Information is Power: Updates From Industry Experts at CANA's 106th Cremation Innovation Convention

WHEELING, IL— Funeral service professionals are specialists at the “hurry up and wait” routine. Whether it’s memorial services, strategic planning, requesting death certificates, business compliance, or obituary details, ours is a profession that requires long-term preparation and immediate responsiveness—and the patience to wade through layers of bureaucracy to help those we serve. The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) delivers the tools you need to succeed with Information is Power: Updates from Industry Experts at the 106^th Annual Cremation Innovation. Join us this September 11-13, 2024 in Chicago to get insights on statistics, complaints, and regulations that inform your effective business practices.

The shifting dynamics of this profession keep us on our toes as we constantly readjust and evaluate the current landscape in deathcare. Robert Hunsaker kicks off the session with the latest cremation statistics from CANA, looking at current trends and market fluctuations. “One of the questions I often get asked is, ‘Is business down or is it just me?’ CANA’s statistics research addresses that question as well as many others,” he explains. From growing up in the family funeral home to managing sales for Batesville Casket Company and SinoSource International to participation on SCI’s corporate development team, and Hunsaker Partners funeral and cemetery company, Robert Hunsaker hails from a wide-ranging background in the funeral service industry. In The Answer is in the Numbers, he provides straightforward exercises to identify strategies to remain profitable in today’s market.

The regulatory landscape is changing faster than most of us can track. Caressa Hughes, CANA Past President and Assistant Vice President of Government and Industry Relations for Service Corporation International, will present a Regulatory Update and answer participant questions so you know what to expect over the coming months and years. “CANA’s leaders are ready to assist you through this time,” reminds Caressa. “We want to ensure that you are able to stay informed about how the changes to laws and regulations will affect the way you conduct your business going forward.”

Wrapping the session is Stephen Bassett, Vice President of Cemetery Operations at Legacy Funeral Group. In addition to serving on the CANA Board of Directors, Stephen volunteers his time and experience as a representative on the Cemetery Consumer Service Council (CCSC). This coalition was created in 1979 to assist consumers, without charge, in resolving complaints or answering inquiries regarding cemetery services or policies. Participation in the complaint resolution process is voluntary for both the consumer and the cemetery, and Stephen will present a Cemetery Consumer Service Council Update of the current consumer complaints that have been addressed in 2024.

For even more information you can put to use, the CANA Convention offers sessions on:

Choosing to be a better leader for your team, your business, and yourself in Being a Leader of Influence with Robbie Pape, Senior Vice President & Regional Partner, Carriage Services.
By popular demand, Sara Murphy, PhD, FT, Death Educator & Suicidologist with the University of Rhode Island, returns with Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk Within the Deathcare Profession.
Jolena Grande, faculty with the Mortuary Science Program at Cypress College, discussing the role of women in funeral service from her unique perspective in Death Becomes Her: The Changing Demographics of Funeral Service Practitioners.
Lee Hovermale Strategic Advisor to the CEO of KiZAN Technologies, with over 30 years of expertise in the technology sector, covers Cybersecurity Awareness: Recognizing a Threat, and Protecting Your Data for you and your families.
The Cremation Historian Jason Engler, regional sales manager for the Wilbert Group looks to history’s strategies for modern permanent placement in The Eternal Value of Cremation Memorials/Avoiding Mistakes of the Past: Cremated Remains Belong in Cemeteries.
Sharing the stage, Dean of the InSight Institute Glenda Stansbury and Homesteaders Director of Consumer Marketing Kelly Manion talk about modern ways to address families’ grief in a combined presentation on The Power of Service & The Power of Human Connection.

Dr. Sara Murphy also leads a special pre-Convention workshop with Aaron Pelchat, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist. Together, they’ll say the quiet part out loud on The Silent Problem: Talking about Mental Health and Funeral Service. Their workshop will help us understand realities of common mental health issues – think compassion fatigue and burnout – unpack the challenges to self-care, and discover therapeutic tools for improving mental health. Registration is available separately from the Convention or as an add-on!

Get the information you need to plan the business of tomorrow with Stephen Bassett, Caressa Hughes and Robert Hunsaker! Join your colleagues in Chicago in September and book yourself for September 11-13, 2024, at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park: cremationassociation.org/CANA24

About CANA

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.