July 2018

Page A4 JULY 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A Funeral Directors Research,Inc. AMRA INSTRUMENT, LLC 623 N. Tower (P.O. Box 359) Centralia, WA 98531 “the shorter the supply line the better off you are” WEB DIRECT GIFT & PRICING TM ® www.amrainstruments.com www.preproomdirect.com By Nancy Weil Field Trips I travel to speaking engagements across the country. While I love seeing cities that are not on a vacation travel “must see” list, what I enjoy even more are the sights that never make it ontoTripAdvisor. Seeing funeral homes and funeral supply companies always delights me. I learn so much and urge you to consider this as you make your summer travel plans. As I enter the front door, I wonder, “Why isn’t there a coffee table book that showcases funeral homes?” Each one is different in style and set up. Each has a history and stories of what has gone on under their roof. The owner is always so proud to show me around and tell me about their business, an antique piece of furniture, how the building was remodeled or a special collection they have on display. I look over their marketing pieces. I note what urn designs are in their selection room. I “ooh” and “aah” over their décor. I am truly fascinated by each one I visit. I even venture into cemeteries and funeral homes when I am traveling internationally. On a cruise port in St. Thomas, we exited the ship and began walking. Bob and I had no idea where we were headed, so it was more of a “wander” so that we could see some of the island. As we passed a funeral home I walked inside and introduced myself. I asked them what beach they would recommend we go to and how we could get there. With this insid- er information, we headed out and found ourselves in an uncrowded paradise. The beach was beautiful, the water Random Musings warm and most of the people were locals. Back on the ship we spoke to other passengers who headed to the tourist spots and found themselves on crowded sand with water full of seaweed churned up from a recent storm. It made me grate- ful to be part of a tribe that is willing to dispense advice to a visitor to their town. On your summer travels, don’t forget that there are cemeteries and funeral homes in every town you visit. This means there are travel advisors no mat- ter where you roam. Besides funeral homes I try to arrange ahead of time for a tour of suppliers that we use. At a conference in Orlando when everyone else was spending their free day at Disney World, I headed to Apopka and had a tour of the Matthews Cremation factory where they build the retorts. I learned about the process, saw the technical design side and met the folks that work there. This knowledge has served me well over the years as I have a better understanding of the equip- ment we rely on for our cremation services. Recently I found myself speaking in Kansas City, MO. This is home to Legacy Touch and I was given a tour of their company and saw how each fingerprint piece is cre- ated. I had no idea how many steps were involved in the process and watched in awe as the master craftsmen worked on the personalized jewelry pieces. From graphic design- ers to photographers to customer service reps to ship- ping agents, each person had an important role to fulfill in supplying a family with a comforting connection to their loved one. Do I look at our display in the arrange- ment room differently now? You bet I do. Am I better able to sell these pieces to our families? Yep. Am I grate- ful for the time they spent showing me their company? Absolutely. As you plan your vacation or business travel take a moment to determine if there is a company you would like to visit. Give them a call or drop by and introduce yourself. Open your doors to colleagues who are in your hometown. It may not be like a trip to Disney, but I am always glad that I spent my time this way. WithcertificationsasaGriefServicesProviderandGriefManagement Specialist, Funeral Celebrant, as well as Laughter Leader, Nancy Weil is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. A professional speaker, Nancy travels the country bringing effective tools to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and handle grief to companies, associations and conferences large and small. With a passionate interest in the healing qualities of laughter, she is known for her energetic, entertaining and content rich programs. In addition to talks geared to the general public, she has also been brought in by funeral directors to offer (CEU) programs to funeral staff, nurses, chaplains and social work- ers in their communities. Nancy has developed the most comprehensive aftercare program of any cemetery or funeral home in the country and is currently di- recting aftercare programs, community outreach and marketing at Veterans Funeral Care. She consults with industry professionals in how they can develop or grow their own grief support program in order to maintain contact with the families they serve and develop stronger relationships within their community. Her book, If Stress Doesn’t Kill You, Your Family Might , is filled with tools that work to reduce stress and find your “inner happy.” For more information on how Nancy can help you and your business grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or by email at: Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com . www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. B logs Legacy Touch tour with Flip Short and Brett Logan StoneMor Partners Names Inman as Preferred Shipping Provider Rollings Funeral Service acquires Allen Memorial Home in Endicott, New York Allen Memorial Home, Inc. Greg Rollings mer funeral home owners, have each been with the firm for approximately 40 years. They helped build the business to become the premier funeral home in the area. Greg Rollings , President and Owner of Rollings Funeral Service, Inc., stated “We are excited about becoming part of the Endicott community, and we can’t be more thrilled for Allen Memorial Home to join our family of firms. Premier local businesses, like Allen, are a great fit for our company, because we pride ourselves on remain- ing family owned. This ac- quisition begins what we be- lieve will be the first of many acquisitions in the state of Mark Rollo and Chris Putrino interviewed several possible buyers before deciding that Rollings Funeral Service would be the best successor to their business. The business, operat- ing from a stately and beautiful colonial style building on the north side of Main Street just west of downtown Endicott serves around 250 families annually. With more than 25 locations, Rollings Funeral Service, Inc. is one of the largest private funeral home owners in the eastern United States. Rollings plans to continue to be very active in acquiring funeral homes, giving retiring owners a great alternative to selling to a publicly traded company. NewBridge Group assisted with the funeral home apprais- al and financing of the purchase. FORT WAYNE,IN— StoneMor Partners has named Inman Shipping Worldwide as their preferred provider of shipping services. Inman will assist on all shipments. This one call will save time and allow StoneMor asso- ciates to spend more time serving their fam- ilies. “Inman has been well respected in our industry for years and seemed like a logical fit for StoneMor,” states Ken Lee Vice-Pres- ident, Operations StoneMor Partners. “We are honored to be named the Pre- ferred Shipping provider by StoneMor,” states Inman CEO David McComb . In- man offers over 40 years of experience bringing loved ones home for ceremony with over 450 experienced agents. Inman agents adhere to strict standards designed by industry expert Vernie Fountain of the Fountain Academy , in conjunction with NFDA legal counsel, Scott Gilligan . Since 1978, Inman has become the ex- pert in nationwide shipping reaching ev- ery corner of all 50 states and now every corner of the world. ENDICOTT,NY— Rollings Funeral Service, Inc . is proud to announce its recent acquisition of Allen Memo- rial Home, Inc . Te busi- ness, located in Endicott, NY, was established over 100 years ago and has been at its current location for over 80 years. Mark Rollo and Chris Putrino , the for- New York.” Rollings added, “I look forward to having Mark Rollo and Chris Putri- no continue to be a part of the business into the future.” Like Us On Facebook!