Member Profile – Glenn Bouchier

Member

Profile Glenn Bouchier VIC Division Treasurer

Growing up at a funeral home seemed very normal for me, as it was for many children in the past.

As a child I would wander around all areas of the funeral home, helping/ hindering staff to hammer in escutcheon nails and staple up drapery in coffins. Life at the funeral home was interesting and nothing was ever hidden from me.

My earliest memory of funeral service was at around three years of age, looking out of the front window of our home/residence above Frank Heritage and Sons Funeral Services in Croydon, Victoria and seeing my Dad walking in front of the hearse as it left the Chapel. At the age of 14, I started going to work with Dad on my school holidays and helping in different areas, assisting on funerals, transfers, washing cars, trimming coffins, and at that time, I wanted nothing else for a career.

The minute I finished school and had my drivers licence I was away. I worked for a short period with Nelson Bros as a coordinator before returning to the Heritage family with Gavan and Rob Heritage at Heritage Harper Funerals.

This role was a role I absolutely loved, Gavan became my greatest mentor, mate, and supporter. I began arranging and directing funerals at the age of 20, was the branch manager by 22, and I was hooked. I undertook the FIDA Embalming course to become what I believe is a more rounded funeral director.

In 2007, an opportunity arose for my wife Emma and I to purchase what was Garlick Family Funerals in Wangaratta, Victoria. At the ripe old age of 26, we jumped at the opportunity. We started with just the two of us full-time and an array of casual staff to help us on our journey. In our first year we conducted 130 funerals and loved it.

Since then I have become involved with AFDA as a Victorian Divisional Councillor and I am enjoying my time as the current Victorian Divisional Treasurer. I have a passion for training and have really enjoyed my time collaborating with so many different people. The beauty of AFDA is that all input is valued, whether from a single branch funeral home, or a muti-national brand. We can all learn from each other.

In 2015 I attended the Edge Leadership Training program run by Martin Tobin and Don Burstow. Martin and Don have since become great mentors to me as well. Emma and I started working on ways we could make incremental improvements to the way we deliver our own style of funeral service. We created our own in-house training program and changed the way we deliver our service options to client families to create a more meaningful, individual funeral experience.

In 2016 we began a large building and renovation program at our existing funeral home and on Christmas Eve 2016 we reopened our refurbished Mason Park Chapel and brand-new Memories Room Function Centre to better serve our changing community. In the financial year 2021/2022 we conducted more than 230 funeral services.

Our more than 15-year journey at Mason Park has been extremely rewarding and successful. We understand that “Failure we can do alone, but success is a team effort”.

In our 15 years we have been incredibly lucky to employ fantastic, dedicated staff who continue to exceed the expectations of our client families.

Our more than 15-year journey at Mason Park has been extremely rewarding By Glenn Bouchier Mason Park Funerals E: glenn@masonpark.com.au W: www.masonpark.com.au