Like a number of Kent businesspeople, Edward Sudderth is preparing for the upcoming Allied Waste Services and Kent Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Wednesday.
But unlike many of his business cohorts, Sudderth will be discussing a topic every person understands, but not everybody likes to contemplate.
Preparing for death.
And with that, the peace of mind which planning can bring.
As a service manager for the Neptune Society in Kent, Sudderth will be representing his business, alongside the more than 80 vendors setting up shop at the ShoWare Center for the expo.
A vendor at last year’s first-ever expo, Sudderth said the public interest he saw in his booth led him to participate this year as well.
“It was a neat response,” he said. “A lot of people who were already members were glad to see us out and doing business.”
The Neptune Society has steadily been gaining interest – and clients – nationwide, with its slate of pre-paid cremation services. In a culture that is becoming more self-directed in how it deals with death, as well as cost issues, pre-paid cremation entities like the Neptune Society are seeing greater numbers of clients these days, Sudderth noted.
“It’s continuing to grow and grow,” he said.
Cremation itself is becoming more popular – Sudderth said Washington state’s rate of cremation is now at 70 percent.
“It’s a much more efficient way to take care of our shell,” he said.
What Sudderth’s company offers, he said, is the opportunity for adults to make their own decision about their cremation arrangements, so that all that needs to happen, following that person’s death, is a simple phone call to the Neptune Society, initiating those premade plans.
“That way, it’s not a burden on the family,” Sudderth said. “I take care of the deceased and all the paperwork.”
That includes everything from filing paperwork with the state authorizing the start of the cremation process to transportation of the deceased to a Neptune Society crematorium.
Kent is actually a central facility for the Neptune Society, handling cremations from a site off Central Avenue, in a service area that goes from Bellingham to Centralia and from Ocean Shores to Yakima.
“It’s really a central location to a lot of places in Washington,” Sudderth said, of the Kent facility the which his organization has been operating since 2005.
“We’re very busy,” he said.
But the Neptune Society is doing more than just working with those planning for their funerals. It’s also giving back to the community.
At Wednesday’s expo, visitors to the business’ booth will be able to see the Teddy bears the society is giving away to children in need. The Neptune Society also will accept public donations, to help purchase more of the soothing toys.
“It is a new program,” said Sudderth, noting the Kent branch alone has given more than 1,000 of the cuddly stuffed bears to organizations dealing with children.
The Neptune Society is one of dozens of local businesses that will take part in this year’s expo, which is sponsored by Allied Waste and the Kent Chamber of Commerce, and which runs 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the ShoWare Center.
“Our business expo focuses on Kent and everything you can find here,” said Andrea Keikkala, executive director for the chamber.
And with the vendors’ spaces now sold out, “we’ve had a great response,” she said.
Admission for the general public is free, and Keikkala said they were expecting to see a healthy-sized crowd coming through the doors to get acquainted with the Kent business community.
“It’s for the public to come in and check out all the great things we have in Kent,” she said.
Members of the public won’t be the only ones standing to benefit – there are the good things that happen when business leaders get together, as well.
“Last year, our businesses did a lot of networking with each other, which was great,” Keikkala said.
In addition to the expo itself, the chamber also is sponsoring a candidates’ forum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day in the ShoWare Center lounge.
The following candidates will be present to make their case:
District 47
State Senate
Incumbent Claudia Kauffman vs. Joe Fain
State Representative, Pos. 1
Incumbent Geoff Simpson vs. Mark Hargrove
State Representative, Pos. 2
Incumbent Pat Sullivan vs. Rodrigo Yanez
District 33
State Senate
Incumbent Karen Keiser vs. Jack Michalek
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