VP of Merchandising to Lead Product Growth Strategy for Starmark Funeral Products Richmond, IN – Starmark, a leading manufacturer and innovator of funeral products, has announced the appointment of Arie Elder to Vice President of Merchandising. Elder has served customers in several leadership positions across the organization, loves funeral professionals, and has a lifetime passion for marketing and merchandising.   Arie Elder The title change matches Elder’s current responsibilities of helping funeral product distributors and funeral professionals improve their merchandising for sup ..read more

West Des Moines, Iowa — AM Best Company, a global rating agency focused on the insurance industry, has  announced the affirmation of Homesteaders Life Company’s financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) with a  stable outlook.  “Homesteaders remains dedicated to providing our policy owners and funeral home customers peace of mind  with a consistently strong financial profile,” said Homesteaders Executive VP-CFO Steve Pick. “This latest AM Best affirmation represents a significant vote of confidence in our financial management philosophy and  our ability to pay policy ..read more

Media, PA—ASD is pleased to introduce a new webinar series to help funeral professionals using its service take advantage of all of the technology solutions and customization options available to them. ASD’s Unlocking Success webinars are designed to enhance clients’ utilization of the company’s answering services. These webinars delve into the most frequently asked questions and showcase the innovative solutions ASD has crafted to simplify the lives of funeral directors.  Hosted by ASD National Sales Manager, Craig Meehan with a rotating co-host from various departments within ASD ..read more

“Outraged,” “upset,” “disgusted,” and “furious.” These are words no deathcare professional wants to hear from a family — let alone see on the five o’clock news — in regards to the care they provide. Yet, these are the exact sentiments families are sharing more and more often when cemeteries enforce their decoration policies. Just check out these recent headlines: Families upset after items were removed from loved ones graves ‘Never seen anything like this’: Families outraged after cemetery dumps grave memorials Cemetery enforcing current rules leaving families ‘angry and upset’ There’s a com ..read more

Welcome to the hundred-and-thirty-seventh edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #137, where we’ll serve up bite-sized, easily-digestible nuggets of the deathcare news you need to crush conversations in the week ahead. Bon appetit! Special delivery An Arkansas woman pleaded guilty to transporting stolen body parts across state lines and mail fraud last week for selling 24 boxes of stolen body parts to a Pennsylvania man for nearly $11,000. While working for a mortuary services provider in 2021 and 2022, Candace Scott stole human body parts and fetal remains that had been donated and ..read more

STERLING, VA (May 8, 2024) – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its 2024 Annual Convention & Exposition, held in Tampa, Florida, from April 10-13. The event brought together professionals from the deathcare profession for a dynamic and engaging experience. “With 996 registered attendees and more than 2,000 individuals in attendance, the convention not only met but surpassed expectations,” said ICCFA President Lee Longino. “We are thrilled to see such strong participation, underscoring our commitment ..read more

Join Ryan Thogmartin and Pierce Dempsey as they discuss the importance of hospice partnerships in the death care industry. Pierce shares insights on building relationships with hospice organizations and the impact it can have on funeral businesses. Learn valuable strategies and get a sneak peek into Pierce’s upcoming lecture at ICCFA University. For inquiries, contact Pierce at pierce@leafcremation.com Funeral Nation is powered by: C&J Financial – http://www.cjf.com DISRUPT Media – http://www.disruptmedia.co ConnectingDirectors.com DeathCareJobs.com The post Building Hospice Partnerships ..read more

STERLING, VA (May 6, 2024) – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) proudly announces the election of new leadership during its 2024 Annual Convention & Exposition held from April 10th-13th in Tampa, Florida. The following esteemed individuals have been elected as ICCFA officers for the term 2023- 2024: President: Lee Longino, Service Corporation International, Houston, Texas President-Elect: Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE, O’ahu Cemetery & Crematory, Honolulu, Hawaii Vice President, Education: John Bolton, CCE, CCrE, CS, CXE, Park Lawn Corporation, Houston, Tex ..read more

It’s hard to believe that it was just one year ago that DISRUPT Media and Connecting Directors launched DeathCareJobs.com, a revolutionary one-stop-shop experience for both hiring managers and job seekers in the deathcare space. “I believe DeathCareJobs.com offers, hands-down, the best opportunities for candidates to connect with hiring managers,” says Ryan Thogmartin, DISRUPT Media founder and CEO and the driving force behind DeathCareJobs.com. “The proof is in the phenomenal number of employers, applicants, and job postings we’ve shared since we launched in late April 2023.” More than 400 em ..read more

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is delighted to announce the funeral service professionals who have been selected to participate in the 2024-25 National Emerging Leaders Program. This program, which is one of NFDA’s many efforts support funeral homes in retaining quality employees, has helped 38 funeral service professionals cultivate and enhance the skills, abilities and characteristics necessary to effectively lead in their business, their community, and state and national organizations.  “On behalf of the NFDA Board of Directors, I extend heart ..read more