MBNews January 2019

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EDITOR Donald A. Mounce, APR +1.800.233.4472 X-473 mbnews@monumentbuilders.org

PRODUCTION MANAGER Richard L. Martin

MBNews EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

MBNA Pillar Foundations Membership Care and Engagement

EC Liaison – Matt Worthington Worthington Monuments matt@worthingtontx.com

By Jonathan Modlich, MBNA Board Vice President

Designers Corner: Remembering the Greats Creativity and Techniques

By Bobby Mattos, AICA, 2018-2019 MBNA President

MBAdvocacy 2019: New Perspectives-New Partnership

EAB Chair – Alison Raymer, CM Emerson Monument Company alison@emersonmonument.com Dustin Anderson, AICA Dakota Monument Company dustin@dakotamonument.com

By Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD

Marc Arntzen Gem City Memorials, Inc. gemcitymemorials@sbcglobal.net

Tools of the Trade Let’s Get Chiseled!

Perry Giles, CM Giles Monument Company, Inc. perry.giles@gilesmonument.com

By Roger Aholt, CM

MONUMENT BUILDERS OF NORTH AMERICA

Tooling Insights: Fix It and Sell It!

136 South Keowee Street Dayton, OH 45402 +1.800.233.4472 FAX +1.937.222.5794 info@monumentbuilders.org www.monumentbuilders.org

Have the Talk of a Lifetime Sticks and Stones

By Don Calhoun, CM

Customer Service Insights Customer Service in the Cloud

HEADQUARTERS TEAM Kimberly A. Fantaci Executive Vice President +1.800.233.4472 X-106 info@monumentbuilders.org

By Mike Fernandez and Dr. Kelly Storm

Tombstone Talk: Why Membership in MBNA?

By Perry Giles, CM

Krista Saul, CPA Accounting Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-107

Insurance Insights Preventing Hand and Finger Injuries

James Perry Association Executive +1.800.233.4472 X-104

By Mike Windham

Legally Speaking OSHA Declares Post-Accident Drug Testing and Incentive Programs Permissible – Once Again?

Cassandra Shaffer Association Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-115 Rebecca Nelson Events Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-113

By Bob Dunlevey

MBNA Design Contest

Tina Schneider Chief Administrative Officer +1.800.233.4472 X-101

Industry Calendar/New Members Classifieds/Advertising

ON THE COVER

The Sonya McLaren memorial is made from Absolute Black granite, designed by John Locke from Quiring Monuments, Inc. in Seattle, Washington, and installed at the Alamosa Cemetery in Colorado with the assistance of Martinez Monuments. Read more about creativity and the value and services of MBNA membership throughout this issue of MBNews.

Mission To define and promote memorialization in a viable, innovative and diversified way for the membership and to enhance the awareness of memorialization by the general public and the remembrance industry.

POSTMASTER – Send address changes to MB News, 136 South Keowee Street, Dayton, OH 45402.

Telephone: +1.800.233.4472 Fax: +1.937.222.5794 E-mail:info@monumentbuilders.org Web: www. monumentbuilders.org Closing date: Four weeks proceeding date of publication. We reserve the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Subscription rate is $70 annually for members, which is included in the annual membership dues. The rate for non-member subscriptions or additional subscriptions requested by MBNA members is $125 a year. Single issue price is $12. ©2019 Monument Builders of North America

MBNews

MBNews (ISSN 0192-2491) is published monthly with the Buyer’s Guide in April by Monument Builders of North America (MBNA), 136 South Keowee Street, Dayton, OH 45402. Periodical postage-paid at Dayton, Ohio and additional2019 mailing offices./ 3 / January

By Jonathan Modlich, MBNA Board Vice President

(Editor’s Note: The MBNA Board of Directors has developed four “pillars,� or areas of leadership focus, that will help guide the management and service of the organization in the future. These volunteer committees will regularly provide updates on their achievements and plans through the year in MBNews.)

Please keep an eye out for difference in designing our There is nothing more future. important to the success a comprehensive member of a professional trade survey which we will be MBNA Advantages association like MBNA than caring for and engaging executing very soon. This There are several advantages to belonging to MBNA, as we our members. Yet, it is the will allow you to provide your have many facets that fit any pillar of success for our organization that is most input directly to leadership on size of business or company.

The number one aspect is often taken for granted. what should be prioritized for the simple ability to network For our profession and our individual businesses the future of our organization. with the profession.

Many of us face the to grow, MBNA needs to continue to invest in our current members. And, same issues, regardless of geography and size.

Outside competition, social indifference to it is all of our responsibility to identify and memorialization, and the growth of cremation properly groom our future members, especially those new to the industry. and alternative memorialization are all shared concerns.

One of our two primary goals with the Membership Care and Engagement Committee MBNA provides a myriad of educational resources to help you serve your business and is to lay a framework for member service consistency. We plan to focus more on that by marketplace. Becoming a Certified Memorialist doing in-depth surveys to determine the needs, (CM) is still the mark of superior quality in our industry, and a personal designation of wants, and desires of MBNA members, and better utilize this information to prospect for professionalism unequaled in the marketplace.

The quality and educational value of more members and manage our organization.

This will help with our second goal, which MBFilms and our webinars and conferences is unparalleled. And, we must never forget the is to revamp our new member welcome process. Developing more materials for new market impact of MBNews as a leading voice in memorialists in the industry will make a the entire death care industry.

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P I L L A R

F O U N D A T I O N S

More and more legislative restrictions and alternative sources are eroding our market base, and we must stay unified. Having MBAdvocacy around to lead and guide our individual efforts in monitorization and proactive enforcement of fair business practices is invaluable.

Benefits are Key Regardless of all of these assets, the biggest question each of us faces when we sit down to financially administer our books is “Why should I write this check?” The answer is very easy to answer when the MBNA dues statement arrives.

The association coupon and affinity program alone will pay for your annual membership dues, almost immediately! This return on investment multiplies when your various branch operations join; each location receives coupons as well as showroom copies of MBNews.

Further, your branch offices are all marketed on the “Find A Retailer” page on MBNA’s website. This remains the largest source of free promotion you can acquire within the industry that solely addresses you particular marketplace.

Please keep an eye out for a comprehensive member survey which we will be executing in 2019. This will allow you to provide your input directly to leadership on what should be prioritized for the future of our organization.

The results of this survey will help us paint a bigger picture of the memorial industry, which will benefit your daily decision-making.

We do care about each individual member and company, and we not only want but need your voice and your engagement for all of our success. MB Jonathan Modlich is with Modlich Monuments, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. He serves as the MBNA Board Vice President responsible for the Membership Care and Engagement Pillar.

MBNews / January 2019 / 5

By Bobby Mattos, AICA 2018-2019 MBNA President

In our industry, many monument dealers are not comfortable being called an artist; to some it is a personal choice, to others a huge distinction.

But all memorialists can learn to execute their creativity in design, and that is what is more important, by studying the past.

The biggest key is learning that there is more than one right answer or creative idea in monument conceptualization.

To get to a really good idea requires the ability to produce and choose from a whole lot of ideas.

The industry is one of remembrance, as the Latin root for monument is “memoria,” or “to remember.” And creativity in the profession is intended to celebrate history, life, and those who came before us.

Why Does One Become a Memorialist?

A few years ago, MBNews was given access to a couple of hundred hand-drawn renderings created by designers regarded as some of the greatest the monument industry has ever seen.

The publication’s Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) went went through the process of capturing all these images in both digital and hard copy, researching all the pertinent information about the design/designer with plans to use them periodically to help educate membership through this magazine.

As you may have noticed in the past 1624 months, we have begun to study some of 6 / January 2019 / MBNews

the work from these experts of the past. The exposure has helped us to chart a course on a journey where we will continue to look at more of these “greats” and their designs in future Designer’s Corner articles.

It is important that we capture this information in MBNews over the next few years to expose future generations to this wealth of knowledge and talent. Many today simply do not know it, or who created it, including some of those who may be using it.

MBNA’s goal is to educate the next generation of monument builders by helping them learn to draw by hand, learn how to use computers/current technology, and learn how to cut stone by hand, not just with machines.

The value of swinging a hammer and knowing how different colored stones break and carve is essential to creativity. How the stone looks and feels when you apply different techniques and textures is imperative to designing on it.

Designers Corner…Creativity and Technique

What Makes a Good, Artistic Monument?

What works today based on or compared to what has worked from some of the “greats” of the past may help turn you from a monument builder to a memorial artist. New ideas can be generated from the success of the past with a view toward the future.

Maybe you can learn to be an artist immediately, maybe over time, or maybe never.

Even if not, you can learn to generate new, sometimes even crazy ideas, and make a major creative contribution to our profession.

Start by studying the history of our industry, learn to render drawings by hand, and survive after making many more creative mistakes than successes. And to learn to appreciate the targets that industry pioneers saw and set, which will help push anyone to professional levels otherwise unattainable.

Do Memorialists Study the Roots of The Profession?

Our industry is like no other in that there exists a general lack of good information and educational tools to help teach us about the

history of our industry.

The biggest key If we were architects is learning that or builders, we would eagerly study I.M. Pei there is more than or Frank Lloyd Wright. one right answer Understanding people, specifically or creative idea “the greats” mentioned in monument time and time againconceptualization.

-their techniques and what motivated them To get to a really to be great--is what a good idea this publication is committed to pursuing. requires the ability The monument to produce and industry has a rich history of talented choose from a memorialists worth whole lot of ideas. learning about and the plan is to spend the next several years, if not more, dedicating resources and space to honoring, remembering, and learning from those that came before us.

Studying the roots of our profession will help us to fully appreciate all the details of our craft.

MBNews / January 2019 / 7

Designers Corner…Creativity and Technique

through their complexity and detail. In other Learning how others illustrated and rendered ways, they hurt creativity because users have are key factors in this quest. a propensity to Appreciating The value of swinging a hammer and make memorials too founding artists began with studying knowing how different colored stones full and too busy, which negates an their rendering, their break and carve is essential to creativity. understanding of air brush work, and their water colors.

How the stone looks and feels when you how to work in stone. many cases Understanding apply different techniques and textures theInmore there is backgrounds is is imperative to designing on it. to look at the less as intense as understanding basic you actually see.

Creating a focal point, or a central theme, using design itself. balance, texture, and contrast is something “the greats” did so well that they made it look easy.

Has Computerization Enhancement Been Knowing how to break and shape stone, and an Asset or A Liability to Creative Memorial Development? make sense of textures, can only be taught by picking up a hammer and chisel. It is vital Young designers often find it hard to do or comprehend many creative elements on a to understand how to create elements such as contrast, depth, dimension, and so many computer. If you have not seen or put your hands on some of these textures, or are not beautiful and functional textures. It is even more paramount to understand when not to use familiar with the techniques used to create them. them, then the best software in the world will never fill that void. Computer technology is What are Good Monument Techniques, and great, better than it has ever been, but simply not the “silver bullet” in and of itself.

What Techniques Fail?

If you are going to be good at anything, you In many ways, computers can enhance the must be passionate about the roots of the opportunity to provide more personalization 8 / January 2019 / MBNews

Designers Corner…Creativity and Technique success, but it is often more valuable. To reach professional excellence, you have to get knocked down in order to learn how to get back up and dust yourself off.

profession. You cannot abandon or ignore basic technique in the pursuit of creative technology.

You have to capture the past in order to move forward in the future. And you must value old techniques to escalate new technology.

Apple Corporation creative genius Steve Jobs noted that his study of hand calligraphy in college helped enhance the company’s computer expertise. Why? Because it caused him to develop a myriad of fonts that were previously unavailable for creative use.

Memorialists also have to learn to fail.

If you don’t fail, you never learn to change.

And if you do not change, you never can find out what is possible and what is not possible. Pablo Picasso famously said, “every act of creation is first an act of destruction.”

Failure doesn’t feel quite as good as

Are “Tried and True” Memorial Carving Techniques Still Being Taught and Used?

Not many know how some of the 19th century craftsmen did what they did. The skills they developed were from practice; they did not hand it down or train 20th century craftsman, and much of the skills unfortunately vanished.

Not many knew how some of the veterans cut a rose, as an example, or how to use tools to do it. These “greats” in the 1960s had to study, practice, and revitalize hand-work and craftsmanship. They also developed a very strong understanding of balance, form, layout, and simply working with the stone to accomplish their vision.

A few veterans were uncovered during creative revitalization efforts. Many of these craftsmen were unearthed in the great quarries of North America, some buried in menial jobs, and others just buried in the back room, to be dusted off and used only when needed.

These humble, classic experts helped drive the concepts of many of the greats that we all learn from still. A small group of experts expounded on these concepts, which spread out and created the foundation that inspired the next generation, and which continues today. MB

MBNews / January 2019 / 9

By Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD, MBNA Advocate

2019: New Perspectives–New Partnerships The results of the recent mid-term elections have presented MBNA with an opportunity to educate newly-elected legislators.

These results have gleaned senatorial and congressional members who are of unprecedented youth and ethnicity.

It is a well-documented fact that women make most of the healthcare decisions in a household and, consequently, most of the death care decisions as well. This year, 2019 presents us with several newly-elected female candidates whom we, as monument builders, have an opportunity to contact and educate.

I encourage you or your staff to contact your new or “seasoned” state legislators as soon as possible. Several governors have also changed. Please be certain to identify the current governor for your state and create alliances that will benefit the industry and your business.

Contact these political offices to request a meeting at your first opportunity. While other industries may be employing the same strategy, always remember that consistency is the key. If you do not receive a response initially, do not stop making the request to meet.

Below you will find some protocols for contacting your legislators along with a template for an initial correspondence. This template can certainly be modified for your respective offices.

While death care and memorialization is one of the last subjects on the minds of our local and state legislators…we want to obtain 10 / January October2019 2017 // MBNews MBNews

their attention first. We all know that life and family will bring the topic of memorialization full circle.

Legislative Protocol ● If you are sending a written request, as opposed to an email, for a meeting or to make a legislator, councilperson, or governor aware of a specific inequitable situation, address the envelope to “The Honorable John Doe” (insert the appropriate name). ● In the body of the letter, the salutation should be “Dear Senator, Councilman, or Governor Doe.” Template for Initial Contact My name is ______________and I am the owner (GM, President, or VP, etc.) of _______________________, a monument company in the business of memorialization. Our offices are in _______________________________.

Our company employs from and has supported communities around the state, including first responders and law enforcement families for ___________ years and ___________ generations.

I am contacting you to discuss practices by local cemeteries which take advantage of your constituents at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. The time of death of a loved one is certainly that time.

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you in order to familiarize you with the critical aspects of death care law and the

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need for enforcement Arizona Office: of existing state and 398 S. Mill Ave. The results of the recent mid-term federal regulations. I Tempe , Arizona elections have presented MBNA with 85281 | Phone: am confident in the fact that, together, we +1.480.557.8300 an opportunity to educate newlywill not only be able elected legislators. These results have Florida Office: 2 South to work to enforce Biscayne Boulevard, existing laws but gleaned senatorial and congressional Suite 3180, Miami, create new legislation members who are of unprecedented Florida 33131 | Phone: that will protect our +1.305.721.1600 youth and ethnicity. families through the Minnesota Office: 520 evolution of the death Nicolet Mall Suite 550, care process, from burial to cremation but always memorialization. Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55402-1046 | Phone: +1.612.435.5875 Families deserve their right of choice when Texas Office: 816 Congress Ave., Suite 960, memorializing their loved ones, without Austin, Texas, 78701 Phone: +1.512.480.5936 financial hardship, while supporting our communities. ___________________ is prepared Washington Office: 600 University St., to work with you to provide leadership in this Suite 1730, Seattle, Washington 98101 effort.

Phone:+1.206.957.1300 Providing a memorial for a loved one is a Despite the fact that the Litigating for task that we may all be faced with one day. I Liberty offices are not in each state, their home look forward to meeting with you to discuss strategies that will create equity in this industry office is open for investigations on the violation of rights in all states. and diminish the burden on our families.

The economic and legislative future looks I anxiously await your response. bright for MBNA members. Challenges are not Respectfully, new to us, but we will aggressively forge new partnerships with those who stand for market Moving Forward With Partnerships equity. We will continue to work on behalf of In 2019, on behalf of MBNA, I intend to forge our consumers and continue our efforts to more partnerships that may advance our create new and enforceable legislation. MB initiatives. One such organization is “Litigating for Liberty”. This is a non- profit headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Its mission is to identify situations in which the government is violating your rights. Many of our recent experiences have indicated that many state cemetery regulatory agencies are not enforcing the existing laws relative to our rights as monument builders. Consequently, they, as government entities, are violating our rights.

Litigating for Liberty State Offices: Headquarters: 901 S. Glebe Rd., Suite 900, Arlington, Virginia 22203, +1.703.682.9320

Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD, is the Advocate for MBNA’s MBAdvocacy effort. Ms. Harris-Davis is committed to serving both the members of the association and the consumers as well, to whom the members provide one of the most valuable services of their lifetimes. Her objective is to work in conjunction with other entities in the death care industry to address issues relative to anti-competitive practices and unscrupulous behavior in the negotiation, sales, installation, and maintenance of monuments and markers. She can be reached by phone at +1.800.233.4472, ext. 986, or by email at advocate@ monumentbuilders.org.

MBNews / January 2019 / 11

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By Roger Aholt, CM I thought I would talk today about chisels. Now, there are numerous chisels that we use every day in our shop, so I thought I would focus on two of them… the “Tracer” and the “Chipper.”

The tools I will be discussing have carbide tips, as these are the best most durable edges offered for our industry. Notice the difference in the shape of the points.

The specific differences are in the following photo boxes.

I feel that knowing how to use these chisels, as well as others I will cover in future articles, is an important

The tools I will be discussing have carbide tips, as these are the best most durable edges offered for our industry. Notice the difference in the shape of the points.

Tracer. ● Comes in various blade widths from 1.5 - 3 inches. ● Notice the point goes to a “V” shape. This shape, I believe, applies equal pressure to both sides thereby helping with the splitting of stone. ● Used to mark a straight line on the stone on polished or sawn surfaces only. ● Continuous tracing along the same line will usually result in the stone breaking along this line. ● Can be used to remove larger amounts of stone than the chipper at one time. ● Usually used to get stone to a rough dimension before finishing with a Chipper. ● Be careful on rock pitched areas. Using this chisel on any uneven surface could cause carbide tip to fracture and fail.

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

IT’S HAMMER TIME!

(Chisels) allow us to fix minor or cosmetic blemishes, or OOPS, that occur when handling stone, without having to send them back to the manufacturer, ultimately saving time and money.

Chipper ● Comes in various blade widths from 1- 2 inches or more if desired. ● Notice the point is straight with back edge of chisel on one side and sharply angled to the front. This allows the chisel to rest flat up against a straight edge giving you a very precise finish. ● Designed to be used on polished or sawn type surfaces only. Using on rough or rock pitched will result in carbide tip failure. ● Used to put final edge on monument. ● Not designed to remove large amounts of stone. ● If more than approximately ½ inch needs to be removed, use the Tracer. ● Also used to remove small chips that can occur. (More often than we would prefer.) ● Just place straight edge along edge as far back as necessary to expose all of chipped area and have at it.

part of being in our industry.

They allow us to fix minor or cosmetic blemishes, or OOPS, that occur when handling stone, without having to send them back to the manufacturer, ultimately saving time and money.

I know this, again, is what some would consider basic information. But, hopefully, we can all continue to learn and grow together.

If you are new to our industry, I hope this helps, and we all have people we can call in our industry when we have questions. So don’t be afraid to ask…and thanks again! MB Roger Aholt, CM, is a PastPresident of MBNA, and owns and operates Washington Monument Company in Washington, Missouri. He can be reached at washngtnmonumentco@ sbcglobal.net or +1.636.239.6444 for questions or future column ideas. This was originally printed in the MAMBA Newsletter.

MBNews / January 2019 / 15

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By Scott Neal

Fix It and Sell It! The Northwest Monument Builders Association recently held a “Fix It and Sell It Show” at Northland Monument in Longville, Minnesota. This was a hands-on, collaborative workshop, with participant input on various techniques to fix, repair, and resurrect the value of stone.

A total of 34 people were in attendance for the event, surpassing the previous year’s total of 23. Northland has hosted the session for three years,

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following another three-year run at Little Falls Granite.

Along with the repair and fix workshop, five guides and boats also took participants on a successful fishing excursion. While great camaraderie was developed, and fish caught and even greater fish stories created, the key was the tooling sessions and techniques learned.

Seven key sessions were held. GlassAct Studios in Orem, Utah gave a presentation on inlaying glass into stone as a creative as well as a repair technique.

Another session offered a general roundtable discussion so that professionals could discuss

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various topics with their peers, with about 15 to 16 shops participating. And a cemetery setting techniques session by Northland Monuments, Inc., showed attendees how to extract damaged concrete and repair/replace a base on-site at the cemetery.

Nathan Lange from Northland demonstrated how to use a thermaling torch to remove the polish and letters from a monument. This technique allows for mistakes or errors to be corrected, and stone to be re-used and resandblasted into a usable product.

A session on shell rocking was also presented by Northland. This technique is used to repair a chip in a corner by sandblasting a two-inch hairline around the damaged area and pitching the sides. Adding this detail can repair a damaged monument and add texture.

Granite City Tool was on hand to provide a demonstration on their Fill-A-Chip process. And Northland demonstrated how Rayzist stencils are used to add details to an image without requiring laser work.

The 2019 event is in the planning stages, with the location selection open. For more information, contact Nathan Lange, COO of Northland Monument at +1.218.566.1324, or via email at nathanl@northlandmonument. com. Â MB MBNews /

January 2019 / 19

By Don Calhoun, CM

The old English nursery rhyme goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” The thought behind this rhyme was most likely to not have a child succumb to bullying or teasing, to be strong and resilient.

Learning healthy emotional language is a tough subject, because we often make the wrong assumptions or take things personally.

We all know someone that has been hurt by the words of someone else. We all know someone that has never forgiven or been forgiven by someone because of those words.

For most folks, harsh words have caused

enormous pain and they remember them like a stubborn elephant. You can Have the Talk of a Lifetime a lot easier and healthier when you learn not to make assumptions and try to not take things personally.

Emotional Shut Down In 1980, my father got remarried after my mother died. The result of this union was a new step-brother, Harvey.

On the first Thanksgiving after the marriage, I found myself sitting across from Harvey at the dinner table. Typical of a Calhoun get together,

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the noise was thunderous with everyone talking and no one listening, an art-form the family had perfected.

Harvey was extremely passionate with his food, stacked high like a mountain and falling over the edges of his plate. Much like a hog at a trough, he ate with intensity.

Before long, Harvey refilled his plate for round two. I decided unwisely to tease him at that moment by saying, “Harvey, make sure you get enough to eat!”

Our history changed in that moment. Harvey immediately emotionally shut down and became catatonic.

but I was the triggering mechanism. Clearly, I had made bad assumptions about his anger.

I was able to communicate that I was guilty of bad humor and really had no intention of hurting him. He was able to be real and vulnerable and let a new step-brother in on a painfully personal traumatic story.

Thank goodness we made the effort to talk, share, and build a bridge of understanding.

30 years later, I was asked to read at Harvey’s funeral. I could not help but reflect upon that first Thanksgiving we had spent together.

In hindsight, I really don’t know if it was dumb luck or courage that made us get together that night. Life is indeed short. We must all make a Follow-Up Damage sincere effort to Have the Talk with the folks we Later that same night, love and care about. the phone rang, and Forgiveness and Harvey was madder second chances are Give yourself a gift and Have the than a wet hornet. He a good thing. We do Talk.

Be realistic and understand vehemently said, “I am not want our life that developing a heathy, emotional story to be defined mad as hell and I am not going to take it any language will be a work in progress, by misunderstanding, longer.” assumptions and taking simply because we are human.

I did not want to tell things too personally.

Harvey that his quote Give yourself a was actually from the gift and Have the Talk. movie Network for fear of him taking me out Be realistic and understand that developing a to the wood shed, and for the obvious reason heathy, emotional language will be a work in that humor was not appropriate at the moment. progress, simply because we are human.

Harvey was at his wits end and I was the target Do your best and forget the rest. We all are of his anger. blessed when we find connection, love, and good Together we decided it was best to deal with conversation…as well as a great cup of Joe! MB this subject face to face. As a result of my stupid remarks, I drove one and a half hours one-way Donald Calhoun, CM – The Dude that night to meet him for coffee, to help him – has thirty years of firsthand, realprocess the day, and to understand why he took world experience with the highs, lows, what I said so personally. triumphs, and tragedies of life. Calhoun At the same time, I was making assumptions is a one-third owner of Murphy Granite about why he got so mad, and believed it was Carving, Inc. and Little Falls Granite Works, Inc. in about me. After a few cups of Joe, I learned that Minnesota, which produces memorials throughout his father would physically beat him if he ever the upper Midwest of the United States. Calhoun left any food on his plate. Sometimes in life, you is also a speaker, author, and Past-President of can’t make this stuff up.

MBNA, as well as the MBNA liaison to FAMIC, and the current President of FAMIC. This article Triggering Mechanism is reprinted with permission of the author and Harvey had indeed taken my comment personally, FAMIC. MBNews /

January 2019 / 21

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By Mike Fernandez and Dr. Kelly Storm

Customer Service in the Cloud

in better serving customers in an efficient manner through prints, books, brochures, numbered designs and components, websites, online services, and custom art work.

While this is a profession of creative The Design Mart family history goes back a craftsmen, not everyone in the profession few generations. The company was started has the same levels of

by Joe Fernandez, whose expertise in all areas. So, father emigrated from Problems need solutions, and our corporate focus became Spain and Cuba to settle in Barre, Vermont and solutions were translated to serve our customers and help provide them the later Elberton, Georgia. into software. Properly tools to assist all levels of Joe began his career working at prominent prepared, executed customer professional.

Elberton companies such service leads to strong Initial Evolution as Logan-Allen, Coggins, and Premier Designs, results. Emergency support Our evolution began in this period, assisting in where he developed his and urgency service is a the development of mylar drafting and airbrushing result, not an entry point. backing and pre-cut stencils, techniques. Later he and plastic stencil cutting opened the doors of plates. These designs were Design Mart in 1968 and built with numbered components in order to turned it into a premiere customer service put retailers and manufacturers on the same operation for the industry. page. We allowed customers who were not Our mission for 50 years has remained artists and who did not work on top of the that‌to provide customer service and help stone to be successful designers. to retailers and wholesalers to assist them (Editor’s Note: The following information was presented by Design Mart at the 2018 MAMBA Conference in Oklahoma, City.)

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The proliferation of CAD, sign making, and illustration applications also came about.

These numbered designs and components were a nice transition from plates to computer pasting.

Continued Evolution In the 1990s, Design Mart offered digitization of all designs and components as a customer service expansion. Monument fonts, our first customer website, and developing the Elberton Granite Association’s first website were key milestones.

In the 2000s, we developed the industry’s first “click-and-drag,” Design Mart’s Monument Builder on CD. No experience was required for color rendering or cutting.

We also developed the industry’s first online design database, Design Mart’s Monument Design Catalog. It was the first searchable, subscription-based, and cross-platform compatible system.

This led to our first-generation Online Monument Designer. It was browser-based, remotely accessible, with ID numbers, and had a variety of monument types, shapes, panels,

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corner carvings, and borders to select from and use within the design.

Then, in the 2010s, we began development of the Online Monument Designer. It provides JPG image as well as vector/CAD output in AI and DXF formats, and it provides full-color JPG renderings as well as CAD files in Al and DFX formats, requiring no more waiting for approval so retailers could make revisions before submitting an order.

Present Cloud Services Problems need solutions, and solutions were translated into software. The software was made accessible by the internet, and yet it isn’t “The Cloud” unless those solutions are consistent, reliable, redundant, and allow for collaborative effort, validation, verification.

Our tools and technologies may have evolved, but the customer service remains the same. Our business begins with identifying, listening to, educating, recommending to, and servicing the customer in order to help them achieve the sale.

Properly prepared, executed customer service leads to strong results. Emergency support and MBNews / January 2019 / 23

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urgency service is a result, not an entry point.

Where do you believe you are on this scale? Could you use more coordination and communication with manufacturers and customers?

This can be done through training your staff to listen to customers, applying symbolism to the design process, and provide accessibility to resources and systems by multiple departments.

Are your revision and approval processes negatively impacting sales? Is your CAD talent an obstacle today, or maybe next week…or next year?

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) What about next level customer service in “The Cloud”? Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is software that provides solutions, which are made accessible by the internet. It is trusted in banking, pharmacy operations, shopping, mail services, and you are probably already on Facebook and/or LinkedIn. 24 / January 2019 / MBNews

have evolved‌

ame.

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Customer Service - Begins With A Customer

Customer Service - Begins With A Customer

MBNews /

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Customer Service - In The Cloud - Multitenancy ● ●

Design, together Search by: ○ Design Mart # ○ Component # ○ Page # ○ Keyword ○ Monument type

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Available wherever you are Available on any device

Customer Service - In The Cloud - Multitenancy

Some examples of SaaS are: Google G Suite; Google Cloud Platform; Gmail; Microsoft 365; Amazon Web Services; Zendesk; Dropbox; Adobe Creative Cloud; and the Design Mart Cloud.

There are many advantages to becoming a cloud-based enterprise. It is remotely hosted, remotely accessible, and it is highly available and always on.

The Cloud is virtualized, which affords enduser redundancy, reliability, and scalability. Many services can be created to be collaborative in nature, with the burden of service management being the provider’s responsibility.

This means there is no emergency maintenance required on your end due to unpredictable changes in neighboring software.

And, there is also no cost for development of updates to the end-user.

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Design, together No CAD experience required No redrawing, no deviation CAD & Etching outputs

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Available wherever you are Available on any device

Software Multitenancy Software multitenancy refers to software architecture in which a single instance of software serves multiple tenants, both in the number of users and the types of users.

For example, the Design Mart Online Design Catalog and Monument Designer are examples of multitenant software services within The Cloud.

Designers can search by account numbers, component numbers, page numbers, key words, and monument type. No in-depth CAD experience is required, and there is no redrawing or deviation. CAD and etching outputs are available wherever you are and on any device.

As noted before, the craftsman is imperative, and nothing makes up for creative excellence.

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Customer Service - In The Cloud - Multitenancy Support ●

Helpful videos and tutorials to guide the way, regardless of end-user perspective

Customer Service - In The Cloud - Multitenancy Support ●

Helpful videos and tutorials to guide the way, regardless of end-user perspective

But a focus on customer service can level the playing field for operational and creative excellence. MB About Design Mart Mike Fernandez is the owner of Design Mart, in Elberton, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Georgia and his Master’s Degree at the University of South Carolina. In Atlanta, he joined the advertising agency of Sawyer, Riley, Compton, Inc. where some of his accounts included divisions of Stanley Tools, Yamaha, Siemens, and General Electric. He returned to Elberton and purchased Design Mart from his father, Joe, and has continued to grow the business, which serves thousands of memorial retailers and wholesalers.

Kelly Storm is a Georgia native and earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Georgia, where he taught and conducted extensive research. Kelly is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Design Mart, where he is responsible for the constant development and growth of the Online Monument Designer & Catalog, as well as the new platform and ERP. Design Mart offers support video clips that are helpful videos and tutorials to guide the way, regardless of end-user perspective, with direct phone and online assistance/support, as well as a free 30-day trial of Design Mart Cloud. For additional information, contact the company at +1.706.283.6503, or via the internet at d-mart@ designmart.com. You can also visit their website at www.designmart.com.

MBNews /

January 2019 / 27

By Perry Giles, CM

Why Membership in MBNA? I asked four Past Presidents of MBNA why they were members of the Monument Builders of North America? Their answers provide some great insights and lessons on professionalism.

Jed Hendrickson, CM, AICA MBNA President 2001-2002 Santa Barbara Monumental Company Santa Barbara, California

Our firm has been an MBNA member since 1975 – my father saw the value in it and I, too, have found value in the time, energy, and money spent with MBNA. Our membership in MBNA is a positive use of our funds and helpful to our company, year after year.

Membership in trade associations is something every business owner struggles with – Do I get value for my time and money? Are there other things I should spend that money on? What am I getting out of it?

First and foremost, on my list of why I am an MBNA member is the friendship and exchange of ideas that can only occur with associating with other business owners in our industry. My time in MBNA has benefited my company with numerous ideas and solutions to problems.

I have a roster of friends and MBNA 28 / January 2019 / MBNews

Our industry needs a strong voice of advocacy that is not found anywhere else but in MBNA. MBNA leaders and staff are keenly aware of the need to promote quality memorialization by local businesses who employ local talent to help fill these needs.

– Jed Hendrickson, CM, AICA members I can call on to get advice and ideas.

MBNA’s Membership Roster provides useful contacts throughout the United States and Canada – firms I can refer local customers to when they have memorial needs in other parts of the country.

Along with these friendships and exchange of ideas, I rank the education received at MBNA events as very useful and helpful. It is like attending a continuing education class -refreshing my knowledge base and opening up new thoughts on moving my business forward.

This continuing education can include employees, not just business owners. MB University and other training sessions can help provide that specialized education for our industry that is difficult to find elsewhere.

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Our industry needs a strong voice of advocacy that is not found anywhere else but in MBNA. MBNA leaders and staff are keenly aware of the need to promote quality memorialization by local businesses who employ local talent to help fill these needs.

Promoting monument firms also includes aiding consumers whose right to choose a memorial of their choice is being threatened.

Consumer rights and monument companies’ interests are closely aligned and helping one helps the other.

I am a Certified Memorialist and have been since 1995. The CM program is our industry’s only specific certification program and shows that you are concerned and qualified to provide quality memorial products. As the CM program continues to grow, its influence on our clients and public will only continue to show we are concerned about our industry and want to improve it.

Finally, I believe the MBFilms videos are reason enough to belong to MBNA. These videos portray our industry in a very positive and even uplifting way.

We use MBFilms on our website, and our Vimeo and YouTube pages. The 30-second cut versions of the MBFilms are used in our cableTV advertising campaign with outstanding results in our market. The quality of these films is remarkable and they are available to all MBNA members.

Jim Bell, CM, AICA MBNA President 2011-2012 Bell Memorials Beloit, Kansas

Why I belong to MBNA is so I can make money for my business. Money does not fall off trees when you become a member, but if you do things

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As you progress up the chairs and have the opportunity to go to other regional meetings and conventions, you will continue to learn and earn more knowledge that makes you more money!

– Jim Bell, CM, AICA right you can plant an orchard.

You have read from many that the reason they belong to MBNA is because they can pay their dues with the money they save with the coupon book. To that I say yes, you can, but being a member of MBNA for only that reason does not MAKE you any money.

Here’s how: If you’re new in the business, get started by being active in your state association.

Yes, that means you may have to sit next to your competition at a meeting, but you might find that he’s not as bad as you thought, although sometimes he really is…whoops, I’ll use soap to wash my mouth out the next time.

If you are active, you will learn a lot about your region and it will help you in your own business. In turn, it will help make you money!

After going through the chairs in your state association, join MBNA. When you become a district trustee for MBNA you will sit in on meetings and hear what is being done all over the United States and Canada.

There will be times you will say that what you heard doesn’t pertain to me. And I say this… swallow your words because they will come back to haunt you.

As you progress up the chairs and have the opportunity to go to other regional meetings and conventions, you will continue to learn and earn more knowledge that makes you more money!

With all of that, I think the biggest thing that will make you money is the friends that you make.

They are the other memorialists that you can call up and ask a question and they will give you the most honest answer they can. They are happy to share their knowledge with you very openly.

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I am proud that my father was involved in MBNA early in his career in 1953. I think that if he was here his answer of why he belonged to MBNA would be the same answer that I have.

It has been a pleasure for Ruth, my wife, and myself to be the first husband and wife team to serve as president of MBNA. And I believe she would say the same things I did.

All of you who were in Dallas at the conference might have noticed that Ruth and I were not there. Our son, Josh, who is a vice president of MBNA, and his wife, Melissa, who is active in our organization, represented Bell Memorials.

We were unable to attend because we were home taking care of the 7th generation of memorialist – four years old, two years old and five months old! We tracked Josh and Melissa on the phone with an ETA of nine on Sunday!

(Ha!) We really missed seeing everyone but loved watching the girls!

We were back to work on Monday and we had almost a four-hour discussion of what and who they had seen and what they learned.

Once again it is helping us make money! Thank you MBNA for being there!

Ian Aiello, CM, AICA MBNA President 2013-2014 Art In Stone Montreal, Quebec, Canada

One of my favorite benefits would be the personal relationships developed and friendships both found and renewed through social media, and the occasional dinner and drinks inevitably shared by colleagues and suppliers alike. I’m proud to say I’ve developed many very good friendships over the years and certainly could not have without being a member of such a great association.

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I am a proud member of MBNA and have been for several years. Being a “north of the border” member, its challenging to find quantifiable benefits to being an MBNA member.

–Ian Aiello, CM, AICA I am a proud member of MBNA and have been for several years. Being a “north of the border” member, its challenging to find quantifiable benefits to being an MBNA member.

I say challenging because we are eternally subject to different tax laws and the sometimes very burdensome exchange rate so purchasing products from American suppliers must be done judiciously. That’s where the challenge lies if you are just looking for financial benefit.

On the other side of the money lies the nonquantifiable benefits and there are many. First and foremost, in my opinion, is the education.

Not only the invaluable educational sessions held at conventions and conferences, but also and equally invaluable lessons learned by being in contact with various vendors and other members. Little tricks and pearls of wisdom that can be acquired through face to face conversation and comparing situational challenges related to our business have been very valuable and have truly helped our bottom line over the years.

Being able to see new and time-tested products improve the way we do business as well. The design inspiration we get from seeing them at conventions is also very valuable.

Being able to see new and timetested products improve the way we do business as well. The design inspiration we get from seeing them at conventions is also very valuable.

–Ian Aiello, CM, AICA MBNews / January 2019 / 31

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Visit us at the 2019 MBNA Monument Industry Show in St. Louis, Missouri!

MB ProBuild® is a product of Modlich Monument Company.

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Mike Brannon, CM MBNA President 1999-2000 Brannon Monument Company Dubuque, Iowa

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As MBNA educates its members and advocates for memorialization, we as an industry are better off. From there, though, it is up to each of us to take full advantage of all MBNA has to offer. And its benefits are as unique as each of us seeks.

MBNA offers so many tangibles and intangibles to make membership a great value. It is often like belonging to your local Chamber of Commerce.

Membership helps make a better community or industry, but what you put into it gets you more out of it. A local chamber can lobby for better roads, a more vibrant downtown, etc.

That doesn’t always translate into money in a business’s pocket. But the stronger the community, the better off everyone is.

From MBNews to annual conventions, knowledge and learning best practices from peers is priceless. We can listen to speakers at convention, but we often learn even more while networking with friends, suppliers and peers on the trade show floor, or at lunch or dinner.

From shop techniques, accounting, equipment needs, order management or CAD software, talking with others can teach us a ton. My accountant, banker or insurance salesperson can go to lunch any day they want locally with a peer.

We can’t really do that without going out of town or it being a competitor. MBNA offers that vehicle to bring others together to share and learn.

MBNA has so many other member services that you need to make yourselves aware of. One of the most important is MBAdvocacy.

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As MBNA educates its members and advocates for memorialization, we as an industry are better off. From there, though, it is up to each of us to take full advantage of all MBNA has to offer.

– Mike Brannon, CM When we have challenges with a cemetery, we can utilize the services of our advocate. Other benefits like the CM program can set us apart as experts.

Legislative monitoring and affinity programs add value, along with distinct tangible savings in the MBNA Coupon book, ONLY available to members. Many of us save more than what we pay in dues in a year, utilizing some of the specials that our great MBNA supplier members offer us as a perk of membership.

But bottom line, the best thing from MBNA membership to me is networking. From that networking, friendships are born. Our daughter got married last year, and two of my best friends that I met through MBNA were there.

Eight of us monument guys do a summer golf trip in Ohio every summer. I can golf or go out with local friends, but only can monument friends sitting around invariably change the conversation to fixing a chip on a monument, or how to set a mausoleum on dry ice!

Many of us cherish the friendships we have made in this industry. We have friends across the country and world that we can visit and share a special bond with this unique business and craft. MB Perry Giles, CM, is the owner of Giles Monument Company in Waxahachie, Texas.

He has spent 40 years full-time in the monument business, and has served twice as the President of the Monument Builders of the Southwest, as well as being a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of MBNews.

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By Mike Windham

Preventing Hand and Finger Injuries Every year, more than one million workers seek treatment in Emergency Rooms due to hand and finger injuries. Business owners report more than 110,000 Loss Time Incidents each year due to hand and finger injuries.

Creating monuments, moving heavy stones in the shop, using cranes and dollies on a daily basis, and installing monuments are all “hands-on” jobs. Pinch points are everyday hazards.

Every person working in the monument business has heard a story about how a worker suffered from a hand or finger injury.

The three most common types of hand and finger injuries are lacerations, crushes and fractures.

Hand Injury Prevention Where do you start and what do you do if you want to prevent these injuries? First, teach your workers to recognize the hazard.

Many of today’s younger people have never worked with their hands. They do not know how to recognize hazards and they do not 34 / January 2019 / MBNews

think about getting hurt or having accidents on the job.

Your workers should spend time inspecting the job and planning the job, before the work begins. Talk about the potential for a hand injury.

Teach them about pinch points. Make sure everyone in your company knows and understands the need to be aware of proper hand placement.

Show your workers where to put their hands when moving a monument, when using a dolly, when using lifting slings, and especially when setting a monument. Teach your people to keep their hands off a load while it is suspended.

Teach them the importance of protecting their hands and fingers. Remind them again and again to be careful and be aware of the hand and finger injury exposures.

Expect the Expected Another thing is to teach workers to “expect the expected.” Think about that for a moment.

When you work with hand tools – hitting,

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striking, hammering, etc. is no excuse for a piece Always inspect your tools – what do you expect to of equipment suddenly before and after you use happen? What do you want starting or stopping while to happen? Why are you them. Hand tools fall, they an employee is working on using the hand tools? equipment. get knocked around, and they thatHand Now, what is going to and finger happen afterward? If you get greasy, muddy, slick, and placement is also important use a hammer and chisel sometimes miss their mark. where there are doors and and you’re hitting the chisel cabinets. Catching a finger with the hammer, what do They can be broken. between a door and a door you want to happen? What jam can result in a broken can hurt you when what you finger, a laceration or a crushing injury. Take expect to happen occurs? a minute and remind everyone in your office You hit the chisel with the hammer. Then, the stone breaks away, the chisel moves forward to keep hands and fingers clear when closing without any resistance, and the hammer follows. doors, filing cabinets, tool boxes, and cabinet That’s really what you expected to happen, right? doors in the shop and on trucks.

That’s expecting the expected. Think about what is expected when you use a pry bar to Avoidance and Protection move or position a monument. What do you Another way to avoid hand and finger injuries expect to happen? is by not touching or working with hot lines and hot equipment. Hydraulic power systems Inspection and Instruction and air compressor equipment gets very hot, Always inspect your tools before and after you especial during heavy use or constant use. use them. Hand tools fall, they get knocked To avoid burns, turn off and secure, and let around, and they get greasy, muddy, slick, and the equipment cool. Plus, use lock-out and tagsometimes miss their mark. outs to prevent injuries.

They can be broken. Inspect and clean them The Federal Labor Department reports over after you finish a job, making sure they are 70 percent of hand and finger injuries are due ready for you to use the next time and, more to working without gloves. Gloves are basic importantly, so the next person can use them personal protective equipment and protect safely.

Workers, especially experienced workers, often against minor injuries like cuts, splinters, pinch points, burns, and such. believe they know enough about the job or task There are specific gloves for different jobs. to keep from getting hurt. So, they take chances.

Invest in gloves to protect your worker’s hands Instruct them to not work on moving equipment. Moving a monument from one and fingers, then require them to use the gloves location to another is a task your workers do. It at work. is part of their daily routine. The key words in Remember, hand and finger injuries can be that sentence is “part of their daily routine.” prevented. Do you part to keep these injuries Workers get complacent, especially, the more from happening in your workplace. MB experienced worker who knows how to do the work. The worker relaxes. He or she puts their If you have questions, call or email hands in places or on spots where a hand and Mike Windham for a free consultation. finger hazard exists.

Email amwindham@aol.com or phone If the piece of equipment contains energy +1.601.750.6366. Dynamic Training or uses energy, then demand each worker use Solutions LLC is located at 522 Natchez Ave., a “lock out / tag out” system to ensure the Brookhaven, Mississippi 39601. equipment is safe before they work on it. There MBNews /

January 2019 / 35

Legally

Speaking:

OSHA Declares Post-Accident Drug Testing and Incentive Programs Permissible – Once Again!

By Bob Dunlevey

OSHA has just clarified its position on two very important items for employers. It has retracted the overzealous, gratuitous comments it made in a 2016 Final Rule about incentive programs and post-accident drug testing being impermissible because they allegedly discourage accurate reporting of incidents.

OSHA believed that underreporting was occurring because injured employees wished to avoid being drug tested.

OSHA has now stated “action taken under a safety incentive program or post-incident drug testing policy would only violate 29 CFR Section 1904.35(b)(1)(iv) if the employer took action to penalize an employee for reporting a work related injury or illness rather than for the legitimate purpose of promoting workplace safety and health.”

In previous articles and seminars I have given, I have suggested to employers that they “stay the course” and continue to utilize their post-accident drug testing and incentive programs.

This is confirmation that the approach was well founded. Remember, however, OSHA recommends that not only the employee reporting the injury, but also any employees contributing to the incident be tested – sound advice.

36 / January 2019 / MBNews

Previously, OSHA had found safety incentive programs to be a deterrent to employees accurately reporting injuries or illnesses in order for them to reap the benefit of incentive program awards – prizes and bonuses. OSHA now, once again, believes these incentive programs to be appropriate “as long as the employer has implemented adequate precautions to ensure that employees feel free to report an injury or illness.”

So, at least, each employer should publicize a statement encouraging the reporting of accidents. Other efforts could include training programs for reporting, as well as published explanations of employee rights and responsibilities.

This OSHA interpretation letter countermands the May 2016 Final Rule which revised the recording/reporting regulations as to the gratuitous comments in the Preamble of that Final Rule. These new Interpretive Guidelines strongly support the efforts of each and every employer to ensure a safe workplace and should be welcome news for all employers. MB Bob Dunlevey is an attorney with Taft Law in Dayton, Ohio. For more information regarding workplace safety issues, contact him at +1.937.641.1743 or email Bob at rdunlevey@ taftlaw.com.

MBNA announced the winners of the 2018 Design Competition at the 2018 MBUniversity Conference. Every member is able to submit entries into multiple categories, and there were nearly 200 entries!

The winners were featured in the May 2018 issue of MBNews and we have continued to showcase other entries throughout the year in MBNews. Make sure to plan during this year to enter your work in the 2019 contest. Information can be found at https://monumentbuilders.org/benefits_awards_program.php.

Entries from the Hand Etched Category

MBNews MBNews // January 2019 / 37

Entries from the Hand Etched Category

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Entries from the Hand Etched Category

MBNews / January 2019 / 39

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I N D U S T R Y C A L E N D A R FEBRUARY 2019 08-10 MBNA Annual Industry Show America’s Center St. Louis, MO Contact: MBNA Staff +1.800.233.4472 info@monumentbuilders.org www.monumentbuilders.org

MARCH 2019 14-16 Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association & California Monument Association Joint Annual Convention Heathman Lodge Vancouver, WA Contact: Jennifer Bush +1.509.452.7951 midstatemonuments@hotmail.com

JUNE 2019 20-22 Southern Monument Builders Annual Convention Emerald Beach Hotel Corpus Christi, TX Contact: Sammie Peters +1.817.332.2689 smonumentbuildersa@gmail. com

NEW MEMBERS RETAILER MEMBERS Cornerstone Monuments Contact: George Denson, Owner 2768 Clapham Lane Minden, NV 89423 PH: +1.775.267.1958 FX: +1.775.267.1959 Email: mikedenson@live.com J & L Monuments Contact: Jonathan Benson, Owner 13812 Farm to Market 1236 Road Needville, TX 77461 PH: +1.979.793.3331 TF: +1.800.300.8647 Email: jlmonuments@gmail.com Web: www.jlmonuments.com Monuments of St. Louis Contact: Kevin Damron, Owner/President 6641 Weber Street St. Louis, MO 63123-3258 PH: +1.314.481.6006 FX: +1.314.832.4071 Email: damronkevin@aol.com Web: http://monumentsofstlouismo.com

SUPPLIER/BRONZE MEMBERS IKONICS Imaging Contact: Mikaela Hernesman 4832 Grand Avenue Duluth, MN 55807 PH: +1.218.628.6410 FX: +1.218.628.5064 TF: +1.800.643.1037 Email: mhernesman@ikonics.com Web: http://ikonicsimaging.com Memorial Accents (RGP Industries) Contact: John Serbekian 6333 W. Howard Street Niles, IL 60714 PH: +1.773.353.5572 Email: johns@memorialaccents.com Web: www.memorialaccents.com PS Granite LLC Contact: Sathya Purushotham 170 Native Trace Nicholasville, KY 40356 PH: +1.502.322.6573 Email: sathya@psgranite.com Web: www.psgranite.com MBNews / January 2019 / 41

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Monument Business for Sale Family owned since 1922. Serves Shamokin, Kulpmont, Mt. Carmel, PA and surrounding 25-mile area. Includes large inventory of monuments, F550 crane truck, GS750 plus plotter, Graphix Advantage Software, and a brand-new website.

Classified ads are limited to Help Wanted, Used Equipment For Sale, and Businesses For Sale. All other ads will be considered Marketplace.

Will train if needed. $200,000.

Contact MBNA at +1.800.233.4472 or info@monumentbuilders.org if you are interested.

CLASSIFIED RATE $35 per ad (one-time publication) with a maximum of 50 words. Each additional word is .25 cents.

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The copyright includes (and not limited to) • The content syndication from the feeds of these publications • The content and/or images used in any of the articles of these publications • The MBNews/MBNA logo(s) and any of its derivatives The content of the magazine and website(s) are made available on the terms and condition that the publisher, editors, contributors and related parties: • Shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party • Disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of these publications or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of these publications and related website(s) and products.

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Index to Advertisers

Bicknell Supply Co. . ............................................... 12 Flowers for Cemeteries........................................... 24 Granite City Tool ..................................................... 30 Granite City Tool of Vermont . ............................... 20 2019 Monument Industry Show . ........... Back Cover MBNA Member Drive.............................................. 14 MB ProBuild............................................................. 32 Miles Supply Company.............................................. 5 Paradise Pictures, LLC.................. Inside Front Cover Precious Souvenir...........................Inside Back Cover Trigard...................................................................... 18 US Metalcraft........................................................... 40

MBNews / January 2019 / 43

44 / January 2019 / MBNews