July 25, 2008

‘The Undertaking’ Is in the Running for an Emmy

“The Undertaking,” a PBS documentary on funeral service that focuses on the work of Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors in Michigan, has been nominated for an Emmy Award.

The program is one of four nominees in the Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming category. Nominees were announced July 15, and winners will be named Sept. 21. read more...

Write a Press Release Like a Pro

If your press releases aren’t getting you the type of exposure you want, then here are some tricks to try to reverse that trend click here to download the pdf...

Museum Hosts Mobile Exhibit on the American Funeral

PUEBLO, COLO. - El Pueblo History Museum is excited to host Colorado’s first public appearance of Reflections: The American Funeral mobile exhibition at El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, July 25-27, the museum announced in a news release.

Kates-Boylston Publications is proud to be one of the sponsors of the exhibit.

Museum and exhibit admission will be free, including extended hours on Sunday the 27th. Plus, the museum will offer free hot dogs, ice cream and lemonade, crafts for families, including papel picado; and up to 30 percent savings in the museum bookstore and gift shop. read more...

SCI Increases Offer for Stewart Enterprises

Service Corporation International has increased its bid for Stewart Enterprises, raising its offer from $9.50 per share to $11 per share. That would boost the price of a deal to as much as $1.04 billion.

Stewart Enterprises rejected SCI's original offer. With the increased bid, the company has formed a committee to consider the matter, according to a news release. read more...

Funeral Home Mistakenly Switches Bodies

STICKNEY, ILL. - A family attained a court order to exhume the body of their loved one after discovering that a funeral home had mixed up two bodies, The Associated Press reported.

The Mount Auburn Funeral Home at first was unsure where the body of 91-year-old Lillian Grogan was after the deceased’s family realized that the body in the casket was not their loved one. read more...

Salary Survey Still Open

Funeral Service Insider is still taking responses to its much anticipated Salary Survey for funeral home owners.

If you have already taken the survey, which only takes a few minutes to complete, please do not take it again. But if you have not yet taken it, it's time to let your voice be heard. We want as many responses as possible.

Please note that we are interested in getting a full year of data, so despite being named the “2008 Compensation Survey,” we want your numbers for 2007. Some questions also ask for 2006 data.

Results and analysis will be reported in a future issue of the Insider.

click here to take the survey...

Webinar to Focus on "Green" Funeral Service Strategies and Practices

The Green Funeral Service Desk Reference Mark your calendar: Kates-Boylston Publications is proud to announce its first ever Green Funeral Service Strategies and Practices webinar, which will be held Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar celebrates the launch of The Green Funeral Service Desk Reference, a new book that serves as a comprehensive guide for funeral service professionals interested in green burial. >> click here to learn more