ICCFA Wireless is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter bringing members of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association the latest government and legal, industry and association news. It is available to all ICCFA members current on their dues. Comments, questions and "hot news tips" are welcome. Write to: hq@iccfa.com.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
U.S. GAO Studies State Funeral and Cemetery Laws
 The ICCFA has been contacted by the Government Accounting Office (GAO), which is the investigative arm of Congress, for assistance in surveying the extent of state laws regulating cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories, and related businesses including third party retailers. GAO is drafting a survey that it will send to every state agency having oversight of the death care industry. It is the ICCFA's understanding that the catalyst for the study is not directly related to H.R. 3655, the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act, which remains pending in the House of Representatives during this "lame duck" session. According to GAO staff, the study has been requested by several members of Congress including Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), who is retiring from Congress at year's end.
GAO staff estimate that the study will be completed and published by late spring or perhaps early summer. From that point, it is unclear what action, if any, Congress will take to implement any findings or recommendations in the GAO report. The ICCFA will continue to work closely with GAO to provide substantial factual data to aid in the report. For example, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), the sponsor of H.R. 3655, repeatedly claimed in public statements that only ten states have cemetery laws. Despite the data sent by the ICCFA to Rep. Rush and his staff documenting that all states have cemetery laws, the Congressman continues to claim that only ten states have such legislation. Therefore, the GAO report can do much to establish the record concerning the true extent of industry regulation by the states.
State Cemetery Regulators File Comments on H.R. 3655, the Bereaved Consumers Act
The North American Death Care Regulators Association (DCRA), an association of primarily state agencies regulating cemeteries, has filed written comments with members of Congress concerning H.R. 3655, the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Right Act. DCRA, through its Executive Committee, stated, "We believe that the regulation of cemeteries and death care should be at the local level. It is our general observation that the vast majority of issues involved with funerals and burials tend to be local in nature. As a result, local regulation will be the most effective and more targeted, to accomplish the intended results. That said, we understand a comparable level of consumer protection doesn't exist in all states."
The DCRA letter notes, "As regulators, we are aware of the scandals and consumer harm at Burr Oak Cemetery...[and elsewhere].... Much of the noted abusive conduct was criminal and it is somewhat unclear how the legislation [H.R. 3655] targets the abusive practices involved in these cases. A federal system of examinations and investigations that would discover such conduct is unlikely.... We also raise a question about the approach used to define a 'cemetery'... it would be impossible to know for certain whether certain cemeteries will be subject to the statutory provisions in any given year.... Finally, a regulatory structure in which certain cemeteries could regularly move in and out of the statutory requirements would seem undesirable."
H.R. 3655 was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in July and is currently pending before the full House. It is uncertain whether the bill will be considered during the "lame duck" session of Congress now underway. If the bill is not passed by both the House and the Senate by the adjournment "sine die" of Congress at year's end, all pending bills expire and must be reintroduced next year or thereafter. To view the complete text of the DCRA letter, go to http://www.iccfa.com/files/HR3655DCRAcommentletter.pdf.
ICCFA NEWS
Avoid Paying an Extra $50—
Early Bird Deadline Less Than a Month Away
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Save $50 by registering now attend the ICCFA 2011 Wide World of Sales Conference, January 12-14 at Bally's Las Vegas. The early bird deadline is Friday, December 10.
And save even more by reserving your hotel room right away. The ICCFA has negotiated a drastically reduced hotel rate at Bally's Las Vegas of JUST $75 PER NIGHT for Monday, January 10, through Thursday, January 13. Our room block is selling out quickly, and we cannot guarantee this price once our block is gone. This is half the price originally published and makes this already affordable conference an even better investment of your sales training dollars. If you have not yet reserved your hotel room, reserve your room now online or call 1.800.358.8777 and identify yourself as an ICCFA attendee.
For attendees who wish to stay Friday and/or Saturday night following the conference, Bally's is offering rooms at $145 per night on those weekend nights.
The 2011 Wide World of Sales Conference offers:
- Internationally renowned keynote speakers Noah Rickun and "The Sales Whisperer" Wes Schaeffer
- Sessions on strategic marketing, social media & online leads, branding, sales strategy, setting & meeting goals, and more!
- Two solid days of educational seminars offering practical tools and techniques for boosting sales
- ICCFA take-home binder filled with handouts and "how to" instructions
- Registration directory of all attendees to facilitate networking with more than 300 of the best industry sales counselors and managers from around the world
- Wednesday evening Welcome Reception
- Opportunity for counselors to participate in our "Speed Sales" session: 10 solid sales ideas shared in a "speed dating" format
- A special Thursday networking and motivational luncheon with Gary O'Sullivan
- A chance to win cash and prizes
- and much more!
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THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS!
Service Corporation International • Forethought Financial Group Inc. • Homesteaders Life Company • Matthews International • Assurant Solutions • NorthStar Memorial Group • Arbor Memorial Services Inc. • Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company • Gibraltar Remembrance Services
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2010 KIP Award Deadline: December 3
 Applications for ICCFA's 2010 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards are available for download. The mission of the awards program is to recognize the best in personalization in the cemetery, cremation and funeral service profession. Deadline for submission is December 3.
Created by the ICCFA Personalization Committee, the KIP program honors recipients in five categories:
Winners are recognized in ICCFA Magazine and at the ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo. Winners also receive a press release for use in their local media.
2010 applications and profiles of past winners are available on the ICCFA Web site at http://www.iccfa.com/certifications-awards/kip/kip-awards.
2011 Music Licenses Now Available—Purchase Yours Online Now
The ICCFA is offering 2011 music licensing with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for only $248 per property. With no additional fees or membership requirements, this is the LOWEST PRICE available in the industry!
Companies that currently hold their licenses through the ICCFA have been invoiced.
You may purchase your music license ONLINE NOW or by downloading the registration form.
The 2011 price represents no increase from the 2009 & 2010 rate and is a direct pass-through of the combined annual price increases from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Licensing directly with the agencies this year would cost nearly $600 per location.
Music licensing is the law, and failure to obtain a license where one is required can be costly: Copyright law provides for damages similar to fines of up to $30,000 for each song that is infringed. If your company, regardless of size, hosts performances of copyrighted music—whether the music is performed live or played from recordings—music copyright owners say you are legally required to pay an annual licensing fee.
Annual Convention Keynotes:
Applying Outside Expertise to Your Business
The ICCFA's 2011 Annual Convention & Exposition, March 8-11 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, offers three keynote addresses to help guide your business to "A Bright Future:"
- Apple brand evangelist, entrepreneur and author Guy Kawasaki will examine the process cemeteries and funeral homes need to undergo if they are to reinvent themselves and their ability to serve the marketplace of tomorrow. He'll use his experience working with Apple and studying dozens of world-class companies to lay out the strategic steps needed to create new products and services, and he'll provide specific examples of how to do this within our industry.
- "Long Fuse, Big Bang" author Eric Haseltine will show you how to become a "visionary," how to refocus and redefine the business realities that exist right in front of you and how to turn perceived threats into opportunities. He'll examine specific issues facing our industry and challenge you to re-envision them to achieve both short- and long-term advantages in the marketplace.
- Dr. Marty Becker, known as "America's Veterinarian," will offer a fascinating exploration of the human-pet connection and its profound effect within the lives of pet owners. Becker will offer his insights into how death care professionals can offer a skilled, warm hand to pet owners to validate their loss and gently guide them along the rocky road of grief.
- Consultant and speaker Juliet Funt will share simple yet powerful strategies to help you create the "white space" you need to become more effective, efficient and energized in your daily work life.
In addition, the 2011 Convention offers:
- Cremation Coaching Center LIVE!: In the cremation "game," there will be winners and there will be losers. In this first-of-its-kind interactive educational experience, our cremation coaches will help you and your staff develop the strategy and skills you need to succeed in cremation operations, arrangements and administration. Co-chairs: Julie Burn and Poul Lemasters.
- Breakout sessions on topics that most affect your business: marketing to boomers, management solutions, effective hiring, technology, embalming and more.
- More than 400 exhibit booths
- Second Annual PLPA Conference
- Networking luncheons, receptions and dinner
- Earn continuing education credits
- Free food & drinks in the Expo hall
- KIP Awards presentation
...and much, much more. Registration and full program information will be available online next week.
BOOTHS AND HOTEL ROOMS ARE GOING QUICKLY!
Act now to reserve your hotel room for $199 per night at Mandalay Bay. Use code "ICCFA 2011 Annual."
The exhibitor prospectus is available online now. Send in your reservation form now. Booths will start being assigned December 2.
ICCFA to Honor Members Who Have Died in the Past Year
During the its Annual Convention, March 8-11, 2011, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, the ICCFA will hold its annual Memorial Service celebrating the lives of colleagues and loved ones who have passed away in the past year. A questionnaire seeking details about the decedent's personality, hobbies, passions and more is available to download from our Web site. Photos would be greatly appreciated and may be sent to Robert Treadway at robt@iccfa.com.
- TO BUY/SELL
- POSITIONS AVAILABLE
- Managing Partner and Sales Manager Opportunities (Florida)
- Regional Management Positions (IL, OH, LA, MS, WV, AR, MO, KY, TN, NJ, MD, DE, PA)
- Have Fun and Make More Money (Michigan)
- Top Sales Director Needed (New York)
- Sales Manager (Hughson, CA)
- Sales Manager (Las Vegas, NV)
- Cemetery Director (Long Island, NY)
- Bilingual Funeral Director/Embalmer (Corpus Christi, TX)
- Bilingual Funeral Director/Embalmer (San Antonio, TX)
- Regional Sales Manager (North & South Carolina)
- Start Immediately, Cemetery Person to Manage (Georgia)
- Experienced Cemetery Sales Managers (Philadelphia/Delaware Co./Chester Co., PA)
- Experience Sales Professionals (National)
- Funeral Director (Terre Haute, IN)
- Licensed Funeral Director (Ocala, FL)
- Funeral Home Location Manager (Falls Church, VA)
- Funeral Home Location Manager (Bellaire/Houston, TX)
- Licensed Funeral Director (Springfield, VA)
- Cemetery/Funeral Home General Manager (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
- Experienced Funeral Director (New Mexico)
- Senior Trainer Opportunity with Graystone Associates (U.S. and Canada)
- Funeral Director (Jacksonville, FL)
- Funeral Director (Houston, TX)
Place your classified advertisement with ICCFA today!
member benefits
Access to Abenity Employee Discount Program
Give your staff access to more than 100,000 discounts and more than $4,500 in savings per employee. Visit www.abenity.com/pricing. Corporate code: ICCFA.
ICCFA Supply Link Allows Easy Buyer's Guide Searching
The ICCFA Supply Link, an online buyer's guide members can use to easily search for products and services from the convenience of their computers, can be accessed directly from the ICCFA home page. The Supply Link offers a "Search" function whereby members can search according to product type or company name and can be limited to a state or to a certain radius distance from a specified city or ZIP code. Users also can narrow their search to include only ICCFA-member companies. Suppliers that are ICCFA members and exhibitors are identified as such in their listings.
Discounts at FuneralReview.com and Dignity University
The ICCFA has partnered with FuneralReview.Com to provide online continuing education at a discount for members. Founded in 2002, FuneralReview.Com is North America's largest provider of online continuing education courses designed specifically for funeral directors, embalmers and preneed counselors. ICCFA members are being provided a code for use in obtaining a discount on the site's funeral courses.
All funeral courses at FuneralReview.com are approved by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. ICCFA members in good standing can log in using a special code to receive a discounted price on the funeral service courses. If you have not yet received your code or have misplaced it, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. For more information, visit www.funeralreview.com.
The ICCFA also offers low-cost online training on a variety of OSHA topics through a partnership with Dignity University. To access the 23 OSHA courses, visit http://online.ecampustraining.com/Dignityu/.
ICCFA News Page
The ICCFA News Page takes you to sources throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else and is one of the most visited page on the ICCFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why.
Music Licensing
The 2011 Music Licenses are available for just $248 per property, no additional fees. Covers ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Any U.S. funeral home, cemetery or related business is eligible for membership as a Music License Member. Licensing directly with the agencies this year would cost nearly $600 per location, so this price—which requires no additional membership fee—is still the lowest available to the industry. Purchase your license online now at .
Tax-Related Questions
ICCFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICCFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, DC, for telephone consultations for up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member benefit, call Schneider at 202.393.7600.
ICCFA Insurance Program
Administered by Alliant Insurance Services, this program allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance—including general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more—at rates they probably would not be able to afford on
their own. For details, call 800.390.9099.
HR Law Benefit
Through an unprecedented new benefit program, ICCFA members can now access free legal consultations regarding labor relations, human resource management and employment law. Attorney Michael Pepperman of the Labor Relations and Employment Law department at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP (ORM&H), is available to address questions on topics ranging from hiring and firing, to employee privacy and workplace violence, to wages and hours, to equal employment opportunity and wrongful discharge issues. Michael Pepperman, Esq., has spoken on labor and employment issues at several ICCFA conferences and regional industry meetings. To take advantage of this benefit, please call 215.665.3032.
ICCFA Introduces New Sales Training Programs
ICCFA introduces new sales training programs by sales trainer and professional speaker Gary O'Sullivan, CCE. O'Sullivan's two latest products include a 10 DVD Series—The Power to Sell Preneed, and a training support system called the GoSell System. Both products provide sales managers with tools and training strategies that will help them to strengthen and motivate their teams. For more details or to place an order, call the ICCFA at 800.645.7700.
ICCFA Internet Expo
The ICCFA Internet Expo is the largest online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and funeral home owners and operators will find 300+ providers in more than 100 product and service categories. Exhibit space is provided as a free, exclusive benefit to all ICCFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today!
Fraud Prevention & Detection Consultation Service
ICCFA has retained the services of veteran fraud investigator Robert A. Garvey Jr., CPA, CFE, CrFA, CVA, to serve as a consultative resource for members' employee theft and fraud concerns. The new member benefit, the "Fraud Investigation and Deterrence Consultation Service" or FIDCS, will allow members to discuss by telephone any issues or concerns related to suspected fraudulent activity or a desire to put systems and controls in place at their locations to deter such activity. There is no cost to ICCFA members in good standing to utilize this benefit. The number to call is 866.649.1902.
Legal Advice on Cremation Concerns
Courtesy of the ICCFA Government and Legal Fund, ICCFA members now have access to pre-paid legal advice on cremation-related issues. Through this exclusive member benefit, the association has retained Poul H. Lemasters, Esq., of Lemasters Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio. Poul is an attorney and licensed funeral director, and members in good standing may call him at 513.407.8114 to discuss cremation concerns for up to 20 minutes at no charge.
FTC 'Red Flag' Compliance Program
ICCFA now offers members a sample compliance program concerning new Federal Trade Commission rules to fight identity theft. To have the program template sent to you, please contact us at 800.645.7700 or rfells@iccfa.com.
GPL Compliance Check
Members whose businesses must follow the FTC Funeral Rule's General Price List (GPL) requirements can have their lists reviewed for compliance by attorney Poul H. Lemasters, Esq., without charge. Contact Lemasters at 513.407.8114.
CONTACT US
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association
107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100
Sterling, VA 20164
1.800.645.7700
703.391.8400
Fax: 703.391.8416
www.iccfa.com
Copyright 2010, International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association
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