December 1999
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 President-Elect
Timothy Brutsche Brutsche Concrete Products Battle Creek, MI
President's Message BY WARREN CHANDLER
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 3 Bob DonateIli Baumgardner Products Co. Akron, OH Directors, District
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
Merry Millennium, One and All! We've just returned from the National Funeral Directors Association convention in Kansas City. All of the national companies were represented and it was good to see our many vault manufacturer, supplier, and funeral director friends. Although attendance seemed a little down this year, there were many new things for the funeral directors in attendance to experience. The trend toward personalization of services and merchandise was certainly noticeable. Interestingly, our concrete burial vaults have carried personalization for many years... the casket folks have finally taken a page from our playbook. Sadly missed at this NFDA convention was Howard Raether, "Mr. Funeral Director," who died October 6. The National was represented at his service in Milwaukee. The death care profession lost a great man. On a lighter note, don't miss the boat. We really would like to see each of you on our NCBVA cruise in June. We know that won't be possible, someone has to mind the store. But as the cold winds.start to whip up this month, think how nice it would be to be basking in the Caribbean. See the story on page 1 and additional information on pages 10-11 or call the NCBVA office if you have any questions. As we complete this last letter from the president of NCBVA for the year... in fact, for the millennium; it has certainly provoked some thought and reflection on my part. I'm sure this upcoming leap into the year 2000 has done the same for you. Our industry is making changes and facing many more. We face challenges in business, legal, environmental, and personal fields daily. But we're fortunate. None of us has to go this complicated route alone. We've got a strong national organization to help us deal with these changes and we have each other, too. United, moving into this new century, this new millennium, we can be a force for the positive. We can keep our businesses safe and competitive. If we listen to one another and work together, there are no problems we can't put behind us. Please accept the very best holiday wishes from my family and me. Merry Millennium! At this writing, our Executive Director Tom Monahan 's father is ill. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Legal Counsel
J. Scott Calkins Harrisburg, PA
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