I read an article published on Friday by Samuel Leathers and featured on the site, Seeking Alpha. The crux of the article, which you can read here, is the author’s opinion that a better way to play the “Graying of America” demographic in the stock market than senior housing and the nursing home industry is…
For years veterans and their families who live on the east end of South Dakota have complained that there is no national veteran’s cemetery in proximity to them where they could consider burying their loved ones. The only South Dakota national veteran’s cemeteries are in Sturgis and Hot Springs on the far west end of…
Since the 1st of the year we have been busy telling you what happened with the public companies, where we think the public companies are going, what we think will happen in the industry in 2018, reminiscing about an old lawsuit in the industry, and giving some advice on getting positive public relations for your…
Last week a jury was seated and opening statements were begun in the criminal trial of Arthur Rathburn, age 64, of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. Rathburn is accused of fraudulently misrepresenting his unusual product, that of parts of bodies that had been donated for research. According to an article on the case that you can…
In an article from the Think Advisor which you can read here it was reported that Ogden, Utah based pre-need life insurer Great Western Life Insurance is going to be acquired by American Republic Insurance of Des Moines, Iowa. Great Western is a privately held life insurance company, specializing in Pre-Need funeral insurance started by…
BUSINESS
A Canary in the Coal Mine?
Funeral Director Daily recently learned through this late August article in The Times (of London) that Dignity Funerals of Great Britain recently “has moved to reduce its debts after warning of “material uncertainties” over…
Shared values leads to succession choice
According to this press release it appears that one of the reasons that the Johnson-Romito Funeral Homes chose Busch Cremation, Burial, and Pre-Planning as their successor firm is the funeral homes’ common values…
I’m set for New Orleans. . Are you?
Just over a month from now, from October 19 thru the 23rd, I’ll be in New Orleans attending the 2024 National Funeral Directors Association National Convention. I procrastinated but still got registered under the…
FINANCE
A Canary in the Coal Mine?
Funeral Director Daily recently learned through this late August article in The Times (of London) that Dignity Funerals of Great Britain recently “has moved to reduce its debts after warning of “material uncertainties” over…
Shared values leads to succession choice
According to this press release it appears that one of the reasons that the Johnson-Romito Funeral Homes chose Busch Cremation, Burial, and Pre-Planning as their successor firm is the funeral homes’ common values…
Park Lawn Corporation shakes up the C-Suite, adds operating locations
In this press release from Tuesday, September 10, Park Lawn Corporation (PLC) CEO J. Bradley Green announced both that the PLC leadership team had some changes to it and also that the company…
REGULATIONS
I’m set for New Orleans. . Are you?
Just over a month from now, from October 19 thru the 23rd, I’ll be in New Orleans attending the 2024 National Funeral Directors Association National Convention. I procrastinated but still got registered under the…
It’s Fall. . . .time to think about your Continuing Education credits
It’s funny how it happens. . . Yesterday was Summer and on Labor Day Monday I woke up to 50 degree temperatures in my Minnesota community. It made for a great Monday morning…
Mobility, remote locations may cause lack of services for consumers
There is no doubt that there is a trend of greater mobility to preferred residential locales for retired citizens and we also know that the choice of cremation services, especially direct cremation with…
CEMETERY
Last wills, charitable giving, and preneed
Central Co-op of Great Britain is an interesting company. They are a company with a history of over 100 years and operate in the grocery, legal services, floral, and funeral business. According…
“Place” is very important
Earlier in August I came across this feature article titled “One of Oregon’s most prominent families appears to want another family’s burial plot” from Willamette Weekly of Oregon about a disagreement in ownership…
Propel Funeral Partners announces acquisition
In a press release Propel Funeral Partners of New Zealand announced a somewhat unusual acquisition. Propel announced in July that they had completed the acquisition of Decra Art. Decra Art is believed…
CREMATION
Carriage Services: Strategies driving improvements
I’m one that believes you can learn something from seeing what the public companies in funeral service are doing. When I was active with my funeral home in the business I would read their…
Where’s Waldo? . . .and what happened to Eirene?
Eirene Cremations, the Toronto based direct-cremation business seems to have vanished from the world of Death Care. It was not so long ago that the company announced expansion into Western Canada and the…
Cremation has grown to a rate where growth is now “decelerating”
It was back in June when the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) issued its 2024 Annual Statistical Report. That report showed as CANA said, “. . . “the national cremation rate has grown…
PRENEED
Last wills, charitable giving, and preneed
Central Co-op of Great Britain is an interesting company. They are a company with a history of over 100 years and operate in the grocery, legal services, floral, and funeral business. According…
Carriage Services: Strategies driving improvements
I’m one that believes you can learn something from seeing what the public companies in funeral service are doing. When I was active with my funeral home in the business I would read their…
What’s on the backside of this interest rate/inflation environment for funeral homes?
Funeral home owners and managers in the United States, and around the world, have had a lot on their business management plates in the 2020’s decade. Along with the continual increasing use of…
PRODUCTS
I’m set for New Orleans. . Are you?
Just over a month from now, from October 19 thru the 23rd, I’ll be in New Orleans attending the 2024 National Funeral Directors Association National Convention. I procrastinated but still got registered under the…
Foundation Partners acquires Cake
In a press release from yesterday we learned that funeral home and cemetery operator Foundation Partners Group (FPG) has acquired the end-of-life planning company Cake. The press release, which you can access here,…
Start-up is producing biodegradable mushroom caskets for wholesale distribution
This article and news story video from Fox 43 of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will introduce you to a small Franklin County, Pennsylvania, farm where owner Max Justice is on “a mission to bury the…
