STERLING, Va. (January 27, 2026) – The International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA) successfully concluded DEAD Talks 2026, welcoming 368 deathcare professionals to Park MGM in Las Vegas for three days of bold ideas, actionable sales strategies, and leadership-driven education designed to elevate performance and reignite passion across the profession.
Held January 13–15, DEAD Talks 2026 delivered a fast-paced, highly interactive experience focused on preneed and at-need sales excellence, consumer education, leadership development, and sustainable motivation. Attendees engaged with nationally recognized speakers, peer-led discussions, and hands-on frameworks they could immediately apply within their organizations.
“DEAD Talks was designed to challenge professionals to think differently about how they serve families and lead teams,” said Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director of ICCFA. “The conversations, energy, and engagement we saw in Las Vegas reaffirm that our profession is ready to embrace innovation while staying deeply rooted in compassion and purpose.”
This year’s program featured keynote speaker David Priemer, Founder and Chief Sales Scientist of Cerebral Selling, who explored the role of empathy and behavioral insight in guiding families toward confident decisions. Across multiple sessions, speakers addressed topics ranging from objection handling and time management to aftercare strategy, motivational leadership, and building trust through authentic community engagement.
“The strength of DEAD Talks lies in its practicality,” said Bob Gordon, Jr., CCE, ICCFA president. “Attendees didn’t just hear ideas; they walked away with language, tools, and strategies they can put into action immediately. Events like this help move our profession forward by empowering people at every level to lead with confidence.”
In addition to educational sessions, DEAD Talks 2026 emphasized peer connection and shared experience. From the opening “Wheel of Objections” panel to the “Seminar Success Workshop” and the closing “Monday Morning Mindset” wrap-up, participants were encouraged to reflect, collaborate, and recommit to professional growth.
That impact was echoed by attendees like Shara Layton, Licensed Preplanning Consultant at Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries, who shared that DEAD Talks “completely renewed my spark and reminded me why I love this career in deathcare,” adding that the event offered insights from “phenomenal speakers” and was “by far the absolute best event” she has attended.
DEAD Talks 2026 concluded with a renewed sense of momentum, equipping deathcare professionals with the confidence, clarity, and inspiration needed to better serve families and strengthen their organizations in the year ahead.
DEAD Talks will return to the Park MGM in Las Vegas next year from January 26-28, 2027. Information for next year’s event will be available this fall at iccfa.com/sales.
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Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral, and memorialization profession. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home, and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
