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JANUARY 2015
FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
S ec t i on A
NEWS
Association
CONTINUED
Bringing Professional Standards to “The Family Business”
By Robert M. Boetticher Jr
CANA has certified more than 5,000
death care professionals, and registra-
tion rates continue to rise as more state
boards require crematory operator certifi-
Robert M. Boetticher Jr
cation. In response to cre-
mation’s rising popularity,
CANA recently revamped
its COCP™ curriculum.
Association leaders part-
nered with crematory
manufacturers, practicing
industry experts, and sub-
ject matter specialists to
design a one-day certifica-
tion course that is no lon-
ger just for operators. The
program provides profes-
sionals of all backgrounds
— owners, managers, fu-
neral directors, and even
support staff — and levels of experience a
thorough knowledge of the practice, risks
and proactive measures to take for a pros-
perous cremation practice.
Whether the death care in-
dustry is your “family busi-
ness” or you found a different
path here, formal certification
is an integral part of training
your staff, keeping up-to-date
on industry trends and pro-
tecting your business from
the unexpected.
Robert M. Boetticher Jr.,
is the current CANA presi-
dent. Boetticher has been with
Carriage Services, Inc.,
Boise, ID since 2012 and cur-
rently serves as the Director of
Support, Western Region.
NAFSPI Appoints Kelley as PR Director
David P. Kelley
FORT LAUDERDALE,FL—
The National
Association of Funeral Service Profession-
als, Inc.
has announced the appointment of
David P. Kelley,
as Public Relations Direc-
tor. Kelley is vice president and chief finan-
cial officer of
Spring Grove
Cemetery and Arbore-
tum,
Cincinnati, OH. Kel-
ley joined the Spring Grove
family in 2011 after serving
as vice president-finance of
Eagle-Picher Corporation’s
largest manufacturing divi-
sion and vice president/chief
financial officer of General
Products Corporation both
of which were headquar-
tered in Michigan. He has
also served in the United
States Department of Trea-
sury audit function.
Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree in Ac-
counting and a Master of Business Ad-
ministration from Michigan State Univer-
sity and is a Certified Public Accountant
(CPA). Kelley has also actively participat-
ed on city municipal planning commis-
sions and volunteered time for various
charitable organizations, Rotary Club and
is an officer in the Knights of Columbus.
Kelley’s initial goals with the NAFSPI
as he begins his role in the
public relations position
will reflect his belief that
“public relations is impor-
tant in any organization,
perhaps even more so in a
young growing one. Get-
ting the right message to
the membership is para-
mount in growing the foot-
print of the association.”
For more information
on NAFSPI, becoming a
member or becoming an
active addition to open po-
sitions, please contact Ex-
ecutive Director
Kevin Mitchell
at nafs-
pi.florida@gmail.com, Assistant Executive
Director
Monica Gray
at nafspi.gray@
gmail.com or President
Diann Simon
at
nafspit.simon@gmail.com.
Many of us were grandfathered into
the death care industry. Growing up, we
watched our funeral director fathers and
mothers give compassionate counsel to
grieving families. We couldn’t imagine a
different profession for ourselves than “the
family business.”
Passing the funeral business from one
generation to the next meant mortuary
employees receive on the job training. This
also is the case for crematory operators who
work behind the scenes.
But standards have changed. The growing
demand for cremation means the value of
certified cremation professionals has nev-
er been greater.
The Cremation Associa-
tion of North America
(CANA) believes
the industry has the public responsibility to
ensure operators are prepared for the ethi-
cal and legal demands of their role.
CANA developed the Crematory Oper-
ators Certification Program™ (COCP™)
more than 30 years ago to bring bet-
ter risk management to an industry
where regulation is constantly increas-
ing. CANA recognized that cremation is
more than simply operating a machine; it
requires a wide range of professional skills
and knowledge of best policies, practices
and procedures for dealing with the fami-
lies of the deceased.
Beyond providing a professional stan-
dard, “certification elevates the role of
crematory operator to its proper place,”
says
Sheri Stahl,
CANA board president-
elect and fellow second-generation funer-
al director. Like her father’s, Sheri’s op-
erators are a vital part of the team that
provides solace and service to families
when they need it most.