Business

Modern morticians need to be “Facilitators of Choices”

By Funeral Director Daily / July 15, 2024 /

      I’m guessing that if somebody asked you to picture an “old time mortician” in your mind, you might think somewhat like I do and picture that pioneer mortician so often portrayed from the days of the United States westward expansion during the 2nd half of the 1800’s.   That time period between…

Read More

A roadblock in Delaware

By Funeral Director Daily / July 12, 2024 /

    All states have some type of restriction on who can fill in and file death certificates online.  And, in most states, that responsibility lies many times with licensed funeral directors and morticians.  This article from Delaware Public Radio WDDE tells us of a discrimination lawsuit being filed by the American Civil Liberties Union…

Read More

Family-run firms expand in Indiana and Wales . . and “Have it All”

By Funeral Director Daily / July 11, 2024 /

  For the past three days Funeral Director Daily has ran feature articles that deal with the major public companies in our profession — Matthews International, Service Corporation International, and Carriage Services.  While lots of attention goes to those big companies I continually remind myself that “Death Care” is a local and home-grown business.  …

Read More

Matthews International, EV automaker Tesla at odds over lawsuit

By Funeral Director Daily / July 8, 2024 /

    Matthews International is a company that according to this rating action from Fitch, collects 45% of its revenue from its Memorialization Segment and also brings home approximately 60% of its EBITDA from that source.  As you may know, Matthews International is the parent company of Aurora Casket and Matthews Cremation and  other death…

Read More

Minnesota’s “Transfer Care Specialist” category is now effective

By Funeral Director Daily / July 5, 2024 /

    In an effort to help alleviate some of the worker shortages in the funeral home profession the State of Minnesota Legislature passed what is known as the “Transfer Care Specialist” category for funeral homes this past session.  That category of workers became effective on July 1 and is now in effect.   In…

Read More

Politics, political correctness, and your funeral home

By Funeral Director Daily / July 1, 2024 /

    It was almost impossible last week to live in the United States and not know or hear about the Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.  Even if you didn’t want to know it was happening, you knew anyway because it dominated the news and announcements on almost every…

Read More

Lots of competition. . .lots of opportunity

By Funeral Director Daily / June 28, 2024 /

    I received the July 2024 edition of The Director and read many of the articles.  One that interested me was authored by Curtis Rostad and was titled “Prices vs. The Internet”.  I enjoyed the entire article and think the author makes a great point, but what really captivated me was his perception that almost…

Read More

Homesteaders Life partners with Gather’s case management platform

By Funeral Director Daily / June 27, 2024 /

    Homesteaders Life Insurance Company of Iowa has been in the news a lot lately.  The preneed company that issued its first policy for final expenses in 1906 most recently announced in this press release that they have formed a partnership with Gather’s case management platform.   According to the press release,  “The new…

Read More

Podcast points out importance of “Focus” in building your brand

By Funeral Director Daily / June 26, 2024 /

    Only a few years ago Dan Garrett of the United Kingdom founded the will writing company Farewill in that country.  He estimates that his company has moved, via estates, a wealth transfer of more than 100 billion pounds of assets.  He’s moved on to also start a firm in Direct Cremation with “Farewill…

Read More

ChurchFunerals Direct announces partnership with OARBC

By Funeral Director Daily / June 25, 2024 /

Earlier this month ChurchFunerals Direct, an Ohio-based funeral services provider made this announcement that they had formed a partnership with the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches (OARBC).  According to the announcement, ChurchFunerals Direct is now “the official state funeral provider for the 134 churches in the OARBC.   According to Mark May, ChurchFunerals Direct…

Read More