No. 1 Vol. 15 February 2000

THE

Glittering lobby of megaship

Warren Chandler

First Vault Man Takes Helm of Funeral Industry Council Warren Chandler, president of Master Grave Service, Inc., Bogart, Georgia, began his term as president of the Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC) at the group's January meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. He is the first man from the vault industry to be so honored.

FAMIC is a coalition of organizations representing nearly every segment in death care. Other members represented in the council include the National Funeral Directors Association, American Monu-ment Association, Cremation Association of North America, International Cemetery and Funeral Association, International Order of the Golden Rule, International Monument Supply Association, National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Monument Builders of North American, International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, and National Selected Morticians Association.

"This is an honor of which I am very proud," said Chandler who will serve dual roles as president of the council and president of NCBVA until the annual convention in June.

Something For Everyone Nautical -- Or Not! Whether you're a seafarer or a landlubber, there's an opportunity for you to take part in NCBVA's Year 2000 Convention. This year's convention is combined with a cruise option to create a truly unique venue for vault manufacturers, suppliers and family members in the new millennium.

BY LAND. . . The program begins on dry land on Sunday, June 11, at the Miami Airport Hilton and Towers with the annual membership meeting. This will be followed by two outstanding speakers on workplace issues (See the last issue of The Bulletin for details). On Sunday evening the trade show takes on a somewhat new format to give associate members an opportunity to showcase new products and services. The Exhibitors Showcase will be combined with the opening cocktail party for a fun evening of networking with industry friends. Then, on Monday morning, we will board busses for a plant tour of Hicks Industries hosted by District 2 Director, Dan Hicks. This will conclude the land portion of our meeting and is priced separately for those who don't have sea legs. Separate information packets with information about exhibiting, sponsoring and advertising opportunities will be available soon.

AND BY SEA. . . Busses will depart from the Hilton on Monday afternoon to our embarkation terminal in Miami for those boarding "The Majesty of the Seas," More than 50 cabins have already been booked. There are some remaining in our block, so if you haven't yet registered and made reservations, be sure to do so as soon as possible. The program continues on board with another education session on Tuesday morning and plenty of time for additional networking. Ports of call include Nassau, Bahamas, the cruise line's private island of CocoCay in the Bahamas, and Key West, Fla.

Please see pages 8 and 9 for a program outline and registration form.

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February 2000 NCBVA BULLETIN 3

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.

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

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

President Warren Chandler, Sr.

Master Grave Service, Inc. Bogart, GA

Executive Director's Report

New Study Will Reveal Changing Attitudes

The Board of Directors of the Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC), at its January 11, 2000

meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., approved a draft copy of its 1999 Study of the American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization, which is expected to be released in final form during the next few months.

FAMIC is a coalition of represen-tatives of the top associations in the death care industry Industry Update who meet twice yearly to exchange ideas and discuss industry issues.

The study, the third of its kind sponsored by FAMIC, is built on previous studies in 1990 and 1995. The study measures change, if any, in consumer perspectives of the death care industry and its services, changes in consumer attitudes and opinions about death care industry professionals as well as preferred ritualization and memorialization practices.

FAMIC commissioned the Wirthlin Worldwide Company to perform the first study of consumer attitudes toward ritualization and memorialization in September 1990 to determine the personal values which drive consumer decision-making behavior, to learn more about attitudes toward cremation and pre-planning and to study the trends toward simplification in funeral and burial service at non-traditional sources, and to track an increase in the preference for cremation. The study was conducted through interviews with over 1,000 people nationwide, who have not made funeral arrangements within six months.

While detailed findings have yet to be released, early results, of interest to burial vault manufacturers, would indicate that cremation appears to be making a significant

increase over the 1995 study. More respondents also indicated a desire to keep cremated remains than from the last study. More than half of those respondents would get a permanent memorial to remember the cremated person in some way

Over half of those polled indicated a preference to deal directly with a

monument design specialist for a headstone. The reasoning for this was that a monument dealer could offer more options and choices and buyers would have a better opportunity to see what they are getting.

In the area of searching for alternative suppliers, a significant number of people have visited a casket store located outside the funeral home. However, almost all respondents indicated they have never visited a Web site on the Internet to purchase a casket or choose a funeral home or cemetery.

Another item of interest in this study shows that people tend to go to family and friends more for information about funerals and cremation than to the funeral director. Those polled also indicated a preference to deal with the local, independently owned funeral home compared to a funeral home owned by a large national corporation.

The complete results will be available to all NCBVA members as soon as they are released.

Tom Monahan NCBVA Executive Director

President-Elect Timothy Brutsche

Brutsche Concrete Products Battle Creek, MI

Secretary/Treasurer Jack Swihart

Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp. Saginaw, MI

Immediate Past President Hugh McQuestion

Lakeshore Burial Vault Co.. Inc. Brookfield, WI

Directors, District 1 Robert Hardy

Hardy Doric, Inc. Chelmsford, MA

Kelly Pellicano Graffius Burial Vault Co.

Reading, PA

Directors, District 2 Warren Chandler, Sr.

Master Grave Service, Inc. Bogart, GA

Dan Hicks Hicks Industries

Mulberry, FL

Directors, District 3 Bob DonateIli

Baumgardner Products Co. Akron, OH

Holly Baxter Bridgers Baxter Burial Vault Service

Cincinnati, OH

Directors, District 4 Jeff Grayson

Superior Vault Co. Charlestown, IN

Jack Swihart Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp

Saginaw, MI

Director, District 5 J.C. Clifton

Quality Burial Vault Co. Houston, TX

Graham MacLeod Detroit Wilbert Vault Corp.

Detroit, MI

Executive Director Thomas A. Monahan, CAE

Certified Association Management Company Longwood, FL

Legal Counsel J. Scott Calkins Harrisburg, PA

Industry Calendar

17-19

21-24

24-25

February

Doric Spring Meeting Holiday Inn Terre Haute, IN

World of Concrete Expo Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL

Death Care World Expo '00 International Order of the Golden Rule Ernest Morial Cony. Ctr. New Orleans, LA

March

29-Apr. 1 International Cemetery and Funeral Association Cincinnati Convention Center Cincinnati, OH

June

11-16 NCBVA Millennium Cruise Departs Miami, FL To Bahamas & Key West, FL

August

23-26

Cremation Association of North America Annual Convention The Westin Harbour Castle Toronto, Ontario, Canada

November

19-20

Cremation Certification Program for Equipment Operators CANA Orlando, FL

4 NCBVA BULLETIN

February 2000

Will New Century Bring Changes To the Burial Vault Industry?

BY JEFF GRAYSON

District 4 Director

I trust that everyone had a happy new year and survived any Y2K bugs. A new year always causes one to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the new one. This reflection becomes even more apparent because there is also a passing of a century. These

thoughts have me wondering what the new century may bring to the burial vault industry. Will cremation continue in popularity or even become the leading form of disposition? Is this a cycle or trend that will complete now and not resurface again for 20 or 30 years, like bell bottoms, platform shoes, skinny neckties and wide suit lapels? Will burial vaults continue to lose their market share or will we come full circle to the traditional form of burial? Some people think we are returning to old values and traditions. Will the majority of vaults be sold by manufacturers who have preneed sales force selling to the general public? . Will online sales be made to the public by way of the Internet or will vaults find their way to the casket stores? Will vault sales be exclusive to cemeteries and will the funeral director become a secondary source of sales? Will vault liner manufacturers broaden their product line to include funeral-related products and use their distribution network to sell these products? Will servicing of the vault continue to be the normal practice or will the rising cost of labor raise the cost of the project so much that some form of self-service will be used? We have seen this trend in other industries, i.e., self service gas stations. Will this trend force the closure of small family owned operations and allow a few large regional firms to service all the funerals? On the other hand, one has to look at what is happening to the funeral industry and the large firms that bought out the small operations. Their stock has plummeted, raising questions about the judgment of those purchases.

Changes may be seen in the manufacturing and type of vaults being used. The last 100 years saw many changes in burial vaults with wood giving way to concrete and other materials. Will the next century give manufacturers new choices for their products?

I know some of these ideas sound strange and far-reaching, but I for one did not think, even 10 years ago, that the stock market would reach the heights it has today.

No one person has the answers to these questions and I admit some of these things won't happen in my lifetime. However, to keep our industry viable we will need to address these issues and have a plan ready to meet the needs of our customers. Pleasing the customer, no matter how trite it sounds, always seems to be the correct answer and the one thing that we can do to assure that our businesses continue to prosper.

I guess the point of this exercise is to keep our minds open and to be flexible. We don't know who our customer might be in this new century!

IN MEMORIAM

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Dot Horan on December 16, 1999 of lymphoma. She was the co-founder of D & C Supply in 1968 and enjoyed the company of NCBVA members for the past 30 years. Dot and her husband Chuck had five sons: the late Mark Horan, Michael and Gregory who also work in the business, Charles and Richard and two grandchildren. Dot was also active in her church and community. May she be at peace eternally with the Lord.

Fax calendar items to Jan Monahan,

Production Coordinator The Bulletin

(407) 774-6751

Welcome New Members

John King President Wilbert Burial Vault Co. 1546 S. Getty St. Muskegon, MI 49442 (231) 773-6631 Fax: (231) 777-3541

Marshall Lindsey General Manager Funeral Directors Vault 817 E. Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 585-4401 Fax: (502) 585-9827

James D. Mosley Owner-Manager Mosley Vault Co. 545 Linda Lane DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 (850) 951-0081 Fax: (850) 951-0878

February 2000 NCBVA BULLETIN

Merger Creates Internet Funeral Giant PLAN4ever.comTM, the Internet's leading commerce and informational portal dedicated exclusively to death and end-of-life issues, (http://www.PLAN4ever.com ), has acquired Northern Virginia-based DiscountUrns.com , the largest urn retailer.and revenue producing funeral site on the Internet. The merger of the two companies will create the most comprehensive online funeral planning and product resource available on the Internet.

Russ Harman, co-founder and CEO of DiscountUrns.com , will join PLAN4ever.com as President while Charles Aughenbaugh, co-founder of DiscountUms.com , will become Senior Vice President of Consumer Products. Both executives will move their headquarters from Chantilly, Va. to PLAN4ever.com's Los Angeles offices.

"This acquisition of DiscountUms.com is a significant step forward in the development of PLAN4ever.com," noted Stuart Miller, CEO of PLAN4ever.com . "With the addition of DiscountUrns' market share and product roster, PLAN4ever.com will provide a unique and invaluable service to Internet users of all profiles."

"This merger is about more than funerals and funeral-related products," continued Miller. "The idea is to bring more choice to the consumer. It's always been our goal to make an inevitable fact of life easier for the families and loved-ones of the sick or departed."

DiscountUrns.com seeks to provide a non-threatening, cost-effective and no-pressure environment for the individual consumer on the Internet. Additionally, DiscountUms.com assists small family-owned, funeral businesses to expand and become prosperous.

Russ Harman, the new President of PLAN4ever.com said, "With this agreement, PLAN4ever.com will become more than a destination, it will be the online destination for funeral planning, products and services."

In addition to their experience with DiscountUrns, Harmon and Aughenbaugh bring more than 27 years combined experience in the death care industry. Harmon brings experience as a funeral director at the local and national levels. Prior to founding DiscountUrns.com and Northern Virginia Funeral Choices, a full-service funeral provider and crematorium, he served as an executive with Service Corporation International. Source: PRNewswire

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or cross grave settings. The Crane-Way beam is a 5" I-Beam and is 14' long with heavy-duty, adjustable support legs. The beam is carried on large flat rollers with heavy duty bearings. There is a hand crank system to roll beam back and forth. The vault lifting winch is swivel-mounted to the beam trolley. This prevents trolley wheel binding due to sideways shifts of the load. Hand operated back winch at the rear of the Crane-Way beam allows safe loading of a vault from a truck or trailer bed onto the Vault Handling Trailer. Rear hydraulic leveling jacks enable easy leveling of the whole machine on almost any terrain. They make off-loading a vault from a truck bed easier and safer. We have a long list of options and will do custom options. For more information contact. Don Long Long Machine Co. 519 N. Main Ave. Maiden, NC 28650 (Ph) 828-428-2648 (Fax) 828-428-8608

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NCBVA BULLETIN February 2000

Records Provide Details of Washington's Funeral MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) - Too grief-stricken to join the funeral cortege, Martha Washington sat in silence beside the second-floor window of her beloved Mount Vernon and watched the funeral of her husband on the lawn below.

Two hundred years later, another woman sat in the same silent room, watching a re-

enactment of George Washington's funeral. Thousands wearing black armbands gathered in December for the re- creation at

the estate the first president

built beside the Potomac River.

Scholars and those who keep watch over Washington's legacy worried that the Father of the Country is being forgotten and hoped to use the funeral

to conjure Washington back for the living. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association,

which maintains and operates the plantation, conducted a two-year investigation of estate records and contemporary national press accounts in order to re-create the ceremony. A volunteer in full costume played each original participant. Original artifacts were replicated, including a finely crafted copy of the casket in which Washington's remains now rest in riverside woods on the manor.

The association called on volunteers or, where possible, descendants of original participants to help demonstrate the complex web of personalities that surrounded the presidency at the turn of the 18th century.•Volunteer Ann O'Brien of Arlington, Va., was Martha Washington.

ZSun-nee Matema, 55, of Silver Spring, Md., is a sixth-generation descendent of Caroline Brannum, Mrs. Washington's maid. Matema represented Brannum in the funeral procession and related details of her ancestor's life to visitors later in the day. Matema, who has painstakingly researched

Brannum's life for six years, said events such as the re-creation lead descendants of other participants in the original event to realize that slaves and servants were also historically significant, full characters with personal lives.

In the event, the slave took care of her mistress until she died two years later. She then went to Arlington House on the land that would become Arlington National Cemetery and cared for the children of Henry Lee, known as Light-Horse Harry Lee, Robert E. Lee's father.

The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association curator, Carol Borchert, said Mount Vernon is in a unique position to gather intricate primary records uncommon for researchers into the 18th century. Washington's meticulous manner inspired those around him to record tedious details of his daily life and the funeral.

It helped the association to revive Washington's spirit at a time when Americans are beginning to identify him only as the man on the dollar bill, she said.

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February 2000 NCBVA BULLETIN 7

Canadian Company Targets Texas for Expansion Into US If Victor Erwin has his way, families throughout Texas and the Southwest will soon have what the company promotes as "a convenient, affordable, and common sense alternative to the outrageously high costs of burying a loved one."

Erwin has acquired U.S. rights to Personal Alternative Funeral Services (PAFS), which provides all of the usual services of a traditional funeral home, but at 30 to 50 percent less cost. And, more significantly, PAFS provides those services on a much more personal basis, a company press release stated.

A PAFS licensed funeral director makes the final arrangements in the comfort, convenience and security of the family's own home. This not only mitigates the need for the family to visit a funeral home but also "eliminates their exposure to the commercial pressure to spend beyond the family's means." PAFS then uses community churches and chapels for the Funeral or Memorial Service.

The first Personal Alternative funeral home was established in 1992 in Vancouver and in just seven years already owns more than 10 percent of the Vancouver market share. Erwin expects to open five Personal Alternative franchises in Dallas-Fort Worth over the next three years and plans call for 36 throughout the Southwest.

"By keeping the ownership independent through our francisees, we don't have to answer to the shareholders of a mega-funeral chain trading on the New York Stock Exchange. All of this means that PAFS passes significant savings along to the consumer," Erwin said.

Hurricane's Flood Waters Displace Caskets and Vaults The path of Hurricane Floyd left a high fatality rate and massive amounts of rain, in some places over 20 inches, when it hit the east coast last September. This left massive floods in some places exceeding 20 feet.

The small town of Princeville, N.C., a historic town just east of Tarboro, took a very hard hit because of a break in the dike on the Tar River. Most of the town had at least 10 feet of water covering it including the town hall. Princeville was the first incorporated black town, after the Civil War in the United States, dating back to 1865.

The Greenlawn Cemetery in Princeton, a large typical southern cemetery dating back to the late 1800s is the largest of the 13 affected cemeteries. Most of them had at least 8 feet of water covering them. This caused many graves to become soft and allowed the caskets to rise above the water level. When the water receded many of the caskets had floated away from their original burial space thus making identification impossible.

The task of identifying and reburying the bodies fell on the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT). Experts on the team included forensic pathologists, dentists, anthropologists, funeral directors, embalmers, fingerprint experts, security persons, secretaries, x-ray technicians, medical transcriptionists, computer experts, and support personnel. There was a total of 158 workers who rotated in and out at different times.

They assisted with the recovery, identifications, and reburial of 224 human remains who were displaced from their burial sites. In Tarboro, families would contact the Cemetery Information Center which was operated by DMORT team members at a motel. Information was gathered concerning the missing remains. In the meantime, all the recovered remains were taken through the NDMS Mobile Morgue. The information obtained from the Cemetery Information Center and the morgue was entered into a computer system where cross matches were found, leading to many positive identifications.

The remains were placed into new caskets and vaults and reinterred by DMORT personnel. Families were contacted and approval for reburial wereobtained. Those not identified are reburied in a site to be selected, said Tom Dabney, one of five Kentucky funeral directors who traveled to North Carolina to assist with the reburials. "The flood waters displaced many of the caskets and vaults because in this area of the United States many of the burials are at surface level. The top of the vault serves as the monument at the top of the ground, and the vault just floats out of the grave when the flood waters invade the cemetery." Adding to the problem is the fact that nearly all of the families' personal records including photos and information from funerals were also destroyed in the flood.

DMORT is a federal agency of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) under the United States Public Health Service. They also respond to aviation accidents across the United States

Reprinted with permission of the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky.

Vault manufacturer members: reserve your "Business Card" ad today! Call NCBVA - 1-800-538-1423 X 102

8 NCBVA BULLETIN February 2000

Sal 11 \ 1A Convention Cruise

June 11-16, 2000 Join the National Concrete Burial Vault Association

for its millennium year convention cruise aboard the "Majesty of the Seas"!

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM Saturday, June 10, 2000

Travel and Arrival at Miami Airport Hilton Hotel, Miami Florida Board of Directors Meeting

Sunday, June 11, 2000 (Pre-sail program at Miami Airport Hilton Hotel) 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. NCBVA Annual Membership Meeting — Miami Airport Hilton Hotel 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon "Employee Testing" -Albert H. Zinkand 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. "Drugs in the Workplace" - Bob Stutman 5:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Exhibitors Showcase Cocktail Reception The Majesty of the Seas is one of

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Premier megaships with luxurious staterooms, fabulous food, entertainment, and activities for the whole family. Sail away with your NCB VA friends to ports of call in Nassau and Coco Cay, Bahamas, and Key West, Florida. Cabins are limited so make your reservation today!

The registration fee includes your choice of cabins, all the food you can eat and all NCBVA educational programs.

Note: Saturday and Sunday night stay at Miami Airport Hilton Hotel will be an additional fee. All in-port tours are optional.

Mix Education With Pleasure— Just Add Water! For more information call NCB VA at (800) 538-1423

Monday, June 12, 2000 8:00 a.m. - Noon Plant Tour - Hicks Industries 2:00 p.m. Busses Depart Hotel for Cruise Terminal 3:00 p.m. Royal Caribbean Cocktail Reception Welcoming NCBVA 5:00 p.m. Ship Sails for Bahamas

Tuesday, June 13, 2000 8:00 a.m. -10 a.m. NCBVA Shipboard Educational Seminar 10:00 a.m. Ship arrives in Nassau, Bahamas

Wednesday, June 14, 2000 3:00 a.m. Ship leaves Nassau Bahamas 8:00 a.m. Ship arrives at CocoCay, Bahamas 5:00 p.m. Ship departs CocoCay, Bahamas

Thursday, June 15, 2000 10:00 a.m. Ship arrives Key West, Florida 5:30 p.m. Ship departs Key West, Florida

Friday, June 16, 2000 9:00 a.m. Ship returns to Miami

Convention and Cruise Fill out this section

Registration fees are based on double occupancy per cabin and include accommodations, and meals per person. Reduced prices are offered for 3rd/4th guests, including infants and children, who share accommodations with two full-price paying adults. Single occupants must pay the full double occupancy rate (rate below x2) or contact NCBVA and we can try to match you up with a roommate. Prices do not include required Departure and Port Service Fee or gratuities. Cabins are assigned on a first come, first served basis. (Exhibitors who sign up for this package get full exhibitor benefits at no additional cost.) Registration Deadline is May 17, 2000.

Registration fees per person (Indicate number of registrants per rate)

Cabin Category: Cifsgory F Category H Category K

Member x $749 x $699 x $649 Non Member $849 x $799 x $749 3rd-4th Person (same cabin) x $499 x $499 x $499 Port Service Fee $85 _o_rx x $85 x $85 Departure Tax C6 x $3 x $3 x $3

Total Registration Fees

Land Portion Only Fill out this section

Registration fees per person (Indicate number of registrants per rate) Before March 15 After March 15 After June 1

Member Adult x $300 x $350 x $400 Member's Child (under 12) x $200 x $225 x $275 Non-member* Adult x $400 x $450 x $500 Non-member's Child x $250 x $275 x $325

Total Registration Fees

**Exhibitors: If NOT going on the cruise, please fill out the exhibitor form that will be coming by mail soon in special exhibitor packets, or call us for information.

Hotel Accommodations

Miami Airport Hilton & Towers

Whether you are participat-ing in the entire convention or the Land-Only portion, you will need to make hotel reservations directly with the Miami Airport Hilton & Towers at (305) 262-1000 x 2210 by

May 17, 2000 After this date, reservations will be accepted on a space and rate availability basis. Please mention that you are attending the NCBVA convention in order to get the convention rate:

$100 single-quad

*Non-members who join NCBVA within 30 days of the convention may apply the $100 non-member difference toward their annual dues.

February 2000

NCBVA BULLETIN

9

June 11-16, 2000 Convention Registration Form Name of Company

Mailing Address

City, State, Zip Code

Telephone Number Fax Number

E-mail: **Exhibitor: Yes No

Registrants: (Please indicate which registrants are children under 12)

First Name Last Name

Nickname (for name badge)

PAYMENT INFORMATION — in order to process your registration, we need either a check for payment in full or credit card information. I hereby

authorize NCBVA to process my registration for the NCBVA Convention on the credit card listed below.

0 Check (Make check payable to NCBVA, mail with this completed form) 0 MasterCard 0 Visa 0 American Express

Card Number

Print Name (As It Appears on Card)

Signature

Cancellation Policy Cruise refunds, less a $100 administrative fee per person, will be provided if cabin can be resold prior to saling. We will be happy to process land-only refunds, less a $50 administrative fee, if cancellation is received in writing prior to May 1, 2000.

Expiration Date:

Mail or fax (credit card registration only) this form to: NCBVA* 900 Fox Valley Drive Suite 204, Longwood, FL 32779-2552 * Phone: (407) 788-1996 * Fax: (407) 774-6751

10

NCBVA BULLETIN

February 2000

NCBVA PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE FOLLOWING

COMPANIES WHICH HAVE A CURRENT

STANDING IN THE

PLANT CERTIFICATION

PROGRAM

Abel Vault & Monument Co. Pekin, IL

American Concrete Industries Bangor, ME

American Vault & Concrete Products

Detroit, MI

American Wilbert Vault Corp. Forest Park, IL

Arnold Wilbert Corp. Goldsboro, NC

Atlas Concrete Products, Inc. Orlando, FL

Automatic Wilbert Vault Tacoma, WA

Babylon Vault Co., Inc. New Windsor, MO

Baumgardner Products Co. Akron, OH

Baxter Burial Vault Cincinnati, OH

Baxter Vault Co.

Baxter Springs, KS

Binghamton Burial Vault Binghamton, NY

Brewster Vaults & Monuments Millville, NJ

Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Fargo, ND

Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Morris, MN

Brown-Wilbert Vault, Inc. St. Paul, MN

Bruns Norwalk Vault Co. Saint Louis, MO

Brutsche Concrete Products Battle Creek, MI

Brutsche Concrete Products Benton Harbor, MI

Bush Concrete Products, Inc. Muskegon, MI

C & M Precast Kerrville, TX

Calumet Wilbert Vault Co. Inc. Gary, IN

Carolina-Doric, Inc. Florence, SC

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Oklahoma City, OK

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Tulsa, OK

Century Vault Co., Inc.

Taunton, MA

Chandler Wilbert Vault, Inc. LaCrosse, WI

Childs Eagle Vault Co. Anderson, SC

Clinton Wilbert Vaults, Inc.

Clinton, IA

Cooper Wilbert Vault Co. Barrington, NJ

Costello Vaults Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada

Crummitt & Son Vault Corp. Martins Ferry, OH

D.C. Robertson, Inc. Williston, VT

Dardanelle Vault & Monument Dardanelle, AR

Deihl Vault & Precast Co. Orangeville, PA

Delaware Valley Vault Co., Inc. Chester, PA

Detroit Wilbert Vault Corp. Detroit, Ml

Doody Burial Vaults, Inc. Winchendon, MA

Doric of Central Arkansas Little Rock, AR

Doric of Kansas Vault, Inc. Iola, KS

Doric of Nashville, Inc. Nashville, TN

Doric of Northeast Arkansas Jonesboro, AR

Doric of South Texas Elsa, TX

Doric of Texas, Inc. Houston, TX

Doric Concrete Vaults, Inc. Newton, KS

Doric Manufacturing Co.

I3oaz, AL

Doric Mississippi, Inc. Jackson, MS

Doric-South, Inc.

Demopolis, AL

Doric Vault of Eastern NV, Inc. Hudson, NY

Doric Vault Co. of S. Illinois Marion, IL

Eagle Burial Vaults Perry, GA

Eagle Burial Vault Co. of LA Ruston, LA

Esterly Burial Vault Co. West Reading, PA

Everlasting Vault Co. Randallstown, MD

Florida Wilbert, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

Fond Du Lac Wilbert Vault Fond Du Lac, WI

Forsyth Bros. Concrete Prod.

Terre Haute, IN

Gettysburg Burial Vault Co. Gettysburg, PA

Grable Vault Co. Logansport, IN

Gray Bros., Inc. Kansas City, KS

Gross Vault & Monument Thomasville, GA

Hairfield Vault Co. Hickory, NC

Hardy Doric, Inc. Chelinstbrd, MA

Barn Vault Service Massillon, OH

Harris Precast, Inc. La Porte, IN

Heilman — Wirtz, Inc. Cedar Hill, TX

Hicks Industries, Inc. Mulberry, FL

Hydraulic Dolly, Inc. Altoona, PA

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

Jacson, Inc. Henderson, TX

Jefferson Concrete Corp. Watertown, NY

L-D Vault Service Chattanooga, TN

Lakeshore Burial Vault Co. Brookfield, WI

Ludlow Burial Vault Co. Ludlow, MA

Marion Vault Works Marion, IN

Markham Burial Vault Services Richmond, VA

Master Grave Service Athens, GA

Mercer Vault Company Fredericksburg. VA

Milan Burial Vault, Inc. Milan. MI

Milwaukee Wilbert Vault Co. Milwaukee, WI

Minnick Services Corp. Fort Wayne, IN

Neher Burial Vault Co. Springfield, OH

Nor-Don Vault Co. Inc. Strafford, MO

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

Peoria Vault Co. Peoria, IL

Perfection Vault Woodson, IL

Phenix Vault Phenix City, AL

Pioneer Vault, Inc. Doylestown, PA

Pope Concrete Products Waycross, GA

Poplar Bluff Doric Vaults, Inc. Poplar Bluff, MO

Precast Concrete Products, Inc. Blissfield, MI

Quality Burial Vault Co. Houston, TX

Rex Vault & Mausoleum Svc. Newton, IL

Riefler Concrete Products Hamburg, NY

Ringtown Wilbert Vault Works Ringtown, PA

Roland — Wilbert Vault Co. Marion, IA

Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp. Saginaw, MI

Saline Vault Co.

Sweet Springs, MO

Santeiu Vaults, Inc. Detroit, MI

Scranton Wilbert Vault Jessup, PA

continued ..

For information on NCB VA's exclusive Plant Inspection and Certification Progra in, please contact NCBVAHeadquarters at 1-800-538-1423

or see application fOrm on page 12.

wiI M. MI MI I I • VI MI Ix vs,

I II .411 MI II III

I NM M7 I 111/1 •

_SWI • MEM

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

Spoerr Precast Concrete Sandusky, OH

Sterling Unlimited, Inc. Woodsboro, MD

Suhor Industries, Inc. Oklahoma City, OK

Superior Burial Vaults, Inc. Salt Lake City, UT

Superior Vault Bryantown, MD

Superior Vault Company LTD Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Swan's Concrete Products

Westbrook, ME Tucker Vault Co.

Farmington, MO Turner Vault Company

Toledo, OH Wayne Burial Vault Co., Inc. Indianapolis, IN

Welte Vault Co. Danbury, IA

West Plains Vault & Mfg. Co. Pomona, MO

Wicomico Vault Co., Inc. Salisbury, MD

Wieser Precast/Doric Vault Co. La Crescent, MN

Wieser Precast Stewartville, MN

Wilbert Burial Vault Co. Atlanta, GA

Williams Vault Company Emporia, VA

Willmar Precast Co. Willmar, MN

Winchester Building Supply Winchester, VA

Zeiser Wilbert Vault Elmira, NY

Midas Mound protects a wooden tomb

February 2000

NCBVA BULLETIN 11

Vault Preserves Clues to Past When King Midas was laid to rest 2,700 years ago, mourners feasted on a spicy barbecue of sheep or goat and washed it down with plenty of fer-mented drink, according to an analysis of the leftovers.

Clues to the big meal were found by University of Pennsylvania Museum researchers in 1957 when they opened the Midas Mound at Gordion in central Turkey. It is considered the likely tomb of King Midas.

Along with a skeleton that may be the remains of the powerful Phrygian king, the tightly sealed site contained clay pots, bronze bowls and serving vessels which held remains of a funeral feast. Time had made the menu items resemble soft, brown earth.

"They suspected that it had been food," senior museum researcher Patrick McGovern said in an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "But 40 years ago, we didn't have the lab techniques to figure out what it was."

A more recent analysis - published by McGovern and others in the journal, Nature,

found traces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the crispy black oatings found on grilled meat. The researchers said that indicated remnants of a barbecue.

Another chemical shows the

meat was mixed with a legume - likely lentils, researchers say, since they have been found in large jars in Gordion excavations.

The beverage was apparently a mixture of grape wine, barley beer and honey mead, researchers said. A similar drink had long been traditional in Europe, which scientists say supports the theory that the people of Midas' kingdom might have been of European extraction, rather than Asian."It definitely is more like Greek cooking," McGovern said.

A good time was apparently had by all. The scientists' math shows that, with 100 drinking cups and three 33-gallon cauldrons of the potent punch in the tomb, each guest had access to a gallon. Source: Associated Press

It's Simple Things-- Like Ice Cream That Make Life Worth Living Everyone is arguing over which discoveries were the most important of the millennium. The understanding of the earth's place in the solar system? Movable type? The theory of relativity?

We'll leave that debate to others. But here's a list of some of the small discoveries of the past 1,000 years that make life worth living:

Chocolate. And ice cream. Better yet, chocolate ice cream. French fries and potato chips, of course. Margaritas and daiquiris. Go-cups and Mardi Gras throws. Pizza delivery and drive-throughs. Microwave popcorn, TV dinners, instant grits and olives without pits.

Speaking of convenience, what did we do without paper towels and disposable diapers? Or those fabulous resealable plastic bags?

And what about all those other automated wonders? Garage door openers and garbage disposals. Ice makers and blenders. The cordless phone, electric screwdrivers, VCRs, the remote control, instant replay.

Then there's the blow dryer. Now, that was revolutionary. So were no-iron fabrics and pantyhose. Insect repellent and self-adhesive stamps. Velcro, too. Ballpoint pens. Paperback books. Portable disc players. The list could go on and on. Sure, there's plenty of loftier stuff that could be praised. But sheer deodorant? That's magic.

12 NCBVA BULLETIN

February 2000

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 0 Top Seals 0 Air Domes 0 Sectionals Other

Please return this application with full payment to:

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

As an NCBVA member in good standing, the total of your Plant Certification Inspection will be $750. Full payment should be enclosed with your application.

THE LOGAN VAULT HANDLER By Axis Corporation

•

February 2000

NCBVA BULLETIN 13

PROVIDING SERVICE AND REALIBILTY FOR OVER 40 YEARS

THE LOGAN VAULT HANDLERS ARE MANUFACTURED WITH ONLY NEW BRAND NAME PARTS—NOT USED OR RE-MANUFACTURED. This gives you

better dependability and longer life of your Handler. OUR NEW 3/4 TON AXLE is manufactured narrower than the standard 3/4 ton truck axle to allow for more maneuverability in the Cemetery.

The Logan Vault Handler can handle both straight and cross grave settings. The Logan is equipped with hydraulic variable speed Forward and Reverse, also a High and Low range

gearbox STANDARD.

STRENGTH IS NOT IN THE STEEL ALONE IN A VAULT HANDLER; IT IS IN THE DESIGN. The Logan was designed to withstand the stress of a heavy load and yet light enough not to tear up turf in the

Cemetery. The Logan was designed over 40 years ago and has seen many improvements in maneuverability and efficiency. The Logan Vault Handler is designed to give you optimum power using reliable parts and

durable construction. It has been tested, beaten, used and abused for over 40 years. The Logan always was and still is the benchmark of Vault Handling equipment, And that is why we are the

Standard of the Industry AXIS CORPORATION P.O Box 668 BELLEFONTAINE OHIO 43311 1-800-422-AXIS(2947) FAX 1-937-592-5230 salesOaxiscorooration.com www.axiscomoration.com

BUY DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE

14

NCBVA BULLETIN

February 2000

Industry News and Notes S&P May Cut Stewart Enterprises Standard & Poor's, has placed its triple - "B" corporate credit, senior unsecured debt, and bank loan ratings for Stewart Enterprises, Inc. on CreditWatch with negative implications.The CreditWatch placement is due to further weakness in financial performance as indicated by its release of fourth quarter eanings, and lowered expectations for future earnings and cash flow.

Pricing pressure and weaker death rate trends are materially affecting Stewart's financial results. Still, Stewart remains in a strong position as the third-largest provider of funeral services with 633 funeral service locations and 157 cemeteries.

The company has expanded its presence into Europe, the Pacific Rim, and South America, but the historically aggressive acquisition program has been suspended.

Loewen Selling More Cemeteries and Funeral Homes • Struggling to emerge from bankruptcy protection, funeral services giant, Loewen, Inc. has asked the court's permission to sell up to 201 funeral homes and 170 cemeteries in the United States.

Loewen said a review of its funeral home and cemetery operations also identified another 54 locations that would be "rationalized" through mergers or restructuring.

Loewen, which is North America's second largest "death care services" provider, sought protection from creditors in June in both the United States and Canada as it collapsed under the burden of a massive debt.

"While having good track records and excellent reputations within their communities, many of these businesses do not fit geographically to be in a position to take advantage of operational synergies with other Loewen properties," the company said in a press release.

The company has been preparing reorganization plans for the courts in Delaware and in Ontario that now control its financial fate, and has maintained since it filed for protection that its goal is to emerge as a profitable company. It has until the end of February to submit the plan.

oewen executives have blamed the company's financial woes on an aggressive cemetery acquisition policy in the mid-1990s that strayed from its former funeral home-based core business and drove its debt to $2.3 billion. The company was unable to handle that debt load when sales of cemetery plots and funerals failed to meet expectations — a situation insiders have blamed on weak internal management controls.

SCI To Lay Off 1,141 Workers Service Corp. International said it will lay off 1,141 employees and take a $273 million restructuring charge, causing the world's largest funeral and cemetery company to miss its earnings estimate for the current quarter.

SCI's stock has lost about four-fifths of its value in the past 12 months after a series of earnings warnings and shortfalls. Analysts say SCI and other funeral companies expanded too aggressively by buying up independent operations.

The layoffs, announced Wednesday night, will cost SCI $151 million in severance pay. Of the workers to be fired, 385 are based in North America. Many of them are former owners of independent

funeral homes and cemeteries bought out by the company. They had been kept on as employees, hired as consultants or signed to noncompete contracts. Another 715 international operations mployees will be released. The corporate office in Houston will lose 33 workers, and eight executives will be laid off.

SCI plans to sell about 50 funeral homes or cemeteries and approximately 45 parcels of undeveloped cemetery property or excess land. The reduction of assets and loans to their estimated value, lease terminations and technology costs account for the rest of the restructuring costs.

Hillenbrand Outlines Four Growth Strategies Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. has announced that the company will focus on four strategies to grow shareholder value: developing its executive leadership; introducing innovative new products; acquiring and developing new businesses; and focusing on its continuous improvement program.

In his presentation at the Hambrecht & Quist 18th Annual Healthcare Conference, Gus Hillenbrand, Chief Executive Officer said, "An aging population, especially the baby boomer generation, will continue to drive the growth of both our funeral services and health care businesses. People age 65 and older are the fastest growing segment of our population. Our four growth strategies will enable us to leverage both our current market leadership position and favorable demographic trends to expand into new niche markets related to our core businesses. As a financially strong company with a long-term emphasis on growth and cash flow, we are excited about our growth opportunities."

Hillenbrand Industries announced record 1999 net revenues of more than $2 billion and net income of $124 million. Earnings per share, before unusual items, were $2.23 in 1999. Hillenbrand has posted record revenues and increased its dividend each year since going public in 1971.

In Hillenbrand's Funeral Services Group, Batesville Casket Company experienced a record quarter with sales up 9%, to $147 million, and gross profit up 9 percent as well. Despite a decline in deaths in the fall, BCC continues to enjoy good growth in all product lines and in overall market share.

Forethought Financial Services reported increased insurance revenues, up 16%, to $92 million as a result of higher investment income and higher earned premium revenue resulting from increased insurance in-force year over year. Gross profit decreased $1 million or 5%, to $20 million due primarily to a $6 million reduction in realized capital gains in the fourth quarter 1999 as compared to 1998.

During the year, the Company has repurchased over 3.3 million shares, or over $112 million, of its stock as it believes the current share price represents a significant discount to the intrinsic value of the Company. In January, the board of directors authorized the Company's purchase of up to an additional five million shares of its common stock, representing approximately 8 percent of the Company's total outstanding shares.

At the end of last year it also announced that long-time manager Frederick Rockwood would join the company's board of directors as president. He will be responsible for providing corporate-level leadership to Hillenbrand's three primary operating companies.

Low Fuel Costs Low Maintenance Costs

24 Hour Operation 1 Year Warranty

Reduced Cremation Times

LISTED Phoenix Series

February 2000

NCBVA BULLETIN 15

Note Peoloti Calf 4rap;re 7e i Cate..

WE MANUFACTURE IT!

As the demand for cremation increases...So does the list of B & L installations

Our commitment to quality does not end with your purchase...

IT BEGINS WITH IT!

Refractory Repairs on • Custom Designs & On-Site All Makes & Models

Fabrication Available

24 Hour Service • Animal Crematories

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Ilk= JI i A Syst 'eni, Inc. s'

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7205 - 114th Avenue North, Largo, Florida 33773 USA Toll free 1-800-622-5411 or (727) 541-4666 Facsimile (727) 547-0669

e-mail: blcrennsys@aol.com Visit us at: www.blcremationsystems.com

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

FIRST CLASS Address Correction Requested

York's New Cut-Away Displays Called Marketing Breakthrough In a copyrighted front-page story today, The Wall Street Journal cites Houston-based, The York Group for developing the "First Innovation in 75 Years" for the "conservative" funeral industry. According to the article, the unique York Merchandising SystemTM is changing the way funeral directors across the country are displaying their merchandise.

In conjunction with The Doody Group, an internationally renowned retail consulting group, York developed the new system in 1996 after extensive consumer research. Since its launch, the new system has been installed in over 500 funeral homes across the country with consistent results. In every case, families who are faced with the difficult decisions of buying funeral merchandise for a loved one are amazed at how much easier it is using this new selection process. Instead of showing 15-18 full size, open caskets, the new system

allows the funeral home to show 30-40 partial units in such a way that it is easy to compare. The concept is that of Alton F. Doody, Ph.D., and he describes it as "a generic, strategic breakthrough that puts families into a much more comfortable setting than before."

"Our concept was simple," continued Dr. Doody, "We took basic merchandising principles that our company had been developing for decades with leading retailers around the world, and applied them for the first time to caskets, and now to otherfuneral merchandise. The result is that we have removed much of the family's confusion surrounding their buying decision, and the system allows a much easier comparison of different units. Families are most appreciative."

In addition to manufacturing metal and wood caskets, the company manufacturers burial vaults, urns, bronze memorials, columbariums and offers architectural services for funeral homes and funding for advance funeral planning. It is a publicly held company that has been serving the funeral industry for over 100 years.

The Boomer Generation Then & Now

Then: Long hair Now: Longing for hair

Then: Acid rock

Now: Acid reflux

Then: Popping pills, smoking joints

Now: Popping joints

Then: Moving to California because it's

cool.

Now: Moving to California because it's

warm.

Then: Watching John Glenn's historic

flight with your parents

Now: Watching John Glenn's historic

flight with your grandk ids

Then: The President's struggle with Fidel Now: The President's struggle with

fidelity

Men: Paar

Now: AAR11

Men: A keg

Now: An EKG

Then: Seeds and stems

Roughage.