When Words Matter: NFDA Releases Groundbreaking Communication Guide for Funeral Professionals

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has released “When Words Matter: A Funeral Director’s Guide to Clear and Compassionate Communication,” a groundbreaking, research-driven resource designed to bridge the growing language gap between funeral professionals and the families they serve. The study and guide were unveiled today during the Opening General Session of the 2025 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Chicago. 

Available now as a free download at NFDA.org/Research, this new guide is grounded in original NFDA research conducted earlier this year with more than 1,100 U.S. consumers across four generations. The findings reveal a striking disconnect between how funeral professionals and families understand commonly used industry terms and offer actionable strategies for improving clarity, trust and emotional connection. 

“Families aren’t wrong – they’re simply speaking a different language,” said 2025-26 NFDA President Daniel J. Ford, CFSP. “Our words are shaped by training and tradition, while families’ words come from culture, faith, media and emotion. This guide helps us bridge those differences so families feel understood and supported.” 

Addressing a Widening Communication Gap

The guide grew out of a key strategic initiative within NFDA’s 2023–26 plan: to explore the differences and similarities in how funeral directors and consumers talk about death, grief and remembrance. 

While funeral professionals have long used terms like “funeral,” “memorial service” and “celebration of life,” the new study revealed that families often define – or misunderstand – these terms in radically different ways. 

For example, only 16% of consumers defined memorial service as a service with the body present in a casket – the same definition used by funeral directors.

And, more than 75% of respondents said they had never even heard the term direct cremation. Younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, reported the highest levels of confusion and the strongest preference for clear, plainspoken language. 

“This is a pivotal moment for our profession,” said Ford. “Today’s families are diverse – culturally, generationally, spiritually – and they bring different expectations to the conversation. As funeral directors, we have a responsibility to meet them where they are – listening first and then speaking with clarity and compassion.” 

A Practical, Interactive Tool

“The gap between professional language and consumer understanding isn’t unique to funeral service – it exists in law, medicine, accounting and nearly every specialized field,” said Ford. “The difference is that in funeral service, the words we use carry extraordinary emotional weight. ‘When Words Matter’ helps us translate our professional terminology into language that resonates with families, building trust and understanding.” 

“When Words Matter” includes:

• Consumer quotes illustrating how different terms are perceived.
• Side-by-side comparisons of industry terms and plain-language alternatives.
• Conversation starters and roleplay scripts to train staff in empathetic communication.
• Website and print checklist to help ensure consumer-facing materials are clear and welcoming.
• Self-reflection questions for ongoing professional development.
• Team action plan templates for implementing changes over the next 90 days. 

“This guide is not a rulebook for funeral directors; it’s a conversation starter for the staff at your funeral home,” Ford noted. “Some of what’s in here may challenge long-held assumptions. But it’s also an invitation to grow, to serve with even greater excellence, and to ensure that every family walks away feeling seen, understood, and supported.” 

Part of NFDA’s Unmatched Research Commitment

“When Words Matter” continues NFDA’s decades-long commitment to producing the funeral profession’s most trusted, independent research. In the past year alone, NFDA has released:

• “Across Borders, Across Traditions: A Global Study of Funeral Preferences” (2025) is the first international survey of consumer attitudes toward funerals.
• “Changing Consumer Preferences: A Generational Perspective on Attitudes Toward Funeral Service” (2025) offers deep insights into how Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z think about funerals.
• “Consumer Awareness and Preferences Survey” (2025) offers quantitative and qualitative research on what U.S. families expect from modern funeral service. 

All studies and tools are available at NFDA.org/Research. “NFDA is proud to lead the profession in original, evidence-based research that helps funeral directors make informed business decisions and deliver meaningful service,” Ford said. “Language shapes experience and “When Words Matter” is another example of NFDA helping members strengthen the connection between what we say and what families hear.” 

A Tool for Every Funeral Director

Whether serving grieving families or advocating for the profession, “When Words Matter” helps funeral directors improve communication in their day-to-day work and long-term strategy. 

“In our profession, the words we choose aren’t just important, they’re sacred,” Ford said. “They shape the way people remember, heal and find meaning. This guide is one more way NFDA is helping funeral directors lead with integrity, empathy and skill.” 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association representing 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org. 

Tribute Technology Releases Landmark Obituary Study: Traffic, Engagement, and Industry Threats

New research shows organic obituary traffic surging, aggregators taking sessions and revenue, and Tribute-powered pages winning top Google rankings

WAUNAKEE, Wis., Oct. 7, 2025 — Tribute Technology announced the publication of Benchmarking the Modern Obituary: Traffic, Engagement, and Industry Threats, an analysis of more than one billion obituary sessions. The report shows how online obituaries fuel funeral home growth, where traffic originates, and how third-party aggregators divert audiences and purchases away from local firms.  

“Obituaries are the entry point to the modern funeral home,” said Craig Greenseid, CEO of Tribute Technology. “This study gives owners the data to protect that entry point, so families, condolences, brand awareness, and commerce stay with the firm that served them.”  

Obituaries are the top driver of funeral home website traffic, attracting more than 3.5 billion visits annually, with obituary pages drawing five times more visits than all other pages. Sixty percent of visitors are women over age 50, most within 25 miles of the funeral home, aligning with the primary pre-need decision-maker demographic.  

When it comes to obituaries, the study shows speed and substance matter. Obituaries posted within two days of death drive 30 percent more visits and engagements, while those with 500 or more words generate twice as many. 

The study confirms that 75 percent of obituary visits come from organic search or social sharing and underscores SEO-first design, especially on obituaries. This helps ensure families find their funeral home directly rather than an aggregator sites, which divert traffic and dollars. Funeral homes lose up to 260 sessions per obituary, reducing revenue, guestbook entries, and brand equity.  

“Funeral homes want confidence that families will find obituaries on their own website, not an aggregator, and that once they land on that obituary, it drives the engagements, such as condolence messages or traffic to the other pages on the funeral home website.” said Andy Bourke, Chief Digital Officer at Tribute Technology. “Our platform is engineered to rank well, and we are always improving it. That keeps the conversation where it belongs and strengthens long-term family relationships.”  

The study also notes that while AI assistants such as ChatGPT are growing, Google Search dominates with 150 billion monthly visits compared to ChatGPT’s 4 billion. Tribute Technology uses proven SEO structures and schema to ensure obituaries remain visible across both traditional and AI-driven search.  

Finally, the report details the decline of print obituaries and growth of digital memorialization. Digital postings now account for 65 percent of death notices. Tribute Technology is expanding digital distribution through partnerships like Tribute Spotlights with Chptr, which brings obituaries to local television audiences.  

Benchmarking the Modern Obituary is available from Tribute Technology. For details and product updates, visit the Tribute Technology News page.  

About Tribute Technology:  Tribute Technology is a leading provider of software and services for funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories, helping professionals serve families through best-in-class websites, management tools, and digital memorialization solutions. The company is headquartered in Waunakee, Wisconsin.  

Photo Caption:  Tribute Technology’s new report, Benchmarking the Modern Obituary, analyzes over one billion obituary sessions—revealing how obituaries drive funeral home growth, where online traffic originates, and how aggregators siphon away audiences and sales. With obituaries generating more than 3.5 billion visits annually, this study helps funeral homes protect their most valuable digital entry point.

NFDA Releases 2025 Cremation & Burial Report: Comprehensive Insights to Guide the Future of Funeral Service

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has released its “2025 Cremation & Burial Report,” the most comprehensive analysis of consumer disposition trends available to funeral service professionals. The report shows the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, more than double the burial rate of 31.6%.

Through state-by-state U.S. projections, as well as data from Canada and worldwide, the report provides funeral directors with the reliable, research-based insights they need to anticipate change, identify opportunities and serve families with confidence. 

The “NFDA Cremation & Burial Report” not only offers accurate statistics and projections, but also the broader context that funeral professionals need to make informed decisions for their businesses and the families they serve. 

Key Findings From the 2025 Report

• The U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, more than double the burial rate of 31.6%. By 2045, cremation will account for 82.3% of dispositions, while burials will decline to 13.0%.
• All 50 states and the District of Columbia are projected to surpass a 50% cremation rate by 2035.
• In Canada, cremations are expected to rise to 91.2% by 2045.
• Nearly 36% of member firms already offer online cremation arrangements, with another 25% planning to do so within four years.
• NFDA-member firms continue to identify the availability of qualified personnel as their greatest business challenge over the next four years. 

The report goes beyond statistics, incorporating analysis of economic conditions, workforce challenges, consumer preferences and funeral home operational trends. By putting cremation and burial projections in context, NFDA provides members with a sharper, more complete picture of how the profession is evolving and what it means for the future of service. 

Accessing the Report and Other NFDA Research 

The 2025 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report” is available free of charge to NFDA members and for $175 for nonmembers. Funeral professionals can download the report at  NFDA.org/Research.  At NFDA.org/Research, funeral professionals can also access a wide range of free NFDA studies and reports, including:

• “Across Borders, Across Traditions: A Global Study of Funeral Preferences” (2025): The first-ever global survey of consumer opinions on funerals, offering insights across countries and cultures.
• “Changing Consumer Preferences: A Generational Perspective on Attitudes Toward Funeral Service” (2025): A groundbreaking study on generational attitudes toward funeral service and evolving expectations.
• “Business Practices Study” (2025): An exploration of how funeral directors are adapting business practices in light of increasing cremation rates.
• “Consumer Awareness and Preferences Survey” (2025): Findings from NFDA’s direct-to-consumer research on evolving funeral service preferences.
• And many more. 

These resources are part of NFDA’s ongoing commitment to provide funeral service professionals with high-quality, independent research to help them make informed business decisions and deliver meaningful service to families. 

About the National Funeral Directors Association 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association representing 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org.

Library of Congress Releases COVID-19 Recollections: Interviews with 19 Deathcare Professionals

On July 2, the American Folklife Center at the U.S. Library of Congress released “Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic from Last Responders,” a series of videos documenting the role of deathcare professionals during the pandemic. The series includes interviews with 19 funeral directors, embalmers, funeral home owners, educators, and other deathcare workers of various generations and career lengths from across the country.

With funding through the American Folklife Center, whose mission is to “‘preserve and present’ folklife in all its diversity,” a team of interviewers from Gran Enterprises, LLC (two of whom are licensed funeral directors) visited funeral homes throughout 2023 and 2024. Their goal was to “illuminate the incredible task of after-life care during the pandemic, the solutions that funeral workers created to adapt their work to COVID-19, and the many aspects of labor — physical, mental, and spiritual — that funeral workers undertook during this tumultuous period in United States history.”

The 19 deathcare professionals who were interviewed for the series are:

• Lance Arnold of Arnold Family Funeral Services in Altadena, California
• Robert Barnes of Elite Life Celebrations by Barnes & Co. in Houston, Texas
• Jimmie D. Boldien of Rolfe Funeral Home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Dr. Hari P. Close, II of Hari P. Close Funeral Service, P.A. in Baltimore, Maryland
• Carlton C. Douglass of Carlton C. Douglass Funeral Services in Baltimore, Maryland
• Shawn’te Harvell of Smith Funeral Home in Elizabeth, New Jersey
• William “Bill” Harris of William C. Harris Funeral Directors and Cremation in St. Louis, Missouri
• Billie Watson Hughes of Bianchi Funeral Service in Washington, D.C.
• Jerri J. Reed-Taylor of Leak & Sons Funeral Homes in Chicago, Illinois
• Tryphina Wiseman of Wiseman Mortuary in Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Kari Northey, freelance licensed funeral director in Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Breanna Williams of Meadowlawn Funeral Home and Allen Dave Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center in San Antonio, Texas
• Karoline Davidson, formerly of Gilbert Memorial Park in Gilbert, Arizona
• Chelsea Cush of Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Faith Haug of Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado
• Shannan Guillory of Prism Memorial in Los Angeles, California
• Jozie Hickman of Herman Funeral Homes in Tiffin, Ohio
• Dr. Jennifer Lares of Mulling Mortician in Texas
• William Turner Heath of End of Life Psychedelic Care in Gainesville, Florida

These interviewees share an interesting array of pandemic-era deathcare experiences, including the impact of COVID on funeral service restrictions, the devastating psychological effects of the pandemic, its disproportionate impact on Black communities, the complications of grief, and how they handled special cases, including the COVID-related deaths of their own loved ones, those in the healthcare profession, and multiple members of one family. The series definitely achieves its goal to call much-needed attention to the unsung heroes of the pandemic — the last responders.

“Last Responders” is the third collection of videos to be released online by the American Folklife Center as part of the COVID-19 American History Project. The first of the two series features 20 interviews with New Orleans-area service and hospitality workers while the second offers 25 interviews with rural, female, Appalachian childcare providers.

Photo from LOC blog press release: “Anita Grant, of Gran Enterprises, interviewing Shawn’te Harvell (LE/LFD, CFSP) in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2023, about his COVID-19 experiences as manager of the Smith Funeral Home in Elizabeth, New Jersey for the COVID-19 American History Project.”

CANA Releases 2025 Annual Cremation Statistics Report: Shows National Cremation Rate Growth Slowing

WHEELING, IL— The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) continues its commitment to providing accurate and comprehensive cremation statistics to the death care industry and consumers. With over 25 years of data collection from state and provincial vital statistics departments, CANA’s cremation statistics are widely regarded as the most reliable and current in the field. The latest reports for 2025 have been released, featuring final 2023 cremation data, newly released 2024 data, and projections to 2029 and 2034. 

CANA’s research shows that the national cremation rate has grown steadily and predictably for the last 50 years, indicating that neither the recession nor the pandemic have influenced the growth rate on a national level. After decades of rapid growth in the United States, CANA can confirm that the national growth rate is slowing after reaching 61.8% in 2024. It is a common statistical occurrence for the growth rate to slow once it hits 80%. 

SLOWER, BUT STEADY GROWTH IN CREMATION NATIONALLY  

CANA’s 2025 Annual Statistics Report shows that the annual cremation growth rate is slowing overall. This supports the association’s observation over the past few years that the US is entering a “deceleration” period of cremation. The US is 15 years behind Canada, where the cremation rate surpassed 76.7% in 2024.  

By 2033, CANA research predicts the cremation rate in all states will reach or exceed 50%, with the national rate surpassing 70%. In 2025, there are only six states where the cremation rate has not yet reached 50%; six states and four provinces have already surpassed 80%. After adding a new color to the popular “heat” maps of cremation rates to highlight the individual states and provinces with cremation rates above 80%, CANA has now retired the color that indicated states where the cremation rate had not reached 30%. 

“These cremation statistics can be applied to a range of business decisions, helping you to weigh your options in a number of ways,” said CANA President Ryan Wiseman, co-owner of Porter Funeral Homes in Kansas City, KS, and Lenexa, KS, and the Cremation Society of Kansas and Missouri, which has four locations around the Kansas City area. “I can speak from personal experience about the value and practical application for this information when you’re looking for help to guide the choices you make on behalf of your business. The CANA statistics were fundamental in helping us make the decision to open our Cremation Society location 20 years ago. Based on the data in CANA’s annual report, we were able to project what the future was to bring and estimate what families would be looking for when a loved one would die.” 

OTHER FORMS OF DISPOSITION 

CANA tracks data on all forms of disposition, including the newest forms of cremation – alkaline hydrolysis (AH, also known as water cremation) and natural organic reduction (NOR, also known as human composting). Practitioners, consumers and media outlets often ask about the effect of new forms of disposition on the cremation rate, but CANA’s estimated data shows that AH and NOR processes remain a negligible factor at this point. They account for 0.3% in states where the methods are practiced and 0.1% nationally. AH and NOR are not currently affecting the cremation rates at the state, provincial or national levels. 

ABOUT CANA RESEARCH 

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) publishes the Annual Cremation Statistics Report and other research to illuminate trends in the profession. This research is often used by the media to shape their articles and by CANA’s members to guide their future business plans. Derived from six data models, CANA publishes projections with accuracy, leaning conservative, to deliver reliable information to the leaders of the profession. 

In addition to the Annual Statistics Report, CANA will be conducting several other research projects to provide insights into cremation arrangement practices, modern cremation practices, and consumer awareness and preference for traditional and emerging disposition methods. The association remains committed to gathering accurate and comprehensive cremation statistics to serve the needs of the death care industry and consumers. 

CANA research is available exclusively for members of the association. For more information on CANA’s statistics, visit www.cremationassociation.org/IndustryStatistics. 

CANA Members can read the full report in The Cremationist or log in to www.cremationassociation.org/CremationistMagazine. 

### 

About CANA 

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization. 

NFDA Issues Important Update: EPA Releases Final Risk Evaluation on Formaldehyde

Earlier today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Risk Evaluation of formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This evaluation builds on years of analysis and stakeholder input, including significant contributions from NFDA.

The findings of the final Risk Evaluation are critical to the funeral service profession. While it confirms the important finding of the draft Risk Evaluation: that the use of formaldehyde for embalming is exempt from regulations under TSCA, potential regulations under other laws and by other agencies could still impact funeral service. NFDA was a strong advocate for this, and our members who attended the 2024 Advocacy Summit truly voiced our concerns and made our voice heard to both Congress and the Administration including the EPA.

The final Risk Evaluation consists of more than 15 documents and thousands of pages of analysis. NFDA advocacy staff are thoroughly reviewing this information to assess its implications for our profession. We will provide a detailed analysis in the coming days.

What the Final Risk Evaluation Found

The EPA identified risks associated with formaldehyde exposure in several contexts, including workplace environments, consumer products and even residential settings. Formaldehyde emissions from building materials and furniture remain a significant concern.

Importantly for funeral service professionals, the EPA reaffirmed that embalming fluids are excluded from TSCA regulation. This exclusion is based on the definition of “chemical substance” under TSCA, which excludes “any pesticide” regulated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Embalming fluids, classified as pesticides when used for biological preservation, fall under this exclusion.

However, it is crucial to understand that this exclusion does not eliminate the potential for regulatory impact on funeral service:

Upstream Risks: Uses of formaldehyde in manufacturing and distribution could still face restrictions or bans, potentially affecting the cost and availability of embalming products.
Other Regulatory Authorities: Agencies such as OSHA may rely on the EPA’s findings to implement workplace safety regulations.
The EPA’s prior determination that all uses of formaldehyde pose an “unreasonable risk” remains in effect, signaling that further regulatory action is likely. The evaluation concludes that exposure to formaldehyde does not pose unreasonable risk to the environment, but does pose unreasonable risk to people in 58 of 63 “conditions of use” of the chemical that the agency analyzed, including subjecting all manufacturing, import, processing, distribution in commerce, recycling, disposal and industrial use of formaldehyde and formaldehyde-derived products to potential bans or difficult-to-meet standards for some uses.
Of the 58 uses, 50 involve occupational exposures, while the remaining eight deal with dangers to consumers.
Concerns Raised by Stakeholders

While the final Risk Evaluation incorporates some important revisions based on public and industry feedback, concerns remain. Some groups have raised issues about the EPA’s adherence to statutory requirements, such as using the best available science and ensuring adequate peer review. These perceived shortcomings could lead to overly restrictive regulations that might disproportionately affect funeral service and other industries.

NFDA Advocacy on Behalf of Funeral Service

For over five years, NFDA has been a vocal and effective advocate during the EPA’s formaldehyde review process. Led by NFDA’s Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Lesley Witter, we have engaged with the EPA and other stakeholders to ensure the agency has up-to-date, accurate data and fair representation of funeral service needs.

Notably, NFDA conducted a groundbreaking study on formaldehyde exposure, which was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. This study demonstrated that exposure levels for funeral directors and embalmers are well below current regulatory limits. You can read more about the study here.

In addition, NFDA submitted extensive comments on the draft Risk Evaluation earlier this year. These comments reflected the real-world practices of funeral service professionals and were instrumental in shaping the final Risk Evaluation.

What’s Next

The next phase of the EPA’s process will be to develop draft Management Controls to address formaldehyde risks. These controls will be subject to public review and comment before finalization.

However, the timeline for this process is uncertain. With a new presidential administration taking office soon, there is potential for significant delays or even a complete reevaluation of the process.

NFDA: Your Trusted Advocate

NFDA remains committed to keeping you informed and advocating for fair, science-based regulations. We will closely monitor developments and actively engage with the EPA and other agencies to protect the interests of funeral service professionals.

Please watch for further updates and detailed analysis from NFDA in the days ahead. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Lesley Witter, Senior Vice President of Advocacy, at LWitter@NFDA.org.

Thank you for your continued trust in NFDA.

Matthews International, which provides memorialization products and cremation solutions among its multi-faceted business segments announced their Fiscal 4th Quarter and Fiscal Year End results last Thursday.  Matthews operates on a fiscal year that ends on September 30 of each year.

While the company had some positive attributes for the quarter such as reducing company debt by $53.8 million, Sales and Adjusted EBITDA for the company both declined for the quarter and the year end in comparison to last year for the same time periods.  As a company, 4th Quarter 2024 Revenues totaled about $446.6 million for the quarter as compared to $480.1 million for 4Q23 — that’s a decrease of about 7%.  For the Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2024, Total Revenues totaled $1.79 billion as compared to FY2023’s number of $1.88 billion — that’s a yearly decrease in sales of about 4.8%.

Total Adjusted EBITDA for the company dropped to $205.1 million for the year compared to 2023’s Fiscal Year total of $225.8 million — a drop of about 9.2% on the year.

Matthews operates in three segments — one of which is the Memorialization Segment which includes cemetery products, caskets, and cremation products.  That segment is the largest, by sales of the three segments and accounted for about 46% of company sales.  It did, however, see a reduction in annual sales from $842 million in FY23 to $829 million in FY24 — a drop of about 1.6%.  The segment’s Adjusted EBITDA almost kept up with last years and can be basically called “flat” for the year — it actually dropped by less than 1%. . . from $163.9 million to $162.5 million.

Here’s what Matthews International President and CEO Joseph C. Bartolacci said in prepared statements in the press release about the Memorialization Segment, “The Memorialization segment reported higher adjusted EBITDA for the current quarter despite lower unit volumes, which were related to a decline in U.S. deaths compared to a year ago. Ongoing cost control efforts combined with improved price realization were the key drivers in the improvement in operating margins. . . . .We expect another solid performance for our Memorialization business in fiscal 2025 as U.S. deaths appear to have generally normalized following COVID and we are projecting continued growth in our cremation-related products sales.” 

You can access the Matthews International November 21, 2024, press release here.

Stock Price Rises:  Interestingly enough, on the news of lower quarterly and annual sales and profits, Matthews International stock price jumped almost 21% on Friday after Thursday’s market closed press release.  Matthews International stock closed at $30.84 per share after opening that day at $25.49.

It’s difficult for one to read into why the value went up over 20% in one day, but the company’s earnings press release did show the SGK Brand Solution Segment gaining sales and the situation of retiring over $53 million of debt.

It could also have to do with the Industrial Technologies Segment of the company and opportunities there.   Here’s an interesting statement that President/CEO Bartolacci included in the earnings press release, “Lastly, as growth opportunities for the Industrial Technologies segment continue to emerge, the Company has been exploring strategies with respect to its portfolio of businesses.   Accordingly, we have retained J.P. Morgan to support the evaluation of potential strategic alternatives.”

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  This is total speculation on my part but, it’s interesting for me to see the stock price jump to over $30 per share on Friday after not closing at that level since March 2024.  I think the terms “potential strategic alternatives” lead to speculation by many that there could be acquistions on the horizon by Matthews or there could be a divestiture of one of the Matthews segments to come.  Again, from my point of view there is plenty of money in the private equity circles looking to invest.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Tom Crean is an expert on the funeral business, having spent almost 50 years working in funeral service. Now he’s written a book, It’$ Your Funeral: How Grieving Families Are Being Exploited, and How We Can Stop It.

The book provides an insider’s view of the funeral industry and is an extension of his consumer advocacy and public education that he’s known for.

In the late 1990s he led a movement to save Vancouver’s only public cemetery—Mountain View—from privatization. He also helped organize 4,000 independent funeral firms to defeat Houston-based funeral giant Service Corporation International’s attempt to trademark the phrase “family funeral care.”

Today he is both president of the Family Funeral Home Association and the Surrey  Hospice Society , and his latest project has been developing a radically new cemetery concept —a cooperative —while creating the first new cemetery in fifty years in the Metro Vancouver area of British Columbia.

Called Heritage Gardens Cemetery, it is an approved green burial provider, certified by the Green Burial Society of Canada.

You can meet Crean at the book launch on Monday Nov. 25th, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Anvil Centre, located at 777 Columbia Street in New Westminster.

More information on Crean and his new book can be found here.

Below is an article published in the latest issue of Common Ground:

Thomas P. J. Crean certainly has an end-of-life story to tell.
In November 2019, he published It’s Your Funeral: How Grieving Families Are Being Exploited, and How We Can Stop It.

It is a timely piece of nonfiction intended to educate people about the funeral business.

Crean is the grandson of Thomas James Kearney, who founded Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver, in 1908. Crean became president of the company 70 years later. At the time, in the late 1970s, funeral-and-cemetery service was loosely regulated in BC, and the two largest North American funeral conglomerates were buying out nearly all the family-owned funeral homes. Profitability was their sole objective, and the exploitation of grieving families became part of the playbook.

Crean, disturbed by the conglomerates’ tactics, became involved in con-
sumer advocacy and public education.

He has testified before funeral industry regulators in Ottawa, New York and Washington, DC. He has also addressed numerous funeral associations and sustainable-business groups, including the American Sustainable Business Council and the American Independent Business Alliance.

By 1996, the chains were handling more than 80 percent of funeral arrangements in Greater Vancouver. That year, Crean led a successful movement to save the management of Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver’s only cemetery, from privatization. He then organized 4,000 independent funeral firms to prevent Service Corporation International – in Canada and the US – from trademarking the phrase “family funeral care.” In 2004, Crean joined the Surrey Hospice Society Board. Working with the dying and their caregivers helped him further understand the ways in which the corporate funeral chains
manipulated people when at their most vulnerable, especially by garnering all the influence possible with the “end-of-life” caregiver community.

In April of 2012 the BC Funeral Service Association celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
The Kearney-Crean family was honored as being the only founding member still in business. A few years later, Crean left the family business to devote himself to fighting the predatory and monopolistic practices of the funeral conglomerates.

Crean has served on the boards of many civic and professional organi-
zations. A past-president of the Rotary Club of Vancouver, he is now president of the Surrey Hospice Society board and the Family Funeral Home Association. He also serves on the boards of the Partners In Care Alliance Society and Cooperative, the BC Association for Media Education, the Family Association for Media Education, and the Canadian Institute for Information and Privacy Studies.

In 2016, Crean acquired land in South Surrey, BC, rezoning it into the first new cemetery in BC’s Lower Mainland in 50 years. In 2018, along with family members and other investors, he opened Heritage Gardens Cemetery. It offers compassionate guidance and sustainable, reasonably priced alternatives to traditional burial and cremation.