April 2017

A18 A1-A40 B1-B28

Page A18 APRI L 2017 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A
By Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE, is President of J. Starks Consulting in Lutz,
FL, and a nationally-recognized trainer on funeral home and crema-
tory risk management.
He used his experience in both funeral home and crematory oper-
ations and risk management, combined with his involvement with
funeral homes of all sizes and geographies, to become an author-
ity at controlling risk and loss in the death care industry, providing
lectures and presentations to private firms, as well as regional, state
and national associations. He also conducts private audits and risk
assessments to independent funeral homes and crematories in the
US and Canada, often identifying ways to save or generate thou-
sands of dollars of profit.
Jim is a Michigan and Indiana Licensed Funeral Director and
Embalmer and ICCFA- and CANA-certified crematory operator, as
well as Dean of ICCFA University’s College of Cremation Services. He
is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, the Mid-America School
of Mortuary Science, and the ICCFA University. For more information
on risk management in the death care industry, visit jstarksconsulting.
com. Contact Jim at (813) 765-9844 or
Continuing
Education with
Publications is Necessary
Continuously improving knowledge and keeping pace
with changes in the death care profession is critical to pro-
tect a firm and the clients it serves.
Attending conventions is one way to update knowledge of
issues affecting the profession, but conventions can be ex-
pensive in both dollars and time away from the business.
Some states require continuing education, but not all classes
are useful beyond credits to meet the state’s requirements.
Thus, alternative educational options become necessary.
One option is Funeral Home & Cemetery News, a publica-
tion that can help firm owners and staff stay current, keep-
ing the firm compliant and protected.
• Harvey Lapin (legal) is a member of the Illinois Bar and
Florida Bar. He is a faculty member at the John Marshall
Law School in Chicago and is presently teaching the sub-
ject of Tax Exempt Organizations.
Harvey has written numerous funeral, cremation and
cemetery law articles that have affected firms throughout
the country. These articles provide opportunities for firm
owners and staff to adjust their business practices based
on others’ mistakes.
Protecting
Your Families
and Business
tor, American Funeral Director, American Cemetery &
Cremation, CANA Cremationist, Southern FD, and
state association publications and mailings.
Placing these publications on a desk to accumulate
is a mistake! They are full of information that should
be shared with staff to encourage their learning of our
changing industry. As professionals, it is important to
stay current regarding issues that may affect your firm or
your staff, the firm you work at, and the clients served.
• Gary Finch (OSHA/compliance) is a licensed fu-
neral director and embalmer in Texas. He found-
ed Compliance Plus in 1992. Today they represent
over 700 funeral homes and cemeteries in 37 states.
Compliance Plus also serves as an advisory con-
sultant for the International Order of the Golden
Rule.
Finch writes about changes in OSHA regulations
and problems firms have had with regulatory agen-
cies, implementing a broad application for any firm
owner or staff member.
• Christopher Kuhnen (pre-need) is a 29-year vet-
eran of funeral service.
He has spent a significant portion of his career
working for a family-owned and -operated funeral
home and national pre-need sales and marketing
organization. He is also the architect and founder
of Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC.
Pre-need can be a liability to a firm when not
done in a proper and prudent way. Staying abreast
of changes in the industry helps protect firms and
clients that purchase pre-need.
• SherryWilliams (aftercare) is president and found-
er of Sherry Williams Enterprises and Hopeful
Transitions. Co-founder of ACCORD Grief Man-
agement Services, she has devoted more than 30
years to the field of grief and bereavement service.
Williams is a nationally-certified grief management
specialist, has received advanced certification as a
bereavement facilitator from the American Acad-
emy of Bereavement, and is certified by the Grief
Recovery Institute as a Grief Recovery Specialist.
Understanding the grief our clients may be going
though can assist staff helping clients cope during
and after the time we serve them.
Additional information can be found in association
publications including ICCFA Magazine, The Direc-
3” HEARSE NAMEPLATES
1-8 spaces $80.50 per nameplate
9-13 spaces $92.50 per nameplate
14-15 spaces $109.00 per nameplate
16-18 spaces $119.00 per nameplate
Many Letter Styles and Sizes Available
DEDUCT $10.00 each for Satin Aluminum Finish
Vilonia Funeral Home Celebrates 1st Anniversary
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Vilonia Funeral Home
VILONIA,AR— The city
of Vilonia is positioned
in the heart of Arkansas,
14 miles from Conway,
and 38 miles from Little
Rock. Between 2000 and
2014 the population of
Vilonia doubled, despite
two devastating tornadoes
(April of 2011 and April
of 2014) which destroyed
homes and claimed sever-
al lives. In spite of the set-
backs, this rural commu-
nity is building back and
continues to grow.
The Matos family began to renovate
the building at 1134 Main Street in
December 2015. On March 8, 2016,
Mike Matos and his family opened Vi-
lonia Funeral Home, the city’s first fu-
neral home.
Mike says he chose the city of Vilo-
nia for a few reasons; “First, I love rural
‘small town’ America. I would rather be
a funeral director in a small town where
people know me, and I know them
than work in a large city. When fam-
ilies call on me to help them in their
time of need, it is more than a business
call, it is relationship driven call. When
a family needs several hours of time, I
want to be able to give it to them. Sec-
NEWS FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY
online