Like many funeral professionals, Bill McQueen was born into the business. His father William F. McQueen established Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home with his partner, John S. Anderson in St. Petersburg, Fl, in 1952. As many of the offspring of a funeral home owner can attest, William McQueen was a dedicated workaholic. “My father went to work every day of the year, so if we wanted to see dad, we went to the funeral home,” McQueen reminisced. “At age 6 I started going to work with dad on many Saturdays where I helped mow the grass, wash cars, open doors-and got paid $1 for the whole day.” During his high school and college days, McQueen continued to work at the funeral home during breaks and in the summer. After college, McQueen became somewhat the black sheep of the family by going into public accounting and law instead of funeral service. “However, I always was involved with the business side of our family firm,” McQueen said. “Especially after the unexpected and untimely death of our father 22 years ago when I was just finishing law school.” During the early 1990’s, McQueen assisted a good friend, Dr. Vanderlyn Pine, who according to McQueen was “brokering” a number of funeral home businesses around the nation with the legal side of the transactions, and then became a partner in the firm, American Funeral Consultants. Pine had encouraged McQueen to get a funeral director’s license, which McQueen did when St. Petersburg College started a funeral service program. McQueen returned to the family business full time after he realized that he enjoyed the funeral business more than legal work. “I often get asked why I would leave a successful law practice to become a funeral director, “McQueen said. “And after much thought, I have determined that I thrive on the heartfelt thanks I receive almost every time I help arrange and direct the funeral ceremonies f or a family. I never got that as an accountant or attorney.” As McQueen prepares to begin his tenure as president of the Cremation Association of North America, American Funeral Director had the opportunity to pick his brain regarding several key issues in the cremation industry and what the future will hold.
Q. What Do You Believe Has Been Spurring The Steady Rise In Cremation Rates The Past Several Years?
A. Based on the 2008 Wirthlin Study and other consumer surveys cost is definitely a primary reason for why people are choosing cremation over burial. However, as cremation continues to rise, it appears the community reaches a tipping point is reached, the cremation rate seems to get a second wind and gain more speed. I know we have seen this in our community over the past 10 to 15 years. There was a time when we felt the cremation rate would begin to plateau at the 50 percent mark….today we are approaching 70 percent.
Q. Do You Believe The Economic Crisis Has Led To An Increase In Consumers Choosing Cremation Over Burial?
A. I truly do not believe our current economic crisis has caused people to switch from burial to cremation as their chosen method of disposition. Individuals prefer one method or another. The current economic crisis may be causing more people to choose a basic cremation with less or no memorialization…but they also may be opting for less memorialization on the burial side as well.
Q. Do You Believe That Many Firms Are Underpricing Cremation?
A. As a general rule of thumb, I definitely believe most U.S. funeral homes have under priced their cremation services and as a result are making their burial clientele subsidize their cremation families. I do not understand why any funeral provider’s basic direct cremation fee can be less than their nondeclinable basic service fee, but I see it all the time. For too long, funeral homes have treated cremation clients as a long leader or necessary evil. However as the prevalence of the cremation requests grows, the funeral home owner can no longer afford to do this…and expect to be in business a decade from now.
Q. Cremation Is Growing In Popularity Partially Due To The Green Movement, But It Also Brings Up Fears Among Those Involved In The Green Movement that Crematory Emissions Could Be Harmful To Air Quality, Specifically The Release Of Mercury And Particulate Matter. What Would You Say To Assuage These Fears?
A. Minimizing emissions of all types are certainly a priority to crematory owners, operators and cremator manufacturers. First North American cremator designs have typically performed better environmentally due to their large after chambers for the re-burning and scanning of the exhaust prior to discharge into the atmosphere. The most extensive cremation equipment emissions research ever undertaken confirmed that the design and operation of typical North American crematories provided significantly better emissions than regulations required. However issues will continue to come up and it is important to address them by revisiting the information that is available to us, updating both the facts and accuracy at each opportunity. It is important to acknowledge that often, those raising these issues and questions, though well meaning, base their concerns on inadequate information or unanswered questions. Lately the release of mercury seems to be an issue of most concern to some individuals. Many human activities recycle mercury in the environment, including municipal incinerators, breaking of fluorescent lamps, dental facilities operations, production and disposal of batteries, household waste disposal and the operation of crematories, as well as other sources. The most notable way that mercury enters the cremation cycle, and therefore crematory emissions, is through silver amalgam dental fillings found in many dead human bodies. Silver amalgam filling contain mercury alloys that when introduced through dean humans into the cremation process of intense heat results in the volatilization of mercury and its emissions into the atmosphere. The good news is that the use of silver amalgam fillings by the dental profession has declined significantly in the last 10 years. So mercury emissions from crematories today are in significant decline due primarily to changes in dental practices, but even before this recent trend the amount of mercury was negligible. One of the most detailed studies of mercury emissions impact was conducted in the United Kingdom where over 70 percent of dead humans are cremated. The results of the study showed that the amount of mercury in the soil around the studied crematories was almost seven times lower than that allowed for food production and more than 100 times lower than that allowed for children’s playgrounds. The soils were deemed uncontaminated even after 112,000 crematories and 40 years of operation. If one looks at the facts objectively it is clear that the concerns over mercury emitted from a crematory operation is not substantiated. CANA recently has published a whitepaper on this issue for those who would like more information.
Q. Do You Believe All States Should Require Cremation Certification? Why?
A. Though I personally live and work in a state that did away with cremation operator training and certification, I do believe all states should require some form of certification. CANA always has believed in the importance of having knowledgeable individuals trained to operate cremation equipment. There are a number of factors in performing a cremation that the operator must evaluate and make informed decisions before proceeding. All cremation operations have been entrusted with a very important and sacred honor…and you only get one opportunity to do it right. Having an operator who has been trained and certified by experts on how to perform the process under a number of different scenarios only makes sense for both our profession and the general welfare of our communities. CANA has recently taken their Cremation Operators Certification Program on the road to various regions throughout the United States in order to make it more convenient and affordable for every crematory to get their operators certified.
Q. Do You Think It Is Important For Each Of The Accredited Mortuary Colleges To Have A Crematory On Site Or At Least Teach A Course At A Crematory?
A. Our mortuary colleges need to put a much heavier emphasis on all aspects of cremation within our profession-arrangements, ceremonies and operations. I do not think that the colleges need to invest in having a crematory on site, but I do feel it is imperative that they offer courses in cremation which would include some embalming clinics. Again CANA has stepped up to help the mortuary colleges by offering the COCP Program at “Cremation Operations Manual,” which is now being used as part of the curriculum in several mortuary colleges.
Q. What Have You Found Is The Biggest Asset Of Being A CANA Member?
A. Even more important than the formal education I have received from CANA’s conferences and seminars, I think the opportunity to network with the most innovative cremation operators in the world has been the biggest asset. By example our state of the art Cremation Tribute Center was developed as a result of attending a CANA seminar about cremation practices in other parts of the world. That investment for us was huge but the return has been invaluable and we owe that all to CANA.
Q. Do You Foresee CANA Getting More Involved With Pet Cremation, Such As Establishing Standards?
A. Yes, CANA is the leader when it comes to cremation, and as more death care providers see the potential in serving all members of the family, including the pets, we want to be there for them. We recently have amended our bylaws to permit pet cremationists as members.
Q. What Challenges Do You Expect To Face During Your Tenure As CANA President?
A. I am fortunate to have a bright board of directors who have a very strong strategic focus. Thus I do not expect to face any real challenges during my tenure but instead to remain focused on leading us forward with our strategic plan.
Q. What Positive Changes Do You Believe Can Be Made To CANA?
A. Part of our strategic plan entails steps to be able to use technology in a manner to deliver our valuable programming to all of our members in the most cost effective manner.
Q. What Are The Primary Goals You Wish To Achieve As CANA President?
A. I want to see CANA develop more educational programs for its members to help their cremation businesses prosper, expand our channels of communicating information and education to our members so they can take advantage of its more readily and offer some value added benefits.
Q. Are There Any Other Thoughts On The Cremation Industry That You’d Like To Make Clear?
A. For those industry members who just now are experiencing firsthand the rise of the choice of cremation by their local community members, they often have much anxiety. As a firm that operates daily in a 70 percent cremation marketplace (and yet is experiencing its most profitable year in its 57 year history), please put your mind at ease. Yes for your business to remain profitable and grow you will need change ….just as your clientele and community is changing.
If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.
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