a market with a cremation rate ranging from 55-68 percent, Tim Lancaster will lead you through a process that has resulted in 70 percent of consumers choosing to have Eternal Hills professionals conduct the service rather than clergy. The real key and focus is not on product but rather on communication. According to customer surveys, Eternal Hills has exponentially greater satisfaction when their own staff conduct services than when they leave their business and future in the hands of a preacher. What’s more, though they charge $200 for Celebrant Services, families still try to give the celebrant a gratuity personally after the service.

Critically important is the attitude and approach of the arranger, which leads to consideration of permanent memorialization being important to the customer. This success story is not just theory but real how-to instruction on “why we do what we do” and “how we have applied these theories.” And, finally, in the case of more traditional denominations that hold services at Eternal Hills, the staff acts as the “master of ceremonies” and incorporates the traditional clergy into the service rather than just handing him or her the reins.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for a friendly game of volleyball.

Sunday, July 24

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Creating Exceptional Services for the Families You Serve
(presented courtesy of a sponsorship by Batesville Casket Company)
Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D.
This curriculum evolved out of a need to offer death care providers with a learning experience that focuses on their unique needs. Themes to be explored include:

• understanding the importance of a value-added service culture
• defining the new customer: characteristics, the bad news and the good news
• three keys to the future: focus, flexibility, responsivenessu evaluating service quality on five important factors
• exploring the service triangle: a customer-centered model

Wolfelt is director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado. An internationally noted author, educator and grief counselor, he is on the faculty at the University of Colorado Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine.

A past recipient of the Association of Death Education and Counseling’s Death Educator Award, Wolfelt is an educational consultant to hospices, hospitals, schools, universities, funeral homes and a variety of community agencies across North America. Wolfelt writes the “Children and Grief” column for Bereavement magazine and is author of many books on grief, including his newest release, “Healing Grief at Work: 100 Practical Ideas After Your Workplace Is Touched by Loss.” Wolfelt has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Larry King Show, The NBC Today Show and Nick News.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Creating Exceptional Services (cont'd)  

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Celebrant Training
Doug Manning and Glenda Stansbury
Celebrants offer an alternative to services provided by clergy persons for those families who are not affiliated with a church or who do not wish to have a traditional religious funeral service. They are trained to design services that are completely personal, incorporating those unique stories, songs and experiences that defined the deceased. Celebrants schedule a special “Family Time” meeting when the family can share memories, anecdotes and defining moments in the loved one’s life. They will then base the essence of the service on the remembrances of the family, and family and friends will be encouraged to participate. Celebrants develop a library of resources available for readings, music, ceremonies and personal touches. They consult with the family to help them choose elements of the service that reflect their loved one. They are bound by a Code of Ethics for complete confidentiality in all dealings with the family.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Celebrating Training (cont'd)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 25

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 26

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd) 

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years  

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 27

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Celebrant Training (cont'd)

10:30 a.m.
Presentation of Certified Celebrant Certificate and College of 21st Century Services Graduate Certificate

Friday, July 17

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 18

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Welcome & Introduction/Cemetery Comparisons and Ratios
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Maintenance: Do You Really Get It?
John Bolton, CCE
Would you build a house without consulting a blueprint? Would you bake a cake without looking at a recipe? Do you truly understand that cemetery maintenance is more than cutting grass and digging graves? John Bolton will teach you more than how things are done; he’ll focus on understanding why they are done.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The Key Steps to OSHA Compliance
Mary Malotke and Shannon DeCamp
Cemeterians must develop and implement an OSHA program for grounds and facility maintenance. This program covers OSHA’s expectations for compliance, documentation and training. Topics include hazard communication, chemical safety, outdoor issues such as weather and pests, equipment maintenance, flammable liquids, mowers and trimmers and record requirements.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
OSHA and Gravesite Safety
Mary Malotke and Shannon DeCamp
OSHA has regulations for digging in a narrow but deep space such as a grave. This session covers backhoes, ladders, setting vaults, adjacent grave and monument issues and witnessing liabilities. We’ll also examine the requirements for soil assessment, trench protection and air-quality issues that can become critical during opening and closing. Students will receive a DVD on Gravesite Safety, which you can take back to train your entire maintenance staff to help fulfill your OSHA training requirements. The DVD comes with a user’s guide, instructor notes, student handouts, a quiz and completion certificates.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for some friendly competition in basketball, volleyball or softball, depending on the weather.

Sunday, July 19

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Cemetery Master Planning Strategies
Christine Hentges, CCE
This course will give you an understanding of land use, both developed and undeveloped. We will discuss options for the fully developed cemetery (“We’re out of room!”) as well as techniques you can use for planning the development of unused areas within your cemetery.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Developing Hidden Treasures on Your Property
John Bolton, CCE
Small spaces, V-ditches, fence lines ... what are they good for? John Bolton will show you how to turn your neglected spots into money-making treasures.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Those Sales People! What Are They Thinking?
Jim Hammond
Why is it that the sales force is always making our lives difficult out here—selling products that don’t exist, complaining that the property is sub-par and that’s why they can’t sell, scheduling services at the same time? Find out who is right and how our roles are one and the same. The course objective is to train non-sales department heads and middle managers to become “partners” with the sales department.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Cemetery Liability Issues
Shale Lapping, Esq.
This session will address a broad range of potential liability issues related to cemeteries in general and land management in particular. We’ll examine risk and liability in a number of different contexts and from the perspective of various parties. The session will stress disclosures and procedures designed to prevent or mitigate liability. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own liability problems, as well as their near misses.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 20

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Healing Grief:The Essence of Our Industry
Katherine Scimmi
Lack of compassion is usually caused by a lack of understanding. Upset families, employees missing work ... why? It is vital that we understand not only the consumer who is grieving, but our fellow employees and ourselves. We will explore our own perceptions, society’s expectations or misconceptions and the realities of grief.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Refinishing Bronze
Stu Irwin
In this workshop, we’ll refinish an actual bronze memorial from start to finish, demonstrating the proper materials and techniques used. You’ll take home a free “how to” DVD on the process compliments of Matthews Bronze.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Class Project: Develop This!
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
We’ll break into small groups for this hands-on project in which you’ll draw on what you learned from the earlier “Master Planning” and “Hidden Treasures” sessions and develop a new cemetery section. You’ll obtain firsthand experience in land use and design, product selection, ROI projections and more.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
The Smitty and Fife Show!
Tom Smith and Tom Pfeifer
This high-energy presentation will be packed with practical “how to” advice on cemetery maintenance and operational issues, by two of the industry’s most well known experts. Smitty and Fife are best known for their popular “From the Grounds Up” column in ICCFA Magazine, where they share real-world maintenance management ideas that can be applied at any location, with any size budget.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 21

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Dazzle Your Landscape with Color and Learn to Prune Like a Pro
Tom Smith
Tom Smith will cover which plants work best in sun and/or shade, low-maintenance and economical plants, which plants look splashy and showy for a long time without requiring a lot of attention, the best time to plant, the best time to water, how to use new products and more. Next, he’ll take a look at how proper pruning can make all the difference to your trees and shrubs. Learn how to apply the right techniques: selective pruning vs. thinning-out pruning; when to prune; rejuvenation pruning to renew an older garden; and tools of the trade.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Continuous Improvements in Cemetery Operations
Tom Smith
Learn to improve your operations through new product use, new equipment and new ideas and cost-cutting methods.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Art of the Interview Process
Mike Hays
Led by one of our profession’s top marketing managers, this session will focus on crucial hiring skills, including:

• how to ask meaningful questions
• how to interpret resumes
• how to identify your ideal candidate
• how to follow up on references
• how to conduct second interviews

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Internal Relationships
Gary O’Sullivan, CCFE
How valuable is it to your organization to have all departments working in harmony? Some experts suggest it is extremely valuable, not only to customer satisfaction, internally and externally, but to your bottom-line profitability. In this session you’ll learn the keys to developing effective internal relationships to help you drive a positive, productive organization.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 22

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Land Management 101: Why We Are the Most Important Piece in the Puzzle
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
We’ll put together all we’ve learned this week and examine how our responsibilities relate to our companies as a whole.

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

All courses are taught by Todd Van Beck, CFuE. Students will receive the Deming Manual, a Quality Assurance Manual and several additional instruction manuals.

Friday, July 17

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 18

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Identification of Management: Introduction
This college begins with an in-depth examination of the quality service theory of quality guru Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Dean Todd Van Beck worked directly with Deming and uses his approach as the foundation of this college.

Dr. Deming was a quality assurance expert who was hired and then fired by the Big Three automobile makers in Detroit, and who then subsequently traveled to Japan, where his methods of ensuring total quality service are still used today. This introductory program walks you step by step through the Deming system and covers the following:

• spontaneous attitude of management
• cycle of professionalism
• momentum of management

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Identification of Management: Introduction (cont’d)
This session will continue the introduction to Deming’s principles and will also include a discussion of the psychology of the funeral and basic grief management techniques.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Identification of Management: The 15 Steps
We’ll examine Deming’s 15 steps for creating quality management and explore examples of how to use these steps to effectively improve the management of the funeral home and/or cemetery.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Identification of Management: The Problem Rules, PCDA and the Seven Deadly Sins
This session will conclude the “Identification of Management” section.

First, we’ll take a look at what Deming called the Problem Rules. Deming states that most of the problems encountered in any business are not the fault of employees but of management.

Next, the class will walk through the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) exercise. PDCA provides a wellspring of new ideas and future activities for your company and creates definitive action on the part of the entire organization. It shakes the tree and says that we are not doing business as usual.

Finally, we’ll examine Deming’s Seven Deadly Sins of Management. If any one of these sins are present, your company may already be in trouble.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for some friendly competition in basketball, volleyball or softball, depending on the weather.

Sunday, July 19

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Application of Management: Introduction
To make Deming’s principles come alive in your funeral home or cemetery, you need to examine and apply two extremely important issues: mission and quality.

First, what is the mission of your funeral home or cemetery? Why do you get up and go to work? What mission are you set upon and does your staff understand where you are going?

Second, what is quality? It is just perception or is there a deeper aspect to it? Most important, how can you as a leader apply it to make your management goals, hopes and dreams come true?

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Application of Management: Staff Development
What is the greatest resource you have? People! What is the greatest pain in the neck you have? That’s right. People!

This session applies formal staff development training so you as the manager can delegate and include everyone in your future vision for your operation. You’ll receive training and handouts on:

• hiring and firing
• staff meeting agendas and programs
• employee evaluation forms and procedures
• funeral service and cemetery vocabulary list for use in new employee orientations

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Application of Management: A “How To” Approach
At this point, we’ll stop and examine the “How To” series of management application programs Todd Van Beck has developed over the past 30 years. This is basically a paint-by-numbers process, a blueprint for instituting the programs you would like to use. Change can be difficult, but this process helps create a low-stress environment for you and your staff as you introduce these new programs. Among the programs we’ll cover:

• calming upset clients
• dealing with stress
• funeral service ethics
• telephone etiquette
• telephone shopping program

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Application of Management: A “How To” Approach (cont’d)
We’ll continue with “how to” approaches to numerous issues, including:

• client-centered funeral arrangementsu time management
• funeral service suggestion program
• communicating the value of tribute
• value/benefit ratio program
• and more.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 20

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Implementation of Management: Introduction
At the halfway point in the curriculum, we enter the implementation phase, i.e., your action plan. The earlier material covered what goes on inside your company. This material will cover what is happening outside your company, what you are doing to be visible in your community and how you can enhance your services to the public in an economical manner.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Implementation of Management: Funeral Home Advisory Board
The Funeral Home Advisory Board is a type of focus group that does not cost anything to implement but can be terribly effective in community relationship building. It can bring you information about what the community is really thinking about your firm. You’ll receive a step-by-step instruction manual for getting this up and running at your location.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Implementation of Management: Creating the WOW Factor
Over the next several classes, we’ll cover dozens of programs designed to create the WOW factor for those you serve:

• creative service enhancement ideas for less than $500
• 318 ideas to improve family services
• creative ideas to fit the changing times
• veterans outreach program
• holiday activities and memorial program
• poinsettia program
• Easter program
• charity car washes
• clergy seminars
• Santa Claus photo program
• life planning seminars
• open houses and tours
• bird watching days
• photo contests
• gardening classes
• pumpkin decorating day

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Implementation of Management: Creating the WOW Factor (cont’d)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 21

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Implementation of Management: Creating the WOW Factor (cont’d)

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Implementation of Management: Creating the WOW Factor (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Implementation of Management: Community Presentation
As funeral directors and cemeterians, we are often sought after as community speakers at civic, fraternal and church groups. Most people, however, lack skills, confidence and preparation when they are asked to speak. In this session, we’ll remove the fear of speaking, instill confidence and show how to be prepared.

You’ll take home actual presentation programs with visual aids, including scripts and instructions on how to present. The programs are designed to entertain an audience concerning interesting aspects of funeral service, and the scripts are written so that the programs will not last more than 20 minutes.

At the end of this session, students will be shown an effective and economic aftercare program.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Implementation of Management: The Financials
In this final portion of the “Implementation of Management” section, we’ll examine programs concerning the merchandising of rental caskets, and effective credits, collections and accounts receivable programs.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 22

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Service Plan
This is your final road map, your navigator, your guide. You’ll go step by step to look at how things were done, how they are being done now, and how you’d like them to be done in the future in three areas:

• family service

- advanced planning
- at-need services
- aftercare

• community visibility/outreach
• internal operations  

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

Friday, July 17

2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Registration and Check-in

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Freshman Orientation

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
University Reception

6:00 p.m.
University Dinner

Saturday, July 18

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Crematory Operator Curriculum (presented by Matthews Cremation Division)
Tony Lombardi, Ron Salvatore
You will recieve an extensive Operations Manual and training on:

• professional terminology
• incinerator terminology
• principles of combustion
• cremation and the environment
• incinerator criteria and design
• basics of operating cremation equipment
• general maintenance and troubleshooting
• forms and record keeping
• handling and exposure control

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Operator Curriculum (cont’d)

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Annual Sports Tournament
Join your ICCFAU colleagues for some friendly competition in basketball, volleyball or softball, depending on the weather.

Sunday, July 19

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Avoiding Cremation Liability
Poul Lemasters, Esq.
This session will review areas of concern when dealing with the cremation customer and provide guidelines for avoiding liability. What are some best operating practices to incorporate into your standard operating procedure? Where are the areas of greatest risk in the operation of a crematory? What can you do to minimize your exposure?

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Cremation and Crematory Risk Management
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
With more than 200 funeral homes, plus numerous crematories and cemeteries, Keystone properties handle more than 20,000 events each year. Jim Starks will wow you with a riveting, real-world presentation on operations and compliance. Failure to properly manage the risk of providing cremation services and/or operating a crematory is an invitation for disaster.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Crematory Tour: A Real-World Look at All Aspects of a Cremation Provider
Mark Ballard, Leslie Weaver
Our tour host operates five funeral homes, two cemeteries and a service center in a market with a 14 percent cremation rate. The service center operates two cremation units performing more than 100 cremations per month. In addition, the service center has a flower design shop and handles all administration for this operation. We will travel by bus and have the benefit of a guided tour of these SCI facilities. Every year, the value of this tour, the presentation and the SCI hospitality receive excellent reviews.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Monday, July 20

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Administrator Curriculum: The Financial Realities of Today’s Death Care Industry
David Nixon
David Nixon has been serving the industry since 1979 and has created thousands of budgets for clients ranging from 40 to 1,500 events per year. In this session, he will discuss:

• today’s economic picture
• threats and opportunities
• pricing strategies to excel
• commercial courage

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Administrator Curriculum: Zoning/NIMBY/Equipment
Ron Salvatore
One of the highest-rated portions of the ICCFA College of Cremation Services, this curriculum covers:

• adding a crematory to your operationt municipality zoning hurdles to installation
• timing, from ordering to being fully operational
• costs to purchase/maintain equipment
• facility requirementst considerations in selecting a crematory supplier

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Counselor Curriculum: Know Your Cremation Consumer
Doug Gober
Doug Gober is one of our industry’s most motivational speakers. He will share ground-breaking research on what today’s cremation consumers are looking for and what you can do to meet and beat their expectations.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: “I Don’t Want a Funeral, I Want a Cremation”
Julie A. Burn, CCrE, CSE
What do people expect from today’s providers? What mistaken assumptions do providers make? Is there a psychological difference between burial clients and cremation clients? How can a provider effectively understand and relate to both? We’ll take a look at products that people hate, products that people embrace and what makes the difference.

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

Tuesday, July 21

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Some Spend More Money Than Others. Why?
Néctar Ramirez
What compels consumers to move from cremation without ceremony toward service and merchandise options? What tools and techniques do you need to educate consumers during cremation arrangements? Nectar Ramirez will take a look at the connection between product and service, marketing tools for the arrangement process, leave-behind material for families and selection displays.

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Permanent Memorialization Options that People Embrace
Tim Lancaster, CCFE
In a market with a cremation rate ranging from 55 to 68 percent, Tim Lancaster will explain how the team at Eternal Hills developed an approach that consistently results in permanent memorialization. While Eternal Hills offers urn gardens, glass-front niches, scattering gardens, etc., the real key and focus is not on product but rather on communication. Critically important is the attitude and approach of the arranger. This success story is not just theory but real how-to instruction on “why we do what we do” and “how we have applied these theories.”

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: Order Taking is Not an Arrangement Consultation
Michael Kubasak
Mike Kubasak is passionate about funeral and cremation service. In this session interactive session, he’ll focus on the cremation arrangement conference, identifying procedures and methodologies that can help eliminate misunderstandings, reduce exposure to liability and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Arranger Curriculum: The Best of the BestProducts and Processes
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
What can you do with a little piece of space? Expect before and after pictures with real-world revenue stats to be shared in this session. If you’re ready to go to the next level in exceeding customer expectations using meaningful cremation memorialization options, you won’t want to miss this course.

4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Graduation/Reception for Students Completing Four Years

6:00 p.m.
Dinner

Wednesday, July 22

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Arranger Curriculum: ICCFA Cremation Code of Ethics and Wrap-Up and Discussion
Mark Krause, CFuE
What does it mean to be a first-class and consumer-friendly cremation provider? What makes cremation arrangements more complicated than burial arrangements? What is the attitude difference for the arranger and the customer? Also, how can you go above and beyond? Why might a retort have an oriental carpet in front of the unit? How are appointments like paintings, silk plants and comfortable furniture important around a crematory? What is the connection between food service and cremation service?

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Diploma and Class Pictures

Cremation Certification

The ICCFA cremation certification program is open to employees of all cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories and related businesses. Students completing the ICCFAU College of Cremation Services will receive three certification designations:

ICCFA Certified Crematory Operator: Currently required for crematory licensure in a number of states, this program is provided in concert with Matthews Cremation Division and covers all aspects of crematory operation and maintenance. A 12-chapter Operations Manual is provided. 6 hours CE.*

ICCFA Certified Crematory Administrator: This certification covers the business and liability aspects of providing cremation services. Instructors for this segment include a nationally renowned attorney and authority on cremation liability; a compliance officer from a multi-ownership corporation; a nationally recognized accounting specialist; and an expert in zoning, environmental and equipment installation issues. 6 hours CE.*

ICCFA Certified Cremation Arranger: This segment will provide an interactive learning experience in understanding cremation consumers, arranging and creating meaningful tribute services, creating unique options for memorialization and effectively communicating all of this with families. The instructors for this segment have proven track records and real-world experience. 8.5 hours CE.*

In addition to the classes, students will participate in a bus tour to a local Memphis cemetery, crematory and funeral home and will engage in a closing summary discussion of lessons learned, for an additional 4.5 CE* credits.

*CE availability contingent on individual state approvals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is eligible to attend ICCFAU?
ICCFA University is open to employees of all cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories and related businesses. Prior college attendance is not required. In general, it is designed for students who are:

• Company owners and chief executive officers.
• Managers seeking to develop additional skills and knowledge in order to improve their techniques and operations.
• Managers who are interested in moving into new areas of responsibility.
• Managers new to the cemetery and funeral service profession.
• Staff interested in advancing into management positions.
• Staff interested in improving their skills to better serve their employers and their client families.
• Suppliers who want to network and gain a better understanding of their customers’ challenges.

How does the four-year undergrad curriculum work?
The ICCFA University is held for five days each July. Undergraduate students enroll in one of the University’s six colleges and spend the entire five days learning about that area of the profession. Students who complete four colleges become ICCFAU graduates.

Do I have to attend for four years?
No. Some students enroll for one or two years, attending just those colleges that are most relevant to their jobs. But many students do choose to go on to study for four years or more as a way of broadening the scope of their knowledge.

What is the Master’s Program?
The Master’s Program allows ICCFAU graduates to return to the University and take personally selected courses from each of the colleges. Because the college curricula are continually refined to reflect changes in the profession, there are always updated courses and new information available for continued professional development. Students registering for the Master’s Program must include a daily itinerary of their selected classes along with their registration. 

What is the CEO Program?
Available to chief executives and company owners, the CEO Program allows top-level professionals to attend ICCFAU and take personally selected courses from each of the colleges. Students registering for this program are required to include a daily itinerary of their selected classes along with their registration.

Can I earn Continuing Education credits at ICCFAU?
Yes. Funeral directors can earn up to 24.5 CE credits, pending individual state approval. Please note that due to onerous and/or expensive filing requirements, the ICCFA no longer applies for continuing education credits in Pennsylvania or Virginia. ICCFA members applying for the Certified Cemetery Executive, Certified Funeral Executive, Certified Cemetery Funeral Executive, Certified Cremation Executive and/or Certified Supplier Executive designations through the association’s certification program will earn a total of 80 points toward certification upon completion of each college. 

Orientation: The ICCFA University Experience

QUALITY EDUCATION
With on-campus housing and dining, ICCFAU offers a unique learning environment. Its six colleges cover every area of management and operations, and classes are continually updated to include the latest innovations and techniques. Courses combine proven business theory with practical operational instruction, and the staff encourage ongoing participation and interaction.

EXPERIENCED FACULTY
ICCFAU classes are led by top cemetery, cremation and funeral service professionals as well as business and economics faculty from the University of Memphis. You’ll receive practical, proven instruction from colleagues selected for their firsthand experience and knowledge of the daily challenges you face in your job. For a complete listing of faculty, see page 31 of the registration brochure.

RECREATION AND NETWORKING
Students say one of the most valuable parts of ICCFAU is the opportunity to share ideas and fellowship with colleagues from every area of the cemetery, cremation and funeral service profession.

Students from all six colleges come together several times each day for breaks and to share meals in the Fogelman Executive Dining Room. In the evenings, you can relax with fellow students in the Fogelman lounge or at the Holiday Inn bar, or take a short taxi ride to visit Memphis’ famous Beale Street. At the Volleyball Tournament on Saturday night, you’ll find a good-natured rivalry among the students from each college.

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES
The University of Memphis Fogelman Conference Center is an academic facility expressly designed for executive and professional training. All classes, breaks and meals take place at the Fogelman. The program offers on-campus housing at two sites: individual dormitory-style housing on the top floor of the Fogelman and executive suites at the Holiday Inn University, located across the street.

The Fogelman houses 51 private sleeping rooms, each with a private bath, and has a common lounge area and kitchen. The Holiday Inn University suites include a choice of king bed or two double beds, a sleeper sofa and numerous amenities.

The ICCFA discount room rate is just $79 per night at the Fogelman and $99 per night at the Holiday Inn University. Students should make their own reservations. See page 30 of the registration brochure for details.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES/FEES
You may register online now, download a registration form here or complete pages 28-30 in the registration brochure. Class sizes are limited and are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations must be received by June 20. Students whose registrations are received by June 20 will have their names included in the student directory.

Fees include all classroom training and materials and three meals a day, starting with dinner on Friday and ending with breakfast on Wednesday, as well as refreshments during breaks and at the Saturday night Volleyball Tournament. Fees for the College of Cremation Services and the College of 21st Century Services include their respective certification training, and the fee for the College of Land Management & Grounds Operations includes a take-home OSHA training DVD on gravesite safety.

TRANSPORTATION
The closest airport to to the University of Memphis is Memphis International Airport (MEM). Free shuttle transportation is available from the airport to the Fogelman and the Holiday Inn. Details will appear in your registration confirmation letter.

DRESS CODE
Dress is casual throughout the week. Please bring sports clothing if you wish to participate in the Volleyball Tournament. 

THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL, RECORD-BREAKING YEAR OF ICCFA UNIVERSITY!

Mark your calendars for the 2012 dates:
July 20-25, 2012
Fogelman Conference Center
at the University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

FAQs  |  Orientation

Below is basic information regarding ICCFA University. Details may change for the 2012 session.

SIX COLLEGES

• 21st Century Funeral Services
• Administration & Management
• Cremation Services
• Funeral Home Management
• Land Management & Grounds Operations
• Sales & Marketing

One-Day Crematory Operator Training/Certification

TWO GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Master’s Program
• CEO Program

SCHOLARSHIPS
The ICCFA Educational Foundation, along with associations around the country, offer scholarships to those wishing to attend the ICCFA University. To find out more, click here.

LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR
We all know there is no "I" in "Team." But there is a "U" in "You," and that's what the ICCFA University is all about. It’s about you, your company and the families you serve. It’s about your future and your commitment to developing your skills and talents so you can give your best to this wonderful profession.

Are you struggling to find answers to the changes we're all seeing in our profession? Do you want to learn how others are adapting to new customer preferences, new technologies and new management challenges? Could you or someone on your staff use a change in perspective, an opportunity to rededicate yourself to the ideals that drew you to this profession in the first place?

You will find all of that and much, much more at The U. Our students tell us every year how much this program means to them and to their careers. The adjectives used in last year’s evaluations were nothing short of remarkable: Amazing. Priceless. Excellent. Outstanding. Irreplaceable. Enlightening. Exhilarating. Awesome. And on and on...

As a former dean at the ICCFA University, I am pleased and privileged to have this opportunity to serve as its new chancellor. My predecessor, Mike Burke, put his heart, soul and energy into this venture, and I intend to do the same. I have been involved in many conferences, and I can say with absolute certainty that there is no other program like this in our profession.

If you have never attended the U before, I hope this will be the year you make that commitment to yourself and your career and discover firsthand the impact ICCFA University can have. Isn't it time you put you in the U?

Tom Roberts, CCE
ICCFA University Chancellor 

ICCFAYOU is the official publication of ICCFA University. The newsletter is mailed quarterly to past ICCFAU students and focuses on the students, faculty and alumni of ICCFA University. The goal for this publication is to serve to increase the ICCFAU spirit, maintain a camaraderie among students & alumni, and create a culture around the University that lasts throughout the year, not just every July.

STUDENTS & ALUMNI: We want to hear from YOU! If you have news about personal and professional milestones such as promotions, new jobs, new designations/certifications, retirements, marriages, births, etc., please contact us at robt@iccfa.com. You could see your announcement in the next newsletter.

You may read past issues below.