Funeral Director Daily

SCI reports 2Q 2023. . . .we see a mixed bag of news

By Funeral Director Daily / August 3, 2023 /

      Service Corporation International (SCI) the largest Death Care business in North America reported their results for the 2nd Quarter of 2023 earlier this week.  They reported an increase in sales revenue of about 2.2% over the same quarter of 2022 — sales in 2Q2023 totaled $1.013 billion as compared to $990.9 million…

Looking into August. . . Here’s some interesting opportunities

By Funeral Director Daily / August 2, 2023 /

  As the calendar turns into August Funeral Director Daily has identified some interesting learning opportunities for our readers.  And, a couple of them begin as early as tomorrow.  Here’s some of the things on tap:   From Wilbert’s continuing series of e-learning for funeral professionals we bring you these August opportunities for free CEU…

Permanent Memorialization: What does it mean in today’s world?

By Funeral Director Daily / August 2, 2023 /

  On the same day last week three different articles or press releases came to my inbox and those pieces of literature formed a mental Venn Diagram for me about cremation and memorialization.  The articles, taken together made me think about the continuing growth of cremation and what will be done with the cremated remains…

Is your message reaching the “Right” audience?

By Funeral Director Daily / August 1, 2023 /

    I think every funeral home owner and marketing directors of larger funeral home, crematory, and cemetery operations by now understands that social media has some say in how people perceive your business is operated and how it may take care of their family if and when necessary.   One big question, however, is…

Foundation Partners Group’s Lee Senderov on “Reinventing the Funeral”

By Funeral Director Daily / July 31, 2023 /

      I recently had the opportunity to listen to an insightful podcast that featured Foundation Partners Group’s Chief Marketing and Digital Officer Lee Senderov.  She was a guest on the podcast “Celebration Chatters” which is hosted by 1-800-Flowers founder Jim McCann.   I’ve been a licensed funeral director for over 40 years but…

Matthews CEO Bartolacci: “This is a different business than it was just 3 years ago”

By Funeral Director Daily / July 31, 2023 /

  Matthews International, parent company of Aurora Casket and Matthews Cremation, reported their 3rd Quarter 2023 results and 9-Month results for 2023 last week.  I think the overriding take on that report is that Matthews International has continued their growing revenue spurt moved mostly by their recent entrance into the energy storage solutions business.  …

Into the weekend with InvoCare and TPG Capital

By Funeral Director Daily / July 28, 2023 /

      The latest information we have out of Australia on the potential takeover of Australia’s largest death care provider, InvoCare, by United States private equity company TPG Capital is from a “Street Talk” column in Wednesday’s Australian Financial Review.  Here’s a couple of exerpts from that article which is entitled “InvoCare talks turn…

Who said, “Cemetery management is easy”?

By Funeral Director Daily / July 28, 2023 /

        For the most part, cemeteries are tranquil places where lot ownership, interments, and maintenance usually go off as planned and when they do people just don’t seem to notice all the good work and planning that has been done to accomplish that.  But, as this recent print and video news story…

End-of-Life “Purpose” insurance seems to be moving toward Pre-Need

By Funeral Director Daily / July 27, 2023 /

    When you think of End-of-Life “Purpose” insurance there are two basic types.  First, there is Pre-Need which is generally sold by funeral or cremation providers with the death benefit proceeds going directly to those providers to pay for services that have been pre-planned by the purchasers or their caretakers.   Then there is…

Propel Funeral Partners keeps marching forward

By Funeral Director Daily / July 26, 2023 /

      Most of the news out of the South Pacific dealing with Death Care has been about the prolonged potential takeover of Australia’s largest funeral and cremation provider, InvoCare, by the United States based private equity firm TPG Global.  However, while that potential marriage is still under consideration, Propel Funeral Partners, the 2nd…