December 2018

Page B12 DECEMBER 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on B SCOTTSDALE,AZ— John- son Consulting Group (JCG) celebrated a mile- stone anniversary in No- vember, after more than 20 years of helping funeral and cemetery clients with their businesses. “In this profession, trust is everything and it takes a while for that trust to hap- pen,” said Jake Johnson, president of JCG. “Every year, that trust grows, and we are proud to be cele- brating our 21st anniver- sary and entering our third decade of operations.” JCG was founded in 1997 by Tom Johnson and has steadily acquired the partnerships and tech- nology solutions to keep it on the cutting edge of the profession. In 2006, Tom’s son Jake became presi- dent of the company, and has worked to hire a first- rate team and implement the business practices and procedures that have helped JCG grow. JCG prides itself on providing financial management ser- vices and systems to delve deep into business opera- tions, while working col- laboratively with owners and staff. In 2018, JCG added a new social me- dia feature and leadership programs to their service offerings. “One of my mentors was Rubin Lariz, a superinten- dent at a cemetery that I worked at in high school. He was my first boss,” said Jake. “He made us work hard; if we finished one job, he would have another one immediately ready. As we add more technology to our service offerings, I will remember his focus on taking time to get the job done right. This way our customers get the best of both worlds – great tech- nology, while also knowing they can trust us because of our deep-rooted knowl- edge and background in this profession.” Johnson Consulting Group was built to address all of the operational and financial needs of funeral homes and 21 Years Helping Funeral Service Professionals cemeteries, offering intelli- gent business solutions and strategic partnerships with fu- neral professionals. For more information, email info@ johnsonconsulting.com or visit www.johnsonconsulting. com. Batesville Receives Top Scores in Product Quality, Service and Innovation for 5th Consecutive Year BATESVILLE,IN— Batesville, a leading provider of high quality products and innovative technology solutions to fu- neral homes in North America, received the industry’s top scores in the 2018 Fu- neral Service Insider (FSI) casket survey, published by Kates-Boylston. This is the fifth consecutive year funeral pro- fessionals have awarded Batesville the number one ranking in each category of performance – quality, service and innovation – ahead of all other manu- facturers. The annual casket survey cov- ers topics of importance to funeral pro- fessionals, including trends in selection rooms, value-added offerings, contracts, and pricing strategies. Respondents were asked to rate the casket companies they have done busi- ness with on quality and service, and Batesville came out first in both catego- ries, a position the company has held since 2014. FSI editor TomParmalee said, “While our survey is a small sample size of the entire United States, it’s clear that Bates- ville’s dedication to funeral service has not gone unnoticed by funeral homes.” The company was also the clear win- ner in innovation, with 64 percent of respondents selecting Batesville as the most innovative casket company. A number of Batesville’s offerings were named as favorite innovations, includ- ing customized corners and magnet- ic cap panels, LifeStories® medallions, the Meaningful Selections digital show- room, the Barnett reclaimed barnwood casket, and dual interiors that can be used for a male or female. “We appreciate this vote of confidence and will continue to push ourselves to deliver the very best products we can to support funeral professionals in help- ing families plan meaningful funerals, share memories and remember their loved ones,” said Troy Turner, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Batesville. Turner was pleased to see digital solu- tions like Meaningful Selections includ- ed in the list of innovations valued by funeral professionals. “Technology is a great connector – it’s how people com- municate, learn, research, share expe- riences, and manage their daily lives,” explains Turner. “We believe it has tre- mendous potential in our industry to give families a better experience that is more profitable for the funeral home today, and sets them up for success in the future.” Batesville has made significant invest- ments in creating a digital landscape that allows funeral directors to connect with families so they can be more en- gaged, more confident and feel more in control of their entire funeral journey. The company launched its latest inno- vation, the Bridges mobile app, in Oc- tober at the 2018 NFDA convention in Salt Lake City, UT. Bridges uses mobile technology to connect funeral homes, families and their extended networks, keeping the funeral director at the cen- ter of the conversation. It allows funer- al directors to capture and share critical information earlier in the planning pro- cess, educate families about their choic- es, and help them engage their sup- port networks after a death occurs. The Bridges app is available as a free offering to Batesville website customers. Batesville, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI), is the leader in the North American death care industry, offering a comprehen- sive portfolio of burial solutions, crema- tion options, memorial solutions and technology solutions. For more than 125 years, Batesville has been dedicat- ed to helping families honor the lives of those they love®. Their history of manufacturing excellence, product in- novation, superior customer service and reliable delivery helped Bates- ville become – and remain – a mar- ket leader. For more information, visit www.Batesville.com . Liberty Tree Society offers Grow-To-Order American Liberty Elm Trees Liberty Tree with Mayflower Memorial in Stamford, CT er-grown, street size trees which one person can plant in one hour with a pickup truck and a shovel, or bare- root stock to save on labor and freight costs. Liberty Tree Society is a program of the Elm Research Institute . Elm Research In- stitute, a non-profit orga- nization, was established in 1967 to rally support from the private sector for Dutch elm disease research. ERI members organized a na- tional movement to save the elm from extinction. Through grants and mem- bership dues, ERI research led to the development of a preventive injection for American elms and the in- KEENE,NH— Liberty Tree Society will grow-to-order American Liberty elm trees for future projects and lock in the price for the next three years, at savings up to 50%. Fast growing American Liberty elms come with Lifetime War- ranty against Dutch elm disease. You can also buy contain- troduction of the disease-resistant American Liberty Elm. Also, receive 1% per month discount on early orders for the Mayflower Compact Memorial. The Memorial con- sists of a bronze plaque with your personal words of dedi- cation as well as a 10 ft. ready-to-plant Liberty Elm. Find details at www.libertytreesociety.org or contact Yvonne at 1-800-367-3567 or libertytreesociety@gmail.com. New AmpliVox RTA Lectern Offers Acrylic Elegance with Unique Portability The new Traditional RTA Acrylic Lectern from AmpliVox can be easily disassembled for transportation and reassembled with just 12 screws. with colored tints and a clear, frosted, or smoked finish. The lectern features an expansive reading surface and an interior shelf for water or reading materials. The assem- bly process requires only a screwdriver, making the lec- tern easy to move and set up. Its versatile, portable de- sign makes it a natural fit for trade shows, event venues, churches, meeting rooms, and other venues. AmpliVox is a leading manufacturer of acrylic presentation lecterns, with over 150 options available in a plethora of col- ors and finishes. Most models can be further customized with logos and artwork. To learn more, visit www.Ampli.com . AmpliVox® Sound Systems products are predominant- ly made in the USA, meet stringent CE standards, and come with a warranty up to 12 years. AmpliVox® Sound Systems offers an extensive range of superior quality, sim- ple to operate, and reliable electronics, including our new integrated multi-media furniture line, to provide maxi- mum satisfaction and ensure a crystal clear message. Visit www.ampli.com for more information. NORTHBROOK,IL— AmpliVox is proud to introduce a ver- satile new option in its extensive se- lection of attractive acrylic lecterns. The SN3075 Traditional RTA Acrylic Lectern combines the elegant universal appeal of acrylic with a bonus of portability: unlike most acrylic lecterns, it can be easily dis- assembled for trans- portation and re- assembled with just a few screws. The compact, lightweight RTA Lectern fits any décor, and can be customized