Deadline:
July 31, 2013
Download Entry Form
Call for Entries
Saluting Cemetery Excellence
American Cemetery is proud to announce its annual American Cemetery Excellence Award. If you think your team should be recognized for maintaining a great cemetery that's succeeding in tough economic times, then we want to hear from you.
It doesn't matter if you are owned by a corporation, a municipality or by an independent entity; we are seeking entries from top-performing cemeteries to recognize your accomplishments.
Who Should Enter? top
The American Cemetery Excellence Award is open to all cemeteries. We will select at least three finalists and one top winner. This allows us to recognize a variety of nominees, regardless of how many employees or acres you have. All entries will be treated with the strictest confidence. While this is an award recognizing the overall cemetery, we ask for finalists to be prepared to make a cemetery staff member available to be interviewed.
Recognition top
The winner of the American Cemetery Excellence Award will:
- Receive an award plaque.
- Be featured in a cover story and profile in the December issue of American Cemetery.
- Be promoted via press releases and other marketing initiatives.
- Receive a Cemeterian Survival Kit package. (Includes: A one-year subscription to American Cemetery magazine, a complete set of Funerals of the Famous, Guide to Grounds Maintenance, The Green Funeral Service Desk Reference. A value of $387.85)
Judging Criteria top
- How active is your cemetery in the community?
- How well are your grounds maintained?
- How innovative is your cemetery?
- How well is your cemetery performing?
- How does your cemetery exemplify team spirit?
- Photos to illustrate the beauty of your cemetery.
How to Enter top
We want to hear how your cemetery (or one that you think deserves the award) meets our judging criteria.
The following information must be provided:
- A fully filled out and legible entry form.
- A detailed synopsis that includes: Specific successes, business hurdles/challenges overcome, examples of maintenance and planning goals, how you work together as a team to keep the cemetery operating smoothly.
- Examples of your cemetery’s involvement in your community.
- Five to six photos showcasing your cemetery.
- A brief history of the cemetery.
- Supporting materials, including print material and marketing collateral, examples of newspaper coverage, photographs of community events and unique cemetery features.
- Statement on what sets your cemetery apart and why it deserves to be recognized as the ACE winner.
What to send:
- Entry form
- Two- to three-page synopsis
- One-page history of the cemetery
- Five to six photos of your cemetery
- Examples of your cemetery's community involvement
- Supporting material
Mail Entries to:
Cemetery Excellence Award
3349 Highway 138
Building D, Suite D
Wall, NJ 07719
Email Entries to:
awards@katesboylston.com
Deadline top
Deadline: July 31, 2013 (postmarked)
Previous Winners top
2012 Winner: East Lawn Memorial Park
From its beginnings as a small country farm, East Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries has grown to become an integral part of its Sacramento, Calif., community.
Download a PDF of the article
2011 Winner: Cypress Hills Cemetery
Cypress Hills Cemetery has quietly served thousands of New York residents and the public at large. Its lush landscaping, funerary art and sculpture serve not only as a social, historical and environmental resource, but also as the final resting place for many notable Americans.
Download a PDF of the article
FAQs top
Please contact Patti Bartsche at pbartsche@katesboylston.com or 732-730-2583.
What sorts of supporting materials are you looking for?
We need a short synopsis of why the nominee/team should receive an award. Please, no more than 3 pages long, and we want to hear how you are nominating matches the judging criteria.
Who will be judging my entries?
We will have a distinguished panel of internal judges from our editorial staff. Your entries will be held in strict confidence.
When and how will the winners be announced?
Finalists will be notified in October and honored in the American Cemetery magazine's November issue. The winner will be profiled in December.
Want to be a sponsor of the Cemetery Excellence Award? top
If you're interested in becoming a sponsor please contact:
732-730-2580
akaniuk@katesboylston.com
732-730-2582
bkunert@katesboylston.com