In what turned out to be the best-attended cremation-focused convention ever, industry professionals enjoyed a wide range of valuable networking and educational opportunities as they attended the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) 98th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention. With over 330 participants—plus 45 individuals who attended either the pre-convention CANA Crematory Operations Certification Program™ or the Celebrant Training offered in partnership with InSight Institute—this event featured business-building sessions, an inspiring message on how to deal with change, an analysis of the upcoming CANA 2016 Annual Cremation Statistics Report, and strategies for increasing profitability and ensuring the second life of cemeteries.
During the association’s annual business meeting, newly elected officers were installed on the CANA Board of Directors, with Tim Borden, Founder and President of Borden Mortuary Group in Louisville, KY, taking on the mantle of CANA Board President. Student Lucas Gajewski of Worsham College of Mortuary Science received the CANA/Jack Springer Scholarship Award.
A Lively Exchange of Commerce and Ideas
A diverse range of 60 suppliers—from vault, casket, cremator, urn, and keepsake manufacturers to vendors who provide banking, architectural, technology, and office services—made the CANA convention a unique opportunity for all involved. Exhibits were in the same room as the general sessions, ensuring that attendees and exhibitors were able to spend plenty of time in conversation.
Informative, Inventive Workshops
The line up of impressive presentations included:
- Shift Happens, James Feldman
- Death Care Regulators Association Panel
- The Funeral Rule, Caressa Hughes
- Vital Signs: The Impact of Cremation on Your Business’s Financial Health, Tim Bridgers
- Cremation Fundamentals, Julie Burn, Glenda Stansbury, Grant Dawson, Mark Matthews, and John Mitchell
- The Answer is in the Numbers, Robert Boetticher, Jr.
- Second Life of Historic Cemeteries, Ted Wolff, Mitch Rose
About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,300 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
