Practical Strategies for Unclaimed Remains: CANA's 2026 Cremation Symposium

Expert Panel Discussion at CANA Symposium in Las Vegas this February 25-27, 2026

WHEELING, IL— Cremated remains aren’t picked up. After the body is in your care, a family dispute erupts and no one is willing to take responsibility for the disposition of their decedent. The funeral home hasn’t provided the required authorizations to perform the cremation, so the body occupies the tightly limited refrigeration space at your crematory. Feel familiar?

Unclaimed remains seems to be a growing trend with no end in sight. CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium presents an essential panel discussion to uncover the legal, ethical, and operational risks tied to unclaimed remains this February 25-27 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

From the cremated remains in secured storage to those unclaimed bodies in your care, this issue is more common – and more complex – than most are willing to admit. “While some situations of unclaimed remains may be preventable through implementation of sound policies and procedure, it is virtually impossible to prevent them completely,” cautions CANA Legal Counsel Lara Price, shareholder in Pappas Grubbs Price law firm. “Often, there are no easy answers for what to do when there are unclaimed remains, and most require expenditure of time and money to solve. Sometimes, dedicated staff can resolve the problem.” Lara Price moderates this can’t-miss panel to uncover the hidden risks of unclaimed remains and learn how to protect your organization while honoring those left in your care.

Joining the Legal and Ethical Strategies for Unclaimed Remains: Panel Discussion are experts in funeral regulation, compliance, and law. Tim Koch, owner of Metro First Call, has been a licensed funeral director for 43 years and served as a Mortician Investigator for the State of Minnesota for 20 years licensing the funeral homes, crematories, and funeral directors and inspecting facilities and investigating consumer complaints. Tanya D. Marsh is Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor at Wake Forest University School of Law, where she teaches courses in property, estates and trusts law, in addition to the only course in a U.S. law school on funeral and cemetery law. As Managing Member of WRW Legal, PLLC, Wendy Russell Wiener practices regulatory deathcare industry and regulatory insurance law, representing entities and individuals who interact with the administrative agencies that regulate all aspects of the deathcare and insurance industries.

Talk about today’s challenges and discover solutions for your future success with experts at CANA’s 2026 Symposium:

Larry Stuart, Jr., of Raven Plume Consulting, delivers the keynote session, Beyond the Flame: How Today’s Trends Are Shaping Cremation’s Next 150 Years, reflecting on 150 years of cremation practice and exploring what the next 150 years could hold for our profession.

Experienced cemeterians from coast-to-coast will tackle Cremation’s Role in Cemetery Financial Sustainability. Dan Applegate of The Arlington Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, Steve Brown of Mount Auburn Cemetery, and Sandra Walker of Fairmount Memorial Association, will discuss trends in consumer attitudes toward cremation memorialization.

Armed with the latest stats on consumer preferences in disposition methods across different demographics, Tanya Marsh, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor at Wake Forest University School of Law, shares highlights from the 2025 Wake Forest Law School study in Tomorrow’s Consumers in Focus: Casket Burial Gains Ground Among Younger Adults.

In Really Thriving or Just Surviving: How to Work Smarter and Build Wealth, Kara Ludlum, CPA and licensed funeral director, shares insights on why formerly financially strong funeral homes and cemeteries are now struggling and how to restore profitability and sustainability.

The future is bright when it comes to AI and the efficiencies it can bring. A panel of experts take the stage to share practical capabilities, case studies—and some cautionary tales—about AI usage in death care. The AI Panel features Lauren Pettine of WRW Legal, PLLC, Curtis Funk of Tukios, and Kris Yee of Prelude.

Take steps to transform your hospice relationships into strategic partnerships generating measurable results. Lacy Robinson, Sr. Business Consultant at Johnson Consulting Group, shares strategies to help you authentically connect with and support hospice care team members and leave with actionable frameworks in Advanced Hospice Partnership Strategies.

Generous time dedicated to networking is what makes a CANA event unique. In addition to the intimate atmosphere and meals, the crowd-favorite Roundtables session brings attendees face-to-face with session presenters – including Wendy – and leaders from across funeral service in all business models, locales, experience levels, and call. Get a seat at the table as we tackle today’s challenges and share solutions.

Explore proactive strategies to reduce liability and improve outcomes with unclaimed remains in your business. Register CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium February 25-27, 2026, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino: cremationassociation.org/future.

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.