Sometimes the way we communicate is overlooked and can, over time, creep costs upward and move operational productivity down at the same time. Things like internet services and the providers that we use need to be reviewed every so often. InvoCare, which operates 290 funeral locations and 16 cemeteries across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore…
Monday morning I received a call from a lady I know who works tirelessly with the community’s Junior Achievement organization. She mentioned that they were looking for some new board members and she wondered if I would be interested in serving. My first thought was, “I don’t need more board positions”. I’ve served on a…
Last week Canadian based public company funeral home and cemetery operator Park Lawn Corporation released its 3rd Quarter and 9-month results for 2019. You can see them here. The fast growing company reported 2019 3Q revenues of $66.5 million as compared to 2018 3rd Quarter revenues of $43.2 million. . .an increase of 54%. They…
I’ve been involved in the funeral business long enough to see the State of Minnesota move, in what I consider a more consumer friendly way, in respect to the business of preneed. I can go back to the 1980’s when we were only allowed to put a consumer’s designated funeral funds into a bank guaranteed…
Hillenbrand Industries, parent company of Batesville Casket company reported earlier this week that Batesville’s fiscal 4th Quarter sales (July, August, September) were essentially flat from the prior year. You can see Hillenbrand’s 4th Quarter and Year End report here. Hillenbrand Industries reported quarterly revenue of $486 million — an increase over 4Q 2018 of 2%. …
BUSINESS
Traditional funeral homes: Is your clientele “aging out”?
That might be an odd headline for a funeral home article, but I had the thought process this week when I wondered if the market for “traditional funerals” has “aged-out”. And, if so, what…
Make sure your obituary postings get seen
It’s imperative in today’s information age where all kinds of information is available to the public that the obituaries your funeral home disseminates get seen by the appropriate audience. It’s no different than what…
Harvard business professor: Time to pay funeral expenses of organ donors
According to this recent article authored by Alex Chan of the Harvard Business School and Kurt Sweat of The School of Public Health at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center “In the U.S.,…
FINANCE
Park Lawn situation: In Substack article, author Russo opines on the events of last week
On Monday of this week Substack, under their “On Deathcare” platform released a very well researched article by author Tony Russo titled, “Why are we still pretending Homesteaders is ‘just’ a Park Lawn investor?”…
Everstory Partners publishes “Year in Review”
Recently private company Everstory Partners, who may be the 2nd largest Death Care services company in North America ranked on revenue, published an impressive “Year in Review” document that you can access here.…
Park Lawn Corporation makes leadership changes
Last evening funeral service publication Connecting Directors reported that Park Lawn Corporation made leadership changes earlier in the week that included the replacement of Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Hay and Chief Operating Officer…
REGULATIONS
Harvard business professor: Time to pay funeral expenses of organ donors
According to this recent article authored by Alex Chan of the Harvard Business School and Kurt Sweat of The School of Public Health at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center “In the U.S.,…
Heating homes with cremation emissions: An ethical question?
Energy transfer is not a new science. Yet I was surprised when I read this recent article published in The World – Public Radio that was titled “How cremations are helping to heat…
Future Funeral Directors: Education, License Portability, Hiring Practices all in flux
I spent six years as a board member of the University of Minnesota, which comprises the 8th largest campus by enrollment in the United States counting over 55,000 students. During that tenure I spent two…
CEMETERY
This might give a new meaning to “Permanent Memorialization”
I’m a big fan of “permanent memorialization” for the simple fact that that memorialization of that type continues to give creedence to a “life that was lived”. I’ve seen the graves and permanent memorialization…
SCI: Strategy changed in early 2000’s to target 8-12% Earnings Growth
Service Corporation International (SCI) recently participated at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference and were represened there by Senior Vice-President and Treasurer Aaron Foley. Seeking Alpha provided a transcript of Foley’s comments and answers…
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…
CREMATION
Heating homes with cremation emissions: An ethical question?
Energy transfer is not a new science. Yet I was surprised when I read this recent article published in The World – Public Radio that was titled “How cremations are helping to heat…
This might give a new meaning to “Permanent Memorialization”
I’m a big fan of “permanent memorialization” for the simple fact that that memorialization of that type continues to give creedence to a “life that was lived”. I’ve seen the graves and permanent memorialization…
We’ve truly “Turned the Corner”
There is no doubt that when one thinks of the idea of an embalmer around the time of the Civil War (1860’s in the U.S.) or one known as an “undertaker” in the same…
PRENEED
Park Lawn situation: In Substack article, author Russo opines on the events of last week
On Monday of this week Substack, under their “On Deathcare” platform released a very well researched article by author Tony Russo titled, “Why are we still pretending Homesteaders is ‘just’ a Park Lawn investor?”…
Propel Funeral Partners First-Half FY2026 continues upward trends
When you look at the First-Half of the 2026 Fiscal Year for Propel Funeral Partners you will not notice anything “earth shattering”. From my point of view, when that is the case with an…
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. …
PRODUCTS
Parting Stone hires former customer and industry award recipient, continues march forward with funeral home partners
Parting Stone, the pioneer in solidified remains, announced last week in a press release that they have hired the 2025 recipient of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Inspiration Award, Katey Houston, “. .…
Batesville makes investment in Eterneva, will “leverage” client relationships
Last week Batesville announced in this press release that they had “made an equity investment in Eterneva and formed a strategic partnership with the company to expand access to custom memorial diamonds.” Batesville also…
Make sure your obituary postings get seen
It’s imperative in today’s information age where all kinds of information is available to the public that the obituaries your funeral home disseminates get seen by the appropriate audience. It’s no different than what…
