ICCFA 2014

The ICCFA All Star Annual Convention and Exposition April 8-11 2014, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Held in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

There was a great representation from the Irish contingent - Farewell Celtic Ashes, Mourning Cross, and Eco Legacy.

We had a great time in Vegas mingling with all the 'Stars' of the funeral industry.

Memorial Payment Solutions offer funeral directors new options in terms of payment for at need clients.  The offer a home's customers quick and easy payment options including a single stop for credit card processing, check (cheque) verification, insurance assignments and short term loans. As the industry moves away from the traditional sources of revenue, the cost of money has become more and more of an issue. Although these guys are not YET available to funeral homes in Ireland the guys are currently working on European links.

The Harbeson Group or the Funeral Commander as he likes to be referred to is a fun southern guy with a big imagination for the industry and an even bigger personality. He has linked up with our very own Kate Hamilton of Mourning Cross Bereavement Pins and DNA Memorial which is a Canadian business. They specialize in storing a person’s DNA indefinitely offering regulated DNA storage and also the ability for genetic research and information.

Tribute Art by Wyland is a new line of bronze sculptures by renowned marine life artist Robert Wyland. They are remembrance sculptures that house the ashes of a loved one inside a beautiful art sculpture and will certainly appeal to over 500,000 collectors of Wyland's artwork.

Other 'stars' to note included Billion Graves who are trying to help future generations to locate there family. It sounded like the google of the grave world and they had the cutest little dog called Solomen at their booth so they got my vote!

Farewell Pet Funeral Kit robbed our name - how dare they?! ;-) but I liked their idea - it is a casket or urn kit for burying pets with love and involving the family creatively. It seemed especially designed for children with the very simplistic literature, inclusion of workbooks, pots of paint and brushes. It reminded me of baby school but I think this is great idea for getting children to deal with their grief in the early years which will help when they have to come to terms with human loss as they grow up.

And lastly there was a development from Meadow Hill Corp who brought us thumbies, now brings a TFScanner which allows funeral directors to easily fingerprint all of the deceased (or living) in a matter of seconds without ink. This can be used for thumbie memorials or identifying the body.

All in all the conference was a success all round with lots other tidbits in between like Archie Griffin opening the show and Stedman Graham doing a motivating key note speech but for me one of the biggest highlights was the supply of food and drink throughout the exhibiting hours which made for a  more happy exhibiting force and a more plentiful audience seeing as they didn't have to sneak out for lunch every day.