Funeral Service Insider: The Podcast

For over a decade, Army veteran Desarey Wilson has fought the Texas Funeral Service Commission to get his professional license, arguing his extensive military experience is "substantially equivalent" to formal schooling.  After a brief approval and subsequent revocation, his license was designated "null and void," forcing him into a costly, ongoing legal and bureaucratic battle against the very laws designed to help veterans.

This week's show covers Batesville selling its MIS software business to Plotbox and a preview of upcoming Q3 earnings coverage of Carriage, SCI, and Matthews. We discuss a lawsuit against Forest Lawn over a $20,000 funeral and debate proper compensation for mistakes. Also: a story on a Texas funeral director's dispute, a mention of Jon Lafrandt's new newsletter, and a look at Colorado's regulatory team.

Funeral Service Insider highlights outreach, recycling for good, and inclusive care—showing how funeral professionals are redefining their role in a changing industry. Click here for complete show notes.

Discover how Garfield is helping crematories adopt eco-friendly recycling practices that protect the planet and fund community giving programs. Click here for complete show notes.

American Cemetery & Cremation editor, Tom Nondorf, brings us up to date on cemetery news and trends. Click here for complete show notes.

Funeral industry updates include Texas legal rulings, a new Before I Die Festival, and growing collaboration in end-of-life care. Click here for complete show notes.  

From Tesla lawsuits to alkaline hydrolysis, this week's episode explores legal, financial, and educational shifts in the funeral service industry. Click here for complete show notes.

Jess Wakefield shares her journey from working night shifts in a nursing home to becoming a funeral director, corporate leader, and innovator at Better Place Forests and EverIs. In this candid conversation, she reflects on the pros and cons of corporate vs. family-owned funeral homes, the shift toward digital cremation planning, and her vision for a more seamless end-of-life experience that bridges hospice, doulas, funeral care, and grief support. With insights from her manifesto on reimagining funeral service, Wakefield brings fresh perspective to an industry facing profound cultural and technological change.  Click here for complete show notes.

South Carolina blocks a fraudster's funeral home sale. Industry debates: community cemeteries, service fees, and Amarillo's transport contract. Click here for complete show notes.

Green burials blocked, Texas scandal deepens, Carriage expands, NJ legalizes terramation, Vegas mishandling case, and social media tips for funeral pros. Click here for complete show notes.

A new innovation from Federal Eagle aims to help funeral homes grow revenue and better serve grieving families in the evolving cremation market. Click here for complete show notes.

Starmark plans a major national expansion under new CCO Michael Jewart, boosting service centers and hands-on support to transform funeral industry operations. Click here for complete show notes.

A week of shake-ups: canceled deals, new programs, shuttered services, legal battles, and scandal shaking the funeral service world. Click here for show notes.

Matt Van Drimmelen will present “Getting ROI Out of Aftercare at Your Funeral Home: Turning Compassion into Long-Term Value” at the Kates-Boylston Advances in Funeral Innovations Conference Nov. 12 in Detroit. Visit www.events.kates-boylston.com for more details.  Click here for complete show notes.

Click here for complete show notes.

Scott Jensen breaks down how funeral homes can harness AI and SEO shifts to boost visibility, streamline marketing, and better serve families. Click here for complete show notes.

Alanna Navin details her experience at ICCFA University, from cemetery management courses to lessons she applies in her role at Restland Funeral Home. Click here for complete show notes.

Click here for complete show notes.

In this week's episode, we have Tukios' acquisition of Batesville's website business, Tribute Tech's partnership with Chptr, a new mobile and desktop software platform from Inman, Matthews International announces a succession, and Illinois' passes a cemetery bill. Meanwhile, controversy continues in Texas, a strange, unfortunate lawsuit is filed in Vermont, and Tony Russo unboxes a care package from Life Forest. 

Vice President of Sales Optimization Homesteaders Life Company, Cole Waybright discusses the importance of a strategic approach to tech adoption. Discover his insights on avoiding common pitfalls, improving productivity by up to 25%, and reducing errors by 50% with an integrated system. Learn how to ask the right questions before your next technology purchase to ensure a seamless and efficient workflow. Click here for more information and to register.

Michaelene Dowers is a licensed funeral director working remotely across more than a dozen states. She earned her license in California in 2014 but left shortly after due to low wages and a high cost of living. After moving across the Midwest and working in multiple states, she began contracting with online cremation providers and built a career around flexible, remote work. Click here for complete show notes.

This week's episode covers Carriage's evolving strategy under CEO Carlos Quesada, the sale of Shepherd Memorial Park is on hold, and a funeral home loses its license over storage concerns. Plus, the Texas Funeral Service Commission sues and unsues its lawyers, Tribute Technologies reports strong financial performance and more. Click here for complete show notes.

Arron Butler of Domani Preneed discusses how funeral professionals can use authentic online engagement and AI-powered strategies to build trust, grow personal brands, and connect with modern families. Click here for complete show notes. Aaron will be a speaker at the Kates-Boylston 2025 Marketing Summit. Click here to register.     

In this episode, we look at SCI's new building strategy, Matthews International's memorialization beat, and Carriage's big acquisition plans. Also covered are the "secret" sale of Foundation Partners, a Reddit post about transgender funeral directors, and a political attack ad against a Texas Funeral Commission member. Click here for show notes.

In this episode, Scott Ginsberg and Josh Siegel share the origin story of Titan's direct-to-consumer model, and how a few listings on Amazon evolved into a national brand. From partnering with celebrities for the “Grave Conversations” web series to launching a casket mascot Ginsberg and Siegel explain how creativity and empathy go hand in hand when modernizing a historically change-resistant industry.

SCI earnings, SAFPA's first female president, a Texas scandal deepens, cemetery controversy, and more in this week's funeral industry news roundup. Click here for complete show notes.

This week's episode features a story about how a Montclair, NJ, a funeral home narrowly avoided being rezoned for future affordable housing, sparking community outcry and raising concerns about how cities value longstanding funeral businesses. In Texas, ongoing turmoil at the Funeral Service Commission including the dismissal of its executive director and a troubling case involving unclaimed remains highlights systemic regulatory failures. Commentary from a local mortuary school leader (minute 38 on the link) underscores staffing shortfalls and public trust issues. A Pennsylvania funeral home attempts to collect on a $3,200 unpaid funeral bill, prompting discussion around best practices for debt collection. The episode closes with details on newly expanded VA burial benefits available through Oct. 1, 2026, offering more support to veterans opting for end-of-life care at home. Host Tony Russo invites feedback from funeral professionals on collections, regulation, and community relations.   Click here for complete show notes.

Genevieve Keeney-Vazquez, President of the National Museum of Funeral History, shares her path from Army medic to museum leader. Through immersive exhibits and rare artifacts like the Shroud of Turin replica, she's transforming public understanding of death and the funeral profession.   Click here for complete show notes.

Funeral director Paddy Lynch shares how legacy, healing, and community drive his work, from Detroit restorations to grief care innovation. Click here for complete show notes.

In this week's episode we discuss peer support initiatives, outreach for professionals affected by Texas flooding (links and info below), a tariff surcharge, and drone scattering services. We also look at a crematory approval controversy in Maryland, and Tukios acquiring Batesville's funeral website services. Click here for complete show notes. 

Mel Bennett, founder of Life Forest, shares the emotional journey behind creating a conservation cemetery where burial records, legacy, and land preservation meet. Bennett discusses the importance of remembrance, accessibility, and community. 

This week on In Case You Missed It, we spotlight Nevada's first mortuary school, explore mental health in funeral service through a high-profile Idaho case, track leadership changes at NFDA, and examine the rise of terramation. Plus: Ghana's artistry in funerals, a young female trailblazer, and a cemetery sale saga in North Carolina. Click here for complete show notes.

This week we discuss green burial trends, funeral homes as real estate, and a $1 cemetery transformation. Plus, hear why now's the time for transparency in funeral service and say goodbye to Mongo, a beloved grief support cat who touched a Rhode Island community for 15 years. Click here for complete show notes.

Tiffaney Hill's journey from a small Jamaican town to a leadership role in Minnesota funeral service spans continents, cultures, and careers. Through persistence and passion, she overcame industry barriers, pursued formal education, and now advocates for innovation and inclusivity in funeral care. Click here for complete show notes.

This week, we cover NGL's restructuring, major acquisitions in the funeral tech space, shocking mishandling of remains, and the Chattanooga Death Collective. Get essential industry insights and stay informed on the evolving landscape. Click here for complete show notes.

Podcast Episode Description: In this week's episode we speak with Micah Truman, founder and CEO of Return Home, about the rise of terramation and what it means for the future of funeral service. Truman shares how the disposition has gone from a fringe concept to a legalized option in 13 states. He unpacks what it takes to build a terramation facility, how Return Home partners with funeral homes nationwide, and why families and funeral directors alike are embracing the process.  Truman also discusses the changing preneed demographic they've been seeing.

Click here for complete show notes.

In this episode we share some direct commentary about how one local funeral director feels about the corporate competition in his own town, and talk about some of the good things going on in our June editions, if you'd like to subscribe.  There's also a look at some futurist-type stuff including an impressive cemetery reimagining in Australia and a storefront death doula. We look at how some Vermont funeral homes are less ambivalent about water cremation than others and dig into an interesting funeral tech conversation on Reddit. Finally, we share some details on upcoming Kates-Boylston webinars and events. 

In this episode we speak with American Cemetery & Cremation editor Tom Nondorf about how cemeteries are embracing community engagement, creatively reusing space, and recycling transparency.  Click here for complete show notes.

Scholarships top $1 million, a Connecticut director faces discipline, and Oklahoma's funeral board may dissolve. Terramation expands to Georgia, and a cremation scandal documentary premieres June 1.

Brent Thorson of Terrybear Urns and Memorials discusses how cremation businesses can better position themselves in a competitive, evolving market. Thorson highlights a disconnect between a funeral home's reputation for service and their visibility as cremation providers. Emphasizing local relevance, Thorson aims to provide tools for firms to improve outreach, product presentation, and engagement. He underscores that cremation offers untapped potential for connection, service, and memorialization.

Writer and librarian Sharon Verbeten discusses her career covering funeral service and how her “Comfort Kids” project is helping children and families process grief. From grief libraries to story-driven writing, she champions open conversations about death and believes funeral homes play a key role in normalizing those discussions. Click here for complete show notes.

In this week's ICYMI: Matthews International has acquired The Dodge Company for $57 million, expanding its memorialization portfolio. SCI shares some interesting insights with Oppenheimer. In Texas, proposed changes to cremation regulations could slow services and raise costs. New digital obituary platforms are emerging, though concerns remain about pricing and long-term adoption. Finally, scrutiny over funeral home price transparency is growing, as local media spotlight those without online price disclosures. Click here for complete show notes.

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, disconnected tech tools can slow down operations, create inefficiencies, and hinder collaboration. This session explores the power of integrated technology solutions and how they create efficiency, streamline processes, and enhance customer experience. Learn how seamless tech integration eliminates silos, improves data accuracy, and supports business growth. Join us to discover the benefits of a connected tech ecosystem and how to implement it successfully. Click here to register and learn more. 

In this episode, we preview Kates-Boylston's upcoming virtual preneed event, featuring expert insights from Greg Norris and Spencer Larkin. Tony also recaps earnings from SCI, Carriage, and Matthews International, highlighting steady growth in at-need and memorialization revenues despite economic uncertainty.  Matthews also is preparing to finalize a major asset sale while expanding its energy business post-lawsuit.  Additional stories include the 100th anniversary of E.E. Pickle Funeral Home, neighborhood resistance to a Georgia crematory, and the launch of Eazewell, a tech platform backed by NBA stars to improve funeral planning access.  Click here for complete show notes.

Funeral director Alexandra Mosca shares her journey into funeral service and her concurrent career as a writer. Learn how these two worlds intersect and inform her unique perspective.

This week's episode highlights the new Kates-Boylston Compensation Report, a fire at one of New York's oldest funeral homes, an interesting legislative update on crematory temperatures in Oregon, and discuss the increasing trend of partnerships and venture capital investment in funeral tech. 

For Greg Norris, regional director for Homesteaders Life Company, the foundation of a successful preneed sales strategy isn't flashy marketing or an especially persuasive pitch; it's discipline.   Click here for complete show notes.        

This we we speak with Joél Maldonado, "The Grave Woman," and her path into multicultural death care. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding different cultural backgrounds in death care. We also discuss Maldonado's connection to her Gullah-Geechee heritage and its influence on her work promoting culturally relevant death practices.

This episode covers inclusive funeral care with Joelle Maldonado, a grief support initiative from Bob DiPasquale, new NOR offerings at Goes Funeral Care, a cremation pricing spotlight in Florida, and breaking stories from Texas and Virginia. Plus, details on Kates-Boylston's upcoming Technology Think Tank. Tune in for insights, innovations, and important industry updates in funeral service.

Kevon McKay of Mid-States Recycling and Refining discusses the evolution of cremation metal recycling and the importance of education for crematory owners. McKay will present “Keys to a Successful Recycling Program for your Crematory” at the Kates-Boylston Cremation Innovations virtual event, beginning 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 20. Click here to register.