Program Announced for CANA’s 104th Cremation Innovation Convention

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Program Announced for CANA’s 104th Cremation Innovation Convention

WHEELING, IL— Based on advance registrations, the Cremation Association of North America’s 104th Cremation Innovation Convention in Atlanta, Georgia is the place to be this August! Suppliers are designing their exhibit spaces and attendees are reserving their seats to enjoy southern hospitality, connection and camaraderie, and innovative ideas at the premier cremation event for the profession.

Forward-thinking speakers are a favorite part of every CANA Convention, and Atlanta’s program won’t disappoint:

Brian Waters, funeral director, embalmer, and host of Undertaking: The Podcast, opens the CANA Convention with a plan to Question Everything and examine the why of business operations. Brian will explore the value families are seeking and discuss how we can grow as cremation providers by sharing trends, ideas, and questions about everything we do.

By addressing the profession’s challenges head on, Jake Johnson, President & CEO at Johnson Consulting, helps attendees set their goals and priorities with Interactive Strategic Planning. For many of us, the problem lies not in failing to meet our operational goals, but in failing to define them in the first place—or in setting our mark too low and only achieving what we were aiming for. Jake will help you rise above the statistics and get one step closer to the ultimate goal of your exit plan.

It’s been said that you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and staffing is a concern we all share. Funeral Professionals Peer Support (FPPS) Founder Michael Dixon and Licensed Funeral Director and FPPS US Program Director Kim Zavrotny talk about stress and burnout in the workplace and how we’re Stronger Together: The Value of Peer Support.

This year, CANA hosts not one but two sessions on applying statistics to your business planning. In Cremation Trends Part 1: Statistics and Business Diversification, CANA Executive Director Barbara Kemmis will facilitate a discussion about the profession’s response to cremation trends, excess deaths and how businesses are diversifying through the addition of pet cremation—all with expert insights from leaders across the profession.

Then, in Cremation Trends Part 2: Cremation Memorialization, CANA introduces the results of brand-new cremation memorialization research. Delving into the motivations for people keeping their human and pet cremated remains in homes throughout the US and Canada, Barbara Kemmis will facilitate a discussion with leaders on the results of this study and what it means for cremation memorialization today and in the future.

The always-popular Roundtable Session will allow attendees to spend more time diving deeper into the content presented throughout the convention. Each presenter will facilitate a roundtable on their topic, answering questions and encouraging discussion so attendees can collaborate on finding solutions and new ideas for their businesses.

… and there’s so much more! Everyone is invited to earn their certification by registering for an in-person, pre-convention CANA Crematory Operations Certification Program™ (COCP™) taught by Tom Krowl of Cremation Systems and Wendy Wiener of WRW Legal. CANA’s planned an afterparty to celebrate being together in Atlanta! Plus, tickets are available to attend the New York Mets at the Atlanta Braves game on Thursday night and a there’s a tour of Cheatham Hill Memorial Park on Friday afternoon. 

CANA is committed to hosting events that are well worth the trip, and our lineup of speakers and exhibitors reinforces that promise. But CANA is also committed to safety. A decision to travel involves more than judging whether you can take time away from family or business—there are other risks and benefits to calculate. An in-person gathering may not be right for everyone, but CANA will welcome those who are ready to Atlanta. Savor your bite of the Big Peach and book yourself for August 17-19, 2022, at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta: goCANA.org/CANA22

About CANA

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,500 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.