WHEELING, IL— What’s the perfect cure for the winter blues? The Cremation Association of North America’s (CANA) annual February in-person event in Las Vegas, of course! CANA welcomed more than 130 cremation innovators and thought leaders as the Association returned to the LINQ Hotel in Las Vegas for the 2024 Cremation Symposium.
As an association that prides itself on offering the latest information on important trends in the deathcare industry, CANA was proud to serve up a program that was rich in fertile insights about Thinking Green—and, judging from the enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated by attendees, the Symposium offered plenty of valuable takeaways.
In a tightly focused series of presentations—ranging from individual speakers to panels to an interactive session on incorporating green solutions—participants were able to hear from practitioners who are directly implementing green technology, services, products, and marketing strategies in their businesses. These industry experts shared programming that contributed helpful tips for addressing and managing green options as they relate to funerals, cemeteries and cremation.
The Keynote session was aimed at helping attendees lead successfully while navigating the complex relationships that define our companies and communities. In Stressors of our Time and How We Can Thrive Despite Them, leadership coach Janice Honeycutt Hering examined evolving team management in today’s ever-changing environment. Then, throughout the Symposium, Janice shared Leadership Lessons with practical tips to bring out the best in the participants and their staff.
Liza Altenburg shared a suite of tools in Selling with Sensitivity to cultivate authentic and meaningful relationships during the arrangement conference.
The Going Green: Supplier Solutions Panel placed innovation center stage with a broad spectrum of eco-conscious solutions from panelists Tim Collison of The Dodge Company, Darren Crouch of Passages International, August Esposito of Implant Recycling, Rachel Essig of The Green Burial Council, and Neil Sherrin of Plotbox.
Exploring Green Part 1 featured Taelor Johnson with practical tips on marketing and communications. Landon Elder of Starmark debuted the company’s new research on Ceremonial Rental Casket use.
In Exploring Green Part 2, Jessica Wakefield described the vision that went into launching SCI’s new holistic funeral home and Darren Crouch of Passages International shared a case-study on green options that raise the bottom line.
Lindsey Ballard of Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Nicki Mikolai of Resomation co-facilitated a discussion among attendees on Lessons Learned: Business and Marketing Strategies for Going Green — and offer their own experience on adding alkaline hydrolysis to a business.
The experience concluded with a lively round of Talking Green: Roundtables, featuring open dialog in small groups between presenters and attendees.
CANA understands the industry and its challenges and the Association’s leaders listen carefully to the concerns of members—and other professionals—to help them generate useful solutions. CANA’s advisory group members carefully choose presenters who have insight into new ideas and practical strategies that attendees can put to use right away to meet today’s needs.
Thank you to the many attendees and sponsors who chose to join us in Las Vegas! These generous sponsors helped make the 2024 Cremation Symposium a success: National Guardian Life (NGL), Passages International, Implant Recycling, American Crematory Equipment, Dignity Memorial, FT the Americas, Nomis Publications, SinoSource, Starmark Cremation Products, Everstory and TDAW by Continental Computers, Inc. and Resomation.
What’s next? Be sure to save the dates for CANA’s 106th Cremation Innovation Convention at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park on September 11-13, 2024. Next year, CANA returns to the Paris Las Vegas for the Cremation Symposium on February 26-28, 2025. Reserve time for these events in your busy calendar and contact CANA to learn more: cremationassociation.org
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.
