Table of Contents - Connecticut Funeral Directors Association

CFDA
Est. 1889
ssociate
A
the
Table of Contents
Publication of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, Inc.
Page 3
2015 Review and Welcoming 2016
by CFDA Executive Director
John F. Cascio
Page 4
A Message from the President
Howard K. Hill’s Address to the
Membership at the Annual Meeting
Page 6
CFDA Update
CFDA Welcomes Four New CFDA
Board Members for 2016
Page 8
CFDA Suppliers and Vendors Help
Make the 2015 Annual Meeting
A Great Success
Page 10
2015 CFD-PAC
Page 12
Photos from the Annual Meeting
Page 14
NFDA 2015 Member General
Price List Survey Results
Page 16
2015 NFDA Policy Board Report
Page 18
Winter Drive
Save Driving and Vehicle
Maintenance Are Key
Page 20
Telephone Customer Service
Tips for Funeral Homes
Page 22
Tips of the Day
by Timothy Bourdon, President
TJB Financial Services, Inc.
End of the Year 2015
Volume 48 • No. 6
The 2015 CFDA Annual Meeting
December 3, at the
Crowne Plaza Cromwell
Volume 48 • No. 6
2016 CFDA Calendar
April 6-8
NFDA Advocacy Summit,
Washington, DC
April 8-10
NFDA Professional Women’s Conference, Cape Coral, FL
May 19
CFDA Scholarship Reception TBA
June 2
CFDA Appreciation Night
at the Water’s Edge Resort,
Westbrook, CT
July 10-13
NFDA Leadership Conference,
Las Vegas, NV
July 14-19
State Executive’s Meeting,
Las Vegas, NV
September Annual Golf Tournament,
Date TBA
October 23-26NFDA Annual Convention,
Philadelphia, PA
December 1 CFDA Annual Meeting,
Radisson Hotel, Cromwell
CFDA
Est. 1889
Connecticut Funeral
Directors Association
364 Silas Deane Highway
Wethersfield, CT 06109
(860) 721-0234
fax (860) 257-3617
the Associate
CFDA Mission Statement
To advance the profession of funeral service
in Connecticut through Public Awareness,
Education, Advocacy and High Ethical
Standards.
Publication of the Connecticut
Funeral Directors Association, Inc.
364 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT 06109
phone (860) 721-0234
John F. Cascio, editor, executive director
fax (860) 257-3617
Noelle Frechette, administrative assistant
website: www.ctfda.org
Beverly Matthews, graphic design, production, photography
email: connfda@aol.com
member services, bjmdesign1@cox.net
2016 CFDA Officers
President Howard K. Hill, cfsp, cpc, cco
Howard K. Hill Funeral Services
Hartford, CT (860) 247-8793
New Haven, CT (203) 624-4477
howard@hkhfuneralservices.com
Vice President Robert L. Muccino, cpc
Funk Funeral Home
Bristol, CT
(860) 583-4107
bob.muccino@carriageservices.com
Treasurer Matthew R. Adzima
Adzima Funeral Home, Inc.
Stratford, CT
(203) 375-2200
adzimafuneralhome@snet.net
Secretary Edward J. Sheehy, Jr., cfsp, cpc
Riverview Funeral Home
Shelton, CT
(203) 924-6800
ed.sheehy@riverviewfh.com
Past President Stephen M. King, cfsp
Mystic Funeral Home
Mystic, CT
(860) 536-2888
stephen@mysticfuneralhome.com
Policy Board Representative
Pasquale S. Folino, cfsp
Thomas L. Neilan & Sons,
New London, CT (860) 443-1871
East Lyme Funeral Home,
Niantic, CT (860) 739-6112
pasquale@neilanfuneralhome.com
Executive Committee
Rebecca C. Lautenslager
Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home
Fairfield, CT
(203) 225-1031
rlautenslager@sbcglobal.net
John “Jay” C. Carmon, Jr. cpc
Carmon Funeral Homes
Windsor, CT
(860) 688-2200
jaycarmon@carmonfh.com
David W. MacDonald
Wallingford Funeral Home
Wallingford, CT
(203) 269-7777
dwmac22@gmail.com
Jacqueline L. Teske
Pietras Family Funeral Homes
Rockville, CT
(860) 875-0703
jteskeleft@cox.net
Jonathan Mannise
D’Esopo Funeral Chapel
Wethersfield, CT
(860) 563-6117
jon@desopo.com
Albert M. DeLucia (Alternate)
Porto Funeral Home
West Haven, CT
(203) 934-5000
East Haven, CT
(203) 467-3000
albertdelucia@yahoo.com
CFDA Support Team Call CFDA Office for contact information
Lobbyist
Michael Dugan
Capitol Consulting, LLC
Legal Counsel
John P. McHugh, Esq.
Cranmore, Fitzgerald & Meaney
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Media and Public Relations
Laura Soll Public Relations, LLC
Trust Advisors
Victor Chigas, Chris Chigas or V.J. Chigas
Access Financial Group/ITS
State Board of Examiners for Embalmers &
Funeral Directors:
Darrell L. McClam, Embalmer, Chairperson
Gerald Bosak, Jr., Embalmer
Frank W. Carmon, IV, Embalmer
Agnes M. Pier (Public Member)
2015 Review and Welcoming 2016
by John F. Cascio, Executive Director CFDA
2015 has been very rewarding and successful
for the association. CFDA is a well-respected
Association in our State and at the National
level. Our membership has remained stable
and four new members joined in 2015. So
thank you in advance for your membership renewal and for all you do for families.
Our working relationship with the Medical
Examiner’s Office remains effective. We assist
in getting information to our membership and
Dr. Gill is only a phone call away and always
accepts my calls.
In Hartford, I am pleased to say, CFDA
members have volunteered their time to testify
before the legislature on issues that are pertinent to funeral service. I believe that we have
made a difference and educated those who
have the power to make decisions affecting our
industry. Please consider contributing to the
PAC fund in 2016!
We have an open door policy with the Health
Department. That relationship has been solidified by our attendance at State Board meetings.
¿Hablas españsol? Our “Funeral Trusts &
Contracts: Regarding Medicaid & Title 19”
brochures have been made available in English
and Spanish. These comprehensive handouts
include commonly asked questions, trust options, and useful information regarding what is
required to apply for Title 19.
Regional meetings, a renewed partnership
with Lincoln College and continued work
with the Veterans Affairs Commissioner Sean
Connelly are among the reasons that CFDA is
well-informed, proactive and a vital resource
for members and the families we serve.
For ten years we have been supportive of
non-profit organizations such as the Operation
E.L.F. “Embracing Lonely Families.” This past
summer we also partnered with another nonprofit group, Covenant to Care for Children,
to help disadvantaged school-aged individuals
with school supplies, backpacks and toiletries.
Our website has a new look in 2015. We will
continue to keep updating our site. Our 24/7
E-Blasts should be reaching everyone. If you’re
End of the Year 2015
Kathi and I had a great time at the Annual Meeting in December. A
chance to dine, dance and celebrate another successful year with our
friends in CFDA.
not receiving it, please provide your email to
the office. And take the time to read The Associate for local information as well as pertinent
articles from NFDA and other sources.
Our membership directory is available to
members in digital form and has been emailed
to everyone. It will be updated after the 2016
applications have been received.
As you can see this association is very active
and very busy. We have an enthusiastic, strong
and committed Board for CFDA. I want to
thank the 2015 and 2016 Board Members for
taking on this responsibility. I encourage participation on committees as a perfect way to
become more involved in CFDA.
One more reflection. I believe in my heart
that we have a great team of employees that
help promote the funeral industry and support the mission: To advance the profession of
funeral service in Connecticut through Public
Awareness, Education, Advocacy and High
Ethical Standards.
From my family to all of yours . . .
Happy New Year!
Peace on Earth.
And May the Force be with You — John
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
3
A Message from the President
Howard K. Hill’s Address to the
Membership at the Annual Meeting
Last year at this same event I was inducted in as the 126th president of the CFDA and what a
year it has been. Working along side my fellow Board members has helped me realize that Connecticut has some of greatest people in this nation; who happen to be funeral directors.
During my acceptance speech last year, we talked about issues related to our industry that affected funeral directors. I presented a plan and direction I wanted to foster in CFDA to help address
these challenges. You may recall, some of the issues we talked about were:
1. The rise in cremation.
2. Camaraderie amongst funeral directors across the state.
3. We talked about how CFDA can partner with mortuary schools to better prepare our
students to enter work into our funeral homes.
4. We talked about advocacy for our families we serve and for our business and clearly, in
2015, we had a very aggressive agenda but one that I thought we could actually achieve
because of the outstanding infrastructure of CFDA and the will of the Executive Board at
that time.
Tonight I would like to invite you on a journey to imagine
with me.
What I’m recommending we begin to do to propel the
CFDA and all of its members into the future . . .
CFDA is a very busy organization. We are respected by
our state legislation and recognized regionally and nationally
by our peers. Our infrastructure is strong and we are positioned to be stronger. In fact, we must become stronger. Our
present market place requires us as members to change. There
was a saying by a gentleman, Wallace D. Waddles who said,
“In times of change, the learners will inherit much; while
the learned, or non learners, will find themselves beautifully
equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” In other
words, if we do not change, we will be left behind. This year, I
propose we continue to build on the great foundation we currently sit. This will require your participation
and your willingness to change individually
and collectively as an organization. This year,
we shall continue with our regional meetings
to gather information on what our membership sees as value and worthwhile for CFDA’s
focus.
In the spirit of drawing on the rich wisdom
of our past, I would like to re-active the past
president’s meetings. This was a tradition in
years prior and one we must re-establish. We
have a young Board and we must draw on the
past experiences of those who have come before us. Doing so will prove to be an invaluable
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tool on how we move forward. After speaking
with several past presidents, we have a commitment from them that they will continue to
work with this Board to move our agenda forward. Thank you for your continued support.
While the legislative environment is not
conducive to address our concern for one single
pre-need contract, we must continue to advocate for this to happen; but we must do things
differently. In 2016, we must gather information and understand how legislation actually
determines the impact of a bill we present.
I am proposing that our legislative committee be co-chaired by an experienced past presiThe Associate
dent and a new current Executive Board member. I believe doing this will help strengthen the
effectiveness of our Board by connecting the experiences of our past presidents to our current
and future Board members. In addition, I am
requesting more members of CFDA to become
more involved in this legislative process. On a
state level, we can never have enough CFDA
members advocating for the needs of our families. There is always strength in numbers. For
years, we have had a main stay of past presidents
working on legislative issues. It is time for other
members to step up and join this fight, share
their knowledge, use their influence and exercise their obligation of advocating for CFDA.
Even after we are successful in obtaining the single pre-need contract, there will be other issues
CFDA will need to address. Within this strong
structure we have created in CFDA, we must
always be willing to change and adapt our attention to effectively address the needs of our
members and families we serve.
This year, we would like to look at a statewide branding campaign for CFDA members.
Yes, marketing and advertising is expensive.
But I ask you, with the influence of electronic
media, online merchandise sales of funeral service goods, products, and the celebration of life
companies out there, etc…, can we afford not
to market the value that we bring to grieving
families? Only funeral directors in CT can provide disposition of a deceased body. Our license
puts us in a very unique and powerful position
where families have to deal with us in order to
legally dispose of their loved ones. Hence, it is
our responsibility to get the dead where they
need to go and to help the survivors to get on a
path to where they need to be. Why not tell our
consumers?
In order to do this, we must improve ourselves
and continue to master our craft as licensed funeral directors. Many of you are already involved
with the “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” campaign
by FAMIC. This campaign is an effective way
to convey the importance of preplanning in a
meaningful way. It is important that all CFDA
members align their businesses with NFDA. In
2016, NFDA will be launching a new program
called “The Arranger Trainer Program”. According to NFDA CEO, Christine Pepper, the ArEnd of the Year 2015
ranger Trainer Program will give each of us the
tools you need to help families understand the
value of the funeral, the value of the funeral
director and the value of your staff.
Lastly, we would like to start the process of
creating a long term vision for CFDA. Because
we have a strong foundation, we have committed, capable members and great leadership, it
would behoove us to think about a strategic
plan where we have goals and outcomes that
can be measured. A strategic plan would help
guide the organization and create an environment of accountability thereby yielding consistency in our leadership and direction for our
staff and Board members. With your input we
can shape the future of CFDA and ensure we
maintain a system of effective leadership for its
members.
How you can help?
In the future, we will be asking you, how can
we be of most value to you in the future? When
we ask, please take a moment to respond. We
will be asking for your participation whether
it is attending a past president’s meeting, a regional meeting, complete a survey or serve on a
sub-committee project. Your valuable time and
knowledge is needed now.
2016 is going to be a great year! I am looking forward to working with all of you and the
Executive Board. We will start by asking . . .
you will help by answering . . . and together, we
will move our organization and your business
forward.
I am looking forward to serving you again in
2016, I am Howard K. Hill and it is an honor
and a blessing to serve you.
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
5
CFDAUpdate...
By Now You Should Have
Received Your 2016 CFDA
Dues & Membership
Application Package
• Please be certain all funeral directors are
listed, and all branches are listed on the
application.
• Please be sure to include any designations,
(cfsp, cpc, cco) on the application.
• If there are more than 4 funeral directors
please attach an additional list.
• Please be sure your funeral home business email and website addresses are listed
clearly on the front side of the application.
• If you wish to list email addresses for each
funeral director please include them.
• If you have questions, please contact our
office.
New Board Members (Continued)
Jonathan Mannise
Jonathan has worked at D’Esopo Funeral
Home in Wethersfield for 13 years after graduating from Briarwood College in 2000. He is
married to Emily Mannise, also a funeral Director at Swan Funeral Home in Clinton. He
is the father of four, Kyler, Ryan, Ayden and
Lyllian. They live in Wethersfield and enjoy
hiking and camping.
In Memoriam
James F. Morton
October 13, 2015
Father of Robert Morton
Morton’s Mortuary
Bridgeport, CT
Herbert M. Babbitt
November 10, 2015
Funeral Director
John J. Ferry & Sons
Meriden, CT
Francis P. Mulryan
December 16, 2015
Father of Tom Mulryan
Mulryan Funeral Home
Glastonbury, CT
CFDA Welcomes Four New CFDA
Board Members for 2016.
Jacqueline L. Teske
Jacqueline’s interest in funeral service was first
sparked by her cousin who was a funeral director. Then on Career Day in 1984 she “Shadowed” Dick Stevens from Leete-Stevens. After
studying Business at Asnuntuck Community
College she attended Briarwood and graduated in 2008. She has worked at Pietras Funeral Homes since 2005. Her family includes
her husband, Donald, son A.J. and daughter
Peyton. They breed golden retrievers and enjoy
watching their childrens’ sporting events.
Albert is a third generation funeral director and
Vice-President of the Porto Funeral Homes in
West Haven and East Haven. He graduated
from American Academy McAllister Institute
of Funeral Service and was licensed in 1982.
He is the son of CFDA member Anne Marie
Porto DeLucia, brother of CFDA member
and President of the Porto Funeral Homes
Clement L. DeLucia and JoAnn DeLucia.
He is the grandson of the late Albert L. and
Mary Connelly Porto Sr. who opened their funeral home in 1931. He is married to Maria
Perricone DeLucia and has a son Michael who
graduated from Mt. Ida College in 2013.
Albert M. DeLucia
We thank them for giving of their times and talent to serve on the our
Executive Board. The responsibilities of Board Members include (among
others): Determining and advancing the mission of CFDA; Supporting the
Executive Director and assessing performance; Ensuring adequate resources
(funds, time, volunteers, staff, technology etc.); Promoting the image of CFDA;
Ensuring legal and ethical integrity and maintaining accountability.
David Warren MacDonald
David began his funeral service career
while in his teens working with his uncle,
David T. Warren at Thomas E. Fitzgerald
Funeral Home (established in 1934) which
now does business as Wallingford Funeral
Home and Yalesville Funeral Home. He graduated from Mt. Ida in 1999 and then continued
at Quinnipiac University for a degree in Business Management in 2001. He is married to
Jennifer. They have two sons, Jagger and Carson and live in Wallingford. David enjoys golf
when he can find the time.
6
Indigent Funeral Update from Lobbyist Michael Dugan
On December 8th the General Assembly met
in Special Session to address a $350 million deficit in the current fiscal year’s budget. As you recall the Governor called for the $1,400 indigent
burial expense to be reduced to a $1,000 and he
called for a second line item of $750 to fund indigent cremations. I am pleased to report that
the General Assembly in Special Session called
to deal with a current year budget deficit of
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
$350 million. There was no cut to the indigent
fund. As discussed at your annual meeting there
is a growing budget deficit in the next Fiscal Year
beginning on July 1, 2016 of $540 million and
an even larger projected budget deficit of $4.3
billion in the next biennial budget beginning on
July 1, 2017. Knowing this dire budget situation
we will need to continue to protect this line item
in future legislative sessions.
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
7
CFDA Suppliers and Vendors Help
Make the 2015 Annual Meeting
a Great Success
Every year in December at the Annual Meeting and in June at the Summer Gathering our Suppliers and Vendors contribute to supporting CFDA
through contributions to the cocktail reception and by displaying their most
up-to-date products and services. We are tremendously grateful for their participation and generosity through the years.
Contributors to the
Cocktail Reception
Platinum Sponsors
Batesville Casket Company
Connecticut Casket Company
Federated Insurance
Matthews Casket Company
Gold Sponsors
Aurora Casket Company
M. Solomon Casket Company
The Whitmore Group
Bronze Sponsors
Access Financial/ITS
Liberty Casket Company
Rocky Hill Vault/
Connecticut Valley Crematory
Green Sponsors
Connecticut Funeral Supply
Cooperative Funeral Fund
The Dodge Company
The Elm-Cap Group
Florence Casket Company
The Norwalk Vault Company
TJB Financial Services, Inc.
8
Table Top Vendors:
Access Financial / ITS
Aurora Casket Company
Batesville Casket Company
BioServ, Inc.
Connecticut Casket Company
Cooperative Funeral Fund
Director Resources
Directors Choice Credit Union
The Dodge Company
Dressed to the Nines
Elm-Cap Group
Embalmer’s Supply Company
Eversight Connecticut
FastServ
Federated Insurance
Florence Casket Company
Life Choice Donor Services
M. Solomon Casket Company
Matthews Casket Company
Moon Rocks Gourmet Cookies
Mooney-Keehley
New England Cremation Supply
New England Organ Bank
Norwalk Vault Company
Parks Superior Sales
Rocky Hill Vault / CT Valley Crematory
TJB Financial Services
The Whitmore Group
The Associate
UUUUUUU 2015
CFD-PAC
O V
H
ur oice in artford
and Washington
It Only Works If Everyone Participates
Gold Club, Contributions of $500 to $750
John C. Carmon
Timothy M. Cook
Robert R. Fournier, Jr.
Howard K. Hill
Richard P. Holmes
Jeffrey S. Klarman
David T. Warren
Morton L. Weinstein
Silver Club, Contributions of $250 to $499
R. Thomas Abbate (S)
Matthew Adzima
Gerald S. Baxter, Sr.
JoAnn Brennan
Kent E. Carlson
John C. Carmon, Jr.
Ronald & Leena Charron
Christopher J. Duhaime
Howard M. Holmes
John P. Klarman
David S. Larson
David W. MacDonald
Carl J. Miller, III
Richard J. Miller
William R. Molloy
Cyril F. Mullins, II
Holly Mullins Hart
Philip & Jessica Pietras
Christopher E. Ryan, Sr.
George F. Sullivan, III
Bronze Club, Contributions of $50 to $249
Glenn Blumenstein
Timothy J. Bourdon (S)
B. Patrick Callahan
John F. Cascio
Clement L. DeLucia
William F. Farrell
Erin V. Hastings
Robert C. Havens (S)
Joseph R. Introvigne, Sr. Stephen M. King
Rebecca C. Lautenslager
Kevin M. Lesko
Lissa Lovetere-Stone
James A. Mengacci
Robert L. Muccino
Nicole
I.
Paquette
Brian
K.
Romanowski
Edward J. Sheehy, Jr.
Total as of December 2015 - $11,375.00
The CFD-PAC helps us keep members of the General Assembly who support our state interests in office.
Virtually every other professional group in the country is trying to do the same thing, and their interests may be
very different than ours.
Associations and corporations are prohibited by law from making state campaign contributions.
All CFDA contributions to political campaigns are derived exclusively from personal CFD PAC
contributions.
Contributions to the CFD PAC are used to support candidates running for the State Senate and House of Representatives.
Together, we send these important messages to the State of Connecticut:
• CFDA is sustained by a politically aware and active membership base.
• We hold our elected officials accountable for their actions.
• We are active participants in the election process.
• We appreciate the great volunteers who serve on the Legislative and PAC Committees.
• We thank our lobbyist, attorney and staff for all their hard work and efforts.
All contributions are voluntary and are not a condition for CFDA membership. The amounts listed are merely
guidelines. You may contribute more or less without concern of reprisal.
Note: State Election Committee regulations prohibit CFD-PAC from accepting contributions from your funeral
firm. Personal Checks only, made payable to CFD-PAC are acceptable. (S) indicates suppliers
10
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
11
At the 2015 CFDA Annual Meeting on December 3rd at
the Crowne Plaza, Cromwell there was business, seminars,
dancing and ceremony. Another great evening with friends
and colleagues from all over Connecticut.
Presenters for Legal and Legislative Seminar.
Pasquale Folino and his wife, Angela, as he was sworn-in
as NFDA Policy Board Member by Randy Molloy.
Board members were all dressed
up and ready to dine, dance and
be merry.
12
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
13
NFDA 2015 Member General Price
List Survey Results
Recently NFDA completed a general
price list study with its members. The results included a median cost for a funeral
with a burial and the median cost of a funeral with cremation. Based on the findings, over the last ten years the average cost
of a funeral has increased 28.6 percent. The
national average of a funeral and burial in
2014 was $7,181, and the national average
for a funeral and cremation was $6,078.
Funeral professions can purchase the survey
report by contacting NFDA at 800-2286332 or www.nfda.org/resourcestore. The
cost for NFDA members is $75 and $175
for nonmembers.
Treat Yourself as You Treat Your Families
You offer your families your in-depth knowledge and
support in finding out what best suits their individual needs.
At TJB Financial Services, Inc.,
we also believe that our
clients’ needs come first.
Our Goal: To help you feel comfortable
seeking help with your financial goals,
and to assist you in a knowledgeable,
courteous, and professional manner.
TJB Financial Services, Inc. and the CFDA
We are proud to be the Preferred Provider of Financial Services
to the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association and its Members.
Please let us know how we may assist you
and the families you serve.
Tim Bourdon and Bob Havens were awarded the Five Star Professional Wealth
ManagersSM Award for 2014. They are both multi-year recipients.
Based on 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria including:
minimum of 5 years as an active credentialed financial professional,
favorable regulatory and complaint history, fulfillment of firm’s internal
review, accepts new clients, client retention rates, client assets administered, number of client
households, education and professional designations. The award is not indicative of the wealth
managers’ future performance.
For more information please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.
Approximately 14% of the award candidates in Connecticut were named 2014 Five Star
Wealth Managers.
Main Office: 9 School Street, Suite 6, P.O. Box 1020, East Granby, CT 06026
www.TJBFinc.com • (860) 844-0300 • Toll Free: 1-877-573-2226
Branch Offices: 18 Main Street, Ellington, CT 06029
110 Washington Avenue, North Haven, CT 06473 • (203) 936-7125
Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth
Financial Network, member FINRA/SiPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.
Fixed insurance products and services offered through TJB Financial Services, Inc.
are separate and unrelated to Commonwealth.
14
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
15
2015 NFDA Policy Board Report
Submitted by William “Randy” Molloy, 2015 Policy Board Representative
The NFDA Policy Board met on October 16 & 17, 2015 in Indianapolis, IN.
The meeting was held in conjunction with the NFDA International Convention
and Expo. The following is a summary of the meeting.
Our next policy board meeting will be held in Washington, DC prior to
the NFDA Advocacy Summit in April of 2016.
2016 Policy Positions. Advocacy Committee Chair Bryant Hightower and Senior VP of
Advocacy Lesley Witter presented committee
recommendations on NFDA’s 2016 policy positions. The Policy Board approved five active
issues and thirteen continuing issues. The Policy Board accepted the committee’s recommendation to delete one issue, which was incorporated into a related continuing issue.
Political Action Committee Report. VP
Leslie Witter gave the PAC report, emphasizing the importance of PAC fundraising during
the election cycle and presenting a revised PAC
mission statement.
2016 Strategic Focus & Budget. Treasurer
Ashley Cozine and CEO Christine Pepper reviewed NFDA’s 2016 strategic focus and budget.
House of Delegates Report. General Counsel Scott Gilligan reported that the Governance
Redesign Project is the only issue currently
scheduled to be considered by the 2015 House
of Delegates.
Legal Report. Attorney Gilligan’s report included information on:
• NFDA’S comments to the Department of
Labor opposing the dramatic increase in the
salary level test for white collar exemptions;
the increase could have adverse impacts on
funeral homes in the 16 states where funeral
home may treat funeral directors as professionals who are exempt from wage and hour
laws.
• NFDA state law research on the obligations
of funeral directors to report suspected cases
of child abuse and elder abuse.
• NFDA state law research on the disposition
of unclaimed cremated remains of veterans.
International Update. Senior VP of Mem-
16
ber Relations Anna Bernfeld gave an update on
NFDA’s international initiatives. International
member guest speaker Teresa Saavedra, President of ALPAR (Latin American Association of
Cemeteries and Funeral Services) presented an
overview of funeral practices in Latin America.
Governance Redesign Project. NFDA
President Rob Moore presented a summary of
the proposed NFDA governance redesign proposal to be considered by the 2015 House of
Delegates.
NFDA Report. CEO Christine Pepper provided the NFDA Report. Among the items she
addressed were the following:
• Result of consumer surveys conducted by
NFDA and FAMIC.
• An update on the “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” campaign.
• NFDA’s expanded cremation services, noting the continued success of NFDA’s Certified Crematory Operators (CCO) program.
• NFDA’s new Family Satisfaction Survey.
• An update on the Funeral Service Foundation’s activities.
• A preview of the upcoming Convention &
Expo.
• An invitation for Policy Board representatives to participate in NFDA’s Staff Shadowing Program.
Meeting Highlight. Policy Board members
identified the following meeting highlight,
which should be reported by all representatives
in all states:
The October 2015 Policy Board meeting
was the first meeting in NFDA’s history at
which all 50 states and the District of Columbia were represented.
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
17
Although it has been an unseasonably warm fall and early winter, it is fairly certain
that Old Man Winter will return.
Winter Driving
Safe Driving and Vehicle Maintenance Are Key
Winter is a time when safe driving and well-maintained
vehicles take on even greater importance. “Failure to keep in
proper lane or running off the road” and “driving too fast for conditions” are
two of the most frequesnt driver behaviors, according to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In order to avoid potentially dangerous situations,
below are some winter driving tips:
• Give yourself enough time to arrive at
your destination. Trips can take longer
during winter than other times of the
year, especially if you encounter storm
conditions or icy roads.
• Bring a cell phone so that those awaiting your arrival can get in touch with
you, or you can notify them, if you are
running late. But avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving,
as it can be a dangerous distraction—
pull over first.
•Drive slowly because accelerating,
stopping and turning all take longer
on snow-covered roads.
•Leave more distance than usual between your vehicle and the one just
ahead of you, giving yourself at least
10 seconds to come to a complete stop.
Cars and motorcycles usually need at
least 3 seconds to halt completely even
when traveling on dry pavement.
•Be careful when driving over bridges, as well as roadways rarely exposed
to sunlight—they are often icy when
other areas are not.
•Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes.
•Be sure to keep your gas tank full.
Stormy weather or traffic delays may
force you to change routes or turn
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back. A fuller gas tank also averts the
potential freezing of your car’s gasline.
•Keep windshield and windows clear.
Drivers in cold-weather states should
have a snow brush or scraper in their
vehicle at all times. Your car’s defroster can be supplemental by wiping the
windows with a clean cloth to improve
visibility.
•Do not activate your cruise control
when driving on a slippery surface.
• Do not warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Keep your tires properly inflated and
remember that good tread on your
tires is essentially to safe winter driving.
• Check your exhaust pipe to make sure
it is clear. A blocked pipe could cause
a leakage of carbon monoxide gas into
your car when the engine is running.
•Monitor the weather conditions at
your destination before beginning
your trip. If conditions look as though
they are going to be too hazardous,
just stay home.
The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
19
Telephone Customer Service
Tips for Funeral Homes
As the owner/operator of your funeral home, when
is the last time you called and asked for yourself? If this
is something you haven’t done, you should. According to
Nancy Friedman, customer service expert, calling and
asking for yourself allows you to see how your employees or answering service are
treating customers.
Here are some tips that all funeral directors should be following when they answer the phone:
• Always use the callers’ name throughout the conversation.
• Words like “maybe”, “possibly”, and “think” are weak words. Instead use words
like “yes”, “definitely”, and “know”.
• Smiling is critical on the phone because it sets the tone of the conversation.
• Don’t use one word answers, speak in full sentences. Replace “I” with “we”,
people want to hear about themselves not you.
• Don’t use the same words like “OK” or “good” over and over again and always
get the callers’ details like a phone number, email address, address, etc., even if
they think the person they are calling for has all the information.
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The Associate
Tips of the Day (continued from page 22)
for the investment under consideration. Despite
the relatively pseudoscientific rationalizations
for determining a risk premium, this is really
a matter of judgement, experience and recent
sales of comparable investments (what the market is currently paying).
Risk is the critical factor. A very small firm
in a limited market with new competition and
recent market share loss is a higher risk than a
large firm in a metropolitan market with growing market share.
For those funeral homes that are salable, current multiples range from a low of 4 to a high
of 6. Higher multiples, however, are seen for
“mega” firms with strong management in place
and high regional brand equity. These multiples may reach a high of 8 times EBITDA.
Of course, this applies mostly to privately held
firms.
Final Note: The Capitalization Rate should
not be confused with either a Return on Investment (ROI) or the more complex but far more
accurate Internal Rate of Return (IRR). The
Capitalization Rate is simply the rate at which
future cash flows are discounted in order to determine Gross Value.
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
21
Tips of the Day
Presented by Timothy Bourdon,
President, TJB Financial Services, Inc.
Funeral Home Appraisal and Valuation
In our many dealings with funeral home owners, we have often asked what you believe is
the actual value of your business. The overwhelming response has been “I don’t know”. This
is one of the areas we can help with, when we look at an overall business plan with you, especially in the area of business succession planning. The following article was taken from an on
line site called Alan Creedy’s Critical Thinking for Progressive Professionals.
Multiples and How They are Chosen
Timothy J. Bourdon
Robert C. Havens
For the past 20 years Funeral Home Values have been expressed most often as a multiple
of EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization). It was not
always so. Prior to the 90’s values were often expresses as a multiple of revenue. The most
common “Rule of Thumb” being 1.7 to 1.9 times Net Revenue.
Regardless of how value was expresses the fundamental drivers were the same: Future cash
streams discounted to a present value. In fact, if you know how to price bonds you understand the theory behind valuing a business. Very simply, if I have $XX to invest today what
is a “risk-relative” cash return I can expect in the future. The lower the risk the lower the
return and, conversely, the higher the risk the higher the return. Businesses, especially closely
held businesses, are believed to represent higher risk than investing in US Treasury Bonds.
In fact, US Treasury Bonds are most frequently used as a basis for what is known as a “Risk
Free Rate”.
So, what is a multiple? It is a convenient number representing the reciprocal of what is
termed the Capitalization Rate. A multiple of 5, for instance, is the equivalent of a 20%
Capitalization Rate or Cap Rate. (1 / 5 = 20%) Likewise, a multiple of 4 is equal to a 25%
Cap Rate and a multiple of 6 is equal to 16.67%. The higher the multiple the lower the Cap
Rate and the lower the multiple the higher the Cap Rate.
How are Cap Rates determined?
As the factor used to determine the present value of future cash flows, Cap Rates are
proportional to the presumptive risk attached to those future cash flows. Starting with the
US Treasury Rate as the “Risk Free Rate” an assessment is made relative to anticipated risk
(Article continued on page 20)
This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal
advice. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a tax preparer, professional tax advisor, or lawyer.
IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE:
To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained
in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the
purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code, or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending
to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
TBJ Financial
Services, Inc.
“The Preferred
Provider of
Financial Services
for The CFDA
and its Members”
For IARs: Timothy Bourdon is a financial advisor located at TJB Financial Services, Inc. 9 School Street, Suite
6, East Granby, CT 06026. He offers securities and advisory services as an Investment Adviser Representative of
Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. He can be reached
at (860) 844-0300 or at tbourdon@tjbfinc.com.
For Registered Representatives: Robert Havens is a financial consultant located at TJB Financial Services, Inc. 9
School Street, Suite 6, East Granby, CT 06026. He offers securities as a Registered Representative of Commonwealth
Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC. He can be reached at 860-844-0300 or at rhavens@tjbfinc.com.
© 2015 Commonwealth Financial Network®
TJB Financial Services, Inc. 9 School Street, Suite 6, P.O. Box 1020, East Granby, CT 06026
www.TJBFinc.com (860)844-0300 Toll Free: (877) 572-2226
Branches: 18 Main Street, Ellington, CT 06029 and 110 Washington Avenue, North Haven, CT 06473 (203) 936-7125
Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network,
Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Rev.10/14
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The Associate
End of the Year 2015
Respecting Our Past With A Vision For The Future
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