STERLING, VA (July 15, 2015) – Creating new markets, leading through change and engaging employees will be the focus of the three keynote sessions at the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s 2015 Fall Management Conference, September 30-October 2 in Tucson, Arizona.
The conference program, put together by co-chairs John Gouch, Gethsemane Cemetery & Memorial Gardens in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Stacy Adams, Serenity Meadows Memorial Park, Funeral Home & Crematory, Riverview, Florida, and ICCFA staff, is designed to find solutions to some of the most common challenges facing owners, executives and high-level managers in our profession.
Featuring three keynote sessions, along with two evening networking receptions, a government and legal affairs breakfast, and the annual Fall Management Golf and Tennis Tournaments, this year’s conference offers attendees numerous ways to sharpen their business acumen and build their network of connections within the profession.
The keynote sessions begin with a day-long workshop on Thursday, October 1, on “The Blue Ocean Strategy in Action,” by Jason Hunter, senior global consultant and practice director with the Blue Ocean Strategy Network. Most businesses operate in a Red Ocean—an ecosystem where you succeed by drawing blood from your competition. The market is often overcrowded with shrinking profit margins and limited growth opportunities. In a Blue Ocean, you create new markets instead of competing in existing ones. In the process, you stand apart, energize your company, take advantage of the higher profit impact that comes with creating new market spaces, yet keep costs low.
The program picks up on Friday, October 2, with a Government & Legal Affairs Breakfast. This event provides important news businesses need to know on taxes, labor law and litigation that may affect the profession.
Then, Stephen Gilliland, dean of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, will discuss “Creating a Culture of Candor and Change.” Gilliland will help you develop a vision that inspires and motivates, create a culture where change is facilitated through open information sharing, encourage experimentation and reward initiative.
And finally, entrepreneur and author Kevin Kruse will teach you how to practice “Wholehearted Leadership for Employee Engagement.” Wholehearted leadership drives higher levels of service, productivity, quality—and ultimately—sales and profits. Besides being entertained, this keynote session will provide you with actionable advice to transform average groups into high-performing teams:
- Build trust through authenticity
- Improve communication with transparency
- Generate massive employee engagement
- Turn “task managers” into “people leaders”
The conference will be held at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, a four-star and four-diamond resort nestled in a valley of the Catalina mountain range offering spectacular views of natural beauty. The resort is offering ICCFA attendees a discounted rate of just $169 per night and includes no resort fee, free wireless Internet in hotel rooms and public areas, and free self-parking and valet parking.
The early bird registration deadline is August 31. After that, rates jump by $120 for members and $110 for non-members. Complete program and hotel details, as well as registration materials may be found at www.iccfa.com/fall.
Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral and memorialization profession. Its membership is composed of more than 9,100 rooftop locations and 18,000 professionals in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
