September 2021
Page B11 SEPTEMBER 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on B www. vischerfuneralsupplies.com A trusted resource of funeral supplier companies since 1976 Find a supplier or become a member at www.imsa-online.org UPD Urns Expands its Offerings in the US, Doubling Down on its Domestic Urns DALLAS,TX—UPDUrns is proud to announce its partnership with three United States manufac- turers of beautiful, time- honored cremation urns. While UPD has offered United States made urns for years, these new addi- tions to the growing prod- uct line include pewter, copper, and cultured mar- ble products, along with a wider selection of hand- crafted wood urns. The only manufacturer of pewter urns in the na- tion, Kap-Lind Enter- prises is the successor of the Old Saybrook Met- als pewter line of urns. With a broader offering of their beautiful shapes in copper, UPD’s part- nership with Kap-Lind to offer these beautiful urns brings sophisticated ele- gance to UPD customers. The lineup includes urns made of genuine spun pewter, an alloy of cop- per, tin, and antimony – not brass urns with a pew- ter finish. The pewter line is available in six full-size shapes and two keepsake shapes, and the popu- lar “Lamar” style is avail- able in natural pewter or in one of five colors. The copper urns are available in three full-size shapes and one keepsake. UPD Urns has also teamed with MacKenzie Vault, the original and standard in cultured mar- ble urns, to offer an ex- clusive shape in rich black marble and elegant Car- rera marble colors. The “Guardian” urn is an urn- vault combination that meets or exceeds most cemetery requirements for burial. Their smooth surfaces engrave beauti- fully and display nicely in glass-front niches. Natural hardwood urns are prized for their warm and comforting finishes, and UPD has teamed with a manufacturer that offers best in class craftsmanship and style in wood urns. From inlaid urns show- ing nature scenes to sim- pler shapes with sacred or patriotic appliques, these offerings round out a re- fined collection of urns for UPD’s customers. “The opportunity to of- fer gorgeous products from three of my favor- ite United States manu- facturers is so fulfilling. These companies offer proven sellers from de- cades of manufacturing excellence,” says Jason Engler, director of cus- tomer experience for UPD Urns. “The pandemic has proven again that Unit- ed States based urn man- ufacturers are ready and willing to fill the needs of families across the coun- try. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be able to offer these products alongside our already fantastic line of cremation urns!” Tyler Fraser, CEO of UPD Urns, adds, “We are honored to part- ner with MacKenzie and Kap-Lind. Their quality is unmatched, and we are proud to offer these made in United States of Amer- ica urns.” UPD Urns is a Dallas- based urn supplier with additional warehouses in Manassas, VA and Mid- vale, UT. The UPD Urn Store platform puts hun- dreds of cremation prod- ucts at the fingertips of families through their cre- mation provider. Funeral Directors Life Names Steve Vermilya as Market Center Manager Steve Vermilya ABILENE,TX— Funeral Directors Life is proud to an- nounce Steve Vermilya as the Market Center Manager for the state of Georgia. “We are so happy that Steve is entering this new role as a Market Center Manager,” said Kris Seale, president and CEO of Funeral Directors Life. “Steve has a wealth of experience, and his background has helped serve fu- neral homes across the great state of Geor- gia. His passion for the business and dedi- cation will no doubt ensure his success in this role.” Steve has over 35 years of experience in the funeral profession. Throughout his ca- reer, he has served as a funeral director, embalmer, preplanning agent, and most recently, as the active sales manager in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina for Funeral Directors Life. Steve attended the University of Northern Iowa where he earned a degree in Sociology and Psychology, and he fur- thered his funeral service education at Gupton-Jones Col- lege of Funeral Service. “We are so glad to have Steve take on this new role as the Market Center Manager in Georgia,” said Kevin Gaff- ney, regional sales vice president at Funeral Directors Life. “His years of experience as a funeral director and embalm- er are extremely valuable. Also, his success as both a sales manager and select producer — where he produced over $1 million annually in preneed sales — brings tremen- dous value to the funeral home owners he serves.” Steve has lived in Georgia since 1985 and has cultivated many professional re- lationships in funeral service. His knowl- edge, passion, and expertise have given him the skills to identify the needs of fu- neral homes large and small. His back- ground as a funeral director allows him the ability to connect and relate to funeral home owners to ensure their success now and in the future. “I love this business, and I believe what we do every day makes a difference,” Steve said. “I believe that the many years I have served the profession have allowed me to build great relationships. I’m very excited about this next step.” Funeral Directors Life, rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best Company, is a legal reserve life insurance company which specializes in the sale of insurance-funded preneed funer- als. Their mission is “To be known as the best, most-re- spected provider of service to the funeral industry.” For more information about Funeral Directors Life, visit www.funeraldirectorslife.com. Garrison Lynch named Business Development Specialist for Homesteaders Garrison Lynch WEST DES MOINES,IA— Michelle Hartley has announced the appointment of Garrison Lynch as business develop- ment specialist for Homesteaders Solu- tions Group, effective August 23, 2021. “We are pleased and fortunate that Gar- rison has joined our organization to help Homesteaders Solutions achieve its goals,” says Hartley. “He is part of a long legacy serving funer- al homes and agents. His family has a total of near- ly 70 years of service with Homesteaders and in- cludes his grandmother and mother.” Lynch previously served as customer service man- ager and brings a deep un- derstanding of the unique challenges funeral profes- sionals face in managing and growing suc- cessful firms today. In his new position, he will actively pursue relationships with funeral home customers who can benefit from the best-in-class resources offered through Homesteaders Solutions. In addi- tion, Lynch will seek affinity partnerships with marketing and business services pro- viders who have demonstrated success at helping funeral homes grow. “I am incredibly passionate about the work that I have done for Homestead- ers Life Company and strongly believe that I am positioned to help make a posi- tive impact with Homesteaders Solutions Group,” says Lynch. “For the past eight years in customer service, the core of my responsibilities can really be defined as sales support. I look forward to making an immediate impact on the team.” Hartley says the experience that Lynch accumulated in assisting sales, developing and pre- senting training to preneed agents, assisting in field training/onboarding ses- sions and his proven ana- lytical and leadership skills are everything they sought in filling this role. A Des Moines, IA, na- tive Lynch and his wife, Sydney, enjoy traveling, camping, attending con- certs and spoiling their dog, Marlo. Homesteaders Solutions Group is a sub- sidiary of Homesteaders Life Company. It is an organization committed to develop- ing best-in-class marketing and business solutions for funeral homes, preneed mar- keting organizations and professionals who share in the vision to help people design a better farewell, benefitting those they love. Homesteaders Life Company, a mutual company owned by its policy holders, is a national leader providing products and services to promote and support the fund- ing of advance funeral planning and end- of-life expenses. Like @Nomis.Publications Like us on
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