Business
Compassion has always been present in the role of “Funeral Director”. This recent article on the Mortuary Science program at the University of Minnesota quotes Director Michael LuBrant as saying, “It’s such a unique field and it isn’t something a lot of people think of. . .” But LuBrant also says that the characteristics…
In February the Walt Disney Company (Disney) reported their earnings for the First Quarter of their Fiscal Year of 2026. In that report they announced that “The experiences unit, which includes Disney’s parks, cruises and consumer products, carried the December quarter, generating $10 billion in revenue and 72% of the company’s quarterly operating profit…
“Affordability” is a buzz-word in the consumer vernacular at this time. And, unfortunately if you are in the funeral home or cemetery business, that relates down to the thinking a consumer does when looking at the cost of funeral or cemetery services at the time of need. Lately in looking for material for…
A quote from a 1987 Los Angeles Times article on the then growing acquisitions of Pierce Brothers Mortuaries goes like this, “In increasing numbers, long-established mortuaries are closing or, more often, selling to (firms) which can spread overhead costs . . . . among several funeral homes.” Another quote from that 1987…
To my knowledge there is not an MBA program in Funeral Directing or Death Care to be found anywhere in the United States. However, through a partnership of Goalmakers and the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) individuals can participate in a 10-week interactive online program that will award successful participants a “CANA Deathcare Business…
The people at Chptr are not standing still. In the last couple of weeks they have added Death Care industry veteran Glenn Gould to their team in a position that they term President of Funeral Home Services. You can see a Chaptr release on that move here. The company also announced on March…
Late last week Fox 6 TV of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, broke a story pertaining to Death Care that I found to be incredulous. Here’s the headline, “Milwaukee County funeral home debt; officials move to collect fees”. You can access the story here. The headline itself is fairly innocuous but the story goes on to…
I have distinct memories of accompanying my father to a community forum that included Death Care at our local technical college back in about 1972 when I was a young teenager. What I remember most about that event is the questions hurled at my father about what appeared to be the way funeral…
“If you are a funeral director and don’t know about Sunset yet you are probably missing out on a tool that your families would thank you for. . . ” Last week MarketWatch published an article (that is stopped by a paywall from accessing) about Sunset’s first ever “Estate Settlement Report Card“. That…
In a press release received the other day, Homesteaders Life Company, a national leader in Preneed Death Care funding announced that 2026 marks the 120th year for the company. The company issued its first policy in February 1906 and, according to the company press release, “has since grown into the most often-use preneed company…
