Neptune Society

Re "Suit Says Man's Ashes Unceremoniously Dumped," Jan. 27. We are absolutely furious and disgusted with what we have read in the newspapers about the Neptune Society's handling of subscribers' remains. The Neptune Society states in its promotional material and contracts that our loved ones would have "peace of mind" because of arrangements made with them, that confusion would be eliminated at time of death, that their plan provides protection and security for our family, one phone call at the time of need, services available worldwide, travel and relocation protection [and]

A proposed deal in which a private firm controlled by Walt Disney's great-nephew was to buy Sherman Oaks-based Neptune Society Inc. for $11.5 million in cash has been called off. Neptune, one of the nation's largest publicly traded cremation services firms, said both parties agreed to terminate their letter of intent. In August, Apogee Cos., a Burbank-based investment firm headed by Roy P. Disney, offered to buy Neptune's operating assets and assume the company's $7.4 million in debt.

Burbank-based cremation services firm Neptune Society has named Marco Markin president and chief executive. He also was elected to the board. Markin had been serving as the president of the company's operating subsidiary, Neptune Management Corp., since May, when the company went public. * Private risk management consultant and insurance broker Willis has named John Genovese president and chief executive of its Los Angeles office. He was promoted from executive vice president.

The Neptune Society of Burbank has submitted a Form 10 Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to become eligible for listing on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The Neptune Society provides cremation services in six states, including California.

The Neptune Society Inc., Burbank, announced it has completed an equity financing of $7 million with Standard Securities Capital Corp., Toronto, Ontario, and facilitated by BG Capital. This financing was priced at $6 per share with no warrants attached. The Neptune Society is a cremation services company.

The Neptune Society of Burbank has submitted a Form 10 Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to become eligible for listing on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The Neptune Society provides cremation services in six states, including California.

A proposed deal in which a private firm controlled by Walt Disney's great-nephew was to buy Sherman Oaks-based Neptune Society Inc. for $11.5 million in cash has been called off. Neptune, one of the nation's largest publicly traded cremation services firms, said both parties agreed to terminate their letter of intent. In August, Apogee Cos., a Burbank-based investment firm headed by Roy P. Disney, offered to buy Neptune's operating assets and assume the company's $7.4 million in debt.

The Neptune Society Inc. in Burbank said it has completed the acquisition of the Cremation Society of Iowa. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The Neptune Society is the only publicly traded company dealing in cremation services.

The Neptune Society has offered to pay $2,675,000 in damages to Southern California residents who claim a Costa Mesa crematory illegally burned and in some cases lost the remains of loved ones. About $14 million has already been pledged by the operators of the crematory, Harbor Lawn Memorial Park. Those who would benefit from the fund include 450 people who have already filed lawsuits and an estimated 10,000 other direct and indirect customers of the crematory between 1978 and 1985.

State regulators ordered the Neptune Society's San Pedro, Santa Barbara and Burbank funeral homes to tighten their procedures Thursday, charging that employees mishandled customer payments. The San Pedro funeral home had also been accused of mishandling three 1991 deaths. The order was part of a three-year probation agreement handed down by the California Department of Consumer Affairs and closed a years-long investigation of the cremation company's only locations in the state.

The Neptune Society Inc. in Burbank said it has completed the acquisition of the Cremation Society of Iowa. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The Neptune Society is the only publicly traded company dealing in cremation services.

Burbank-based cremation services firm Neptune Society has named Marco Markin president and chief executive. He also was elected to the board. Markin had been serving as the president of the company's operating subsidiary, Neptune Management Corp., since May, when the company went public. * Private risk management consultant and insurance broker Willis has named John Genovese president and chief executive of its Los Angeles office. He was promoted from executive vice president.

The Neptune Society Inc., Burbank, announced it has completed an equity financing of $7 million with Standard Securities Capital Corp., Toronto, Ontario, and facilitated by BG Capital. This financing was priced at $6 per share with no warrants attached. The Neptune Society is a cremation services company.

Burbank-based Neptune Society Inc. secured $7 million in equity financing Thursday to finance its planned expansion. The stock, traded on the Bulletin Board under the ticker NPTN, rose 6 cents to close at $6.25.

Re "Suit Says Man's Ashes Unceremoniously Dumped," Jan. 27. We are absolutely furious and disgusted with what we have read in the newspapers about the Neptune Society's handling of subscribers' remains. The Neptune Society states in its promotional material and contracts that our loved ones would have "peace of mind" because of arrangements made with them, that confusion would be eliminated at time of death, that their plan provides protection and security for our family, one phone call at the time of need, services available worldwide, travel and relocation protection [and]

An administrative court judge ordered three Southern California crematoriums to temporarily shut down Wednesday, after inspectors found stacks of nonrefrigerated bodies at a Los Angeles branch. The order against the Neptune Society branches in San Pedro, Burbank and Santa Barbara and the Heritage Crematory, which operates them, will be in effect for 20 days, pending a hearing on the matter.

Three Neptune Society funeral homes, including one in San Pedro, mishandled the cremations of three men and failed to put more than $12.5 million of consumers' money in a trust fund, according to a state agency. The allegations were made recently against the Neptune Society of Los Angeles in San Pedro and Burbank and the Neptune Society of Santa Barbara after an investigation by Richard P. Yanes, executive officer of the state Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers.

It took more than four months to get the body of former Burbank mayor Dallas Williams cremated, and it took 2 1/2 years for his widow to settle a lawsuit against the people she accused of mishandling his remains. But settle Gaye Williams finally did, reaching an agreement in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday under which the Neptune Society, the firm that cremated her husband's body, will pay her nearly $1 million, said sources close to the case.

Joyce Adams wanted to have her father's ashes scattered over the sea, but instead, she contends, they were dumped in the bottom of a creek bed, many miles from the ocean. The Ventura woman has filed a lawsuit against a Santa Barbara crematory and others for allegedly dumping her father's remains in a plastic sack--mixed with the ashes of 53 others--in a dry Kern County creek bed.

State regulators ordered the Neptune Society's San Pedro, Santa Barbara and Burbank funeral homes to tighten their procedures Thursday, charging that employees mishandled customer payments. The San Pedro funeral home had also been accused of mishandling three 1991 deaths. The order was part of a three-year probation agreement handed down by the California Department of Consumer Affairs and closed a years-long investigation of the cremation company's only locations in the state.