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20th IFDF Annual Conference & TradeshowPreserving Our Past, Pioneering Our Future

You are invited to the 20th Annual Inde-pendent Funeral Directors of Florida

Conference & Trade Show, June 6-9, 2012 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate Orlando, Florida. By attending this year’s conference you’ll gain access to distinguished speakers on topics of our past, present and future, presenting 10 hours of continuing edu-cation credit, a premier tradeshow, a fabulous roaring 20’s theme party and ongoing net-working opportunities with fellow indepen-dent funeral directors from around the state.

Speakers Include:

Keynote Speaker - Col. Brigham Shuler, Pentagon Press Secretary during the 1978 tragedy at the Peoples Temple, better known as Jonestown.

Dan Isard - Specializing in financial plan-ning and management consulting and author on many books and articles best practices for the funeral and cemetery profession.

Cynthia Krosky - A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a focus in Group Dynam-ics. Certified Professional Speaker, Adventure Based Trainer, and Educator. A dynamic

speaker who energizes audiences by provid-ing experiential, hands-on training programs, taking her audiences to new heights.

Melanie Loyd - Equipping professionals in caring for families when death occurs, to assist at-need and advance planning staff dis-cover effective and meaningful ways of lead-ing families to an intentional pause to reflect.

John Rudolph - Attorney specializing in regulatory compliance for funeral homes and cemeteries in Florida.

Visit www.ifdf.org and click on the 2012 Conference Logo to view the latest conference agenda, read about the amenities at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, find all of the latest conference related news and updates and register to attend. Questions regard-ing registration should be directed to Jessica Chapman of CMC & Associates at 888-320-6129.

Room reservations must be made directly with the Omni Orlando Resort at Champi-onsGate at 1.800.843.6664. Be sure to request the discounted IFDF group rate of $149/night (plus taxes) for standard rooms. n

The Independent Reportermarch 2012Association of Independent Funeral Directors of F loridaAn official monthly publication of the

2 IndePendent rePOrter x march 2012

2011-2012 Board of Directors

President • Steve Futch Jones-Gallagher Funeral Home, Starke (904) 964-6200

President-Elect • Barrett Nelson Marion Nelson Funeral Home, Lake Wales (863) 676-2541

Vice President • Doug HasleyBeyers Funeral Home, Umatilla (352) 669-2146

Secretary •Howard Beckham Craig Funeral Home, St. Augustine (904) 824-1672

Treasurer • Charles DavisCharles E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness(352) 726-8323

Immediate Past President • Don McLean Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow (863) 533-8123

Region 1 Director • Stephen Lewis Lewis Funeral Home, Milton (850) 623-2243

Region 2 Director • Stacy Adams Serenity Meadows Memorial Park, River (813) 677-9494

Region 3 Director • Rick Williams Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, Gainesville (352) 376-7556

Region 4 Director • Lance Pauli Harden-Pauli Funeral Home, Eustis (352) 357-4126

Region 5 Director • Patrick Boyd Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care, Hollywood (954) 983-6400

Region 6 Director • Bill Shikany Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home, Bonita Springs (239) 992-4982

Region 7 Director • Tony Zipperer Zipperer’s Funeral Home, Ruskin (813)645-6130

Region 8 Director • Bill Schichtel Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland (863) 682-0111

Individual Director • Brad Zahn Tillman Funeral Home, West Palm Beach (561) 965-4412

The IndependenT RepoRTeR

is an official publication of the Inde-pendent Funeral Directors of Florida. Published each month by the execu-tive office of IFDF, this newsletter seeks to provide valuable informa-tion to IFDF members and others in the funeral industry. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding The IndependenT RepoRTeR, please do not hesitate to contact our office at: 1.800.386.8778

Editor: Michele A. Hood [email protected]

Layout and Design: Jill Runyan runyanjl@gmail. com

STAFFExecutive DirectorMark O’Connell [email protected]

Associate Executive Director/Legislative ConsultantM. Juhan Mixon, Ed. D. [email protected]

Pat C. Mixon [email protected]

Vice President of Trust ServicesMichele A. Hood [email protected]

IndependenT FuneRal dIRecToRs oF FloRIda

PO Box 10969119 E. Park AvenueTallah assee, FL 32302-2969Phone: 850.222.0198Fax: 850.425.5268I-TRUST: 800.386.8778 www.ifdf.org

2011-2012 Committee ChairsConference PlanningRick Williams

I-TrustCharles Davis

LGA/PACHoward Beckham Robin Williams

Past PresidentsDon McLean

IFDF Scholarship FoundationPresident, Doug Hasley

Florida Independent Purchasing AllianceChairman, Brad Zahn

Call these numbers for significant savings to IFDF members and for support of our Association.

Adfinity (877) 251-1222

Aurora Casket Company(800) 457-1111

B&L Cremations Systems Inc. (800) 622-5411

Bowers Publications, Inc.Bowers Publishing Co., Inc. d/b/a/ Christian Clippings www.ChristianClippings.com

C&J Financial, LLC (800) 785-0003

Cardinal Casket Company(800) 425-0583

Clamp Memorials(706) 213-9339

Deaton-Kennedy(800) 435-4068

Eagles Wings Air (866) 550-1392

Eterna Urn Company Inc.(800) 647-8767Institute for Stress Management & Performance Improvement (ISMPI)(850) 668-0696

Matthews Casket (Milso York)(866) 435-1930 or (866) 616-4576

Pierce Royal Bond(727) 526-8027

Southeastern Funeral Directors Service(217) 525-1712

Superior Bronze and Granite Company of America(770) 887-7872

The Whitmore Group(888) 747-3343

Zeigler & Ames(360) 305-5500

IndePendent rePOrter x march 2012 3

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IFDF Executive Director’s Message

Dear IFDF Members,

I have enjoyed managing professional associations for over 20 years

and I have never been more enthusiastic about an organization than I am

about IFDF. You don’t have to look very far to realize the quality of people

we have leading this organization. Not only are they qualified and capable

people but they are fully dedicated to promoting and preserving the repu-

tation and profession of the Independent Funeral Director.

The most effective way we can serve the professional needs of the

independent funeral director is to grow IFDF and encourage more involve-

ment. Just as you expect your association to benefit you personally, simply

being a member benefits your profession. Being a member is at least

partially a selfless, sharing, positive act. Being a member is an indication to

others that you take your profession, and by extension your career, serious-

ly. It says you care about your profession; you value continuing education;

and you are in touch with current trends and developments in your field.

The power of numbers can also help IFDF raise the profile and gain

greater respect for the industry and it certainly impacts the effectiveness

we have with legislators and industry regulators. Sometimes simply being a

member of a professional association is taking a leadership position. It says

you care about your profession and want to make a difference thus poten-

tially making those who work within it prouder of, and happier to work

within their profession. It says you are, at least to some degree, involved.

Quite simply, we make a greater difference when we are part of a

team. Sure, sometimes being an association member can be frustrating, but

it is a low-cost way of contributing to the industry as a whole and giving

you opportunities for proficiency and career enhancement. It is up to each

individual how passive or active they make their membership.

We have an opportunity to both realize and exhibit the value in our

association. Now that the legislative season has ended in Tallahassee we can

focus on other things. In just a little over two month’s we will be holding

our 20th annual conference and trade show. For those of you who have

participated in this event in the past, I know you’ll be pleased with what

we offer this year. If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend the IFDF

Conference, I encourage you to take the time to visit us this year. The 20th

Annual IFDF Conference and Tradeshow will be held at the popular Omni

Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, June 6th through June 9th. Visit our

website at www.IFDF.org to learn more about this event and to register

for the conference.

I look forward to seeing you there and meeting many of you for the

first time ... n

Sincerely,

MarkMark O’Connell


By Dan Isard

Cremation in some regards may be tied to the Bic Lighter

(not because of the flame, stay with me folks). Prior to the Bic Lighter, smokers had lighters. They were solid, made of various metals and they were kept for a long time. Every home had several lighters on their coffee tables, right next to their ash trays. Lighters were given as presents for housewarming and for personal occasions. Lighters were handed down from generation to generation. The flints were changed when they got worn down. The lighter fluid was refilled when the canister was empty. Every house had at least one container of “lighter

Our Disposable Bic Society

fluid”, as the table and per-sonal lighters were routinely refilled. When someone sat down, they took their smokes and lighter out. If you left someone’s home or a restaurant and left your lighter on the table, you turned around and went back. People treated their lighters like their pocket watches! Then along came Bic.

Bic, as you know, was the major promoter of the disposable pen. Pens, remember, were solid and reliable and reused. Foun-tain pens were to the dry cleaning industry what Taco Bell was to stretch jeans. And suddenly, Bic reinvents the pen. It was plastic, it was disposable, and it was cheap. Prior to this, pens were substantial. They were a common gift for major events. They were made of gold and precious metals. They were part of a desk set. They were a part of a business person’s accessories. Fountain pens or ball point pens were refillable. Suddenly, with this simple introduction, pens became disposable.

Then Bic came along and used this same technology of plastic molding and packaging and created the unthinkable; a 99-cent disposable cigarette lighter; pens for 19 cents. Our world suddenly went from being preserved and cher-ished to disposable. Use it, use it up, throw it away, and buy another. It is a cycle. Life and bodies were becoming the same.

dan Isard conference Speaker


Society, continued on page 13

Mortality was a fact of life. Not in today’s society, but in days of our earlier century death was factored into life. Families were bigger, and mortality of a child was not uncom-mon. In fact, it was probably a factor of family size. In farming families they knew they needed kids to do chores. Chores had a higher require-ment than even school. The birth of a child was routine, but the death of a child, as horrific as it was, was not uncommon. Look at the following chart:

In 1900:

v Deaths for age group 0-14 represented 53% of all deaths. v Deaths in the age group above 65

accounted for only 17% of all deaths.

In 1950: v Deaths for age group 0-14 represented 9% of all deaths. v Death of the age group above 65

accounted for 53% of all deaths.

In 2005: v Deaths for age group 0-14 represented 2% of all deaths. v Deaths in the age group above 65

accounted for 75% of all deaths.

So, what do these three dated statis-tics tell us? They deal with the sympathy of who is dying. There is a difference in the way we mourn the death of a child under age 15 and that of a person over age 65. Whether it is today or a century ago, the death of a child is a death of extreme sadness. The loss of a future, a life which will never be and was not lived to any degree of fullness, is sad. With-out regard to your belief in a deity, the question remains as to why any almighty entity would want to claim this life off

of this earth. Why would any god want to take a child from its parents? So we mourn it differently than we do a life that has been full.

When a child dies it is tragic. It is a vi-olation of all that should occur. It’s every parent’s fear. And if we are going to have rituals to help people deal with the matter of death, it seems natural that it should apply to the death of a child; the death of a being with nothing but promise and joy. A child has not hurt anyone, and their death should be mourned. The mourners are parents and relatives, neighbors and friends of the family.

In the 1900 study, these two extreme age groupings accounted for about 70% of all deaths. Those in between ages 15 to 64 accounted for only 30% of all deaths! We were mourning a school age child’s death in 1900 53% of the time. That is a funeral of sadness. The death of a person above 65 was easier to accept; the life was full. Even in 1900, with a shorter life expec-tancy, it was a very full life.

In the 1950 study, these two age extremes accounted for about 62% of all deaths. Those aged 15 to 64 accounted for only 38% of all deaths! But think about the percent of deaths of the young. It was now occurring only 9% of the time. Our funerals with the greater sense of loss were now occurring 1/6th the frequency as 50 years earlier. This changes the method of mourning. Most funerals were now for people above 64 years old. They were full lives. More than half of the time a funeral was for an adult, where a half century earlier, as America defined its roles of the funeral, the feeling of mourn-ing was reversed. Now, almost 5 to 1 a funeral was about a person that lived a full life.

The third time period, represented in the 2005 study, these two extreme age groups accounted for about 77% of all deaths. Those aged 15 to 64 accounted for only 23% of all deaths! But the split

between the extreme groups was very different. In 1950 the 65 plus group was 5:1 the young, in the current era this split is now 37.5 to 1. The odds today are that, if you attend a funeral, it will be for a per-son that lived a full life. Even if you look at the chance of death of a person in the middle years, that group is still more than 10 times as likely to be the deceased at the funeral instead of a youngster.

It doesn’t matter the cause. It doesn’t matter the issues of cure of disease, or diagnosis of prenatal disease. It matters what we do, not why we experience it. In this case we are attending funerals for those that have had some degree of fullness of life to a very full life 98% of the time. And that requires us to understand that our American way of mourning and dealing with death will have changed.

Today, 75% of the time death is oc-curring to a body that has been used up. Like a Bic Lighter or Bic Pen, we have an attitude that the body was disposable. Therefore, how we dispose of it is chang-ing.

The data helps us to see and under-stand the root of the effect on society of young people’s deaths. In 1900 the young age group accounted for 76% of all deaths from these two groups. By the 1950’s, due to our medical research and societal safety features, the chances for the death of a young person were reduced, repre-senting only 15% of all deaths from these two groups. And of late, that figure has been dwarfed again now representing only 3% of the deaths from these two groups. So for these two age extremes, the chance of a death being represented by the young has dropped 96.5% in 100 years! By the same extreme, the inverse is true. Death by the other age extreme has increased over 400%!

The interpretation of this demon-strates our society has changed the


2012 IFdF conference Schedule

Wednesday, June 68:00 am Golf tournament

1:00 – 6:00 pm registration

12:00 – 5:00 pm exhibitor Set-up

3:30 – 4:30 pm cynthia Krosky 1 hour ce Blazing a Trail to Understanding

Personality Styles

4:30 – 5:30 pm cynthia Krosky 1 hour ce Digging into Personality Traits:

Different Styles are Buried in the Past While Others are Blazing into the Future

6:00 – 7:00 pm Opening reception in exhibit hall

7:00 pm dinner on your own

Thursday, June 77:00 am – 5:00 pm registration

9:00 am – 11:00 am Plated Breakfast

10:15 am – 11:00 am Keynote Speake colonel Brigham Shuler

11:00 am – 12:00 pm dan Isard 1 hour ce Cremation – What Will it Urn You?

12:00 – 1:30 pm hot Station Lunch In exhibit hall

12:00 – 4:00 pm exhibits Open

4:00 – 5:00 pm dan Isard 1 hour ce Preneed Trusting Benefits

3:00 – 5:00 pm Spouses’ event

7:00 – 10:00 pm Roaring 20’sTheme Party


IFdF conference Schedule continued

Friday, June 88:00 am – 5:00 pm registration

9:00 – 10:00 am continental Breakfast In exhibit hall

9:00 – 11:00 am exhibits Open

11:00 am – 12:00 pm trust Panel discussion 1 hour ce I-Trust Training

12:00 – 2:00 pm exhibit Breakdown

12:00 – 2:30 pm awards Luncheon/Prayer Memorial

2:30 –3:30 pm John rudolph 1 hour ce

497 Regulatory Update

3:30 – 4:30 pm melanie Loyd 1 hour ce

Closure or Exposure? Focus on the real purpose of At-Need or Advanced Planning

4:30 – 5:30 pm HIV/Communicable Diseases 1 hour ce

5:30 – 7:00 pm charity auction

7:00 pm dinner on your own

Saturday, June 99:00 – 12:00 noon IFdF Board meeting


FREE ADSthe Independent reporter classified ads are Free!

there is no cost to place ads for funeral home or supplier job openings,or for those who are seeking employment.

to place an ad, send your ad copy to [email protected] call 1-850-222-0198

emphasis of death. The funeral gives us a chance to understand the loss. The need for a funeral may have changed. In our disposable society, people do not seem to go to as many funerals. Once at a funeral, is the event even meaningful? Do we need the same closure when a death occurs of an older person than we do with a younger person? Today, funeral practitioners are promoting the “celebra-tion of life” mentality. When a person has a life of 65 years or more, there is much to celebrate. Not so with a young life snuffed out before it can develop.

In 1900, the incidence of cremation was minimal. The desire for ritual was high. The religious institutions governed the rituals and used them to teach the community, as funerals would have a large turnout, maybe even a turnout of those that don’t attend church every week. So the pulpit took advantage of re-minding the faithful and the lapsed faith-ful of the ritual. If a family was outside of the rules, the religious leaders could threaten that rites would not be given to the child awaiting the kingdom of forever. What better collateral do these pulpit pit dogs have than the promise of salvation of a young innocent?

By the 1950’s there were more funeral homes in America than at anytime in the past. The profession of a funeral director was a noble one. The investment would

be a good investment to make as America was growing. You didn’t have to be a great business person, just keep your doors open and soon death would occur and you would sell a casket and make some profit. While the concept of crema-tion was increasing, it was still primarily a fringe element. Cremation occurred in California and Florida, but occurred in limited numbers elsewhere. Mainstream churches still wanted bodies to be present and the pulpit preachers were still look-ing forward to doing their thing when a death occurred.

The last tangent of the statistics deals with modern day. Most deaths today are not children. Most deaths are those that have lived a full life. In many cases these people have outlived their friends. In many cases the deceased had moved from their home area. So, while the loss of life is still a point of mourning, it is not usu-ally a child’s death, and 75% of all deaths fall into this category. This is the dispos-able Bic society.

The story of the funeral director’s emphasis has changed. Somewhere in the 1980’s to 1990’s, funeral directors started talking about “Celebrating The Life”. That makes good sense as, today, 75% of all deaths are those above 65 years old. Funeral directors couldn’t have made arrangements with this emphasis 100 years ago when 53% of all deaths were with people that hadn’t had much life to celebrate.

To summarize, if you are going to deal with a loss, and that loss is of a person who has lived a full life, it is going to change the emphasis on the arrange-ments, as well as the disposition. Crema-tion has been technologically perfected in time to help this change in our societal interpretation of loss.

Daniel M. Isard MSFS, is president of The Foresight Companies, LLC, a busi-ness and management consulting firm located in Phoenix, AZ. Dan is the author of several books and is also the publisher of “Preneed Perspective”. For informa-tion about consulting services visit www.f4sight.com. Copies of this article, as well as other educational informa-tion can be found on the web at www.thefuneralcoach.com. You can be better connected with Dan and The Foresight Companies, LLC, by following them on Twitter at @f4sight or by liking them on Facebook. Dan produces a semimonthly video blog that can be seen on the website www.f4sight.com, he can be reached by calling 800-426-0165 or by email [email protected]. n

Portions of this article come from Dan’s book What Every Funeral Director and Cemeterian Should Know About Cremation which is available by contacting Drew Altmaier at [email protected] or calling 800-426-0165.

Society, continued from page 7


I-Trust News

In memoriam

Tanner – Archie M. Tanner, L.F.D., age 69, of Starke, Flor-

ida passed away February 6, 2012 at North Florida Regional Medical Center with family by his side. He was born in Fort White, FL on May 13, 1942 to the late Jackson Bart Tanner and Pearl Elizabeth Roberts Tanner. Archie was a member of Philippe Baptist Church, the Shri-

ners, VFW Post # 1016, and for over twenty five years he was a Free Mason and a member of the Bradford Lodge # 35. He was a distinguished graduate of Gupton-Jones Mortuary College where he earned his degree in Mortuary Science and later became a Licensed Funeral Director. Archie established Archie Tanner Funeral Home in 1976 where he enjoyed serving the community and assisting bereaved families. He had a love of serving others and he served people throughout North Florida for many years. Archie will be missed and remembered for his genuine love for people and his community, always being friendly, and bringing laughter to his conversations. He was preceded in death by his brothers, L.J. Tanner and Albert Tanner.

He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Ruby Tanner of Starke, FL; his daughter, Lucretia Tanner (Howard) Kistler of Pensacola, FL; his brothers, Bart Tanner and Eugene “Duck” Tanner; his sisters, Loraine Edwards, Marie Shaw, Sarah Pearl Edwards, Nancy Stalnaker, and Diane Keene; and his grandson, Ryan Kistler.

Funeral Services were held Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 1:00 pm at Madison Street Baptist Church with Reverends Hugh Dampier and Gene Bass officiating. Interment followed at Me-morial Cemetery in Lake City, FL. The family received friends Friday, February 10, 2012 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the church. Arrangements are under the care and direction of ARCHIE TANNER FUNERAL SERVICES, Starke, FL. 904-964-5757. Visit www.archietannerfuneralservices.com to sign the family’s guest book. n

Louise Sutton Miller “Weejee”, loving mother, devoted fian-cée and partner, dedicated business owner, philanthropist,

and loyal friend to many, passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2012.Weejee, formerly of Nashville, TN lived in Pensacola, Florida

for the past 20 years and was President and CEO of Pensacola Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home, Inc. (“PMG”), a business

that has been in her family for over 50 years. Weejee was very active in the Pensacola community and a dedicated philanthro-pist. She was the recipient of the Heart of Gold Award from Covenant Hospice, a loyal Sertoma member and a founding sponsor of the Pensacola Ice Flyers. She sponsored various com-munity baseball teams, and was an active member of Perdido Key Association’s Big Lagoon sea turtle patrol. Weejee served as a member of Florida Cemetery Association Board of Directors; Independent Funeral Directors of Florida; Southern Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association and the International Cem-etery, Cremation and Funeral Association. She spoke on legal, governmental and economic issues affecting the cemetery at both state and national levels.

Prior to entering the cemetery business full time, she was director of Tennessee Commission on the Status of Women and also served as executive assistant to the Tennessee Commissioner of Transportation. She was a delegate for Ronald Regan for the Republican National Convention in 1984, and one of two spokes-women for Reagan selected from each state.

Weejee served on Governor Lamar Alexander’s Inaugural Committee, the Steering Committee for Better Schools in Tennes-see, and as chairman of the Advisory Council for Nashville State Technical Institute for two years. She was awarded the “Out-standing Advisory Council Award” by the Tennessee vocational schools and was selected “Outstanding Businesswoman of Year” by Davidson County Business and Professional Women in 1986.

In the early 1970s, she organized a community outreach pro-gram providing tutoring assistance to underprivileged children in Sumner County in Tennessee. The program grew to include over 120 volunteer teachers providing services to all elementary and middle school children throughout Hendersonville, Tennes-see and surrounding areas.

Weejee graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Uni-versity of Texas, and she earned her pilot’s license as a young woman.

Weejee is survived by her children, Karinne Caulkins, David Miller, and Diane Rossley, and her fiancé, Edward Smet. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Rachel and Rebecca Caulkins; John and Grace Miller; Kate, Luke, Tommy and Jane Rossley and the father of her children, Fred Miller. We love you, Mom.

Her accomplishments were many but most importantly, Weejee loved life and spread joy and happiness to all.

Memoriam, continued on page 17


The family received friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Fri-day, March 9, 2012 at Pensacola Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 10, 2012 at the funeral home.

Interment will be private at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to

Covenant Hospice Inpatient and Palliative Care, 8333 North Da-vis Highway, Pensacola, FL 32514; 850 202-0920, an organization whose mission was true and dear to Weejee in helping families through their ultimate time of need.

Condolences may be expressed at pmgfuneralhome.com. n

Colonel Pete Ballas, former consumer-member of the Board of Funeral Cemetery & Consumer Services,

Retired U.S Air Force, entered into rest on February 20, 2012. Col. Ballas specifically requested that there be no funeral services, and that his memory could be honored through memorials to your favorite charity. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Survivors include his wife, Sandy, one son Alan P. Ballas, of Talla-hassee, FL, one daughter Barbara Jenness of St Augustine, FL. n

Memoriam, continued from page 15IFDF Members, Are You

Receiving our Emails?

To ensure that you don’t miss out on important information that may be transmitted via Email,

Please send an Email to [email protected]

with your request to add that information to your membership file.


SeeKInG aPPrentIceShIP Preparing for a mid-life career change. February graduate of Gupton Jones seeking apprenticeship. Please contact [email protected] or call 678-447-2436.

FUneraL dIrectOr WantedBi-lingual or English speaking licensed funeral director wanted for Central Florida Area Funeral Home. We have five funeral homes and are privately owned. Looking for a highly moti-vated team player to join our team. competitively salary with excellent benefit package and a set schedule. Send resume to [email protected] or call 321-624-9508.

mIchaeL e. hyde, BaGPIPer FOr aLL OccaSIOnS Professional, licensed, full-time bagpiper. Available seven days a week, any time of day or evening. Full formal attire. All the tunes of glory played on either the Great Highland Pipe or the Shuttle Pipe (suitable for chapel setting). Attention Veterans: Michael is available to pipe at the National Cemetery in Bushnell and the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth. Affiliate member of IFDF. Please visit my website at www.Michael-HydeBagpiper.com to see Michael and hear sample tunes. Email: [email protected] or call (772) 696-3568.

ImmedIate Fd OPenInG In centraL FLLarge, family-owned funeral home seeks licensed Funeral Direc-tor/Embalmer. Great work environment and schedule. Must be able to work independently, multi-task and demonstrate exceptional integrity and customer service. Call Pamela Gage at 386-736-0021, or e-mail her at [email protected].

SeeKInG cemetery SaLeS PerSOnCemetery operation is seeking an energetic and ambitious sales person. The candidate will have sales and death care industry knowledge. Some of the responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to: assisting families with at-need and pre-need cemetery arrangements, networking, making sales presen-tations and becoming active in the community. Great communi-cation skills are required. Compensation is commensurate with experience. Please e-mail all questions and resume to [email protected].

SaLeS heLP Wanted

Constellation Casket Company is seeking a sales representative to cover the east coast of Florida. Benefits to include a protected territory, drawing account, multi-line products, and favorable commissions. Contact Mr. Michael Fuller or Mr. Augie Bottiger via e-mail [email protected]. n

classifieds

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Welcomes IFDF Members, their Families and their Employees

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Independent Funeral Directors of FloridaPO Box 10969119 E. Park AvenueTallahassee, FL 32302-2969

The IndependenT RepoRTeR

WWW.IFDF.ORG

the Independent Funeral directors of Florida is established to set high ideals among independently owned and operated fu-

neral homes in Florida. In a spirit of sharing and working together members are encouraged to conduct themselves with honor and dignity as they serve families in their communities.

IFdF mission

calendar of eventsIn this Issue

Presort Standard

U.S. PostageP A I D

Tallahassee, FLPermit No. 801

20th IFdF annual conference & tradeshow .............................................. 1

IFdF executive director’s message ....... 5

Our disposable Bic Society ..................... 6

2012 IFdF conference Schedule ........... 8

2012 IFdF conference registration ......11

In memoriam.............................................15

classifieds .................................................18

April5 497 Board Meeting, Jacksonville

19 IFDF Board of Directors Meeting, Lakeland

May3 497 Board Conference Call

June6-9 IFDF Annual Conference & Trade Show

7 497 Board Conference Call

28 497 Board Meeting, Annual PNL Renewals

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