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
ALERT: Beware of New Funeral Home/Cemetery Scam
Several funeral home and cemetery members have received fax messages from a "Theresa Hamilton" claiming that her father's remains are at the "Church of England Mortuary" awaiting shipment to the U.S. Depending on the fax, it asks for the cost of a niche and shipping cremated remains to a cemetery, or the cost for a full traditional funeral. The ultimate goal appears to separate the funeral home/cemetery from its money or its merchandise. The faxes appear to be tailored to each particular location, i.e., cemetery, mortuary, combo.
Should the business respond to the fax inquiry, an e-mail is then sent. Below is an example of an e-mail as provided to ICCFA by one of our members:
"From: England Funeral
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 1:57 AM
Subject: TRANSPORTATION OF LATE HAMILTON BRYAN CREMAINS TO UNITED STATES
"Good Day
Thank you for contacting Church Of England Mortuary. This is a mortuary and funeral home and we offer full funeral services to clients on request. We have been contacted by Mrs theresa hamilton about the transportation of her father's cremains from Uk to United State. We will take full charge of the care for the cremains and the transportation to United State and will let you know when the cremains will arrive in the united state. We will forward all necessary documents for you to be able to receive the remains as soon as we get the payment confirmed.
"The cost for this service including tax fee is $2000 us dollars We will email back with the necesarry information you need to know to receive the cremains as soon as we have the payment confirmed.
All Funds are to payable to our office via Western Union Money Transfer ...
Please Make all funds Payable to our account officer in person of :
"Name : JACK LEE
Address : 20 OLD KENT ROAD,
Peckham,
London ,Se15 2tp
England
"Please feel free to email back with the details below for us to confirm the payment :
Sender's Name:
Sender's Address:
MTCN# :
Amount Sent in USD and its equivalence in Pounds :
Regards,
Bob Thompson
Funeral Director
"NOTE: PAYMENT ARE TO BE SEND VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,AS WE REQUIRE TO RECEIVE PAYMENT AT YOUR FUNERAL HOME SO WE CAN CONFIRM THAT EVERYTHING IS BOOKED BEFORE TRANSPORTING DOWN THE CREMAINS"
Should you receive such a fax or email inquiry, the ICCFA recommends that you contact your state attorney general's office immediately, and also the Federal Trade Commission. These agencies may refer your complaint elsewhere but they should be notified in any event. For more information, please contact ICCFA general counsel Bob Fells at 800.645.7700.
ICCFA Conducts 2011 Congressional and Federal Networking Survey
 At the beginning of each new Congress, the ICCFA mails its biennial survey to all members. The 2011 ICCFA Congressional & Federal Communications Networking Survey lets your association know who you know among the 535 members of Congress and their staffs. In the current 112th Congress, power centers in the House of Representatives have shifted with Republicans in the majority. This means that the chairmanships of all House committees have changed from Democrats to Republicans, but legislative priorities have also change too.
Where proposed legislation or regulation affects industries across the board, we share common interests with larger businesses that have more political clout than the death care industry. However, when we face a proposal that affects our industry alone, the ICCFA must mobilize its members' communications to the maximum. For example, a Congressman on the House Energy and Commerce Committee last year stated that he would vote in favor of the Bereaved Consumers Rights bill (H.R. 3655) because "I haven't heard any objections to it by funeral businesses in my district." This Congressman subsequently heard from ICCFA members in his district. In other words, silence on our members' part can be interpreted as consent!
The bottom line: it is important for all ICCFA members to complete and return the 2011 Congressional & Federal Communications Networking Survey. Even if you don't know any of your Congressional delegation, the survey form will suggest how you can establish a relationship. Look for the survey in the mail but you can also download the survey on the ICCFA Web site at https://www.iccfa.com/files/2011BiennialCongressionalSurvey.pdf. Thank you.
ICCFA NEWS
ICCFA 2011 Annual Convention & Exposition:
The Largest in Association History!
The ICCFA 2011 Annual Convention & Exposition, March 8-11 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, will be the largest in the association's history.
- Registrations are at 115% compared to a year ago at this time. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and share ideas with thousands of your professional colleagues.
- The expo hall has sold out. Suppliers that would like to be placed on a wait list, please contact Rick Platter at rickp@iccfa.com.
- The hotel room block is sold out. However, Mandalay Bay still has a limited number of hotel rooms available at reasonable rates. Call today to reserve your room at 1.877.632.9001.
- Attendees will have an opportunity to be among the first in the country to obtain a copy of Guy Kawasaki's newest book, "Enhancement: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions." The highly-acclaimed book will hit bookstores nationwide on Tuesday, March 8. Kawasaki will be selling and signing the book in the ICCFA Expo Hall on Wednesday, March 9, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., immediately following his keynote presentation.
The convention offers the best educational value of the year and the biggest idea-sharing opportunity in the industry. Nowhere else will you find 40+ hours of educational sessions, more than 400 exhibit booths and networking luncheons, receptions and dinners. If you have not yet registered, do so now. Registration and full program information is available online. You won't want to miss:
- Keynote presentations from former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki, author and innovation consultant Eric Haseltine, "America's Veterinarian" Dr. Marty Becker and business/human resources consultant Juliet Funt.
- 40+ breakout sessions on topics that will help your business grow toward "A Bright Future."
- 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.
- Second Annual PLPA Conference:
- The State of PLPA, Coleen Ellis and Bill Remkus, PLPA Co-Chairs
- Pet Care/Pet Loss: Working Together to Serve Families, a veterinarian roundtable featuring Drs. Marty Becker and Amir Shanan
- Pet Cremation: A Blueprint for Limiting Liability, Poul Lemasters
- Improving the Efficiency of Your Pet Crematory, Jon Remkus, Hinsdale Animal Cemetery & Crematory, and Ron Salvatore, Matthews Cremation Division
- Meetings in conjunction with:
- Jewish Funeral Directors of America
- Casket & Funeral Supply Association of America
- International Memorialization Supply Association
- More than 400 exhibit booths
- Networking luncheons, receptions and the closing dinner
- Earn up to 18.5 continuing education credits
- Free food & drinks in the Expo hall
 ...and much, much more.
Convention attendees may also enjoy a 30% discount on tickets to "The Lion King" between March 5-13 at Mandalay Bay. Discount applies to tickets on the Main Level and Lower Center Mezzanine as well as in the Side and Upper Center Mezzanines. To obtain this special discount, call 702.632.7580 and indicate that you are with the ICCFA Convention. Save 30% on regular priced $113.50 and $86 tickets. Or you may order your tickets through Ticketmaster now. Enter the password "CONV30" in the special offers box to receive the savings.
And lastly, download the buttons below to let everyone know you're participating in the ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition. Simply right-click and click on "Save Image As..." for Windows users. Mac users may CTRL+click to download the image. Insert them in your e-mail signatures, on your Web site or on your Facebook or Twitter pages.
PLPA: Showcase Yourself, Your Business and Grief Therapy Dogs
Pet loss professionals: The Welcome Reception at the Second Annual PLPA Conference on Tuesday, March 8, will feature a video showcasing PLPA members and their respective facilities. You are asked to send photos of your operation and of you and your team at your pet cemetery, crematory or funeral home to Coleen Ellis at coleen@twoheartspetlosscenter.com by Friday, March 4. Suppliers of pet memorialization items such as urns, caskets or other items are welcome to submit photos to be included in the presentation as well.
Also, the PLPA has begun to compile a roster of grief therapy dogs working within our funeral homes, cemeteries and pet loss operations. This roster will include a photo of the dog and a brief bio. At future conferences, we will have a special tribute to those dogs who have died during the year. If you have a dog that is a part of your team, forward a photo as well as a 200-word bio to Coleen@TwoHeartsPetLossCenter.com by Tuesday, March 1. These pets and the work they do is amazing. It's with great honor that we compile this roster and acknowledge those who selflessly give their unconditional love to our grieving families.
New in the Online Store: Sessions From Last Year's Convention
Ten presentations from last year's ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo are now available for purchase on audio CD or video DVD, including:
- Nick Morgan, "Authentic Communication: Finding Your Voice and Getting the World to Pay Attention To It," and his book "Trust Me," $39 [DVD and book]
- Ken Gronbach, "How to Profit From the Demographic Storm" and his book "The Age Curve," $39 [DVD and book]
- Ken Gronbach, "How to Profit From the Demographic Storm," $25 [DVD only]
- Ze Frank, "Facebook May Not Be The Answer," $25 [DVD]
- Rhonda Harper, "The Customer of Tomorrow," $25 [DVD]
- Alan Creedy, "High Performing Cultures: How They Do It and How You Can Too," $17 [CD]
- Chuck Gallagher, "ABCs of Social Networking," $17 [CD]
- Michael Schoedinger, "Tearing Down the 'Slowly Going Out of Business' Sign," $17 [CD]
- Nancy Lohman, CCFE, "Pet Services: Best Practices," $17 [CD]
- Shun Newbern, CFSP, "Difficult Cases: Secrets of a Master Embalmer," $17 [CD]
All sessions on CD include any handouts that accompanied the presentation. All DVD sessions include the speaker's audio/visual presentation. These items are available only to ICCFA members and are visible only to members who are logged in on the Web site. To register as a member on the site, go to the home page, click on "Create New Account" and fill out the form. Within 24 hours of registering you will be granted membership privileges and will have access to all content throughout the site as well as to ICCFA member discount prices.
- TO BUY/SELL
- POSITIONS AVAILABLE
- Sales Management Professional (Michigan)
- Managing Partner and Sales Manager Opportunities (Florida)
- Sales Opportunities for You (Florida)
- Funeral Director, Rock Star Needed (Seattle, WA)
- Funeral Director/Manager (Las Vegas, NV)
- Long-Term Regional Sales Management (Savannah, GA)
- Sales Opportunity of a Lifetime (Western TX)
- Experienced Sales Manager (Mississippi)
- Sales Manager (in California between Los Angeles and Las Vegas)
- Sales Manager (Tallahassee, FL)
- Sales Manager (Oakbrook Terrace, IL)
- Sales Manager (West Palm Beach, FL)
- Sales Managers and Assistant Managers (Nationwide)
- Experienced Sales Manager (Mid-South)
- Sales Manager (Orlando, FL)
- Sales Manager (Hughson, CA)
- Sales Management Team Position
- Experienced Funeral Director (New Mexico)
- Regional Management Positions (IL, OH, LA, MS, WV, AR, MO, KY, TN, NJ, MD, DE, PA)
- Maintenance Superintendent (SE Florida)
- Executive Director, Catholic Cemeteries (Miami, FL)
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. Click here to read the Abenity brochure or visit www.abenity.com/pricing for pricing details. 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.
Online Education
The ICCFA 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.
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 2011, International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association
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