Ladies and gentlemen: Start your engines! Join us in Indianapolis May 15 - 17 for the return of OGR's Annual Conference! 

Do you have interest in going to warm and sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, in February?

OGR is committed to providing you with the professional development opportunities that address the challenges independently owned funeral homes face, and prepare you for the next stages of funeral service. After all, we have over 90 years of experience serving professionals just like you.

OGR's monthly feature previewing education, events and other opportunities coming up over the next three months.

By Halloween, the Christmas displays are up in stores and those who have lost a loved one begin to dread the holiday season. While you may offer a holiday remembrance service or mark the season another way, why not offer something that lasts all year long?

Dale Carnegie said, “91% will give referrals if asked; only 11% ask.” So, we are asking. We are asking you, our member, to help OGR grow by spreading the word to other funeral directors about all the good things going on at OGR. We hope you have been taking advantage of your member benefits. If not, we need to talk. Just give us a call and we will match you with the programs that best fit your needs. 

You may have noticed in OGR’s InSights newsletter we’re starting to see more frequent notifications of new members joining your association, as well as new and improved member benefits.

Independent funeral homes are always working to show how they are different than conglomerate competitors. Are you especially involved in your community? Do you have a specialized knowledge base, like issues specific to veteran funerals?

Veterans speak their own language, and each branch of service has its own dialect. A captain in the Army is NOT the same as a captain in the Navy - do you know the difference? If you can't meet veterans where they are, you won't be able to serve this key demographic in the manner they deserve.

OGR members will gather in-person for the first time in more than a year this September for the association's inaugural Leadership Summit.

Do you know how to establish your funeral home as the definitive choice for veterans in your area? Participate in either or both workshops put on by Veterans Funeral Care and OGR to learn how to connect with the veteran community and become the go-to funeral home for their families.

The pandemic has been especially challenging for professionals working in healthcare. Nursing homes, hospices and hospitals have all had the stress of handling the unknown while trying to maintain their own health and wellness.

2020 brought new challenges and course corrections we had not anticipated. As we start 2021, OGR is committed to providing you with the professional development opportunities that address the challenges that independently owned funeral homes face and prepare you for the next stages of funeral service. After all, we have had over 90 years of experience serving professionals just like you.

Last fall I had the privilege of joining the International Order of the Golden Rule as your new Executive Director/CEO. A lifetime of association and non-profit work has prepared me for this role, but I also know I have the advantage of having the Big 4 (family, staff, volunteers and members) by my side as OGR enters 2021.

2020 was a year of change, in more ways than one. OGR transitioned to a new management team led by Raybourn Group International in Indianapolis; funeral homes adapted to serve their families without traditional connection and service opportunities; and associations like ours – across all sectors – have learned they can’t rely on their annual conference as their primary means of networking and growth.

OGR is hosting a series of roundtable discussions to provide a networking platform for members to share their best practices, ideas and questions around common challenges facing funeral service today. These informal discussions will be your opportunity to connect with other members, share your expertise and learn from their experiences.

This fall, OGR’s board of directors will embark on the development of a new three-year strategic plan for our great organization. Arguably, there has not been a time in our 92-year history when purposeful and thoughtful planning has been needed in our industry more than it is now, and OGR is ready to do its part to help us all ensure we are able to continue to be the best of the best when it comes to providing exceptional funeral care.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2019 issue of the The Independent® magazine.