The application window is NOW OPEN for the International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) Award of Excellence Scholarship Program. What is this program and how can you get involved? Here is everything you need to know: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danielle Groves, OGR
Phone: (512) 334-5504 ext. 345
Email: [email protected]

The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) hosts a Virtual Roundtable series for members to connect and share their expertise, ideas and questions around common challenges facing the funeral profession. The June 2023 roundtable discussion centered around service pricing and how to best get that information to consumers. Topics included how to present pricing information, training staff to discuss pricing and what to be aware of regarding Federal Trade Commission (FTC) pricing regulations. Key points of discussion include: 

Chris Miller, current president of Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) and owner of Thomas Miller Mortuary in Corona California, recognizes how important the next generation is to a stronger future.

Funeral directors play a vital role in providing compassionate and dignified services to families during their time of loss. When it comes to honoring veterans, it is essential for funeral directors to be knowledgeable about the benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These benefits not only assist families in arranging meaningful funerals for their loved ones but also ensure that veterans receive the recognition and respect they deserve for their service. There are key aspects of VA benefits that funeral directors should be aware of, enabling them to guide and support families in navigating the process.

Stevens Mortuary is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. OGR had the opportunity to learn from Mary Cantwell's experiences, who is 93-year-old and continues to work at her family funeral home. In this blog, she shares why she never retired and how she continues to find the work she does rewarding.

Funeral homes are constantly looking for innovative ways to provide exceptional services and meet the evolving needs of their clients. Recently, the Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) had its inaugural “Invitation to Innovation” workshop to explore new approaches to caring for cremation clients. Led by Andrew Loos from Heartland Cremation & Burial Society, participants engaged in ideation exercises to generate implementable ideas. The event sparked creativity and highlighted the importance of viewing cremation services through the eyes of customers. Let's dive into some of the exciting ideas that emerged from this workshop.

As technology continues to shape the world, businesses across various industries are incorporating it into their operations to improve services and remain competitive. Funeral homes are no exception to this trend and can also harness the power of technology to enhance client interactions and services. One such technology is ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence program that is designed to understand and generate human-like language. The best news is that ChatGPT is FREE! 

Larnique Mickens is the executive director of Heritage Mortuary, Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada. She shared her experiences with running a successful funeral home that recently won Best of Las Vegas by Vegas Review Journal in 2021.

Jim Rudolph started his career in 1980 working at local funeral home. In 2000 he founded Veterans Funeral Care (VFC) – the nation’s first branded funeral home focusing on serving veterans and their families. Through its provider network, VFC now provides services to veterans in 18 states.

OGR FUTURE LEADER SPOTLIGHT
Tricia Herzig-McKinnon is a 41-year-old licensed funeral director, embalmer and vice president of Toland-Herzig Funeral Homes & Crematory in Dover and Strasburg, Ohio.

The Order of the Golden Rule Foundation has granted scholarships to six graduating students as part of its 2023 Awards of Excellence scholarship program. These scholarships are awarded each year to mortuary students based on strong academic performance, community involvement and an essay exemplifying a commitment to serving grieving families with compassion, fairness and dignity.

OGR is proud to welcome Passages International as its newest Endorsed Supplier. Endorsed suppliers must meet exact requirements and complete an in-depth review process before an endorsement is granted by OGR. The products awarded an endorsement are identified with the OGR Endorsed Supplier logo. 

"We are so pleased that Passages has chosen to become an Endorsed Supplier with OGR. We value our members and want to give them the best possible experience with our association. In choosing to become an Endorsed Supplier, Passages has allowed us to support them in ways that bring us closer together as partners in our shared mission of making independent funeral homes exceptional,” said Wendy King, Executive Director/CEO of OGR. 

The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) installed Christopher B. Miller on May 3rd as the organization’s new president. Miller is the owner of Thomas Miller Mortuary & Crematory with locations in Corona and Riverside California.

A second-generation funeral director, Miller began working in the family business as a teenager. After graduating high school, Miller left the family business to attend the California Polytechnic University of Pomona. He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Restaurant Management and worked in corporate management for the food service industry. Wanting to return to the family business, Miller received a Mortuary Science degree in 1992 from the Mortuary Science Program at Cypress College, also receiving the highest honor from the program, the Melvin Hilgenfeld Award.

The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) is proud to announce that Rafael (Raffy) Jose is the winner of the 2023 Golden Light Award. The award was presented on May 3, 2023, at the Golden Circle Celebration Awards Dinner held a in Indianapolis. 

The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) is proud to announce the winners of the Golden Rule Community Service and Exemplary Service Awards. The awards were presented on May 3, 2023, at the Golden Circle Celebration Awards Dinner held in Indianapolis. These awards honor individuals and funeral homes that have displayed exceptional dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence in the profession.