April 18, 2008

Beleaguered NPS/Lincoln Shuts Down

ST. LOUIS - NPS/Lincoln Memorial Life has shut down its operations, according to a company account representative who told Kates-Boylston Publications that owner Brent Cassity broke the news during an employees-only conference call on April 5.

Between 50 and 60 sales representatives were let go during the call. An NPS insider who declined to be identified by name said the move was in response to the Texas Department of Insurance’s order to Lincoln to stop writing new business. read more...

Update: Mississippi Takes Swift Action to Address Cremation Scandal

JACKSON, MISS. - In the aftermath of alleged misdeeds at Mark Seepe Funeral Directors & Crematorium, the Mississippi legislature passed a bill April 14 that would place stricter guidelines on crematories and allow the Board of Funeral Services to temporarily close crematories that were not up to standard.

The bill would also prohibit the co-mingling of remains, an allegation that figures prominently in the investigation of Seepe's business. Furthermore, the same retort could not be used to cremate humans and animals. Gov. Haley Barbour is expected to sign the bill. If he does, it would become law July 1. read more...

Growing Pains and Granite By Ethan Ax

When the Buchanan Group bought a monument company in 1999, it found itself
stuck with a firm that used outdated glass-etching machines that were inefficient. But instead of giving up, it turned the sagging business into a profitable one and sees even better times ahead. click here to download the full story...

CANA & The Steel City + PIMS = Success

The Cremation Association of North America along with Matthews Cremation Division recently completed the first Crematory Operator Certification Program that was held at a mortuary school, CANA announced in a news release.

This program was conducted at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science on April 8. Mike Nicodemus, chairman of the certification program and an alumnus of PIMS, said, “I am humbled by the turnout of crematory operators throughout the Tri-State area and those that traveled from afar. I was stunned to see we had one attendee from Port-au-Prince, Haiti who operates the only crematory in Haiti.” Robert R. Loubeau, who is the Director General at Maison Funeraire ET Crematorium, told Nicodemus, “The training was invaluable to me and I learned so very, very much. I thank CANA for conducting this program, and I wish you continued success.” read more...

Now Available:
American Cemetery's Guide to Grounds Maintenance

This is not your average gardening guide! It covers all aspects of grounds maintenance but with the cemeterian in mind. Leading cemeterians lend their experience and advice on a number of landscaping and gardening topics of specific interest to those working inside and allied to the profession. >> Click Here to purchase