October 2019

Page A30 OCTOBER 2019 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A XL industries inc. Call: 406-449-4100 • Visit: www.XLIndustries.com Available Through Quality Suppliers Made in USA It’s time to upgrade your Display Stands! Providing the Best-Designed Tools for Your Services Since 1926. Dozens of products that give you years of service and store compactly when not in use. Lightweight and easy to take to gravesides or churches. Portable Folding Display Table Basket Stands “A” Floral Rack Nesting Stands Our New 55,000 Sq. Ft. Facility In nite Innovations · 3745 Evergreen · Stra ord, MO 65757 · 800-362-6224 · www.infparts.com · sales@infparts.com See Us at Booth 1335 • Funeral Car Repair Parts and Accessories • SpecialtyWindshields • Full Line of Trim & Body Parts • Rollers & Bier Pins • Flag Staffs...And More! Serving our Customers for over 30 years! IMSA Speakers Bureau Provides Resource for Industry Expertise News Association Crowne Vault Participates in West Virginia Cemetery and Funeral Association’s 69th Annual Convention Installation of officers: (L to R) Keith Unger, Dave Harless, Kaye Ballard, Angela Stamper, James Aliff, Greg Boggs, Claudia McCracken, Eldora McCoy, Jeff Phares, Logan Phillipe MaryAnne Scheuble of Crowne Vault (L to R) Steve Heare, Mike Ash, Jeff Phares, Logan Phillipe, MaryAnne Scheuble, Chase Robinson, Chad Robinson CHARLESTON,WV— Crowne Vault was a first-time ex- hibitor at the West Virginia Cemetery and Funeral Asso- ciation’s 69th annual convention. The Adventures on the Gorge resort proved to be a delightful venue for all. The conference started off with speaker John McDow- ell who reviewed the evolution of the industry and how to adapt to changes. Mary Andres Russell from Mat- thews/Aurora conducted a two day workshop on topics such as “Getting Creative with Cremation Families” and “Navigating Through Conflict”. It was exciting to hear cooperative discussions addressing common issues. The attendees got to know each other quickly because of the not-so-silent auction on the first evening which raised money for an educational scholarship. Bidding wars were punctuated by joyful yelling, cheers and laugh- ter. Exhibitors and attendees alike donated items such as a patriotic outdoor fun basket, WVU-imprinted chairs, a WVU golf bag, a signed Pittsburgh Penguin shirt plus lovely jewelry and artwork. Set in the New River Gorge and surrounded by hun- dreds of acres of national forest, there were additional bonding and conversation opportunities during cocktail hours, golf, zip-lining and white water rafting! Confer- ence events were held at the rustic lodge with breath-tak- ing views of the mountains and river below. Cemeterians and funeral directors from throughout the state participated in the conference. Exhibitors came from as far away as Minnesota, Indiana and Georgia. Crowne Vault was happy to participate in this educa- tional and exceptionally social event. BROOKLYN,NY— The In- ternational Memorializa- tion Supply Association (IMSA) has announced the launch of a Speakers Bureau, a valuable resource of expert speakers who are available to present at industry confer- ences and other events. The IMSA Speakers Bu- reau is an online resource that will be continually updated with additional speakers and a multitude of topics. Found on the IMSA website at www. imsa-online.org , topics cur- rently include mausoleum maintenance and concerns, incident policies and proce- dures, mausoleum opportu- nities, deathcare andmedia, e- commerce and internet-based business opportunities, and online consumer behavior. “We are excited to offer this resource of expertise to the funeral industry,” said Jordan Yearsley, president of the IMSA board of trust- ees. “We hope this will be an added value to IMSA mem- bers who wish to provide their expertise to the indus- try as well for organizations who are looking for industry experts to present at confer- ences and other meetings.” IMSA also welcomes non- IMSA members who would like to be included on the Speakers Bureau and encour- ages submitting profiles and presentation topics for inclu- sion on the IMSA Speakers Bureau using the forms that are located on the Speakers Bureau webpage. The International Memori- alization Supply Association (IMSA) is comprised of or- ganizations and their repre- sentatives that provide goods and services for use in funer- al-related commerce. IMSA members represent a range of specialization in areas such as strategic and financial con- sulting, products and services for funeral homes and ceme- teries, mapping and logistics services, legal issues, and so- cial media. Visit imsa-online. org for further information on the International Memori- alization Supply Association.