CFSA Members to Vote on 2016-17 Board Candidates in November

CFSA’s Annual meeting will take place during the Fall Conference & Trade Show’s Business Meeting on Tuesday, November 15, at the JW Marriott Indianapolis. Members will elect the 2016-17 Board of Directors and Officers. The Business Meeting is scheduled as a stand-alone session prior to the keynote presentation by Dr. Peter Navarro. In addition to the elections, the Treasurer’s Report and In Memoriam will be presented.

The Nominating Committee, with approval by the 2015-16 CFSA Board of Directors, recommends election of the following individuals to the Association’s 2016-17 Board of Directors:

OFFICERS

President
Gerald (Jerry) Burchett

PPG Industries – Brazil, Indiana

Jerry has worked for IVC Industrial Coatings, which was acquired by PPG Industries in September, 2015, for 22 years as a Sales and Technical Service Representative. Currently he is the National Sales Manager for the Casket Division – IVC Area Services. He has been in the coatings industry, both liquid and powder, for 33 years. Jerry previously served a three-year term on the Board, and was elected as Treasurer in 2014, and then Vice President in 2015. He and his wife, Patti, have been married for 37 years and currently live in Nolensville, Tenn. They have two children. Their son Kale and his wife Amy have two children, Piper Kate and Annalee, and they live in Cookeville, Tenn. Their daughter Katie and her husband Brian have two children, Brody and Anagail, and they live in Nolensville, Tenn. Jerry and Patti enjoy spending time with the grandchildren, traveling, and relaxing at their farm.

Vice President
Rodney Robinson

Southern Craft Manufacturing Inc. – Loretto, Tennessee

Rodney is President of Southern Craft Manufacturing Inc., founded in Loretto, Tennessee, in 1994 by he and his wife, Tina. He has been in the casket industry since 1981, beginning his career in Richmond, Indiana, with Wallace Metal Products, where his father, Bob Robinson, and uncle, Donald Robinson, also began their careers. He and Tina have two children, Nichole and Leland. Leland continues to work with Transportation for Southern Craft, while Nichole has recently joined the company in marketing. Nichole’s husband, Eric, heads up daily operations at Southern Craft. Nichole and Eric have two children, Lane and Aubrey, who are often seen at CFSA functions. Rodney previously served a three-year term on the CSFA Board, and was elected as Treasurer in 2015.

Treasurer
Christopher J. Boots

C.J. Boots Casket Company – Anderson, Indiana

Christopher J. Boots, founder and president of C.J. Boots Casket Company, holds memberships in the Casket and Funeral Supply Association of America, Indiana Funeral Director’s Education Foundation, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Manufacturers Association, and the Indiana Funeral Directors Sale Supply Club, and is the school board president for South Madison School Corporation. Chris provides leadership and direction for the company and is the primary source for the company’s product development.  He enjoys spending time on his boat with his wife and four lovely daughters. Chris previously served a three-year term as a CFSA Director from 2010-13.

Immediate Past President
Peter Galletly

Tiedemann-Bevs Industries – Richmond, Indiana

Peter Galletly is Executive Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of Tiedemann-Bevs Industries, Inc., located in Richmond, Indiana. Tiedemann has been a supplier of casket textiles since the 1860’s, and Bev’s Threads, a supplier of manufactured sewn parts and notions, has served the casket Industry since 1985. The two companies merged in 2008 under the ownership of Bob and Pete Galletly, both third-generation in the industry. Pete graduated with a business degree from Nasson College, has been a previous CFSA board member, was elected as Treasurer in 2013, Vice President in 2014, President in 2015, and has served on several for-profit company boards. His father, Robert C. Galletly, is a past winner of the CFSA Lifetime Recognition Award (2011), and his brother, Robert C. Galletly, Jr., is a CFSA Past President (1996-97). Pete currently is the Chairman of the Board of the New Hampton School, a nonprofit, grade 9-through-12 boarding school in central New Hampshire. He is married to Karen, and they have a daughter Leanne. According to CFSA’s bylaws, Pete now automatically moves to the officer position as Immediate Past President, and remains a voting member of the Board of Directors.

DIRECTORS

Kim Graham

Nomis Publications, Inc. – Youngstown, Ohio

An employee of Nomis Publications, Inc., since 1992, Kim Graham oversees production of the Funeral Home & Cemetery Directory. In addition, she is the corporation’s vice president. Nomis’ president and owner is Lucy McGuire, Kim’s mother.  Kim’s sister, Peggy Rouzzo, is editor of the Funeral Home & Cemetery News. Together, Kim and Peggy handle the day-to-day operations of the publishing company as well as managing their in-house print shop, Boardman Printing. Kim and her husband, Tom, have two children. Daughter Megan is employed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, while son T.J. is a student of the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University. In addition to attending YSU football games and traveling, Kim and Tom enjoy being outdoors, walking daily, and participating in 5K and 10K races benefitting local charities.

Scott M. Jones, Jr.
Service Casket Company – Columbus, Georgia

Scott is the vice president of Service Casket Company, a distributor started by his father, Scott Jones, Sr., in 1981. Before coming to work for his father in 2008, Scott attended the University of Georgia and Columbus State University, earning a degree in business management. Service Casket Company is a small distributor of a full line of caskets and funeral supplies. At work, Scott continues to carry on the company’s legacy of service by meeting the needs of customers no matter how big or small the job is. Scott and his wife, Leslie Anne, live in Columbus, Georgia. When he is not at work, Scott enjoys working outside, cooking, tennis, and hunting. Scott served a one-year term as a CFSA Director in 2015-16, filling an unexpected Board vacancy, and is now eligible to serve a full three-year term.

Craig Warner
Paragon Casket, Inc. – Richmond, Indiana

Craig Warner is the CFO and co-owner of Paragon Casket, Inc., located in Richmond, Indiana. Craig was in the casket industry from 1993-2008, before he spent five years in the glass container manufacturing industry. In 2013 he joined Lenny Ball at Paragon to purchase Romark Industries. Craig earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Purdue University in 1992. He serves on the board of directors of the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond and volunteers as a youth basketball coach. Craig and his wife, Lianne, live in Hagerstown, Indiana, with their two children, Mary and Andrew.

The CFSA 2016 Nominating Committee members were: Tina Houck, Chair (CFSA Immediate Past President; Schuylkill Haven Casket Company); Alain Dumont (Victoriaville Funeral Supplies); Jeanette Hiemstra (Keith M. Merrick Co.); Billy Emerick (Astral Industries); and, Jerry Burchett (CFSA Vice President; PPG Industries).

Three CFSA Board members will be retiring on November 15th at the Fall Conference, as their terms will expire: Tina Houck (CFSA Immediate Past President; Schuylkill Haven Casket Company); Steve Gadaleta (Batesville Casket Company); and, Terrill Vieth (Geneva Manufacturing).

Six Directors will continue on the 2016-17 Board: Jeanette Hiemstra (Keith M. Merrick Company); Bill Jones (Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions); Jason Mims (Cherokee Casket Company); Pat Duckers (Artco Casket Company); Justin Thacker (Thacker Casket Manufacturing); and Dan Sauder (Sauder Funeral Products). There are a total of 13 volunteer members of the CFSA Board of Directors.