|
ICFA 2004 Fall Management Conference
Discovering the Leadership Spirit Within
November 10 - 13, 2004
Wild Horse Pass Resort, Spa & Casino
Phoenix, Arizona
Program Co-Chairs:
Gary L. Brown, CCE, CCCE
& David Brownworth
Please join us and a "who's who" of cemetery and funeral service executives for several days of learning, networking and relaxing at an incredible new Southwestern resort that is unlike any you've ever seen.
At Wild Horse Pass Resort, Spa and Casino, wild horses actually roam the surrounding desert, and the picturesque setting offers a Wild West flavor that will transport you and your guests to another time and place. As GolfArizona.com puts it, "Wild Horse Pass offers a real get-away-from-it-all feeling that seems missing from many resorts in the Phoenix area."
A step above other luxury resort destinations, Wild Horse Pass offers something for everyone, including the Aji Spa, the Koli Equestrian Center, jogging trails, tennis courts, riverside swimming pools, the award-winning Kai Restaurant, nearby shopping and the Wild Horse Pass Casino.
And yes, it offers golf. Great golf. Arizona Resort and Course Reviews Web site calls the resort's two championship Troon-managed courses "upscale desert layouts that are wonderfully conditioned from tee to green."
The Wild Horse Pass Resort, Spa and Casino is the perfect environment for combining business with pleasure, and we've designed each day's schedule to allow you to take advantage of both ... mornings are packed with excellent educational sessions and afternoons are free for your and your guests to enjoy this incredible resort.
Program Schedule
Speakers
Sponsors
Prices
Continuing Education Credits
Cancellation Policy
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa
Download the Registration Form
Download the Hotel Reservation Form
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Direct Reservations
Unable to download these files? Try installing Adobe Acrobat Reader.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2004
8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Board of Directors Meeting
4:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Registration
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2004
7:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Registration
8:00 a.m.
Welcome
8:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Leading Business Evolution: Building and Exercising the Capabilities Within
Daniel Laux
Today's successful company must continually refine its operations to meet increasing customer demands for quality while at the same time controlling costs and strengthening the bottom line. As a cemetery or funeral home executive, it falls on you to balance this delicate equation.
In this opening keynote presentation, management consultant Dan Laux will unravel the tangle of management systems being used throughout the corporate world—from TQM, to ISO, to Six Sigma, to the "lean" Toyota production system and more—to examine how these methods work and how you can make one or more of them succeed for you.
The reality is, each of these programs produces mixed results depending on the type and quality of leadership in place. Dan will share the leadership principles and the skills and capabilities you and your company must have to evolve and excel, regardless of the management method in place. Discover how to achieve breakthrough performance through:
- Understanding customer needs
- Interpretation and application of existing concepts
- Proven problem solving methodology
- Quality and management tools for resolving problems
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Dream Homes Tour Spouse Program
Join Colleen Brownworth, Anthony Nicholas and Rob Clang for a "Dream Homes" tour of the upscale Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Phoenix areas. Each custom-built home, ranging in price from one half to 10 million dollars, incorporates fabulous architectural designs with beautiful Southwest vistas. Enjoy a wonderful catered luncheon in one of these homes as you pick up design and decorating ideas for your own home.
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
How To Improve Your Operation by Eliminating Call Reluctance
Connie Kadansky
Call Reluctance can hurt your cemetery or funeral home, from decreasing your sales program's productivity to inhibiting your own ability to make important negotiations. At one time or another, we all have to wrestle with the issue of being afraid to pick up the phone. In this presentation, Connie Kadansky will help you identify and eliminate Call Reluctance from top to bottom within your organization.
Call Reluctance can have a negative impact on your staff's ability to prospect, network, obtain referrals and, ultimately, earn the financial rewards that lead to job satisfaction and retention.
In this session, renowned sales trainer Connie Kadansky will provide training techniques that you can put to use immediately to overcome this results-killer, including:
- Identifying different types of Call Reluctance
- Recognizing and diagnosing Call Reluctance
- Techniques for countering all 12 types of Call Reluctance
- Preventive measures to keep Call Reluctance from infiltrating your staff
- Eliminating Call Reluctance and elevating sales
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Networking Reception
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2004
7:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.
Registration
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Making the Media Work for You
Mary Jo West
Pop artist Andy Warhol once said that with the advent of television, everyone would be famous for 15 minutes. In today's frenzied world of sound bites and spin control, how do you parlay your 15 minutes of fame into a lasting, positive image for your company?
In this fast-paced, hands-on workshop, Mary Jo West, an award-winning former anchorwoman, will teach you the ins and outs of dealing with today's media. Her expertise with having been on both sides of the media spotlight provides a unique perspective. She'll share dozens of insider ideas on how to generate positive publicity and handle media expectations.
In addition, Mary Jo will offer realistic advice on what to do when bad news does strike, including measures you should take when the media arrives onsite, how to minimize negative press and proven strategies for damage control.
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
9:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Responding to the Challenges of a Changing Environment
Mike Baklarz, Dave Jones and Mary Ziegler
No one is better equipped to conduct research and offer insights into changing consumer preferences than cemetery and funeral service product suppliers. Join Mike Baklarz of Cold Spring Granite Memorial Group, Dave Jones of Matthews International Corporation and Mary Ziegler of Batesville Casket Company as they share the latest consumer research, analyze shifts in customer expectations and offer vital information on meeting today's preferences in remembrance and memorialization. Among the findings they'll explore:
- Consumer awareness of various memorial options
- The growing propensity for cremation
- The most important factors in purchasing memorials
- And many more!
1:00 p.m.
ICFA Fall Golf Tournament
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Networking Reception
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2004
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Registration
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Legal and Legislative Update
Join members of the ICFA Government and Legal Affairs Committee for their review of the latest developments in legal and regulatory matters affecting your business. Issues include the consequences of the November 2 national elections on pending laws and regulations, potential court expansion of the FTC Funeral Rule, the status of the Dodd/Foley federal legislation, new tax rulings on preneed sales, anti-spam and direct mail regulations and more. Irwin W. Shipper, CCE, is moderator of this informative and fast-moving session.
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Big 3 Update
Kenneth Budde, Melvin Payne and Thomas Ryan
Together on one stage, executives from Stewart Enterprises, Carriage Services and Service Corporation International will participate in a panel discussion and Q&A period regarding trends and challenges facing the public companies and the cemetery and funeral service profession as a whole.
Don't miss this revealing dialogue with Kenneth Budde, Melvin Payne and Thomas Ryan, who will share lessons learned as their companies have adapted over the years to embrace the changes within our profession and to better serve customers, as well as how their business practices can translate into future success for our entire profession. Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance to the ICFA Meetings Department at 1-800-645-7700; fax (703) 391-8416; e-mail pdavis@icfa.org.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Closing Reception
SPONSORS
We would like to thank the following companies for their generous support of the 2004 ICFA Fall Management Conference:
- Alderwoods Group Inc.—Thursday Evening Reception
- Aurora casket Co.—Saturday Evening Reception
- Avior Group LLC—Conference Coffee Breaks
- Buchanan Group Management Services—Golf Tournament Beverage Carts
- Carrier Mausoleums Construction Inc.—Wednesday Evening Reception
- Catholic Cemeteries of Phoenix—Wednesday Evening Reception
- Cold Spring Granite Memorial Group—Granit-Bronz—Private Estates—Golf Tournament Beverage Carts & Friday Evening Reception
- Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Peak Realty—"Dream Homes Tour" Spouse Program
- Cornerstone Family Services Inc.—Wednesday Evening Reception
- DNAtoday LLC—Golf Tournament Beverage Carts
- Fidelity National Title—"Dream Homes Tour" Spouse Program
- Hepburn Superior US Chemical—Conference Coffee Breaks
- J. Stuart Todd Inc.—Saturday Evening Reception
- Keystone Group Holdings—Speaker: Connie Kadansky
- Matthews Bronze and York—Golf Tournament Trophies and Prizes & Saturday Evening Reception
- McCleskey Mausoleum Construction Co.—Saturday Evening Reception
- Service Corporation International—Golf Tournament
- The Transaction Group—Friday Evening Reception
- Trigard/Trigard Engraved Bronze—Saturday Evening Reception
- Western Sequoia—Friday Evening Reception
- Wilbert Funeral Services Inc.—Golf Tournament Lunch
PRICES
Registration fees are as follows:
- ICFA Member: $439 before October 1, 2004; $525 after October 1, 2004
- Non-Member: $560 before October 1, 2004; $560 after October 1, 2004
- Spouse/Guest: $55 before October 1, 2004; $55 after October 1, 2004
Tickets for receptions are included with all full registrations. Additional tickets may be purchased for unregistered individuals. Please see the registration form for prices.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS
Funeral directors may earn 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 who cancel their registration by October 1, 2004, will receive refunds. All cancellations must be in writing and will be subject to a $50 per person processing fee. Cancellations made after October 1, 2004, will not be refunded.
Refunds for ticketed/optional events will be offered if the cancellation request is received in writing at ICFA headquarters by October, 2004, less a $5 processing fee per ticket. No refunds will be offered after this date.
For more information, call the ICFA Meetings Department
at 1-800-645-7700
*********************************************************************************************
|
