Increasing Data Security in the Funeral Home

May-June 2015
Increasing
Data Security in the
Funeral Home
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Crematory Insurance
Coverage and
Best Practices
Selected Resources
Offers Products, Partners,
Personalization
Educational Trust
Sets Support Goals
for 2015
Board of Directors
R. Bradley Speaks, President
Independence, MO, Group 4
816-252-7900
[email protected]
May-June 2015
Data Security in the Funeral Home
2
4
6
10
11
Cleveland, OH, Group 2
216-741-7700
[email protected]
2
Eddie Mize: Security Requires a Holistic Approach
4
John Horan: Security Audits Provide Numerous Benefits
Mark T. Higgins, President-Elect
Durham, NC, Group 3
919-688-6387
[email protected]
6
Establishing an Effective “Bring Your Own Device” Policy
J Mitchell, Secretary-Treasurer-Elect
8
Board of Directors Elects Officers for 2015-2016
Kilgore, TX, Group 5
903-984-2525
[email protected]
8
Research Project Continues to Explore Ancient Cemetery
Ann Ciccarelli
10 Hotel Reservation Deadline is April 6 for
2015 Spring Management Summit in Denver
10 Calendar of Upcoming Selected Meetings
11 Selected Group Roundtables Offer Local Perspective
12 Selected Resources Provides Products,
Partners, Personalization
13 Selected Educational Trust Sets Support Goals for 2015
14 Federated Insurance: Cremation Coverage and
Best Practices
15 The Bulletin Expands Web Presence, Offers New Features
16 News Briefs
Our Members
18 Member Profile: Matthew Jones
18
James H. Busch, Secretary-Treasurer
20 Remembering Our Colleagues, Educational Trust
Contributors, Member News
21 Welcome New Members
Our Preferred Partners
11 Directors’ Choice
16 Pet Passages
Saugus, MA, Group 1
781-233-0300
[email protected]
Neil P. O’Connor
Laguna Hills, CA, Group 6
949-581-4300
[email protected]
Lance C. Larkin, Ex Officio
Salt Lake City, UT, Group 6
801-363-5781
[email protected]
Executive Director
Robert J. Paterkiewicz
Deerfield, IL
800-323-4219
[email protected]
The Bulletin
Volume 98, Number 3
selected-bulletin.org
The Bulletin (ISSN 1533-7197)
is published bimonthly by
Selected Independent Funeral Homes,
500 Lake Cook Rd., Suite 205,
Deerfield, IL 60015
Periodical postage paid at Deerfield, IL.
Toll-Free: 800-323-4219
Local: 847-236-9401
Fax: 847-236-9968
17 Live Oak Bank
21 C&J Financial, LLC
Back Cover Aurora Casket Company
©2015 Selected Independent Funeral Homes
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Bulletin, Selected Independent Funeral
Homes, 500 Lake Cook Rd.,
Suite 205, Deerfield, IL 60015.
Contributions relative to the funeral service
profession and to the activities of the
members of this organization are solicited.
Address all correspondence
to the above address or to
[email protected].
SELECTED VIEWS
Making Your Facilities More Relevant
in a Changing World
By James H. Busch, Secretary-Treasurer
I recently was asked what I felt was one of the most
pressing issues facing our funeral home. It didn’t take
me long to answer. Have you ever heard the pastor
in a church, during a stewardship message, say that
all you need is to look at your checkbook to see what
your passion is? Well, looking at this question from
the standpoint of our firm, it is very evident that my
brother, Mark, and I have been diligently working to
make our facilities more relevant to today’s families.
That’s our pressing issue.
Many Selected-member firms are multi-generation
companies with facilities that have been in the family
for a long time. It is sometimes hard to deal with the
emotional aspects of changing a facility and moving
it forward, even when customers are demanding that.
What makes it even more difficult is, as Selected
members, we maintain our assets to very high
standards. So furniture and fixtures typically are not
worn out, but more likely, they are dated.
During the past five years, we have been on a
very aggressive path toward making our facilities
more relevant and inviting to today’s families. But we
started by addressing the “back of the house” in
2010 and completed an entire care center renovation
to ensure the highest standards for our staff. It
included secured access, touch-free technology and
incredible ventilation. We also added a 32-person
refrigeration unit to handle the change in call mix we
are experiencing.
I believe these first steps helped fuel our recent
growth—having working conditions that help
facilitate the business in an organized manner. Since
the care center renovation, we have updated the
interiors and exteriors of each of our six locations.
These projects sometimes have taken as long as
three years to complete and required a great deal of
painstaking discipline to control cash flow. Two of
our facilities where completely shut down at various
points so that new restrooms could be added. Our
longest closure was five and a half months.
We continue to make progress and are excited to
soon have all of our facilities at comparable standards.
We have installed Sonos wireless audio systems in all
our locations, linked with the Rhapsody streaming
music service, to be able to personalize playlists for
families and celebrants. An added benefit was this also
gave our guests access to Wi-Fi at the funeral homes—
something everyone expects today.
Four of our locations now have digital welcome
boards and 55-inch, professionally installed flat
screens that play content whether or not we have an
event scheduled. We show various local landmarks
and work in our advertising messages.
We make sure our environments dispel the old
stereotype of what a funeral home looks like, and
we are big proponents of having our premises
tour-ready at a moment’s notice. We invite every
family to tour our facilities prior to making any type
of arrangements. We want them to see how we are
different. And our arrangers consistently tell us that
once people observe how nice and upbeat our place
is, there is no question about entrusting us to care for
their family.
Like most members, our facilities were built during
a different era in funeral service, so it’s time for a fresh
look. I encourage you to have a local, professional
decorator tour and evaluate your facility. The
experience can be very enlightening. Just remember
that you want authentic feedback, so make sure you
let them do their job.
I wish you great success in making your funeral
home more relevant in today’s changing world! s
1
DATA SECURITY IN THE FUNERAL HOME
Funeral Home Data Security Requires a Holistic Approach
Eddie Mize is Chief Security
Officer and Director of Information
Security for The Pinnacle
Group, thepinnaclegroup.com.
He has more than 31 years of
experience in the computer
industry as an integration and
security specialist. On April
30 at the Spring Management
Summit in Denver, CO, he will
help participants get ahead of
the curve in recognizing sensitive
data assets, understanding the
security risks surrounding them
and implementing a plan to
protect them.
What does your work
typically involve?
“It’s really spread across the
entire gamut of digital security,
but I would say there are three
areas we focus on most. The first
is what we call our Red Team.
2
This is a military term that refers
to an adversarial or offensive
approach to testing security. We
actually attack our clients’ systems
to determine
weaknesses.
Businesses can
do all kinds of
things to defend
and secure their
environments,
but if penetration Eddie Mize
testing isn’t done
from the mindset of someone
trying to break in or steal,
significant holes in the networks
can be missed.
company’s IT staff understand
their environments and risks—
what would someone be interested
in breaking in for, what vectors
would they choose to access it,
and what methodology would they
employ? As we look at this, we can
develop a strategic plan to address
any kind of gaps or weaknesses
found during the process.
“The second part is what we
do the most, and that’s defensive
support or what we term our Blue
Team. Here, we help organizations
understand their risk picture
and security environment in a
non-adversarial way. We help a
the Best Practices Competition at the
“The third type of work is a
hybrid of the Red Team and Blue
Team, and this is the service we
provided to Horan & McConaty
Funeral Service/Cremation in
Aurora, CO. [John Horan spoke to
Selected members about this effort during
2014 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. See
It uses both methodologies
to determine what is at risk and
what that means to real-world
business operations.”
page 4.]
What do you typically find
during this process?
“That’s an important question
because of the word typical. It’s
very difficult to determine what
is typical for any business. There
are typical security frameworks
we often see, but there also
will be specific customizations.
Within certain business sectors,
such as finance and healthcare,
there are Federal guidelines that
impact security. But the funeral
service environment is a bit
different. There usually is less of
a compliance framework and
also some unique risks. Specific
methodologies can be employed to
take advantage of those risks. “By way of background,
when I began working for
Horan & McConaty, John
was concerned how I might react,
being exposed to death and the
funeral home environment. But
I actually grew up living above
my grandfather’s funeral home.
My mother’s entire family are
funeral home owners and directors,
so I understand the profession and
its security situation.”
What is your overview of the
nature of data security today?
“Computers are becoming
increasingly ubiquitous in our
lives. They are not just in our
workstations, notebooks and
mobile devices; they impact nearly
every aspect of our modern lives.
They now control heating and
cooling, lighting and door locks
in our homes. Every late-model
vehicle has numerous chips and
computer sensors. Virtually all
traffic monitoring and public
door operating systems are
computer controlled.
“With this growth in
computerization, the need for
effective security increases
exponentially. Not only are financial
information and personal identities
at risk, but our personal safety also
can be compromised. For instance,
if someone were able to hack into
your vehicle while you are driving
at high speed, we are talking about
a serious risk potential.
“Everyone has seen the news
about massive security breaches
at Target, Anthem Insurance and
eBay; but people outside my
industry may not be as aware of
other things that have happened
recently. In the last year, five of
the world’s largest information
vulnerabilities have been exposed.
They have not received a lot of
press, but they affect 99.8% of all
devices connected to the Internet.
Bugs like Heartbleed, Shellshock
and Poodle have been around
for years, but are just now
being discovered.
“So what does this mean
to the average person? We’ve
already established that nearly
everything in our lives is
impacted by computers. And
we now realize these computers
are more vulnerable than
previously thought. We also
know there are entities ready and
willing to take advantage of the
vulnerabilities—whether they
be foreign governments or regimes
interested in attacking us, activists
trying to make a point or criminal
organizations that want our money.
“It is imperative that we
pay attention to these scenarios
and have a security mindset. This
does not mean freaking out or
being paranoid all the time; that
doesn’t solve anything. Rather,
we need to develop a pragmatic
and security-minded approach to
our daily lives. And I will share
this approach at length during
my presentation.”
Is it really possible
to successfully combat
these issues?
“It is, and it begins by thinking
in terms of securing your life. For
example, I’m not paranoid when
I park my car at the grocery store.
The thought of locking the doors
is nearly automatic. It has become
a habit—part of my daily routine.
I haven’t significantly changed
my life, but I have improved my
security posture just by locking
my car. This same mental
approach also should apply to
other areas that, right now, are
taken for granted.
“Speaking of locking car
doors, there is a vulnerability in
vehicles that most people already
are aware of. It involves software
defined radio (SDR) which
affects a wide range of vehicle
functions. It is possible for
criminals to scan radio frequencies
and pick up the lock code
when a remote locking device is
activated. Two colleagues of mine
were the ones who actually
discovered this vulnerability. The
automobile industry is working
to resolve the problem, but I
now make it part of my routine
to always use the manual door
lock when leaving my vehicle.”
Continues on page 5
“...there has to be awareness of the need for security
across the entire organization. If there is awareness
at every level, a business can take a pragmatic
approach to security...”
3
DATA SECURITY IN THE FUNERAL HOME
Security Audits Can Provide Numerous Benefits
During the 2014 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia,
four member firms presented outstanding ideas at
the Best Practices Competition. The Bulletin is sharing
each of these ideas during 2015. In this issue,
we look at the data security audit performed by
Horan & McConaty Funeral Service/Cremation in
Aurora, CO. An audio recording and slides of all the
Best Practices Competition presentations are available
to Selected members at selectedfuneralhomes.
org/2014-annual-meeting.
World’s Biggest Data Breaches
Losses greater than 30,000 records, as of March 19, 2015.
Courtesy of informationisbeautiful.net
A week before he went to Philadelphia for the 2014
Annual Meeting, John Horan, President of Horan &
McConaty, received an email alerting him that his wife,
Andrea’s, credit card had just been used in France.
They hadn’t been out of the country, but Andrea had
recently used her card several times at Home Depot.
They later learned of the hack on Home Depot where
credit card information for 56 million customers was
compromised due to malware installed on the cash
register system. This incident drove home the issue of
data security to the Horans.
“Major corporations that you
would think have cutting-edge
security technology have been
breached in recent months, and
the resulting costs have been
significant,” John told the Annual
Meeting audience. “For example, in
John Horan
late 2013, information on 70 million
credit card holders was stolen from Target. More than
90 lawsuits have been filed against the company by
customers and banks, and analysts estimate the total
cost could run into the billions. It also is estimated
that hackers generated 54 million dollars selling the
stolen information.”
Could something like this happen in the funeral
service profession? Funeral homes collect a lot of
private and sensitive information from client families
during the course of business, so there is obvious
reason to take this situation seriously.
“Envision, for a moment, that a funeral home’s
data security has been breached,” John continued.
“Given the nature of the business, I have no doubt
4
that news of this would be on the front page of every
local newspaper. Reporters would clamor to find
out how this happened. I can envision bereaved
family members on the evening news telling how
their grief was compounded by the fact that their
private information was compromised. And just like
for Target, the incident would have a major financial
impact on the funeral home.
Recognizing this possibility, Horan & McConaty
hired The Pinnacle Group in early 2014 to perform a
security audit for the company. It thoroughly reviewed
not only digital assets but also looked at the room
housing the firm’s servers to determine its physical
Continues on page 7
Submit Your Ideas for the
2015 Best Practices Competition!
Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/
best-practices-competition.
Data Security, from page 3
What is your advice
for addressing business
security risks?
“Each time I conduct a security
assessment for a client, I ask
what they consider to be the
crown jewels of the business—
what do they care the most
about protecting? Is it digital
and/or analog data they do not
want to lose or have stolen?
Is it intellectual property? Is it
customer financial information?
Often, these are all things people
think of when I ask. But I suggest
that there is an even more
important factor to consider—an
organization’s reputation.
“You’d be amazed how many
people don’t consider it in this
context. Certainly, they know
it’s an asset they would protect if
someone was making false claims
against their firm in the media.
But they don’t often think about
keeping their company out of the
news from a security perspective.
Imagine what it would do to the
reputation of a funeral home if
news of a massive breach reached
the community? What would be
the long-term cost to repair that
company’s image?
“A common mistake is to fall for
the false claims of unscrupulous
security companies. When
business owners start to take a
hard look at data security and ask
what they can do about it, they
might encounter cheap solutions
that are purported to protect them
from all their problems—just
install some devices, tune them a
bit and walk away. Unfortunately,
these devices are the IT equivalent
of snake oil, and it’s been proven
repeatedly that they don’t work.
Both Target and Anthem had lots
of these devices in place, and they
still were massively breached.
These kinds of solutions and, more
importantly, the mindset that gives
rise to them, do not work in the
real world. “Instead, a holistic approach
to security is needed. It has to be
layered from the top down and
take into consideration all the
things that need protection. It
includes physical security, training
and education for staff, digital
controls, finding and plugging
the security holes, and having a
well defined response plan. In my
industry, there is an adage that the
people protecting the assets have
a massive job to do. They have to
successfully manage thousands
of potential risks and holes. But
the people attacking the same
network only have to be successful
one time and in one way.”
Is there a best practice
you can share?
“Yes, and it’s one word. It’s
the starting point for all security
conversations, and anyone
missing this word isn’t going to be
successful. The word is awareness.
And there has to be awareness
of the need for security across
the entire organization. If there
is awareness at every level, a
business can take a pragmatic
approach to security and address
it in a way that is not expensive
and doesn’t have to be invasive in
the lives of its people. Awareness
also is a dynamic condition, and
it has to change and evolve in an
ongoing way.”
What do you hope
participants will gain from
your presentation?
“I hope it will open some eyes
about security risks but also
offer pragmatic solutions. I hope
participants come to understand
the importance of organizationwide awareness—that security
is everyone’s concern, not just a
designated person. When we all
become aware of what we do in
our daily routines—the things that
are secure as well as insecure—we
can begin to address them without
disrupting our lives.
“It’s proven that if security
measures disrupt workflow very
significantly, business people
become resentful and eventually
drop the procedures. But it
doesn’t have to be that way.
Simple things can significantly
impact security in a positive way
with minimal disruption.
“I come from a healthcare
background. I was the chief
security officer for a network of 11
hospitals and hundreds of clinics.
Our department’s motto was, in
order to be successful, we cannot
negatively impact patient care or
significantly change the physicians’
workflow. The key is helping
people learn they can have a
security mindset without making
major changes to their lives.
“Even before they come to the
Spring Management Summit, I
encourage Selected members to
start looking at the world around
them—their workplace, their drive
to work, their home—and think
about what is at risk in those areas.
For instance, do I leave my work
computer unlocked when I walk
away? If a repairman comes in
to work on the wiring center,
do I just assume he is who he
says, or do I check his credentials?
These are simple examples of
thinking about what commonly
happens in our lives, recognizing
the risks they represent and
determining what can be done to
minimize those risks.”
Concludes on page 7
5
DATA SECURITY IN THE FUNERAL HOME
Seven Tips for Establishing an Effective BYOD Policy
Excerpts from an article by
Jonathan Hassell, CIO.com
It is estimated the number of
smartphones in use across the
globe will reach two billion by
the end of 2015. If you haven’t
developed a corporate Bring
Your Own Device (BYOD) policy,
or if the one you have is out of
date, these tips will help you
address device security, IT service,
application use and other key
components of an effective policy.
These seven core ideas should be a
part of any good BYOD program.
Each creates important questions
to ask yourself, your IT associates
and your executive team while
developing your policy.
1. Specify What Devices Are
Permitted. It’s important to decide
exactly what you mean when you
say “bring your own device.” Make
it clear to employees who are
interested in BYOD which devices
you will support and which you
won’t, in addition to whatever
corporate-issued devices you
continue to deploy.
 2. Establish a Stringent
Security Policy for All Devices.
Users tend to resist having
passwords or lock screens on their
personal devices. They see them
as a hurdle to convenient access
to the content and functions of
their device. However, this is not
a valid complaint; there is simply
too much sensitive information to
which phones connected to your
corporate systems have access to
allow unfettered swipe-and-go
operation of these phones.
6
If your users want to use
their devices with your systems,
then they’ll need a strong,
alphanumeric password, not
a simple four-digit numerical
PIN. Check with your messaging
administrators to see what device
security policies you can reliably
enforce with your software.
3. Define a Clear Service
Policy. It’s important for
employees to understand the
boundaries when questions
or problems creep up with
personal devices. To set these
boundaries, you’ll have to answer
the following questions. What
level of support will be available
for initial connections to your
network from personally-owned
devices? What kind of support
will IT representatives provide
for broken devices? What about
support for applications installed
on personal devices? Is your
support basically a “wipe and
reconfigure” operation? Will
you provide loaner devices for
employees while their phone or
tablet is being serviced?
4. Make It Clear Who Owns
What Apps and Data. While it
seems logical that your company
owns the information stored
on its servers, it becomes more
problematic when an employee’s
device that has been used to
access that data needs to be wiped.
Traditionally, a wipe will affect all
content on the device including
personal pictures, music and
applications that the company
has not paid for. Sometimes it’s
impossible to replace these items.
Does your BYOD policy make it
clear that you assert the right to
wipe devices brought onto the
network under your plan? If so,
do you provide guidance on how
employees can secure their own
content and back it up, so they can
restore personal information once
the phone or device is replaced?
Concludes on page 9
Data Security, from page 5
“Our lives in the future
certainly are not going to have
less connectivity or computing.
Technology will continue to
grow and develop. Appliances
will communicate with the power
grid to control energy use and
efficiency. I’ve even seen plans
for dishes and flatware that
can monitor and display food
temperature. Everything in our
lives will be computerized and
connected. Depending on your
view of technology, this is good or
bad. But what it really means is,
now is the time to focus on security.
“If people can understand that
security is everyone’s business, that
there is no need to be paranoid
and that having a positive impact
doesn’t need to be a massive
chore; we can truly enjoy the
benefits that technology offers.” s
Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/
summit to register for the Spring
Management Summit and learn
more from Eddie Mize and other
informative presenters.
Security Audits, from page 4
security. The security company was specifically asked
to help the firm accomplish the following.
1.Identify sensitive digital assets and information in
need of protection.
2.Examine and identify security measures needed
for physical and digital assets.
3. Examine existing protection controls.
4. Complete a workflow assessment focusing on
likely targets and the overall level of risk to
the organization.
The assessment revealed several vulnerabilities.
Most notable were insecure password management,
overloaded wireless network usage, lack of video
surveillance and strong door locks at the server
location, and insecure hard copy management at
various locations. [See Suggested Security Tasks at right.]
“It was recommended that we segregate our
wireless traffic rather than having guest access, staff
access and server access all on the same network,”
John shared. “Eddie Mize of The Pinnacle Group, who
did most of the work for us, also was very interested
in the physical safety of our server hardware. With a
few common tools and his extensive computer skills,
he demonstrated our vulnerabilities by successfully
breaking into our server room, hijacking our network
and gaining access to sensitive data.
“Eddie showed us how to remedy this situation with
a few modifications and simple changes to our routine.
He made sure the computer screens in all of our offices
time-out automatically and require a password for
reentry. This simple change CAN prevent someone from
coming in and gaining access to any of the dozens of
computers throughout our company. He shared with
us the importance of educating our staff on effective
password management and how to handle suspicious
email. [An interview with Eddie Mize appears on page 2.]
John Horan at the 2014 Best Practices Competition
Suggested Security Audit Tasks
High Priority
Wireless network segregation
Wireless network password management
Video surveillance system for data center
Data center physical security and fire control
Staff education
Medium Priority
Session timeouts for all computers
Sensitive document management
Rogue access point detection
General network segregation and access control
Facility entry code management
Physical security at all sites
Lower Priority
Elevated user account review
Motion sensor coverage
Open door sensors
Window sensors
Garage door opener security
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy
Illicit network activity detection
Door repair and integrity check
Concludes on page 9
7
Selected Board of Directors Elects Officers for 2015–2016
Selected Independent Funeral Homes has announced
that Mark T. Higgins has been named President-Elect
and J Mitchell has been named Secretary-TreasurerElect for the upcoming year. Both men have served on
the Board of Directors since 2013 and will be installed
in office on September 19 at Selected’s 97th Annual
Meeting in New Orleans.
“With the leadership of Executive Director Rob
Paterkiewicz and a talented and highly-qualified staff,
we could not be in better hands. They are all working
hard for us, the cooperation is at an all-time high, and
that makes us laser sharp in our focus to provide our
members with best practices and effective solutions to
the challenges of this profession.”
Mark Higgins represents Group 3 and is President
of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service & Crematory in
Durham, NC. He also was a member
of the staff of National Selected
Morticians for ten years and served
as manager of NSM Resources, Inc.
J Mitchell represents Group 5 and is Funeral
Director in Charge at Rader Funeral Home, Kilgore,
TX. He and his wife, Penni, have
three children.
“I’m humbled and extremely
grateful,” said Mark. “One of my
first thoughts upon being elected
was about all the presidents I have
Mark Higgins
known, both living and no longer
with us. They have been so inspiring to me, and I feel
their presence.
“It’s an incredible honor, having worked with the
staff, owning my own member firm, being a member
of the Board, and now this. It’s been a wonderful
journey, and there is much more ahead in helping
make a difference for our members.”
“I remember the days of a much larger
membership, so I am so proud to be serving at a
time that our association is growing again. We are
making tremendous gains, and I’m eager to help tell
the Selected story to those funeral practitioners who
should be within our ranks.
“I’m very honored, and I look
forward to continuing to serve this
great and growing organization,” J
said. “I’m encouraged by the work
being done in our 600 by 2020 by
1 Membership Growth Campaign
J Mitchell
as well as our other programs. They
are moving us in the right direction, and it’s exciting
to see the progress. I look forward to working with the
Board and Staff to the benefit of our members.
“My grandfather was asked to join this association
in the Forties. As a third-generation funeral director, it’s
an honor and privilege to give back to the organization
that has meant so much to us through the years.”
The Selected Board of Directors also includes
President R. Bradley Speaks, Secretary-Treasurer
James H. Busch, Ann Ciccarelli, Neil P. O’Connor and
Ex Officio Lance C. Larkin. s
Research Project Continues to Explore Ancient Cemetery
Father Richard Rutherford, CSC,
Emeritus Professor of Theology, led
a team of University of Portland
faculty, alumni and supporters on
the first phase of an expedition to
the old Roman city of Pollèntia near
Alcúdia in Mallorca, Spain, in July
2014. Phase one of the research
project included mapping the farm
site Ca’n Fanals known to contain a
necropolis dating from the Roman
Republic to Christian antiquity.
8
Fr. Rutherford and his
colleagues currently are raising
funds to take a team of students
back to Pollèntia this summer to
map out the rest of the graveyard
and look for a long-buried
church compound.
Selected members are invited to
send donations in support of this
project to University of Portland,
Office of Development MSC
176, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, OR 97203. Make checks
payable to University of Portland,
and please explicitly reference that
the donation should be in favor of
Account #12035, 235, XXXXX,
21-Christian Antiquities.
Members may recall
Fr. Rutherford as part of the
esteemed panel that presented
a session about Helping Clergy
Understand Funeral Value at
Selected’s 2012 Annual Meeting
in Boston. s
Security Audits, from page 7
“We have corrected all the high- and mediumrisk issues and now feel much less vulnerable to
hacking or physical theft. We know we have done
the best that we can do to avoid a security breach.
Selected members represent the leading firms in our
communities. And as such, I think we all owe it to
those we serve, and to the future of our companies,
to ensure that we do not invite potential loss of
the very sensitive data we all have stored in
our companies.” s
John Horan’s Answers to Questions from the Annual Meeting Audience
How long did the process take?
”It took about four months from the time we started
talking with Eddie to when we completed the high-priority
issues and many of the medium-priority items.
Do you allow families to send sensitive information
by email?
“Yes, we have to. But we prefer they access our secure
portal and enter their information that way. It’s secure, plus
our arrangers then have all the information available before
sitting down with a family. We find that most families feel that
BYOD Policy, from page 6
5. Decide What Apps Will Be
Allowed or Banned. This applies to
any device that will connect to your
environment, whether corporateissued or personally owned. Major
considerations typically include
applications for social media
browsing, email and remote access.
The question here is whether
users can download, install
and use an application that
presents security or legal risk
on devices that have free access
to sensitive corporate resources.
These are serious questions to
address in your policy. Moreover,
the technology for preventing
downloads of questionable apps
or copyright-infringing music
and media on personal device
is immature at best, so manual
screening of eligible users
into a trusted group may
be warranted.
6. Integrate Your BYOD Plan
With Your Acceptable Use Policy.
If your company is on the ball,
chances are corporate-issued
submitting information securely online is helpful and valuable,
so we are trying to move away from email for
that purpose.”
Are you promoting to the public that yours is a digitally
secure business?
“No, we are not. Although we make it clear that our
online information portal is secure, we do not talk about
our other internal security efforts. There’s no need to invite
unwanted interest. But if a family asks, we can assure them
we have taken very serious precautions.” s
phones are already covered and
treated like notebooks, desktop
computers and other equipment
on your network. On the other
hand, allowing personal devices to
potentially connect to your VPN
introduces some doubt about what
activities may and may not be
permitted. Discussions about an
acceptable use policy are required
to fully cover you.
7. Set Up an Employee Exit
Strategy. Don’t forget about what
will happen when employees with
devices on your BYOD platform
leave the company. How do you
enforce the removal of access
tokens, email access, data and
other proprietary applications
and information?
choose to perform a wipe of
the BYOD-enabled device as a
mandatory exit strategy.
You should have a clear
methodology for backing up
the user’s personal photos and
personally-purchased applications
prior to this exit wipe. Proactively
reach out to affected users to help
them take part in this process,
all while making it clear that you
reserve the right to issue a wipe
command, if the employee hasn’t
made alternate arrangement with
your IT department prior to his or
her exit. s
It’s not as simple as having
the employee return the
corporate-issued phone. In this
case, many companies choose
to rely on disabling email or
synchronization access as part of
the exit interview and
HR checklists, while more
security-conscious companies
9
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Hotel Reservation Deadline
is April 6 for 2015 Spring
Management Summit
Hone your management skills at Selected’s Spring
Management Summit, selectedfuneralhomes.org/
summit, to be held April 29-May 1 at the Marriott
Denver Tech Center, Denver, CO. Nearly 50 members
already have signed up for this important event, and
there’s still time to sign up. Each year, the Summit
focuses on providing leaders, managers and owners
with dynamic, information-packed presentations, the
sharing of best practices and opportunities to build
relationships, as well as up to 7.5 hours of continuing
education credit.
This year’s Summit features sessions on handling
cremation shopper calls, securing your digital assets,
meeting the changing needs of staff, improving
memory of people’s names and being a leader
regardless of your title.
Marriott Denver Tech Center
Calendar of Upcoming Meetings
Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/events-calendar
for the latest listings.
April 2
Group 4 Roundtable, Moline, IL
April 29-May 1
Spring Management Summit, Denver, CO
May 1
Group 3 Roundtable, Fort Pierce, FL
May 12
Group 2 Roundtable, Indianapolis, IN
May 13
Group 1 Roundtable, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
May 14
Group 4 Roundtable, Appleton, WI
May 29
Group 3 Roundtable, McDonough, GA
June 3-5
Selected Connections, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
June 23
Group 3 Roundtable, Greenville, SC
June 27-30
European Conference, Plymouth, England
July 31
Group 6 Roundtable, Vancouver, BC, Canada
September 16-19
97th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
Pacific Group Meeting, New Orleans, LA
November 4
Group 2 Roundtable, Grandville, MI
Selected has negotiated a special hotel rate of
$139 per night for members, but our room block
reservation deadline is April 6, so making reservations
as soon as possible offers the best chance of
availability. Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/summit to
make reservations and register for the Summit.
Tour Horan & McConaty. A key feature of the
2015 Summit is the opportunity to tour Selected
member firm Horan & McConaty Funeral Service/
Cremation. John Horan and his staff team will open
the doors to their main location in Aurora, CO, for
Selected members to explore. In addition to the
chapel, family room and arrangement rooms; the
facility houses a state-of-the-art crematory and care
10
November 5
Group 1 Roundtable, Yonkers, NY
center. The Cremation Gardens at Rocky Mountain
Memorial Park are located onsite, and The HeartLight
Center for grief support is right next door.
Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/summit for full
meeting details, to download a registration form and
to reserve a hotel room. Contact Amy Hunt or Stefanie
Favia at 800-323-4219 with any questions. s
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Selected Group Roundtable Meetings
Offer Local Perspective
Group Roundtable Meetings
have been a hallmark of this
association since its earliest days.
Organized by member volunteers
in conjunction with the Board
of Directors, these grassroots
meetings are opportunities for
nearby colleagues to gather and
discuss professional topics of
common interest and concern.
one-day events arranged at
convenient locations within
each of the six regional groups
of North America. They often
include a luncheon and give
members the chance to strengthen
group relationships as well as to
provide feedback directly to Board
Members and Headquarters Staff
in attendance.
Traditionally, Selected Group
Roundtable Meetings are
Refer to the calendar on
page 10 for the list of upcoming
Group Roundtables, and visit
selectedfuneralhomes.org/grouproundtables for more information.
Want to Host a Group
Roundtable Meeting? We value
having you as a host. Contact your
Group Board Member [See inside
front cover.] or Stefanie Favia at
800-323-4219 for information on
how to get started. s
11
MEMBER BENEFITS
Selected Resources: Products, Partners, Personalization
New Catalog Offers Tools for Member Firms, Helpful Products for Client Families
Selected Resources helps you strengthen your
position as a leader in your community. Whether
you’re looking to inform the
families you serve with literature
handouts, tell your firm’s story
with personalized materials,
communicate your commitment to
quality by identifying your firm as
a Selected member, or connect with
trusted business partners, Selected
Resources’ new catalog is your
exclusive guide.
shared in life...
Our Preferred Partners Program connects you
with a range of professional funeral service consultants
and vendors who offer special
services, products and discounts
to members as a way to show their
support to the association and to
its members.
Easier than Ever to Shop.
Selected has improved its online
store, selectedfuneralhomes.org/
store, so you can easily browse
our helpful array of products
and resources any time of day
or night. You can browse by
category, search products by
name, and sort your results to
conveniently find what you’re
looking for. s
We Live, Work
and Play in This
Community.
All member locations in North
America have received a printed
copy of the Spring/Summer 2015
Selected Resources catalog. You also
can download the new catalog and
order form at selectedfuneralhomes.
org/selected-resources.
2015
CATA LOG
“Through Selected Resources, we strive to provide
our members with accessible solutions and services,”
said Denise Zoephel, Assistant Executive Director. “By
offering information to share with families, assisting
firms with customized materials, helping to highlight
a firm’s Selected affiliation and connecting them
with the right business partners, there are multiple
opportunities available to help members achieve their
short and long-term goals.”
Helpful Literature is a hallmark of Selected
Resources. We offer a comprehensive collection that
focuses on both the practical and emotional needs of
the families you serve. Many of the titles are available
only through Selected.
The Signature Program is your complete
resource for quality design and personalized
materials to promote your firm and better serve your
client families.
Selected-Branded Merchandise such as
proprietary literature, plaques and lapel pins let you
show your Selected pride and communicate your
place among the very best in the funeral profession.
12
Now Available:
Water Bugs and
Dragonflies
Offer Water Bugs and
Dragonflies: Explaining
Death to Young Children
as a helpful conversation
starter for parents
and caretakers of
young children. This
beautifully illustrated
coloring book uses storytelling and
metaphor to help introduce young children to the
concept of death. Each copy comes with a four-pack
of crayons. s
Five Easy Ways to Order
from Selected Resources
• Online at selectedfuneralhomes.org/store
• Fax an order form to 847-236-9968
• Call 800-323-4219
• Email [email protected]
• Mail to 500 Lake Cook Road, Suite 205, Deerfield, IL 60015
SELECTED EDUCATIONAL TRUST NEWS
Educational Trust Sets Support Goals For 2015
New Patrons, Pyramid Builders, Named Trust Sought to Support Lifelong Learning
By Buz Buzogany, Educational Trust Director
Whether it’s a Selected member attending the
Leadership Academy, helping a future funeral director
pursue a second career or supporting
research to ensure a brighter future
for all of our members; the Selected
Educational Trust is here to help, and
we want you to be a part of it.
The Trust has been in existence for
more than 30 years, but it is only in
the last four that it has been actively
promoting Lifelong Learning for the independent
funeral professional. Since 2011, your contributions
and support have provided the following.
• More than 20 scholarships have been awarded,
including the Leadership Academy Scholarships
(valued at more than $4,800 per recipient), SecondCareer Scholarships (valued at $1,500 each) and
Spring Management Summit Scholarships (registration
fees for two attendees each year).
• Last year, 20 randomly chosen Selected firms
received two industry-specific books and discounts on
attending any Selected educational event.
• This year, and in 2016, the Trust is committed to
supporting Have the Talk of a Lifetime to ensure that
Second-Career
Scholarship Brings
Recipient to Tears
In 2011, Michael W. Smith, who
was transitioning into a secondcareer in funeral service, faced a
severe challenge in paying for his
final year at Worsham College.
“Between student loans,
the cost of living and trying to
transition to a new career; I had a
$3,000 balance yet to pay for my
mortuary science program and
no idea where the money would
the entire funeral profession is aware of this valuable
industry tool. Over the course of two years, the Trust
will invest $20,000 to help aid its success.
• As we did in 2011, the Trust will
help underwrite the FAMIC research
study, done every four years, to
provide insight and valuable statistical
research into the constantly evolving
funeral profession.
That’s why we have set an ambitious
goal of signing up 100 new patrons,
10 Pyramid Builders and one Named Trust in 2015, to
help ensure a sustainable and vibrant organization that
supports our members and our profession. Become a
Lifelong Learning Patron with a gift of as little as $10
per month. I hope you’ll make your first monthly gift
to Lifelong Learning today, or consider becoming a
Pyramid Builder.
Monthly giving is easy and secure. And you’ll join
our best supporters in helping provide a reliable
source of revenue for our programs and services that
help members reach their full potential. Visit our
website, selectedtrust.org, to read about our support
services and gifting levels that reflect both your budget
and commitment to Lifelong Learning. Thank you in
advance for your consideration! s
come from,”
said Smith. “I
remember sitting
in a classroom at
Worsham when
notification that
I had received a
scholarship from Michael Smith
the Selected Trust
was handed to me. It brought
me to tears. The scholarship was
instrumental in my becoming a
funeral professional today.”
Prairie du Chien, WI,
a second-generation,
family-owned, independent firm.
This is another story of
cause and effect, and it’s proof
that your contributions to the
Selected Educational Trust are
making a difference. Please visit
selectedtrust.org to find out how
you can help independent funeral
service professionals continue their
journey of Lifelong Learning by
making a contribution. s
He currently is a funeral director
at Garrity Funeral Home in
13
PREFERRED PARTNERS
You Have Insurance, But Are You Covered?
Cremations Require Special Insurance Coverages and Risk Management
By Federated Insurance, a
Selected Premier Preferred Partner
Life bombards us with hundreds of
choices every day. And regardless
of the scope of the decision, it
always feels better if we don’t
have any regrets later. Like life,
purchasing insurance coverage for
your funeral home offers nearly as
many choices, or so it can seem.
What coverages are available?
Which policies do you need? What
if you have a crematory? Do you
need protection from professional
liability claims?
Cremation Trending Upward.
With the rising popularity of
cremation, many funeral homes
have added crematories to their
operations. This presents some
special challenges for funeral
providers, not all of which may be
covered by their current insurance
policy. For eaxmple, the following
narratives are true, taken from
actual claims.
• A funeral home employee
inadvertently transported the
wrong body from the medical
examiner to the funeral home.
Shortly after starting the cremation
process, the funeral home realized
the mistake. The deceased’s family
is suing the funeral director,
alleging mental anguish.
• As two large bodies were
being cremated, the ceiling over
the retort burst into flames,
causing a three-alarm fire. Not
only was the crematory destroyed,
but cremated remains of 16 people
stored nearby were commingled
14
or washed away during the
firefighters’ effort to put out the
fire. Families are alleging that due
diligence was not carried out by
the funeral home in protecting
their loved ones’ remains.
Would you expect your
insurance company to defend you
and provide coverage for claims
like these? The answer to that is
found in the language of your
current policy. Cremation fires can
also generate professional liability
claims against the funeral home.
And, unless the correct coverage is
in place, the funeral home could
be liable to pay for damages.
What You Don’t Know
Can Hurt You. Before buying
insurance for your funeral home’s
operations, you need to have a
thorough understanding of what
the policy does and does not
include. For example, a standard
insurance policy exclusion is
...does not apply to bodily injury,
property damage, personal and
advertising liability arising out of
errors or omissions in the handling,
embalming, disposal, burial,
cremation, or disinterment of bodies.
Filing a claim is not the time to
learn about this exclusion.
Fortunately, being inadequately
insured is a problem that’s
relatively easy to fix. If your
insurance company specializes in
insuring the funeral profession,
it’s likely a Funeral Services
Professional Liability policy
has been added, but it’s your
responsibility to make sure. Before
you can do that, however, you
PREMIER
PREFERRED PARTNER
must understand the liabilities you
face as a funeral service provider
and the increased exposures that
accompany cremation. This places
even more importance on the type
of insurance coverage you have.
It’s risky to assume your policy
covers the hazards related to
cremations. That’s something
you don’t want to discover after a
devastating loss. For help, contact
your insurance company for a
policy audit. Your local Federated
Insurance representative also is
ready to help you determine the
precise coverages you may need.
Fighting Fire with Insurance
and Risk Management. As
outlined earlier in the claims
examples, the rise in the number
of cremations being performed
also has increased the number
of crematory-related fires. Fires
of this nature are terrifying and
distressing. As a result, crematory
fire prevention has been given
a heightened focus by owners
and operators and the insurance
companies that cover them.
A safe and successful cremation
is paramount to properly serving
families in their time of need.
Concludes on next page
The Bulletin Expands to Own Website, Offers New Features
The Bulletin news magazine is the premier publication
of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, provided
bi-monthly to its members and friends. In November
1917, just two months after the association was
founded, Volume 1, Number 1 of The Bulletin was
typed up, and carbon copies were distributed to the
ten founding member firms.
It also includes extended articles and links that go
beyond the printed content. Past issues as PDF files
also are available online, and helpful search features
make it easy to find topics of interest. Printed copies
will continue to be mailed to the main locations of all
member firms around the world.
The March-April 2015 edition, Volume 98,
Number 2, heralded another milestone for
Selected. The magazine established its own website,
selected-bulletin.org, to provide greater access for a
growing membership.
“We are excited to offer this new expansion of
The Bulletin for our members, partners and
supporters,” said Executive Director Rob Paterkiewicz.
“Now our news, interviews, in-depth articles and
member viewpoints are conveniently available to
everyone at every member firm, all the time.”
The Bulletin online magazine contains all the
content of the printed version in an easy-to-navigate
environment that is compatible with any device.
Visit selected-bulletin.org, and bookmark it in your
browser, so you’ll always be connected to the news, best
practices and solutions only Selected can deliver. s
Cremation Insurance, from page 14
While damage to buildings
and contents due to a fire may
be covered by most insurance
policies, the potential of an
unrecoverable loss of a deceased
loved one may leave a family with
emotional scars.
Past fires have taught us
that prevention cannot be
underestimated. Implementing
proper risk management
procedures, along with training
and education for crematory
operators, helps lower the
risk of fires and the potential
liability claims that could follow.
Conscientious risk management
also can help protect the funeral
home’s reputation.
In order to assist funeral
service providers who are directly
involved in the cremation process,
Federated has established some
risk management training criteria
as a guideline. [See Crematory
Operation Best Practices below.]
Decisions, Decisions. It is
important to understand that
the insurance choices you make
today will impact your tomorrows.
Remember, insurance is not a
commodity. Federated Insurance
has a proven track record in
the funeral service profession
and can help relieve some of
the uncertainty of whether your
coverage is adequate and tailored
to your needs. Letting Federated
help you make sure you’re
adequately insured is one way
for you to gain the same peace
of mind that you provide to the
families you serve. s
Selected members can contact
Jack West at Federated Insurance
at 800-533-0472.
Crematory Operation Best Practices*
• Process oversize bodies as the
first case of the day when the retort
is cold.
• Visually observe the ignition of the
container. Operator should remain in
attendance during the process.
• Regularly check the proximity of
the stack to combustibles to ensure
adequate clearance.
• Operators should be properly
trained or certified (mandatory in
some states) in the operation of their
specific unit. Crematory fires
often occur when operators lack
specific training.
• Another primary cause of
crematory fires is lack of regular
maintenance. This needs to be done
based on the unit’s specifications,
number of cremations performed and
manufacturer’s guidelines.
• Specific guidelines should be
followed when cremating containers
with varnished or polished finishes.
Metal, plastic or fiberglass containers
should not be cremated.
• Crematories not designed for
larger cases should not be used for
this purpose.
*This is a partial list of Federated’s risk
management recommendations for
cremations, including handling large
cases. For more information, please contact
your local Federated representative.
15
sales and marketing experience to the
Johnson Consulting team.
NEWS BRIEFS
Johnson Consulting Group, Phoenix, AZ, a
Selected Preferred Partner, has announced two new
additions to its team—Jeff Casey as
Management Consultant and Brandi
Cunningham as Marketing and
Communications Manager.
Jeff brings more than 30 years
of funeral home and cemetery
management experience. “Jeff
adds the level of experience
our clients desire, from having
‘walked in their shoes’ to his teambuilding perspective and proven
track record running some of the
country’s premier funeral home
and cemetery operations,” said
Jake Johnson, President of Johnson
Consulting Group.
Jeff Casey
Brandi Cunningham
Brandi Cunningham will lead
the company’s marketing and business development
efforts. Brandi brings more than 10 years of
16
“With Brandi’s help, we plan to amplify the
continuous growth we’re experiencing,” Jake said.
“Johnson Consulting Group is one of the consulting
segment’s largest financial contributors to the funeral
profession, and we now have Brandi to help us make
the most of that commitment.”
Brandi joins the company after nearly six years with
the Indiana Funeral Directors Association where she
acted as Member Services Director.
Alicia Carr, President of Selected
Preferred Partner Kelco Supply
Company, registered once again for
the Fringe Plunge of 2015, held
March 7th, with donations benefiting
the Children’s Grief Connection,
childrensgriefconnection.com. But
she had to plunge remotely from
Alicia Carr’s
2014 Plunge
Puerto Rico this year. She said she
missed the icy cold waters of Lake
Waconia, WI, into which she plunged in 2014. s
17
MEMBER PROFILE
Matthew Jones and Law-Jones Funeral Homes
Matthew A. Jones is President
of Law-Jones Funeral Homes, Inc.
in Savanna, IL, with six branch
locations. The firm was invited into
membership in Selected in 2014.
It has 16 employees and handles
about 200 calls per year.
What is your guiding
business principle?
“Our team is laser-focused
on gaining trust and providing
opportunities for meaningful
moments for the families we
serve. It begins with the first call.
For example, after introductory
discussion and gathering of
information, we offer a meaningful
and spiritual way of initial closure
that allows the family to let go,
pause and reflect on the importance
of what has taken place.”
What currently is your
firm’s greatest challenge?
“I think the biggest challenge
for any firm is holding overall
revenues in the face of diminished
demand for current services. We
hit this head-on by changing
the discussion and adding new,
meaningful components to our
service package.”
How is technology
changing your firm?
“It is helping us cut costs in ways
never before imagined, along with
allowing us to offer a new style
of services.”
What is the best way
to stay competitive?
“Simply, to treat every family as
though it was your own family.
18
This might
sound clichéd,
but when we
are focused
on business
decisions, it is
easy to forget.
We always
Matthew Jones
are looking to
improve our bottom line in order
to be more competitive, and a big
part of that equation is offering
meaningful value. Families can
easily judge cost vs. value received;
they all do it hundreds of times
each week.
“Given that the fundamentals
are accomplished—great
preparation; meaningful service;
personal touches; bright, flexible,
technology-friendly facilities—
two of the biggest competitive
boosts have been preserving the
life history of every family we
serve and sharing it throughout
the service, and including an
educational component for each
family during the arrangement
conference that addresses the
healing and productive steps that
add value for the family while
saving the funeral home time
and energy.”
What is the best way to
network with people in
your community?
“It always has been about
showing up. Today, in addition
to our physical presence in the
community, it’s important that we
are easily accessible online. The
vast majority of our website traffic
is visitors reaching out to the
families we serve, and we make it
as easy as possible for them
to do so.”
What is your favorite form
of communication?
“Although today’s technology
offers many benefits and
conveniences, I treasure
face-to-face communication.
We have a simple guideline for
our team members when having a
face-to-face conversation—never
interrupt by looking at your
cell phone.”
What is the best way to
spot new trends?
“I always keep abreast of the
profession and enjoy studying
other businesses. Quite often
though, we have the opportunity
to set our own trends. Years ago,
we would wait to see what trends
were developed by our suppliers,
but I don’t believe we have that
option any longer. As technology
has become so accessible and
useful, I think it is important that
we are always developing and
refining meaningful ways to use
it, as we interact with our families
and public.”
Whom in funeral service do
you most admire and why?
“I mostly respect the guys in the
trenches, particularly if they are
contributing to the higher good of
the profession. This includes guys
like Karl Jennings from Michigan,
who has developed the science
and training behind the productive
and healing capabilities of the loss
experience. This type of course
should be a fundamental.”
What is your view of the
future of funeral service?
“As society changes, the needs
of our families are changing; and
we need to change to match their
needs. If we are successful, we will
thrive. It is evident what happens
when we resist change. I believe it
is an exciting time to be in
funeral service.”
Why did you seek a career
in funeral service?
“I always thought it would be
nice to work alongside my father
who was a funeral director. As a
young man though, I wanted to
make my own way, so I studied
computers and engineering and
started my own career. My father
died suddenly at the age of 50,
and after much thought, I joined
my brother in funeral service. My
brother later entered seminary and
now serves a church in our area.”
What degrees and
certifications have
you earned?
“After my father’s death,
I attended Worsham Mortuary
College near Chicago and began
my funeral career in 1992. I am a
certified pre-arrangement counselor
and have received specialty training
in the acute loss healing process
from the Arrangers Academy. Our
team also is certified as a continuing
education provider.”
What is your proudest
professional achievement?
“Our team has developed
software which allows us to
present family history through
photos and video easily at the time
of visitations and services. We have
this all set up within minutes after
the initial funeral arrangement.
The software is flexible enough to
allow last-minute additions and
changes. During the service, the
funeral director has one-button
control while presenting the
families’ media.”
What was your
best business decision?
“Frankly, the best business
decision we made was to give one
individual the controlling interest.
This removed competing interests
that continuously stalled progress.
It also improved our operational
flexibility and agility.”
What is your favorite part
of the job?
“I enjoy seeing creative systems
and productive ideas put to work,
along with being exposed to the
many rich, personal stories of
those we serve.”
What is your least
favorite part?
“Unexpected tragic death. I have
been called to do this repeatedly
in a relatively short span of time. It
adds a level of stress that requires
extra effort to reconcile. This is
where a mentor or therapy can
be valuable.”
What is your biggest
professional pet peeve?
“The use of the word industry to
describe our profession.”
What is your next
major project?
“Technology always is at the
forefront. We are developing a
workflow tool that will improve
back office productivity while
providing better customer service.”
What is your favorite
way to relax?
What is the last book
you read that you found
very interesting?
“I am just finishing a very
arduous read, The City of God.
based on the writings of
St. Augustine.”
What is your favorite
community cause?
“The Rolling Hills Progress
Center is a local, not-for-profit
that employs many people with
disabilities and difficulties.
They provide a great working
atmosphere and opportunity.”
What would be your
second career choice?
“I’ve always said I would like to
be a railroad engineer or farmer.”
What famous person,
would you like to have a
conversation with?
“I think it would be fascinating
to sit and talk with Winston
Churchill over tea.”
What is something you
would like to do, if you
had the time?
“I would like to travel the world,
taking time to really experience
each culture.”
What is your favorite Selected
program, benefit or service?
“I am enjoying participating
in a Selected Study Group called
the Game Changers. I also like
the ideas exchanged online at the
Selected Forum. I think the biggest
benefit of Selected is networking
with a host of progressive
managers and owners.” s
“I enjoy reading, exercising and
boating on the Mississippi.”
19
REMEMBERING OUR COLLEAGUES
EDUCATIONAL TRUST CONTRIBUTIONS
Visit selectedfuneralhomes.org/obituaries
for more information.
The Selected Educational Trust thanks the following
contributors for their generous support in helping to
encourage Lifelong Learning for independent funeral
professionals. To make a contribution or to learn
more, visit selectedtrust.org or call 888-70-TRUST.
Lee P. Allen,
mother of Jack Allen, President of Ingram Funeral
Home and Crematory, Inc., Cumming, GA,
died March 12. ingramfuneralhome.com
Fonda W. Stuhr,
wife of William “Sandy” Stuhr Sr., CEO of J. Henry
Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant, SC, and Past Board
Member of National Selected Morticians,
died March 11. jhenrystuhr.com
Maurene Dunning,
mother of Kristin Sellers, Secretary of
William F. Sellers Funeral Home, Chambersburg,
PA, and mother-in-law of William F. “Bill” Sellers,
President and owner of the firm, died March 5.
sellersfuneralhome.com
Eugene Chandler,
father of Dana Chandler, President of Chandler
Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, South Paris,
ME, died March 2. chandlerfunerals.com
J. William Dolan,
brother of W. Craig Dolan, President, and Paul Dolan,
Vice-President, of Dolan Funeral Home, Milton, MA,
died February 26. dolanfuneral.com
IN-MEMORIUM CONTRIBUTORS
Former members of the Selected Resources Board:
Paul C. St. Pierre, Ellers Community Mortuary &
Memorial Center, Inc., Kokomo, IN; Richard E. Geib,
Linn Hert Geib Funeral Home & Crematory,
New Philadelphia, OH; Daniel P. Densow,
Wichmann-Fargo Funeral Homes & Crematories,
Appleton, WI; James B. Kepner, Kepner Funeral
Homes, Wheeling, WV; Ann Ciccarelli,
Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, Saugus, MA;
John E. Keohane, Keohane Funeral Home, Quincy,
MA and Amy Hunt, Selected Independent Funeral
Homes; in memory of Patricia Garvie-Tannahill.
Past Officers’ Spouses Council,
in memory of Gerald Barbieri.
Bradford R. Bellows and Family, Bellows Funeral
Chapel, Lincoln, RI, in memory of Gerald Barbieri,
Thomas Chamberlain and Patricia Garvie-Tannahill.
SILVER CONTRIBUTORS
Baue Funeral Homes, Crematory & Cemetery,
St. Charles, MO
Bradshaw-Carter Memorial and Funeral Services,
Houston, TX
MEMBER NEWS
Members are encouraged to send news and
announcements to Selected at [email protected].
Ford and Sons Funeral Home, Cape Girardeau,
MO, announced in February it purchased CracraftMiller Funeral Home in Jackson, MO, which brings a
fourth funeral home under the Ford and Sons name.
Both funeral homes have a long history of service
in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area. Walter H. Ford
opened the Ford-Young Funeral Home in 1949.
It became Ford and Sons in 1953. His son,
Walter J. “Doc” Ford, grandson Kevin Ford and great
grandson Josh Ford now oversee operations that
include two facilities in Cape Girardeau and one in
Benton, MO.
20
The Ford family said
they appreciate the legacy
of the Cracraft-Miller
name, as they work to
add the new funeral home
to their business. It sees
the acquisition and new
relationship as a good way
to grow their service area.
(L-R) Josh Ford, Walter J. Ford
and Kevin Ford.
“There is a lot of synergy Laura Simon photo, Southeast Missourian
between the two towns,” Walter J. Ford said. “And
you have to expand if you are going to stay healthy
in any business. This gives us an opportunity to take
care of the whole community.” s
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory
118 N. 3rd St., Livingston, MT 59047, Group 6
406-222-2531, franzen-davis.com
Colin Zeman, [email protected]
Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory
2131 Velde Dr., Pekin, IL 61554, Group 4
309-347-4157, hendersonfuneralcare.com
Greg Henderson, [email protected]
Macy & Son Funeral Directors
135 N.E. Evans, McMinnville, OR 97128, Group 6
503-472-6151, macyandson.com
Corey Rich, [email protected]
Thank You Bradshaw-Carter
In early March, a prominent New Orleanian and dear
friend of mine, Joan Fotiades, died at MD Anderson
Hospital in Houston, TX, leaving her two ill-prepared
sisters perplexed as to her transfer back to New
Orleans and multi-faceted funeral arrangements.
The family notified me by cellphone, with the first
priority of securing preliminary arrangements on the
Houston end. Deferring to my guidance, I phoned
Selected member, Bradshaw-Carter. The way the initial
call was received, all the way through to the delivery
of my friend to New Orleans, was utterly stellar.
The youngest member of the team, Andrew Smeltzer,
called me as soon as Joan was in their firm’s care. He
met with my friends the next day to start the process.
He could not have been more patient and gracious. The
following day, Operations Manager, Jovon Tyler and
owner Tripp Carter made a point to meet the family and
later looped me into a conference call to report on the
first viewing and remaining details.
That evening, the sisters called to rave about the
way they had been treated in such a concerned and
loving manner by the entire Bradshaw-Carter staff. I
asked Mr. Tyler if he would engage a transport service
for the journey to New Orleans, and he replied, “This
is a close friend of yours, and I wouldn’t think of
doing that; I want to drive her myself.”
Andrew, Jovon and Tripp, you are top among the
heroes who make funeral service the noble profession it
is. You earned the trust of and made a strong connection
with a wonderful family. Thank you for going the extra
mile toward making this a beautiful funeral.
—Mark Higgins, Hall-Wynne & Co., Durham, NC
21
INTEROFFICE
ROUTING
May-June 2015
HOW DO YOU WANT TO
?
What are the stories, pictures, and lessons that you would like to pass on
to your family and future generations? Your childhood experiences, holiday
remembrances, even personal, private messages that live on after you
leave this life?
, an online community
Record them today at
where you can record and share the stories of your life, even upload video
messages for those you love.
TM
TM
SPECIAL OFFER!
Sign up by
June 30, 2015
to become a
Preferred
Partner.
Create your FREE profile today at BeRemembered.com. To learn how your funeral home can
use BeRemembered.com to connect to families and grow market share, send an e-mail to
[email protected] for an exclusive offer!
.com
TM
Your Life. Your Story. In Your OwnWords.
BRC053