Deathcare CEO Joins Elite Kenyon International Responder Program
Richmond, MI — Jon O’Hara, CEO of Great Lakes Partnership and owner of EZtransfer and LochBridge Media, has been accepted into the prestigious Kenyon Responder Program operated by Kenyon International Emergency Services, the world’s oldest and most experienced disaster management firm, with more than 118 years of direct response to hundreds of crises worldwide.
Kenyon International, TrustFlight’s emergency response capability, is one of the world’s most experienced emergency response organizations with over 120 years of operational heritage. Kenyon provides 24/7 global response services, including Disaster Recovery Services, Disaster Human Services, Kenyon International Call Centre, Crisis Communications and Media Call Centre Services to more than 500 organizations across aviation, government, maritime, rail, hospitality, financial services, and energy.
The Kenyon Responder Program reflects the core belief that world-class emergency response is built on world-class people. It is a global network of more than 2,500 trained specialist responders who can be rapidly deployed to support families, authorities, and response teams in the aftermath of tragedy.
Among those specialists are funeral service professionals, and it is their role and their contribution that Kenyon wants to recognize here. Funeral directors bring a combination of technical knowledge and human sensitivity to emergency response work. When deployed as Kenyon Responders, funeral directors work alongside authorities and fellow professionals to honor each family’s wishes for disposition. That includes completing all necessary documentation, coordinating repatriations, and overseeing interments or cremations with the care and dignity every family deserves. Responders are also called upon to manage personal effects with the same discretion and respect that defines the funeral service profession at its best. This work is foundational to what they do.
“It is with great pleasure that Kenyon International formally endorses Jonathan O’Hara as a Kenyon Responder. Jonathan became a Kenyon Responder in 2025. He is a well-qualified Responder and eligible for rapid deployment to support those affected by tragedy. His experience, education and professionalism are essential to our operations and the individuals and families who have suffered a tragic loss. We are proud to have him on our team.” -Kathy Ricker, Responder Manager at Kenyon International
While O’Hara’s day-to-day leadership continues across Great Lakes Partnership, EZtransfer (high-quality mortuary equipment, www.goeztransfer.com), and LochBridge Media (deathcare-focused media and communications, www.lochbridgemedia.com), the appointment places him among a select international team ready to deploy to large-scale disasters worldwide.
“This is a tremendous honor and a deeply humbling opportunity,” said O’Hara. “Kenyon’s mission represents the highest standard of service within deathcare and humanitarian response. I sincerely hope I am never needed—but if the call comes, I am ready to serve and use my skills to support families and communities facing unimaginable loss. Being part of this team allows me to extend the principles of compassion, dignity, and professionalism that guide our work every day. It is a privilege to stand ready to help when the world needs it most.”
For O’Hara, this appointment is a way to bring together everything he has learned in deathcare—from working ground-level roles in funeral homes to leading companies that support the profession—and to apply that combined experience in humanitarian settings when families and communities need help most.
For more information about Kenyon International Emergency Services and the Responder Program, visit www.kenyoninternational.com.
