funeral homes and cemeteries, but says that a number of vault companies are now carrying the product as well. (Conversant with using popular social media for business promotion, he has created a product demonstration video that can be viewed on YouTube, or through the product portal at www.norwalkvault.com.)
recycling. “There’s a small but nice amount of money to be made there,� HE SAYS h4HE OBJECT IS TO ACQUIRE MATTRESSES AS ECONOMICALLY AS possible and recycle the steel. It’s win-win by helping the environMENT AND CREATING JOBS v
Trend-watcher In addition to keeping an eye on the cremation barometer, Mark watches for other trends in the funeral industry. One of these is the demand for larger burial vaults as a result of the “obesity epidemicâ€? IN THE 5 3 4HE &EBRUARY ISSUE OF THE .#"6! Bulletin featured THAT TREND 3EE UPDATE FOR THE YEAR ON PG “We have seen a signiďŹ cant increase in the number of oversized vaults and outer burial containers (OBCs) we are selling,â€? he says. “To my knowledge we have one of the biggest selections of concrete OBCs around––or at least in the northeast. We stock MORE THAN DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES WITH INSIDE WIDTHS RANGING from 17 inches up to 52 inches. Outside of Kryprotek, our biggest PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN IN THE INCH LINED UNITS AND THE INCH UNLINED UNITS ! FEW VAULT COMPANIES BUY THE S BY THE TRAILER LOAD v
Dedicated Professionals Mark’s wife Nikki is also an entrepreneur. Trained at the Jewelry Arts Institute In New York, NY, she is a goldsmith and is widely ACCLAIMED FOR HER JEWELRY 3HE CREATES EACH ONE OF A KIND PIECE BY hand, from start to ďŹ nish, making her own alloys and wire, and doing machining, bufďŹ ng and polishing as necessary. For more than YEARS .IKKI S JEWELRY HAS BEEN FEATURED AT PREMIERE ART SHOWS and sold by top retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue. (Check out her exquisite work at www.nikkibates.com.) Nikki is also an important part of the Norwalk Vault team, often accompanying Mark at trade shows to help promote the company and its products, and, most recently, taking on the daunting challenge of becoming the OSHA/Safety Compliance ofďŹ cer at the company. Mark and his wife exemplify today’s young, energetic couples who are dedicated to serve. They are intensely devoted to their PROFESSIONS BUT ENJOY GIVING BACK IN MANY WAYS TO THEIR FAMILIES and communities.
Professional Networking There’s no better place to check the pulse of the industry than to be active in professional associations within the deathcare industry. At .#"6! S ANNUAL CONVENTION IN &EBRUARY ABOARD THE Allure of the Seas, Director Jerry Russell was elected Secretary/Treasurer of NCBVA. Mark was elected to ďŹ ll Jerry’s unexpired term on the Board of Directors. He’s also in demand as a speaker. Mark was on the program at the annual convention of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) held in March in Las Vegas. Because he is involved on a daily basis with the safe handling of human remains, he provided an update on safe and effective disinterment practices.
Giving Back; Community Involvement Mark Bates seems to have an indefatigable source of energy and commitment. Just as he desired to leave investment banking and enter a real business that makes a difference in people’s lives, he has a heart for kids and is currently on the Board of the non-proďŹ t “Horizons at Green Farms Academyâ€? (www.gfacademy.org). “Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut, with a population OF MORE THAN v -ARK SAYS hAND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS MORE THAN PERCENT /BVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF INNER CITY KIDS who deserve the same advantages as the kids from afuent neighborhoods. It’s a well-known fact that inner-city kids experience what has been called ‘summer slide’––they lose academic progress over the summer because they don’t readily have the learning tools to keep their minds stimulated. The premise of ‘Horizons’ is to place under-served kids from kindergarten to eighth grade in a private school setting in summer school to give them a variety of academic and enrichment activities. The program is intended to reverse the gap between kids from afuent environments and those from inner These men represent the four families that came together city environments.â€? Mark is also involved in the early stages of GUBI (Green to make up Norwalk Vault: (L - R) Bob Pirozzoli, Al Piroz5RBAN "USINESS )NCUBATOR nnA JOBS CREATION PROGRAM FOR GREEN zoli, Raul Valentin, Mark Bates and Paul Vacarro. START UP BUSINESSES IN "RIDGEPORT /NE OF THE PROJECTS IS MATTRESS April 2012 l NCBVA.ORG
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