A new general manager takes the helm at Springdale Cemetery Wednesday. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports the move comes after months of searching:
Mark Matuszak will manage the 220-acre burial ground. He brings more than 40 years of experience in marketing and advertising to the job. The cash-strapped cemetery has a projected deficit of nearly $350,000 next year. Matuszak says he hopes stepped-up marketing efforts can help reverse the financial trend.
“I have to go out and make personal presentations to a lot of organizations. I need to make personal presentations to civic groups, I need to make personal presentations to funeral directors. The more frequent that contact is I think the better it will be.”
The cemetery is also looking at green burials and scattering gardens as ways to boost revenue.