CONNECTICUT

Michael J. Introvigne, a licensed funeral director and embalmer at Introvigne Funeral Home Inc. (Stafford Springs) and the treasurer of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, was selected to serve as a member of the state’s new Crematory Air Permit working group to evaluate how emissions from crematories are measured and regulated in Connecticut. There will be a focus on mercury vapor and fine particulate matter emissions factors.

The working group, established by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), has been charged with reviewing current emissions factors and the scientific methodology used in air permitting. The group will develop recommendations to ensure regulatory standards are accurate, science-based and reflective of modern cremation practices. In addition, its members will develop recommendations for the use of such emissions factors in DEEP’s review of permit applications, registrations and other issued approvals.

As a licensed funeral director, Introvigne will provide direct industry expertise and operational insight, helping regulators better understand the real-world performance of crematory retorts and the practical implications of proposed regulatory changes.

Said Introvigne about the working group’s mission: “Special Act 26-33 represents an important opportunity to align environmental regulation with current cremation technology and operating practices. It is critical that emissions standards are both scientifically sound and practically achievable, ensuring strong environmental protections while allowing funeral professionals to continue serving families with care and dignity. I look forward to this important effort.” CTFDA.org

FLORIDA

Everstory Partners (Altamonte Springs) recently completed extensive renovations at Vista Funeral Home, now modernized to better serve families. Vista Funeral Home opened in the early 1980s as the Miami area experienced growth. The firm predates the incorporation of the city of Miami Lakes, where it is located.

The renovations mark the funeral home’s first major update in 45 years and reflect Everstory’s ongoing investment in its funeral homes across the country.

The renovations introduced modern design elements, such as updated colors, furnishings and fixtures, all of which work to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Renovation highlights include: multifunctional gathering spaces designed to support services, receptions and meaningful moments for guests; a private cremation suite, offering families a dedicated, intimate space for reflection and final farewells; hospitality-driven features, such as multiple java bars; and integrated technology and design elements that enhance services while fostering reflection, connection and remembrance.

In attendance at the ribbon-cutting event were local community leaders, including representatives from the offices of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rene Garcia. Their presence underscores the renovations’ significance to the Hialeah-Miami Lakes community. EverstoryPartners.com

Foundation Partners Group (Orlando) announced that Venice Memorial Gardens (Venice) recently installed its new Healing Path, which offers area families and visitors a dedicated space for reflection, remembrance and emotional healing. The Healing Path is designed to provide a peaceful walking experience for individuals and families navigating grief. Thoughtfully integrated into the cemetery landscape, the path includes contemplative features that promote mindfulness and encourage the healthy processing of loss.

The concept of the Healing Path draws on research and best practices in grief care, emphasizing physical movement and intentional reflection as tools for emotional well-being. Invited to walk the path at their own pace, visitors may use the prompts and natural setting to process memories and emotions.

The installation aligns with a broader movement within the cemetery profession to expand services that focus on wellness, legacy and ongoing care. By incorporating innovative features such as the Healing Path, Venice Memorial Gardens aims to meet evolving community needs while honoring its long-standing role as a place of remembrance.

In other news, Foundation Partners Group has partnered with Lilypay to offer a financing solution that lets families manage funeral and memorial expenses through flexible installment payments. Families served by Foundation Partners’ firms can access Lilypay’s “buy now, pay later” platform, which allows approved applicants to spread funeral payments over either three or six months.

Lilypay was founded to help families cover immediate end-of-life costs without having to rely on high-interest credit cards or traditional lending products. Unlike many financing programs, Lilypay uses a streamlined approval process. Families complete a brief online application and receive a soft-credit review, enabling faster approval decisions with no hard-credit inquiry. Once approved, families make an initial payment, and the funeral home is funded directly. Remaining payments are divided into four installments over the selected term.

Lilypay’s model offers several advantages for funeral providers, including same-day ACH funding, reduced card-processing costs and minimal administrative burden for staff. The company also assumes repayment risk, ensuring participating funeral homes receive payment, even if a family later defaults. FoundationPartners.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Life Forest Cemetery (Hillsborough) recently launched Friends of Life Forest, a no-cost
cemetery-revitalization program, to help abandoned, underfunded and endangered cemeteries develop master plans for revival and long-term protection. The program offers Life Forest’s professional staff, established protocols, proprietary software and accumulated expertise to recipient cemeteries, with no fees, no contracts and no obligations in return.

Through Friends of Life Forest, recipient cemeteries receive a range of tailored services and offerings, including signage design, QR-code technology to capture on-site donations, social media development, blog posts and descendant engagement. Life Forest also offers GPS mapping of cemetery grounds, publication support through Life Forest’s independent press, solar-powered flood lighting for areas vulnerable to vandalism and dumping, and guidance on conservation easements and legal land protections.

The program connects recipient cemeteries with referrals to relevant agencies and commissions, assists in establishing accessibility guidelines, and works with veteran-focused cemetery organizations to ensure proper recognition of interred veterans.

The program was born from the belief that there is already enough scarcity in death and that generosity – not competition – is the right foundation for growth. LifeForestCemetery.com

NEW YORK

Leaders and trustees of Forest Lawn Cemetery (Buffalo) recently joined representatives of ARC Building Partners, the Erie Niagara Funeral Directors Association and the New York State Division of Cemeteries to dedicate and officially open Forest Lawn’s seventh community mausoleum, called Legacy.

Forest Lawn is home to more than 90 private mausoleums, many of which were built for Buffalo’s most prominent families in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the Legacy Mausoleum is the first community mausoleum to be added to the cemetery’s grounds in more than 20 years. Constructed of concrete and granite, Legacy Mausoleum is an open-air, “garden-style” mausoleum, accented by a natural landscape of manicured trees and flowers. It includes 384 crypts for caskets (288 crypts for single caskets and 92 “tandem” crypts, which can accommodate two caskets), as well as 400 niches for cremation urns.

Designed by JST Architects of Texas, construction of the $3.2M Legacy Mausoleum was managed by ARC Building Partners.

Fittingly, as part of the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, a time capsule was buried next to the mausoleum. Forest Lawn will memorialize instructions to open the time capsule in July 2049 – the historic cemetery’s bicentennial. Forest-Lawn.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Southern Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (SCCFA) selected Sandy Johnson of Lincoln Memorial Group as the recipient of the 2026 SCCFA scholarship to ICCFA University. The scholarship covered registration fees, housing and meals. The event was held July 17-22 at Emory University Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Johnson serves as a lead administrator at Lincoln Memorial Group, one of Georgia’s largest
family-owned cemetery companies. In her role, she supports many of the administrative and operational functions essential to cemetery management.

“I am truly honored and grateful to receive the SCCFA scholarship to attend ICCFA University,” said Johnson. “This opportunity will help me continue growing as a professional, strengthen the work I do, and bring new ideas and best practices back to my team.” SCCFA.info

VIRGINIA

Heritage Family Funeral Services (Fredericksburg) recently launched Willow Cremation. The newly created brand provides a simple, transparent online arrangement experience for families that desire direct cremation. Designed around ease, clarity and compassionate support, Willow allows families to make cremation arrangements entirely online. They are able to select urns and keepsakes while receiving guidance from licensed funeral professionals every step of the way.

Initially launched in Ohio, Heritage Family plans to introduce Willow Cremation in additional U.S. markets later this year. HeritageFamily.com; Choose-Willow.com

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Selected Independent Funeral Homes will hold its 108th Annual Meeting September 2-5 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Rebekah Gregory, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the bestselling author of Taking My Life Back: My Story of Faith, Determination, and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing, will deliver the event’s keynote address. Her presentation will explore how individuals and organizations can navigate adversity, rebuild after unexpected challenges and emerge stronger through resilience. SelectedFuneralHomes.org

The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) received a 2026 Indiana Society of Association Executives (ISAE) STAR Award in the “Golden Shoestring” category for its rebrand of Rest Assured: The Funeral Profession Podcast. The ISAE STAR Award recognizes excellence and innovation among association professionals across the state of Indiana who demonstrate creativity, measurable impact and effective stewardship of resources. The award specifically recognizes associations that work with a budget of less than $5,000.

In other news, OGR launched its Global Circle Club, a campaign designed to increase engagement among the association’s existing international members and foster a greater sense of global community. Planned initiatives include quarterly international-member roundtables, a social media spotlight series, and stories and testimonials highlighting the impact of international collaboration. OGR.org