In this press release issued last week you can read that PlotBox has acquired MIS (sometimes referred to as HMIS). The PlotBox website brings about this statement about the integration of the companies, “ (this transaction) bring(s) one of the industry’s most comprehensive capabilities – from PlotBox’s cloud-native mapping, operations, records, and financial…
Since they sold Batesville in February 2023, Hillenbrand Industries has been out of the Death Care business. But, if you are a long-time member of the Death Care community the name Hillenbrand has been synonymous with the funeral profession since 1906 when John A. Hillenbrand purchased the Batesville Casket Company and founded “Hillenbrand”…
As things seem to do in my life, circumstances came together this week to have me reflect on changes in the Death Care profession/industry. First of all, here’s three items that came together to make me think about changes in our businesses. I attended the funeral of a long-time member of my…
Again, the 15th of the month leads us to re-issue our Top Read articles of the month for our readers — just in case you missed one of them the first time. This month two articles dealing with legal issues of Death Care appear as our Top Two articles and for the…
There is a lot happening in the Death Care world. . . especially when it comes to Death Care businesses changing hands. We recently learned that Funeral Partners, one of Great Britain’s largest Death Care providers with approximately 280 locations across the country may be up for sale. And, it may be a…
BUSINESS
Wisconsin acquisition follows “Successful” strategy
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…
CANA partners to offer “Deathcare Business Administration Certification”
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…
Chptr makes moves, promotes televised Death Notices
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…
FINANCE
Wisconsin acquisition follows “Successful” strategy
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…
CANA partners to offer “Deathcare Business Administration Certification”
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…
Carriage Services’ 4th Q25 and Year-End ’25 Earnings Call “Notes and Quotes”
Last week funeral home and cemetery operator Carriage Services reported on their 4th Quarter of 2025 and their Year-End of 2025 financial results. Earlier in the week Funeral Director Daily published this article on…
REGULATIONS
CANA partners to offer “Deathcare Business Administration Certification”
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…
There has to be another side to this story
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…
Does Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) face religious headwinds?
From 2015 to 2021 I served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. That 12-person governing board for the State of Minnesota got to know each other very well. One of the people…
CEMETERY
There has to be another side to this story
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…
Natural Organic Reduction to be done on the East Coast
Green-Wood Cemetery, the venerable and historic cemetery in New York City announced last week a plan to become the first facility on America’s East Coast that will offer Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) or Terramation…
VA Cemeteries set new record for “Customer Satisfaction”
Funeral directors should feel good about their role in helping the “The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration earn the highest customer satisfaction score ever achieved by any public or private organization measured…
CREMATION
Private Equity company Epiris to sell a “Structured Minority interest” in Pure Cremation
I’ve watched the growth of direct cremation provider and preneed cremation business Pure Cremation from a start-up to, in my opinion, the most profitable investment in Death Care over the past decade. According to…
Will the large-scale use of Hydrogen-powered cremation come into play?
One of the positive things of living during the winter months in a Florida golf community is that I get to meet and play golf with lots of new people with greatly differing…
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
PRENEED
Funeral planning: There seems to be a gap between “Perception and Action”
Funeral planning is an interesting topic on an individual basis. In my opinion, regardless of your age, self-mortality is a thought all human beings have at more than one point in their lives. …
Homesteaders celebrates 120 years, $5 Billion in force
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…
Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not
Today is January 20. It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”. That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit…
PRODUCTS
CANA partners to offer “Deathcare Business Administration Certification”
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…
Chptr makes moves, promotes televised Death Notices
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…
Sunset publishes “Estate Settlement Report Card”
“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…
