In this issue. . . • President’s Message ..................3• Meet New President....................8• Legal Issues by Calkins ..............9• Conference Photos ..................10• Certified Plants..........................16• Report on SCC..........................20

The goals of the innovative advertising/marketing/awareness program, which is theresult of nearly 18 months work, are three-fold: (1) to create awareness on the nationallevel, (2) to pool resources and provide marketing support and materials that members canuse, and (3) to provide educational tools that can be easily used in the local communities.The program was developed as a result of a survey conducted by NCBVA to assess and prioritize what members want and need from the association to help in their businesses inthis highly competitive and ever-changing industry.

In an energy-charged audio/visual presentation, representatives of the four major franchise/dealer organizations showed how the generic program would be of benefit to allmanufacturers regardless of brand. The NCBVA Marketing Committee that developed theplan is comprised of JoAnn Baldwin, Doric Products, Inc.; Linda Darby-Sempsrott, TrigardVaults/Greenwood Plastics; Julie A. Burn, Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.; and Marty Begun,Eagle Burial Vaults. “We need to be proactive, not reactive. This is our industry and weneed to take control of it,” said Linda Darby-Sempsrott. In addition to competing with eachother, the industry is faced with competition from cremation, lawn crypts, etc. “We as anindustry need to be working together to keep as much of our market share as we can possibly keep for as long as we can keep it,” urged Sempsrott.

Aunique and ambitious program designed to educate funeral professionals and consumers on the concrete burial vault industry and ultimately increase sales was unveiled by the NCBVA Marketing

Committee at the Annual Convention June 22-25 in Houston, TX.

BIG NEWS!Conventionmoves toFebruaryin Orlando

J. C. Clifton (R) introduces Marketing Committee Panel (from left) Marty Begun,JoAnn Baldwin, Julie A. Burn, Linda Darby-Sempsrott

Continued on page 6

Campaign to Raise IdentityOf Concrete Vault Industry

Vol. 17 ■■ No. 3 ■■ June 2002

2 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 3

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.900 Fox Valley Drive, Suite 204Longwood, Florida 32779-2552

http://www.ncbva.org(800) 538-1423 Fax: (407) 774-6751

P residentDan Hicks

Hicks IndustriesMiami, FL

P resident-Elect J.C. Clifton

Quality Burial Vault Co.Houston, TX

Secretary/TreasurerRobert Hardy

Hardy Doric, Inc.Chelmsford, MA

Immediate Past PresidentJack Swihart

Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp.Saginaw, MI

DirectorsDarren Baxter

Baxter Burial Vault ServiceCincinnati, OH

Marty BegunEagle Burial Vaults

Detroit, MI

Tim BrownBrown-WilbertSt. Paul, MN

Warren ChandlerMaster Grave Service, Inc.

Bogart, GA

Linda Darby SempsrottGreenwood Plastics

Phoenix, AZ

Bob DonatelliBaumgardner Products Co.

Akron, OH

Graham MacLeodDetroit Wilbert Vault Co.

Detroit, MI

Kelly PellicanoGraffius Burial Vault Co.

Reading, PA

Curt ZamecWilbert Funeral Services, Inc.

Forest Park, IL

Executive DirectorThomas A. Monahan, CAE

Certified Association Management CompanyLongwood, FL

Legal CounselJ. Scott Calkins, Esq

Publications DirectorJan Monahan

President’s MessageBy Dan Hicks

The annual convention is over and I am very grateful to the membership for electing me to lead the association as president. On behalf of the board of directors, I would also like to thank the suppliers, exhibitors, and members for their continued support of the NCBVA at this year’s convention.

If you did not get a chance to attend this convention, you truly missed out. The weather in Houston was beautiful and the programs were excellent.

We started with a tour of the National Museum of Funeral History, which I would recommend that everyone see at least once! On display were caskets made to look like animals and even vegetables, hearses from all periods in time, funeral memorabilia offamous people, and the odd and bizarre funeral and burial customs of earlier times.

The marketing committee presented a new brochure for the consumer and a national ad campaign for the major trade journals. They also produced a program on PowerPoint forcommunity education. This presentation is very easy for anyone to use (just ask Marty Begun) and will be an excellent tool to use at local community events. It’s a FirstClass product and I would like to thank JoAnn Baldwin, Linda Darby-Sempsrott, Julie A.Burn, and Marty Begun for their many hours of hard work.

Dan Garrison, CCE, Vice President of North American Cemetery Operations for SCI,gave us an enlightening update on the stockholders’ viewpoint, which showed a positivefinancial picture for the future of the company and the Dignity plan.

The generational gaps between the different age groups (Veterans, Boomers, Gen X andGenY) were explained by Brenny Watt. This program focused on the characteristics, per-sonalities, and values of each generation to give us a better understanding of how the timesin which we were raised shaped our thinking. The point is that if we can better understandeach other, we can work better together and more productively in our companies.

On the last night we boarded a newly launched 95 foot yacht and dined and danced aswe cruised around the Gulf of Mexico until they politely asked us to disembark!

This year, after much consideration, the board of directors has decided to hold the next convention in February, rather than June, in one of the most popular destinations inthe world—Orlando, Florida. This is quite a departure after 73 years of holding themeeting in June, but is an effort to attract more members and their families to the convention. We are working hard to put on the best convention ever. We want to prove toall concrete burial vault manufacturers that membership in the NCBVA is worth the timeand investment by providing the information that will help you in your business now andin the future.

The board is excited about this change and has already appointed teams to move forward to meet our number one goal, “Helping you succeed.” We have some great programs planned to make that a reality so that each of you can “Find Your Hidden Pot of Gold.”

I hope you will begin planning now to join your industry colleagues in February inOrlando. The exact dates will be announced soon.

This Convention Was GreatNext Will Be Even Better!

BIG NEWS!Convention moves toFebruary in Orlando

4 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

The NCBVA membership unanimously accepted the 2002/2003 slate of officers as submitted by the Nominating Commit-tee at the annual meeting June 22 in Houston, TX.

Daniel J. Hicks, Hicks Industries, Miami is president, J.C.Clifton, Quality Burial Vaults, Houston, TX is president-elect,Robert Hardy, Hardy Doric, Inc., Chelmsford, MA is Secretary/Treasurer. Kelly Pellicano, Graffius Burial Vaults, Sinking Springs, PA and Tim Brown, Brown-Wilbert, St. Paul, MN, wereelected to the board of directors for three-year terms.

Continuing on the board of directors are: Darren Baxter,Baxter Burial Vault Service, Cincinnati, OH, Marty Begun, Eagleburial Vaults, Detroit, MI, Warren Chandler, Master Grave Service, Inc., Bogart, GA; Linda Darby Sempsrott, TrigardVaults/Greenwood Plastics, Phoenix, AZ; Bob Donatelli, BaumgardnerProducts Co., Akron, OH; Graham MacLeod, Detroit Wilbert Vault Co., Detroit, MI; and Curt Azmec, Wilbert Funeral Services,Inc. Forest Park, IL.

Curt Zamec installsnew officers Robert

Hardy (left), J.C.Clifton (center), and

Dan Hicks (right)

NCBVA Installs New Officers

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 5

6 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

To increase awareness on the nationallevel, the committee retained a professionalad agency to design a full page, black andwhite ad that will be strategically placed inselected death care industry trade publications (see sample ad on adjacentpage) “Funeral professionals often don’tunderstand the benefits of the lined concretevault,” said Sempsrott. “We need to givethem as much knowledge as we can, as oftenas we can.”

In addition to the ad, a four-color, bi-fold brochure (lower right) has also beendesigned. It includes pictures and text thatoutline the benefits of lined concrete burialvaults over regular concrete boxes. It isdesigned to be used by the funeral professional to help families decide what topurchase for their loved ones.

Julie A. Burn, Wilbert Funeral Services,explained how these marketing materials canbe used by members in their hometowns fortheir own customers. “We’re relying on ourfuneral directors to educate our consumersand in many cases that’s not happening,”said Burn. The materials developed by the

NCBVA’s marketing committee providemembers with a cost-effective way toincrease awareness of member’s individualsfirms as well as their affiliation with theNational Concrete Burial Vault Associationon the local, regional, and state level. Theads and the brochure, according to Burn,have been designed in such a way thatmembers of NCBVA can customize themwith their own company name and contactinformation. “We find that when a funeraldirector is educated on the product theyhave a lot more confidence and that is goingto come across to the families that theyserve,” said Burn. Other tools for promotingand educating on the local level accordingto Burn include:• Newsletters,

• Sales Incentives,

• Educational Seminars, and

• Sponsorships (i.e. funeral association functions, local trade fairs, golf tournaments).

Presentations or educational seminarsneed not be just to funeral professionals.JoAnn Baldwin, Doric, Inc., demonstratedan audio/visual presentation that can be usedin conjunction with, or in addition to, theprint materials by members to get theirname out as a local burial vault manufactur-er. “There are lots of service organizations

(Rotary, Lions, etc.) and veterans organizations which have

m o n t h l y

meetings and they are always looking forprograms—something short,” said Baldwin.“This presentation doesn’t take long. Itcomes completely prepared and hopefullywill plant a seed in the attendee’s mind thatwhen they need to go to the funeral homethey are going to need a vault and there is aspecial product they can get. Hopefully theywill ask for a lined concrete burial vault. Wedon’t care whose. That’s not the point.We’re all in here together. This is going tohelp our industry promote an understandingabout the products that we manufacture.”

The turn-key program is a 15-minutepresentation that comes on a compact disk,complete with an easy to follow script thatdescribes the advantages of the lined concrete burial vault and its construction toexacting NCBVA specifications. Equipmentrequired is laptop computer, a digital projector, screen, and mouse. Baldwin andMarty Begun, Eagle Burial Vaults,demonstrated how easy the program is tofollow—“Just read and click!”

In conclusion, and again to emphasizethe unity of the association, Sempsrott said,“We want to set the example here today. We are all competitors; it’s a competitive world and we need to do that, buteach of us are here to raise the

Dear Readers,We at the National Concrete BurialVault Association Bulletin would love to hear from you. Specifically weare looking for press releases from youso that we can continue to addressissues and topics that are directly facing you.

Do you have an idea for an articleof interest to other manufacturers?

Why don’t you take a few minutesand send us a press release about yourhappenings. We’re interested in detailsabout special events, individuals whodeserve recognition, awards, new ser-vices you are providing. Suppliers: let us know about your newproducts and services. Color or blackand white photos are also welcome.

If you are unsure about how towrite your press release or article,don’t hesitate to give me a call at(407) 788-1996 or e-mail me at jmonahan@assnhdqtrs.com. It wouldbe my pleasure to assist you.

Looking forward to hearing fromyou,

Jan MonahanEditor

Continued from page 1

feel free tocall any of the

marketing committee members

or NCBVAHeadquarters

at (407) 788-1996.

These marketing and educational materials are tangible tools that NCBVAwill be providing as a membership benefit.Members will receive a packet of information with samples of the materialsavailable in the near future. If you have any

Members will receive a packet of information with samples of the materialsavailable in the near future. If you have any

questions,

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 7

8 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

He is soft-spoken with a sentimental nature, but savvy enoughto currently rank as one of the largest concrete vault manufacturersin the country. Daniel J. Hicks, President and Chief Executive Officerof Hicks Industries, was installed President of the National ConcreteBurial Vault Association at the Annual Convention and Expositionin June in Houston, TX.

Born in 1953, Dan’s destiny as a vault man seemed “cast instone.” His father, Ken Hicks had a ready-mix and a vault plant inMichigan and for as long as both can remember, father and sontalked about being in business together some day.

But first Dan needed to get an education. He attended highschool in Big Rapids, Michigan where his folks still have a lakesideretirement “chalet.” As a high school football player, Dan’s determination led him to being the leading ground gainer and“Running Back of the Year.” He received a scholarship to FerrisState University where he majored in building construction andeventually received a degree in concrete technology from AlpenaCollege. Always popular with his peers, Dan laid early groundworkas a leader when elected class president.

Dan worked off and on throughout school and after with hisDad until Ken and his stepmother Ruth moved to Miami, where Kenbought what would eventually be Carlton Wilbert Vault Co. Danstarted his own ready-mix concrete company, which he eventuallysold, but in the interim he tried his hand at professional golf. Danstarted playing golf when he was about six years old – mostly toavoid having to do the dishes, says his Dad. With a combined family of four teenagers, Ken and Ruth had the boys competeagainst the girls in the evenings following dinner –losers had to dothe dishes! Dan became an excellent golfer, winning the JuniorAmateur National Golf Camp in high school and playing againstteams from the Big Ten Conference in College. He played in the PGAmini-tour in Florida but good as he was, he soon found it wasn’t

going to pay the bills and he realized he needed to return to thebusiness world.

In 1987, he became a partner with his father at Carlton WilbertVault. When Ken Retired, Dan purchased the remaining companyshares. Now known as Hicks Industries, Inc., the company which includesthree vaults plants, manufacturing the Doric, Eagle, and Wilbertbrands, and one ready-mix concrete operation—virtually tripled insize under Dan’s direction. The plants are scattered from one endof the state to the other: Miami (south Florida), Mulberry (centralFlorida) and Alachua (northern Florida). Dan and his family—wifeConnie, son Pat, 17, and daughter Candice, 15, — live on the state’sWest Coast in Fort Myers Beach so traveling three to four daysevery week is the norm.

Dan’s civic and professional affiliations include the Masons,Elks, Moose, and Rotary. He is active in the Florida Funeral DirectorsAssociation, the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida, theFlorida Funeral Sales and Supply Association, the Funeral andCemetery Alliance of Florida, where he has served on the board ofdirectors, and the Florida Independent Ready-mix Association. Hehas also served on the Wilbert, Inc., corporate board, is currentlySecretary/Treasurer of the Funeral and Memorialization InformationCouncil (FAMIC), and has been on the board of NCBVA for thepast seven years.

Described by his father as “a thinker and a planner,” Dan hasbeen doing a lot of thinking and planning about the future of NCBVA.The theme for his year as president is, “Helping Members FindTheir Hidden Pot of Gold.” “ With Cremation on the rise, we have toadapt our business to the marketplace and be better business people,” Hicks said. “The goal of the association is to help all concrete vault manufacturers succeed in their business.”

Installed by Curt Zamec, President and CEO of Wibert, Inc., Danendured a “roast-like” introduction during the Annual Meeting ofNCBVA.

THREE GENERATIONS -- Pride shows on the faces of the familyfollowing the installation of Dan Hicks as President of NCBVA.From left Ruth, Dan,his wife Connie,daughter Candice,son Patand father Ken Hicks.

Meet the New PresidentDaniel J. HicksHicks IndustriesMiami, Florida

Second Generation “Vault Man” Takes The Helm

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 9

At the NCBVA Annual Meeting inHouston, Texas, I reviewed several issues ofdirect interest to concrete burial vault man-ufacturers. A couple of the issues, such asthe US Supreme Court decisions regarding patent protection and denial ofemployment to disabled job applicants willbe addressed in more detail in future issuesof The Bulletin.

Suffice it to say that the employmentdecision may well be the cornerstone of ashift in national policy to equal the playingfield between employers and job applicants.The Court spelled out the right of theemployer to deny employment to disabledor handicapped job applicants for a job considered by the employer to be hazardousto the health and safety of the applicant.

The patent protection decision givesinventors more power to sue competitorsfor making modified versions of patentedproducts—a decision that some in the vault

industry may find helpful or harmful,depending of your own operation. But moreabout these decisions later.

The topic that invoked the most interestis the overwhelming rush by state legislatures to regulate the crematoriumindustry and what cremation operationsmay expect when dealing with funeralhomes.

We were all shocked by recent news sto-ries regarding the fraud, deceit, and crimi-nal activity being perpetrated by a few cre-matories throughout the country, most espe-cially the notorious operation in Georgia.As a result, many states are now reviewingand redrafting their existing laws and regu-lations with regards to crematories. Ofcourse the major change being suggested in the laws and regulations is totighten up the licensing and inspectionrequirements and impose stricter standardson applicants for crematory licenses. InIllinois, for example, legislation (which may

have been passed bythe time you read thisarticle) exceeds justlicensing by requiring operatortraining, continuingeducation, andinspection.

I was somewhat surprised when a showof hands revealed that almost half of themeeting attendees were involved in crematory services. Tim Brutsche reportedthat he has received a request from a chainfuneral home operation to provide extremelysensitive and proprietary informationregarding his crematory services. On myrecommendation he will seek his own corporate counsel involvement and willkeep me advised.

Where did that particular conglomerateobtain such questions and requests for

By J. Scott Calkins,Esq. • NCBVA Legal Counsel

Crematory Operations Must Be Prepared For Changes

Continued on page 15

crescentbronze@mindspring.com

HOUSTON

2002June 2002

Omni Houston Hotel

Special thanks to the followingsponsors for their generous contributions to the success of thisconvention:

Acromix Systems / ERMC

Crescent Bronze Powder Co., Inc.

Dayton Richmond Concrete Accessories

Doric Products, Inc.

Edgmont Metallic Pigment Co., Inc.

Forta Corporation

Plastic Plaque Products, Inc.

Trigard Vaults / Greenwood Plastics

Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.

12 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

THE LOGAN VAULT HANDLERBy Axis Corporation

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 13

The Generation Gap

In our progressive time, as old rules and stereotypes are being revised, the term diversity has come to the forefront of

our social consciousness. On television programs, in classrooms, and in corporations, diversity has become a keyissue. However, most of us think of diversity only as it relates to race and gender. Not often do we associate diversitywith age.

Yet generational diversity is one of thebiggest challenges facing today’s businessworld. Because individuals are so influenced by the generations in which theygrew up, age impacts how people perceivethe world around them. The headlines,movies, and music of a generation can affectpeople even more than their parents.Consequently, generation shapes how people behave in a business setting, whichis why older and younger workers tend tobutt heads so often. Each generation wantsto do things “their way.” In the work force,four generations collide. These generationsare “Veterans” (born 1923-1943),“Boomers” (1943-1960), “Gen X” (1960-1980), and “Gen Y”(1980-today).

Brenny Watt, a graduate of the CrummerSchool of Business and an expert on management and work environments, shedlight on the issue of generational diversityduring her presentation at the NCBVAAnnual Convention in June. Watt, who fitsright in as a “Boomer” raising a “Gen Xer,”addressed some of the problems that

generational diversity poses and offeredsome innovative ways to handle them.

An energetic and arresting speaker, Wattbegan by showing the audience how theirown views are filtered through generationallenses. The audience participated in theprogram by reminiscing about the eras inwhich they grew up. The values they gainedin childhood color the way they see theworld today and define them as members of their generations.

Very different values and lifestyles characterize the different generations. Wattnext asked her audience to describe each of these groups, and their answers illustrated the stereotypes about each generation. These same stereotypes emergein the workplace. For this reason, olderworkers tend to think that their younger co-workers from “Gen X” are slackers. “GenX,” on the other hand, thinks that the loyalty of “Vets” and “Boomers” is anarchaic value. In order for these groups towork together peacefully, they must recognize and then reduce their own filtersin order to understand one another.

Watt helped the different generationsunderstand one another by teaching the history and values of each group. Theirheroes and defining events, for example,provide insight into how they think andbehave. The “Vets” are consistent and disciplined. The “Boomers” are defined asworkaholics and go-getters. Members of“Gen X” are self-reliant and informal. “Gen

Y” is a global generation with an optimisticfuture.

By beginning to understand one another, the generations can take the firststep toward bridging the generation gap.“Understanding generational differences iscritical to creating harmony, mutual respect, and joint effort where today there is suspicion, mistrust, and isolation,” saidWatt.

Watt provided some other ways toimprove generational harmony in the workplace. The “Boomers” currently control corporate culture while “Gen X”challenges it. The solution, says Watt, is tokeep the traditional ways of business butincorporate the needs and wants of theyounger generation. A cross-generationalenvironment should be free of labels suchas “slacker” and “Dilbert.” Watt champions“Zero Assumption Management (ZAM),”which says that managers should assumethe best of employees independent of theirage brackets. Work should also be flexibleand relaxed to appeal to a diverse workforce.

Watt advocates the “Platinum Rule,”which states that we should treat others astheywould like to be treated. In other words,we should acknowledge people’s differences without trying to impose ourvalues on them. When different generations understand and accept oneanother without judgment, they will be ableto work together effectively in a comfortable, productive environment.

Brenny Watt’s presentation isdesigned to bring harmony to

the work place

14 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 15

information? Probably from Harvey Lapin, Esq., an old friend ofmine who specializes in mortuary law. Following the Georgia fiasco, Lapin advised his funeral home clients and others thatbefore a funeral home contracts with a crematorium, it MUST (1)carefully investigate the crematorium and (2) obtain informationabout its financial condition.

In the contract between the funeral home and the crematorium,the following must be included:1. Establish the obligations of both parties. 2. Provide each party to indemnify and hold each other

harmless for the others’ obligations. 3. Require each party to have adequate insurance. 4. Require each party to provide insurance certificates indicating

coverage for the other parties in the event of litigation. 5. Require the crematorium to establish an identification

procedure for the human remains during and after the cremation. In addition, Lapin also suggests that the funeral home must

monitor the crematorium’s employees to insure performance,regularly visit the operation, confirm the identification procedure andinsure that proper practices are being implemented and staterequirements and accepted industry standards are being met.

If you are involved in owning and operating crematoriums, youmust obtain and implement the updated industry standards suchas those set forth by the Cremation Association of North American(CANA) or others as well as insure compliance with your state lawsand regulations (that are being changed as I write this article).

If you are involved in crematorium operations and are contactedby your local funeral home owner or a representative of a chainoperation requesting “a whole bunch of information” about youroperation, don’t be shocked—be prepared!

Industry Calendar of EventsAugust 14-17,2002 CANA Annual Convention

Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA

October 20-23,2002 NFDA Annual ConventionHenry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

December 15-19,2002 Jewish Funeral Directors of America Annual MeetingThe Diplomat, Hollywood, FL

Feb ruary 3-7, 2003 World of ConcreteLas Vegas Convention Center, Nevada

Feb ruary 2003 NCBVA Annual Convention & ExpoO rlando, FL

Feb ruary 21-25, 2003 National Precast Concrete Assn. & MCPXSalt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT

March 10-13, 2003 ICFA Annual Convention & ExpositionLas Vegas, NV

Ap ril 2-6, 2003 Order of the Golden Rule Annual ConventionReno Hilton, Reno, NV

CREMATORIES, continued from page 9

16 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

For information on NCBVA’s exclusive Plant Inspection and Certification Program, pleasecontact NCBVAHeadquarters at 1-800-538-1423 or use application form on adjacent page.

NCBVA proudly recognizes the following companieswhich have a current standing in the

Plant Certification Program ��Abel Vault & Monument Co.

Canton, ILAbel Vault & Monument Co.

Pekin, ILAmerican Concrete Industries

Bangor, MEAmerican Vault Co. Cleveland, OH

American Vault & Concrete Products

Detroit, MIAmerican Wilbert Vault Corp.

Forest Park, ILArnold-Wilbert Corp.

Goldsboro, NCArrow Vault Co., Inc.

Lafayette, INAtlas Concrete Products, Inc.

Orlando, FLAutomatic Wilbert Vault

Tacoma, WABabylon Vault Co.

New Windsor, MDBaumga rdner Products Co.

Akron, OHBaxter Burial Vault

Cincinnati, OHBaxter Vault Co.

Baxter Springs, KSBeck Vault Co.

Rome, NYBeier Burial Vaults

Columbus, WIBrewster Vaults & Monuments

Millville, NJBrown-Wilbert, Inc.

Fargo, NDBrown-Wilbert, Inc.

Morris, MNBruns Norwalk Vault Co.

Saint Louis, MOBrutsche Concrete Products

Battle Creek, MIBrutsche Concrete Products

Benton Harbor, MIBuckeye Vault Service

Mansfield, OHBuck Simmons Vault Srvcs. Inc.

Roanoke, VABush Concrete Products, Inc.

Muskegon, MIC & M Precast

Kerrville, TXCalumet Wilbert Vault Co. Inc.

Gary, INCarolina-Doric, Inc.

Effingham, SCCarolina-Doric, Inc.

Florence, SCCentral Burial Vaults, Inc.

Marlow, OKCentral Burial Vaults, Inc.

Oklahoma City, OKCentral Burial Vaults, Inc.

Tulsa, OK

Central New York Vault Co.Cortland, NY

Century Vault Co., Inc.Barnstable, MA

Cheboygan Cement Products Co.Cheboygan, MI

Chesapeake Burial Vault Co.Ingleside, MD

Christy Vault Co., Inc.Colma, CA

Clinton Wilbert Vaults, Inc.Clinton, IA

Cooper Wilbert Vault Co.Barrington, NJ

Cordeiro Vault Co., Inc.Vallejo, CA

Costello VaultsSmith Falls, Ontario, Canada

C reter Vault Corp.Flemington, NJ

C rummitt & Son Vault Corp.Martins Ferry, OH

D.G. Robertson, Inc.Williston, VT

Dardanelle Vault & Monument Dardanelle, AR

Deihl Vault & Precast Co.Orangeville, PA

Detroit Wilbert Vault Corp.Detroit, MI

Doody Burial Vaults, Inc.Winchendon, MA

Doric Concrete Vaults Inc.Garden City, KS

Doric Concrete Vaults, Inc.Great Bend, KS

Doric Concrete Vaults Inc.Osage City, KS

Doric Huntingbu rg Vault Co.Huntingburg, IN

Doric of Kansas Vault, Inc./GrayBros.

Iola, KSDoric of Nashville, Inc.

Nashville, TNDoric of Northeast Arkansas

Jonesboro, ARDoric of South Texas

Elsa, TXDoric Concrete Vaults

Limon, CODoric Concrete Vaults, Inc.

Newton, KSDoric Manufacturing Co.

Boaz, ALDoric Mississippi, Inc.

Vicksburg, MSDoric-South, Inc.

Demopolis, ALDoric Vault of Eastern NY, Inc.

Hudson, NYDoric Vault Co.

Griffin, GADoric Vault Co. of S. Illinois

Marion, ILEagle Burial Vault Co. of LA

Ruston, LA

Eagle Burial VaultsPerry, GA

Esterly Burial Vault Co.West Reading, PA

Evans Eagle Vaults, Inc.Leola, PA

Everlasting Vault Co.Randallstown, MD

Florida Wilbert, Inc.Jacksonville, FL

Fond Du Lac Wilbert Vault Fond Du Lac, WI

Forsyth Bros.Fithian, IL

Forsyth Bros. Concrete Prod.Terre Haute, IN

Gettysbu rg Burial Vault Co.Gettysburg, PA

G rable Vault Co.Logansport, IN

G raffius Burial Vault Co.Sinking Springs, PA

G ranite State DoricNewport, NH

G ray Bros., Inc.Kansas City, KS

Hairfield Vault Co.Hickory, NC

Hardy Doric, Inc.Chelmsford, MA

Harn Vault ServiceMassillon, OH

Harr is PrecastLaporte, IN

Heilman – Wirtz, Inc.Cedar Hill, TX

Hicks Industries, Inc.Alachua, FL

Hicks Industries, Inc.Miami, FL

Hicks Industries, Inc.Mulberry, FL

Hydraulic Dolly, Inc.Altoona, PA

J.P. Vincent & Son, Inc.Galena, IL

Jefferson Concrete Corp.Watertown, NY

Josten Wilbert Vault Co.Sioux Falls, SD

Lakeshore Burial Vault Co.Brookfield, WI

Lavaca Vault Co.Lavaca, AK

Louisell-Davis Vault ServiceChattanooga, TN

Ludlow Burial Vault Co.Ludlow, MA

Lycoming Burial Vault Co. Inc.Montoursville, PA

Marion Vault WorksMarion, IN

Markham Burial Vault ServicesRichmond, VA

Markham-Carter Vault ServiceSmithfield, VA

Master Grave ServiceAthens, GA

Memphis Burial Vault Co.Memphis, TN

Mercer Vault CompanyFredericksburg, VA

Milan Burial Vault, Inc.Milan, MI

Milwaukee Wilbert Vault Co.Milwaukee, WI

Minnick Services Corp.Fort Wayne, IN

Moore Wilbert Vault Co.Evans, GA

Neher Burial Vault Co.Springfield, OH

Nor-Don Vault Co. Inc.Strafford, MO

North Central Mich. Vault Srvc.Cadillac, MI

Norwalk Vault Co.Johnstown, PA

Odon Vault Company, Inc.Odon, IN

Omaha Wilbert Vault, Inc.Omaha, NE

Ostwalt Vault Co.Concord, NC

Palm Vault Co.Ada, OK

Panhandle VaultsWellington, TX

Peoria Vault Co.Peoria, IL

Pennyslvania Concrete Vault Co.Greensburg, PA

Perfection VaultWoodson, IL

Phenix VaultPhenix City, AL

Pioneer Vault, Inc.Doylestown, PA

Pope Concrete ProductsWaycross, GA

Poplar Bluff Doric Vaults, Inc.Poplar Bluff, MO

P recast Concrete Products, Inc.Blissfield, MI

P recision Precast Inc.Pittsfield, MA

Quality Burial Vault Co.Houston, TX

Rex Vault ServiceNewton, IL

Rocky Mountain Monument/VaultSandy, UT

Roland-Wilbert Vault Co.Marion, IA

Roosbu rg VaultPrimghar, IA

Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp.Saginaw, MI

continued . . .

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 17

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.Member Application for Plant Inspection

Name of Plant ____________________________________________

Plant Mailing Address_______________________________________

Plant Street Address________________________________________

Plant Telephone____________________________________________

Fax Phone Number_________________________________________

Owner’s Name_____________________________________________

Evening Telephone_________________________________________

Plant Manager/Contact Person_________________________________

Evening Phone_____________________________________________

Types of Outer Burial Receptacles Produced❐ Top Seals ❐ Air Domes ❐ SectionalsOther____________________________________________________

Please return this application with full payment to:

The National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.900 Fox Valley Drive, Suite #204Longwood, FL 32779-2552(800) 538-1423Fax (407) 774-6751

As an NCBVA member in good standing, the total of your Plant Certification Inspection will be $995 (Recertification,$495). Full payment should be enclosed with your application.

Sam Green Vault Co.Lynchburg, VA

Saline Vault Co.Sweet Springs, MO

Santeiu Vaults Inc.Livonia, MI

Shenandoah Valley Vaults, Inc.Dayton, VA

Shore Vault & Precast Co.Exmore, VA

Simerly Concrete Products, Inc.Bristol, TN

Simerly Vaults, Inc.Knoxville, TN

Southern Ohio Vault Co.Portsmouth, OH

Southern Vault ServiceBlakely, GA

Spoerr Precast ConcreteSandusky, OH

Sunnycrest, Inc.Auburn, NY

Suhor IndustriesCedar Hill, TX

Superior Burial Vaults, Inc.Salt Lake City, UT

Superior Vault Co.Bryantown, MD

Superior Vault Co. Charlestown, IN

Superior Vault Co. DBA Individual Mausoleum Co.

Lawrenceburg, INSuperior Vault Company LTD

Mississauga, Ontario, CanadaSwan’s Concrete Products

Westbrook, METennessee Vault

Fairview, TNTucker Vault Co.

Farmington, MOTu rner Vault Company

Toledo, OHVanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc.

Appleton, WIVanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc.

Wausau, WIVault Service

Griffin, GAWashington Wilbert Vault Works Inc.

Laurel, MDWa rga Concrete Products Inc.

Fort Wayne, INWatts Vault & Monument Co.

Montezuma, IAWayne Burial Vault Co., Inc.Indianapolis, INWelte Vault Co.

Danbury, IAWest Plains Vault & Mfg. Co.

Pomona, MOWicomico Vault Co., Inc.

Salisbury, MD Wieser Precast

Stewartville, MNWilbert Burial Vault (The James Co.)

Waycross, GAWilliams Vault Company

Emporia, VAWillmar Precast Co.

Willmar, MN

18 NCBVA BULLETIN June/July 2002

National Concrete Burial Vault Association“Serving the death care industry with the very best”

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Key Contact____________________________________Nickname_____________

Title ______________________________________________________________

Company Name _____________________________________________________

Street Address _______________________________________________________

City _____________________ State _______________ Zip __________________

Phone ___________________________ Fax ______________________________

E-mail ____________________________________________________________

Company Web Site ___________________________________________________

❐ Check here if you prefer to have your mail sent to your home.Home street Address _________________________________________City _____________________ State ______________ Zip ___________Home Phone _________________ Home Fax ______________________

COMPANY INFORMATION❐ Burial Vault Manufacturer ❐ Funeral Director

❐ Crematory ❐ Cemetery

❐ Doric ❐ Wilbert ❐ Eagle ❐ Trigard

❐ Con-O-lite ❐ Other ❐ Provide Graveside services

❐ Metal Vaults ❐ Plastic Vaults ❐ Fiberglass Vaults

Offer sizes for ❐ Children ❐ Adults ❐ Oversize

❐ Associate Member: Tell us in 25 words of less about your product/services

❐ Please enroll me in NCBVA today!Signature indicates that you have read and agree to abide by NCBVA’s Code of Ethicsand the rules which govern the National Concrete Burial Vault Association. Signa-ture is required before this application can be processed.

_________________________________________ ___________(Signature) (Date)

Dues Schedule

❐ Manufacturer MemberDues are based on total units sold forall locations of the company.

Please check appropriate level:❐ 1-999 Units ........$170

❐ 1000 - 1999 ........$260

❐ 2000 - 3499 ........$350

❐ 3500 - 4999 ........$435

❐ 5000 and more ....$525

❐ Associate Member....$150

❐ Franchise Group........$600

Payment InformationInclude payment with this completedform. We accept Visa, MasterCardand American Express

❐ Check is enclosed

Please charge my❐ Visa ❐ MasterCard ❐ Amex

Account #_____________________Expiration date _________________

Mailing Information

NCBVA900 Fox Valley Drive Suite 204

Longwood, FL 32779-2552(800) 538-1423

Fax: (407) 774-6751

www.ncbva.org

We believe that concrete is an ideal material for the construction of burial vaults for the interment of human remains and that aproperly constructed concrete burial vault is worthy of acceptance by the public. Our sales and advertising policies will begoverned by standards acceptable by the public and the funeral profession and by principles advocated by the National ConcreteBurial Vault Association, Inc. We pledge fair trade practices to our competitor whose product we will not disparage. We shall conduct our business on sound business principles, striving to build a relationship of respect and confidence for the burial vaultindustry with the public, with the funeral director and with the cemeteries management. We will abide by the rules and regula-tions of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc., thereby contributing to a stronger and greater national industry

CODE OF ETHICS

June/July 2002 NCBVA BULLETIN 19

Zinc Alloy for MaximumCorrosion Resistance

High Strength

1

2

Easy Installation3

Economical4

These versatile inserts provide high-strength, rustproof connections in precast or poured in place concrete applications, such as: burial vaults, building facades,

machinery fastening, post/railing anchoring, etc.

Star Inserts meet ASTM B-86 XXV SAE, Designation 925 XXV, U.L. Listed.

For additional information, contact a nearby Dayton/Richmond ServiceCenter or call the toll free STAR LINE... (866) 279-STAR

Member Member

900 Fox Valley Drive, Suite 204, Longwood, FL 32779-2552

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.

FIRST CLASSAddress Correction Requested

Serving the death care industry with the very best since 1929

In the April issue of The Bulletin, Italked about testing that was being done on a new mix design for self-compactingconcrete, also known as self-placing or self-consolidating concrete. Preliminary tests ofthe self-compacting concrete (SCC) wereconducted in no less than four plants usingdifferent coarse materials, different additives, and cements. The plants whichparticipated in April and May were: MasterGrave of Bogart, Georgia; Carolina Vault inFlorence, South Caroliina; Lakeshore BurialVaults of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, andBrutsche Concrete Products, Battle Creek,Michigan.

This newconcrete is not really new. Itstarted in Japan in 1988 and has been subjected to research both in Europe andthe U.S. We have been told that this hasbeen well received and great success hasbeen achieved in both cast-in-place and inpre-cast plants. Here are some of the reasonsthis concrete could be what we are all lookingfor:

• Higher earlier strengths,

• Higher ultimate strengths,

• Little if any vibration,

• Less curing time which equals

• A smaller inventory (10 day maximum)

The results of the four test facilities werepresented at the annual meeting in Houston. We believe that there is a place for this mix design in some concrete vaultplants while acknowledging that additionaltesting is needed before we can say, “This is the only way to go.”

First, we should remind you that veryclose control at the mixer is necessary.Second, there are some additional costs.Finally, there is a delay before finishing thecovers.

You don’t just use your old mix designand throw in “x” ounces of a new chemical.Your representative from the chemical company along with your cement supplier

will set up the mixdesign. It is notunusual for two tofour techniciansand/or professionalengineers to spenda day or two fine-tuning the design,mixing, placingand testing of self-compacting concrete.

We believe that higher earlier strengthscan be achieved and even higher ultimatestrengths in just 7 to 10 days. There are manyadvantages to SCC and we will be testingand checking for the next few months todetermine what the disadvantages might be.

If you would like a copy of the materialpresented at the meeting, please call theassociation headquarters at 1-800-538-1423or direct questions to Hugh McQuestion,Doug Evans, Walter Chandler or TimothyBrutsche.

By Earl J. Brutsche • NCBVA Plant Inspector

Tests at Four Plants Prove Promising for SCC