Should The Monument Industry Have Higher Standards For Entry Into The Profession?

We have studied our competition and we have observed many within the monument industry who are inexperienced in business management. As a consequence, unable to proficiently run a business, they get into financial trouble, harming consumers and the reputation of the entire industry. So, we ask, the question: "Should the monument industry have higher standards for entry into the profession?"

We are informed of a monument company who was full of empty promises, but short on delivery. See, http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=d3599086-491a-4f1c-8cc0-bd71e2531310&rss=112.

Please read the story below and decide for yourself. These problems could have been avoided with a sound business education, closer supervision by governmental authorities, and perhaps ethics training. We support all three requirements.

I would like to hear from you so please share your experiences regarding the monument industry.


Your Stories Investigation: Still No HeadstonesLast Update: 5/31/2006 5:40:02 AM


(WSYR-TV) - More excuses, and still no headstones, from Tri-County Memorials owner Dan Holleran. Holleran promised headstones for families that ordered them by Memorial Day, but none were delivered. It comes as no surprise to dozens of customers, some of whom have waited years for their headstones. Now, the Attorney General says his office won’t stand for it.

We’ve heard from family after family who are waiting to reach closure after the death of their loved ones. They are waiting for the headstones they ordered from Tri-County Memorials.
“I paid them, and never heard from them again. Nothing. They said the place closed down for vacation, and he got hurt, and the artist was on vacation, I have heard everything. Everything you can think of,” said Molly Morency. Morency’s 17-year-old son Joe died in a car accident in 2002. Since then, all she has gotten from Tri-County owner Dan Holleran is broken promises.

The same is true for Rita Dirienz, who ordered her stone three years ago. She was promised a stone by Memorial Day, but when she came to check, one wasn’t there. She had to leave the flowers she had purchased for her husband in the shrubs behind where he is buried.

Still no headstones for the Meade family of Oneida either. Their sister paid for her own stone before passing away three years ago.

All this is not sitting well with the Attorney General’s office. It has been investigating Tri-County Memorials and Dan Holleran for a few weeks now.

“That’s simply deceptive, that’s a suggestion to me of an on-going fraudulent behavior, that if necessary, we go into court and seek to get some sort of injunction,” said Win Thurlow at the Attorney General’s office.

Holleran admits he is behind, and has been hearing from a lot of worried customers. Some were even checking in when we showed up at his store. But he says tomorrow, he is going to pick up some stone. Just how many? He wasn’t sure.

“I don’t know, there’s quite a few but they’re going to get delivered,” Holleran told our Jennifer Lewke.

“You keep saying that, but they never show up,” Lewke said.

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll start delivering, I’m all set to go,” Holleran answered.

But it’s easy to see why customers don’t believe him.

“I’ve heard that tomorrow, next week, I’ve heard that forever. Nope, I don’t believe it,” said one customer.

The Attorney General’s office says it plans on completing its investigation in the next week or so, and will then move forward with plans to make Holleran make good on his orders. We will keep you posted.

From May 19th, 2006:

Dozens of people have called our Your Stories line to say they've been waiting months and even years for a headstone they ordered to honor the memory of a loved one. The company is Tri-County Memorials of North Syracuse. Your Stories viewers say that owner Dan Holleran made them pay up front for their stones and hasn't delivered the stones as promised. Some have been waiting for more than 2 years.Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that he's been struggling the past few years financially and physically and has been unable to fill his orders on time. He says he is beginning to get back on track and should have most of the stones that were set to be placed months or years ago in by Memorial Day.

The Attorney General is now looking into the matter. If you've been waiting an extended time for a stone you purchased from Tri-County, call the Attorney General at 448-4800. From Noon, May 19th, 2006 North Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Families wanting a fitting tribute for their lost loved ones are getting nothing but a big headache from Tri-County Memorials. Our Your Stories line has been filled with complaints from customers who have been waiting up to three years to receive headstones for their loved ones from the company.

Since our story on Tri-County Memorials first aired last night, we’ve gotten more than a dozen calls from people who say they have not yet received their headstones from the company.

Our Jennifer Lewke is talking to more victims today, and will file a report on NewsChannel 9 starting at 5:00 PM.

Yesterday, Jennifer spoke with Rita Direnz, who ordered a gravestone with Tri-County Memorials following the death of her husband. The headstone was promised six to eight weeks after she ordered it, but it’s still not at the site of her husband’s grave.

The man who was paid up-front to produce and place the headstone is Dan Holleran, who owns Tri-County Memorials. Rita and several other Your Stories callers say since they signed contracts with him months, if not years ago, they have heard excuse after excuse as to why the stones aren’t done.

“I asked him where he gets the stone from, who the engraver is, because I personally wanted to call them and make sure the order was even placed,” Direnz said.

Holleran says an injury last summer prevented him from setting stones. But he is trying to get back on his feet this season, and fulfill orders. So far, Rita is not convinced.

“As of last week, I contacted his office 40 times, and it’s always one thing after another, just different excuses,” Direnz said.

Some local cemeteries say they have had their fair share of problems with Holleran too, so some have stopped doing business with him altogether.

Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that the stone for Rita’s husband is finished, and he will place it by Memorial Day.

Permission to use the preceding article was graciously provided by Brian Foster, Assistant News Director, WSYR-TV NewsChannel 9WSYR-TV and 9WSYR.COM.