In our “Get to Know Them” segment we endeavor our mission of getting our readers to know who some of the other readers of Funeral Director Daily are and to highlight all of the different occupations that keep the Death Care profession providing our services to those in need.

Today, we highlight Mr. Bill Forsberg.  Mr. Forsberg has been around the death care industry most of his adult life beginning as funeral director.  When you look at what he has accomplished you get the idea that he knows the business.  Bill and I have had several conversations via e-mail and even phone conversations and his opinion is highly regarded by this blog writer.

I was able to get a smile from his interview when he tells of starting in the funeral business in a time when the funeral home also operated an ambulance service.  Our funeral home was the same way in the 1970’s and what a difference a few years makes. . . . It makes me think of “Conflict of Interest” as I remember my dad telling me that he hated to send out ambulance billings because he did not want the family disappointed about the charges in case the family member eventually passed away.

From my perspective as a middle school student during those times, the best advantage of operating an ambulance service was being able to ride out to the local stock care races with the ambulance crew and get in for free as our ambulance provided the emergency services for the race track!!  And, once inside the gates I disappeared from the crew until I needed a ride home!!

Here’s our interview with Bill Forsberg:

Q1.  What is your position and company in the Death Care profession/industry at this time?

A1.  I am the President and owner of The ADDvantage Casket Company in Raleigh, North Carolina. ADDvantage is a full-service casket and urn wholesale distribution business serving funeral directors 24/7/365 in North and South Carolina and parts of Virginia. The business was founded by Vickie Zimmerman over a decade ago and I assumed ownership in 2018.

 

Q2.  Is this your first employment experience in the Death Care profession/industry?  If so, how did you acquire this position and what do you believe are some of your previous work life experiences that may have qualified you for this position?

If it is not your first employment experience in the Death Care profession/industry, what other, if any positions have you held in the profession/industry?

A2.  My involvement in the profession began as an apprentice funeral director/embalmer in 1972 at a funeral home doing 200 casketed deaths per year. The business also included a moderately sized ambulance operation that all the funeral home staff was required work in. The EMT training and experience was a great career addition because of having to quickly prioritize decisions “on the fly” which affected other people.

After graduation from a 2-year Mortuary College program I worked for a 900-call firm for 6 months and then struck out on my own to purchase a 225-call operation and later a 400-call operation with a crematory.

I sold the businesses to a consolidator and joined them for 10 years as a regional director before moving to Chicago for the position of Wilbert Vault’s Vice President of marketing and sales. Following that 8-year period with Wilbert came a Batesville Casket position and after that president of a regional consolidator before becoming the Executive Director of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association. I left the association when I purchased the ADDvantage company. 

 

Q3.  How would you describe what you do in your present position?

A3.  I believe that it’s important to be in the day to day workings of the business and know how each job functions so that’s what I do every day. It’s important because If something untoward comes about, such as a staff member leaving or “Catching Covid”, you are able to carry on without a major interruption. It’s also good for the morale of the team as it shows what the owner is capable of (or not). He/she isn’t just sitting in the office.

 

Q4.  Do you belong to any professional organizations or associations?  If so, which ones?

A4.  For several years I was on the exhibit committee of NFDA; spent 2 years on the Funeral Foundation as a Trustee and also served on the Pierce Mortuary College Board of Trustees. Our firm is a member of two NC state associations, as well as the NFDA and ICCFA

 

Q5.  What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing the Death Care community in the next decade?

A5.  To undo what the Pandemic has done to the profession. 

The important work of the funeral director and his actions to help bring closure to the people that have lost a loved one can’t be replaced with technology. What’s happened is the funeral has been downgraded to that of a postponed, limited attendee event, sometime in the future This abbreviated good bye period- invitation only – gathering maxed at a fraction of the normal attendee numbers. The Pandemic has turned it into an electronic webinar. How do you feel if you aren’t one of the 25-50 lucky folks who were picked to attend in person ? Even if you could attend, all touching and hugging are strictly ‘verboten.  Physical contact at an emotional time like a death just can’t be replaced with a 65-inch telecast monitor.

 

Q6.  What are the best words of advice you received about working in the Death Care community?

A6.  Deliver your very best in every area of the death care process and do it as if all your actions would appear on the front page of the next day’s newspaper- good or bad.  You can’t go wrong with that kind of advice from someone like Frank Stewart who suggested that course of action to many a funeral director.

 

Q7.  What would you advise those thinking about entering the Death Care profession/industry?

A7.  This business offers so many great things that other professions don’t or can’t. Job security, good income potential, rapid advancement to management based on performance, building relationships with a closely knit group with members in every city and town across the country. Friendship and loyalty are hallmarks that enrich a career experience tenfold.

Despite the current challenges I believe there has never been a better time to be in funeral service and never more opportunity to really excel if you have a plan and stick with it. 

 

Q8.  Tell us a little about yourself and what you enjoy doing when away from work.

A8.  I was the 12th child in our family and my father was not in the funeral business so there weren’t any generational advantages for me.

True to the professions one common problem is that I don’t have a great deal of outside interests or hobbies. Working with client families for 30 years ‘on the floor’ and now with funeral homes of all shapes and sizes has occupied most of my time. However, at the behest of a friend and encouragement from my son I took up restoring Mid Century Modern (MCM) office furniture and accessories – recall the television series’ Mad Men’ on TV. It is fun to find desks and cabinets that as a young boy I remember seeing in the old banks and executive offices. That era’s furniture was built like a Sherman tank and had parts that were easy to remove and replace if something did break. Taking something in disrepair and bringing it back to its original state has its reward.