DEAD Talks - ICCFA

February 4-6, 2025
Park MGM Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV

Save the Date for DEAD Talks 2025!

The ICCFA is excited to announce that DEAD Talks will return to Las Vegas at the Park MGM next year! Mark your calendars to join us for another inspiring sales conference from February 4-6, 2025.

View 2024 Event Photos

2024 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tuesday, January 16

3:00 – 6:30 PM
Presidio Foyer
REGISTRATION OPEN
3:30 – 5:00 PM
Presidio 3-5
UNLOCK THE FULL POTENTIAL OF YOUR SALES TEAM WITH EFFECTIVE SALES COACHING
Moderators: John Bolton CCE, CCrE, CSE, CXE, Park Lawn Corporation; Lori Bolton CSE, CXE, Park Lawn Corporation
Panelists: Erin Creger, Envision Strategic Partners; Daniel Kientzel, SCI; Gary O’Sullivan CCFE, Gary O’Sullivan Company; Néctar Ramírez, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks and Mortuaries
Are you looking to take your sales team to the next level? Sales coaching is the key to unlocking their full potential. But with so many different approaches to coaching, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we are kicking off DEAD Talks with a tell-all press conference with our profession’s top, most successful coaches. You’ll learn the latest and most effective sales coaching techniques from experts like Erin Creger, Néctar Ramírez, Dan Kientzel and ICCFA Hall of Famer, Gary O’Sullivan.
You’ll learn how to:
- Identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses
- Develop personalized coaching plans for each team member
- Provide feedback and support that drives results
- Create a coaching culture that fosters continuous improvement
And that’s just the beginning. Don’t miss this epic meeting of the minds to kick-off your 2024 DEAD Talks experience.

A strategic thought-leader with over 35 years of death care experience, John Bolton CCE, CCrE, CSE, CXE is currently Vice President of Operations for Development at Park Lawn Corporation. Prior to joining Park Lawn, John was President of Blackstone Cemetery Development where he developed over 1200 cremation related projects nationwide. John Bolton is a recognized expert in the death care profession and has been featured in several industry publications including the Memento Mori magazine. He also currently serves ICCFA as Vice President of Education, Dean of the College of Hospitality and Customer Experience, and Chairman of the Sales and Marketing Committee. John has previously served as co-chair of the 2022 Annual Conference and Expo and is a past President of the Cemetery Association of Tennessee.

Lori Bolton, CSE, CXE has over two decades of experience in cemetery and funeral home management and developing technology solutions in the deathcare profession. She started her career as a cemetery sales counselor and owned a final expense company in Northern California. She has spent years studying how Customer Experience impacts the bottom line. She has two Customer Experience Certifications and is a member of the Customer Experience Professional Association (CXPA). Lori is currently developing a comprehensive people development and training program for Park Lawn Corp. She also serves as a member of the ICCFA Sales and Marketing Committee; and is a professor in the CX/Hospitality, Cremation, and Technology Colleges as well as the new Graduate School at the ICCFA University.

With over two decades dedicated to sales leadership and excellence, Erin Creger is passionate about driving growth, building meaningful relationships and delivering exceptional results. She joined the Funeral Profession nearly a decade ago after a personal experience with her grandmother helped her discover her passion for helping families pre-arrange. Before her time in death care, she worked as an award-winning sales leader crafting her skills as a full-cycle sales expert and cultivating high-performing sales teams. Erin is currently the Chief Sales Officer with Envision Strategic Partners, a national preneed marketing organization based out of Salt Lake City, UT.

Dan Kientzel, has held different sales roles with SCI since August of 2001. During his 22 year tenure, he’s held various sales management, leadership and training roles within SCI’s North America Sales Division. Currently, he is a Sales Excellence and Growth Program Manager II. Dan has literally trained, mentored and inspired hundreds of individual Sales Leaders throughout the SCI Network. He is passionate about transforming lives and helping Sales Leaders, and their teams, achieve their personal and professional goals. Dan pours his heart and soul into providing, cutting edge tools and practices, necessary for success.

Gary O’Sullivan is a consultant, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur with over five decades of experience in the industry. He started his career knocking on doors selling cemetery at the age of 18 and through the decades has established his own highly respected consulting and speaking firm in 2001. A Certified Virtual Trainer, he is also co-creator of The System University, the profession’s only public online training platform. Gary has presented at the ICCFA University for nearly forty years. In 2014, he was the first to receive the ICCFA’s Educational Foundation’s Impact Award, a recognition bestowed upon individuals who have made profound, lasting impacts on the profession.

Néctar Ramírez believes in educating not only the mind but the heart. When people are passionate about what they do, they can’t help but succeed. Néctar has over twenty years of experience in sales and training. She has a track record of high performance in sales and demonstrated effectiveness in training. A sought-after speaker at national and international forums, Néctar has trained hundreds of sales professionals, customers, employees, and students to achieve company and organizational goals and realize the best version of themselves. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Advance Planning for Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries and sits on the Board of Directors for the ICCFA.
5:00 – 6:30 PM
Presidio 1-2
WELCOME RECEPTION

Wednesday, January 17

7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Presidio Foyer
REGISTRATION OPEN
7:15 – 8:15 AM
Presidio 1-2
WELCOME COFFEE & BREAKFAST SOCIAL
8:00 – 8:15 AM
Presidio 3-5
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION PRESENTATION
8:15 – 8:30 AM
Presidio 3-5
WELCOME WITH DJ GRIMM
8:30 – 11:00 AM
Presidio 3-5
KEYNOTE – Winning with Referrals: A Guaranteed Bet for Business
Tiffanie Kellog
In Las Vegas, a city of high stakes, discover a strategy that’s a guaranteed win: mastering referral marketing. Introducing “Winning with Referrals: A Guaranteed Bet for Business,” tailored specifically for the deathcare industry’s unique challenges. This presentation dives into the essence of effective referrals. We’ll debunk the myth that you should cater to everyone, emphasizing the power of targeting the ideal client base. More than just identifying your market, we’ll equip you with strategies to ensure your referrers can confidently recommend your services, even in an industry where discussions can be sensitive. The key takeaway is the creation of a concise, 1-Page Referral Marketing Plan for your business. This ensures every attendee departs with a clear strategy to boost their business. Join us and make “Winning with Referrals” your surefire strategy for business growth in the deathcare industry.
Tiffanie Kellog entered the entrepreneurial world in 2003 and since then has enjoyed being able to help her clients MAKE MONEY, SAVE TIME, and have FUN! Since then, Tiffanie has spent her time traveling across the globe helping thousands of entrepreneurs create amazing businesses and have spectacular lives – through keynote presentations, workshops, online programs, and more! Tiffanie is the author of 4 ½ Networking Mistakes: Maximize Your Networking Efforts by Avoid Common Mistakes, Knock the Socks off Your Audience: Delivering Presentations with Power and Passion to Audiences Large and Small. and Socks to Success: Be memorable! Branding to Generate More Referrals. She is also the creator of the online program, 13 Months a Year: How to Have More Time, so Easy It Will Knock Your Socks Off.
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Presidio 3-5
COMMUNITY EVENTS LEADER LAB
Erin Creger, Envision Strategic Partners and Dan Kientzel, SCI
As proven sales leaders, Dan Kientzel and Erin Creger will facilitate a Leader Lab Discussion, focused on generating NEW Pre-Need Opportunities for your locations, through community events. In this 90-minute session, they will share insights, strategies, and best-practices to make the most, out of your community events. Whether you’re learning the basics of getting started or wanting to take your community event program to the next level, you will leave with specific takeaways to implement immediately at your location. During this session the following will be shared and discussed: Ideas for themes; What to include in your plan; Simple ways to market your events; how to create an engaging and effective event presentation; Why transparency and education are key; Simple methods to ensure a meaningful number of attendees book an appointment with your team. Come prepared with your questions, as we work together to make your program as successful as it can be.
With over two decades dedicated to sales leadership and excellence, Erin Creger is passionate about driving growth, building meaningful relationships and delivering exceptional results. She joined the Funeral Profession nearly a decade ago after a personal experience with her grandmother helped her discover her passion for helping families pre-arrange. Before her time in death care, she worked as an award-winning sales leader crafting her skills as a full-cycle sales expert and cultivating high-performing sales teams. Erin is currently the Chief Sales Officer with Envision Strategic Partners, a national preneed marketing organization based out of Salt Lake City, UT.
Dan Kientzel, has held different sales roles with SCI since August of 2001. During his 22 year tenure, he’s held various sales management, leadership and training roles within SCI’s North America Sales Division. Currently, he is a Sales Excellence and Growth Program Manager II. Dan has literally trained, mentored and inspired 100’s of individual Sales Leaders throughout the SCI Network. He is passionate about transforming lives and helping Sales Leaders, and their teams, achieve their personal and professional goals. Dan pours his heart and soul into providing, cutting edge tools and practices, necessary for success.
12:30 – 2:00 PM
Presidio 3-5
LUNCH: NETWORKING WITH TRIVIA
This is definitely a don’t miss lunch hour! Join your fellow attendees for a delicious lunch, networking, and most importantly, TRIVIA!
2:00 – 2:05 PM
Presidio 3-5
INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: MARKETING
2:05 – 2:25 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #1 – Back to Basics: Preneed and the Five Ps of Marketing
Danielle Burmeister, Homesteaders Life Company
Understanding the foundational principles of marketing helps guide a successful sales and marketing strategy for your preneed program. For this session, we’ll narrow our focus to the five Ps of marketing (product, price, promotion, place and people) and how you can leverage each of them to fuel your sales growth.
Danielle Burmeister is Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Homesteaders Life Company, a national leader in secure, reliable preneed funding. Danielle grew up in a small apartment above her family’s funeral home, cleaning cars and playing “Taps” at graveside services. She later worked in event marketing for the Iowa State Fair and as a professor of English and Communication at a nearby college, before finding her way back to funeral service. In Danielle’s current role, she leads the team responsible for all aspects of Homesteaders’ marketing and branding. Danielle has a bachelor’s degree from Central College and a master’s degree from Iowa State University.
2:25 – 2:45 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #2 – Your Marketing is An Extension of You… How Do You Want To Show Up for Families?
Courtney Gould Miller, Tribute Technology
In this industry, we avoid calling families “customers,” but that’s what they are! Every customer has a unique journey during their experience with your firm. Whether or not it’s a smooth or a rocky journey is completely up to you (and your staff) … and it all starts with your marketing. Did you know there’s a cost-effective way to make high-quality marketing pieces that can make a family’s journey easier, build better loyalty within your community, and help you get more five-star reviews? During her DEAD Talk, Courtney Gould Miller will be sharing the latest automation and AI tools that firms of all sizes can start using right away to help them exceed family expectations.
Courtney has been in the funeral profession for many years and now serves as the Chief Customer Officer at Tribute Technology. Her focus is on providing high-quality customer experience journeys for funeral directors and families, along with leading the company’s sales and marketing teams. She also serves as Legal Counsel for MKJ Marketing, and advises funeral homes on best practices for risk management and business strategy from her years of experience representing Fortune 500 companies as an attorney.
2:45 – 3:05 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #3 – Strategic Use of Influencer Marketing to Establish Brand Trust Through Authentic Storytelling
Elsa Mou, Gnight Fetcher
Funeral homes and crematories have traditionally relied on word-of-mouth referrals and local advertising. However, influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular in today’s digital age. By partnering with influencers, especially the strategic use of micro-influencers, funeral homes and crematories can: Reach a wider audience, using lower-than-usual marketing expense; Utilize authentic, third party storytelling; Educate and de-stigmatize pre-planning and talking about death; Target specific audiences; Leverage the trust and credibility built by the influencer ; and Strengthen brand presence on social media.
I grew my Pomeranian’s Instagram account to 10K+ followers and my personal account to 4K+ followers with engagement rates double that of industry average. As a micro influencer, I work with over 20 brands every month. The businesses I’ve work with includes memorial suppliers, skin care, travel, pet products, etc. There could so many more funeral homes and crematory participating in the creator economy and leverage influencer marketing, but I do not see any today.
3:05 – 3:10 PM
Presidio 3-5
INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: AI
3:10 – 3:30 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talks #4 – AI: Friend, Foe, or the Future of the Profession?
Charlie Cole, Tribute Technology
Charlie Cole has been creating innovative software specifically for the funeral profession for a decade and a half. When it comes to new tech, he’s used to hearing everyone’s worries and concerns. With AI, a common one is, “Are the robots coming for my job?” Well, at least, in the funeral profession, he doesn’t think you have anything to worry about! So, how can AI help you and your families? And how much innovative AI technology is in the future for the funeral profession? Charlie will be sharing strategies to use AI to free up your time to do the things that matter … and leave behind the boring tasks that are great for robots to handle! Plus, he’ll talk about how he sees AI technology revolutionizing the funeral profession in the next five years.
Charlie Cole is Chief Executive Officer of Tribute Technology and a digital marketing expert with deep understanding of data, ecommerce, and a passion for supporting small businesses. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of FTD. Before joining FTD, Charlie served as the first Global Chief eCommerce Officer for Samsonite while simultaneously serving as Chief Digital Officer for Tumi. Earlier in his career, he held executive positions and led digital transformations at Assembled Brands, Schiff Nutrition and Lucky Brand Jeans.
3:30 – 3:50 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD TALK #5 – Winging It! How’s That Working?
Daniel White, Cairn Partners
Using new and exciting digital tools to provide a more effective, efficient, and visually compelling focused pre-arrangement conversation with a family.
Dan joined Cairn Partners in April 2019 as a Sales Manager for one of their client firms. Prior to joining Cairn, Dan was a Sales Manager for a large funeral home/cemetery combo in the Seattle market. He has more than 40 years of experience in marketing, management, computer technology, and sales training. While serving as a Sales Manager, Dan was an active participant in the design and development of the Cairn “Remote Visit Dashboard” used by their client firms. In August of 2021, Dan took the role of Remote Visit Dashboard Trainer, combining his experience in sales training and the use of technology to meet Preneed families where they are.
3:50 – 4:10 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD TALK #6 – The AI Revolution: Unlocking the Future of Business
Chuck Gallagher, Chuck Gallagher LLC
Are you ready to unlock the full potential of AI for your business? Join us to demystify this game-changing technology and explore the possibilities it holds. Our live demonstrations of AI applications, including ChatGPT, Veed.io, Quillbot, Soundraw, Synthesia.io and midjourney, will give you a firsthand look at what’s possible. Don’t miss this chance to stay ahead of the curve and gain the knowledge you need to drive innovation and growth in your business.
Described as creative, insightful, captivating, and a person that “connects the dots” between behavior, choices and success, Chuck gives his clients what they need to turn concepts into actions and actions into results. With Chuck, you have a professional industry sharing practical, tested, and time-proven methods to enhance personal and professional performance. As a certified professional speaker, with over 10 years of experience.
4:10 – 4:15 PM
Presidio 3-5
INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: RETENTION
4:15 – 4:35 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD TALK #7 – Retaining Sales All-Stars
Kelly Kohut, Precoa
Finding top sales talent can be a challenge, and it can be even more challenging to keep them. In this talk, learn why an effective support system makes all the difference, how to start building one, and which pitfalls to avoid. With a framework that balances support and competition, your team can stay satisfied and successful while serving as some of the funeral home’s most visible brand ambassadors.
Kelly Kohut’s talent for business growth blends perfectly with her passion for helping funeral homes connect with more families through preneed. With a degree in marketing and an MBA, Kelly honed her sales and marketing skills in the healthcare industry before deciding to pursue a career with a purpose-driven company. She serves as Senior Director of Field Project Development at Precoa, where her incredible leadership and skill at cross-functional problem solving make her a key member of every team she is a part of.
4:35 – 4:55 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD TALK #8 – Building Your Organization for the Future
Jason Buchbinder, SCI
We will highlight the key characteristics of leadership required for alignment & relationship to successfully ‘acquire’ talent in the post-Covid era. Further, we will highlight the knowledge & everboarding approach necessary to retain your new talent and build upon a safe, inclusive culture & environment.
Jason Buchbinder has directly and/or indirectly placed 1,000’s of amazing men and women in our industry across North America for 16 years.
4:55 – 5:15 PM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD TALK #9 – From Grave to Great: Unearthing the Secrets of Recruiting and Retaining Talent in the Funeral Profession
Cody Spradlin, Envision Strategic Partners
As one of the first-ever, full-time dedicated recruiters in the funeral profession, resident millennial for ESP, and former Preneed Agent I have a unique perspective into the world of hiring qualified talent that sticks. In my session, I’ll be covering:
-How to source and hire talent around the country
-How to survive working with Millennials & Gen-Z
-What is it that young professionals are ACTUALLY looking for
Cody has been with Envision Strategic Partners for nearly 4 years now. After beginning as a funeral preneed agent in So-Cal, he was promoted to Director of Recruiting after hearing of the position’s vacancy on one of the weekly training calls. Having been part of the generation that was unwittingly coding their Myspace pages to play their favorite Green Day song, Cody has a well-developed understanding of the internet and exactly how to navigate it which has been his greatest strength since taking on this endeavor. In just two short years Cody has managed to hire almost 90 people, 53 of whom were hired in the first two quarters of 2023.

Thursday, January 18

7:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Presidio Foyer
REGISTRATION OPEN
7:30 – 8:45 AM
Presidio 1-2
COFFEE & BREAKFAST SOCIAL
8:30 – 8:35 AM
Presidio 3-5
WELCOME BACK; INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: SALES HOW-TO
8:35 – 8:55 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #10 – Discipline of Appointment Setting
Greg Norris, Homesteaders Life Company
Using the book, The Compound Effect, written by Darren Hardy, as a guide, we will discuss how choices, routines and habits affect our success.
Greg Norris has been in the preneed profession for 29 years. Much of the first 10 years were spent meeting with families and selling funeral pre-arrangement. The last 19 years with Homesteaders has been spent helping funeral home and their agents achieve their sales goals. Greg is also one of the trainers for Homesteaders Successful Sales Skills classes.
8:55 – 9:15 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #11 – Sales Conversions in a Digital World
Kevin Bitnoff, Precoa
Today’s consumer is an empowered consumer. Families are more knowledgeable and tech-savvy than ever before, and they will often have multiple digital touchpoints before they are sales-ready. Being able to navigate the digital landscape is a must, and there are key strategies you can use to ensure the quality of the experience is seamless, consistent, and meaningful.
From his early days as a school-age entrepreneur to his experience as a multi-year million-dollar producer for both funeral and cemetery, Kevin Bitnoff has always had a passion for sales. Today, as Director of West Coast Sales for Precoa, Kevin works side by side with over 100 leading funeral homes where he has mentored and managed over 100 million-dollar producers. Kevin has built a reputation over the last 12 years for developing not just top salespeople but true preneed professionals who care deeply about educating and connecting with families. When he’s not training some of the very best in the profession, Kevin is a compelling public speaker.
9:15 – 9:35 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #12 – The Basics: Why Do We Sometimes Forget?
Noble Sines, Domani Preneed
Join Noble Sines as we explore ways we can avoid plateauing in sales, and why that occurs in the first place. The importance of consistently evaluating one’s sales process and presentation. He will discuss how focusing on a tiny margin of improvement leads to a significant aggregated increase in performance. He will review specific examples of marginal things, or “basics”, that advanced funeral planners sometimes forget. Along with how preneed agents and managers alike can work together to prevent those plateaus or declines in the number of families their funeral home serves.
Noble Sines is currently the Director of National Sales with Domani Preneed. Previously, he was with Sepio Guard for a year and a half as the Director of Sales where he trained all new and existing agents on “Away from Home Assurance” in a family’s prearrangement. Prior to that, Noble was with Precoa for 5 years, doing preneed for eighteen months and then served in a management role for a 12.5 million dollar territory in Florida comprised of sixteen funeral homes.
9:35 – 9:40 AM
Presidio 3-5
INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: SALES SELF
9:40 – 10:00 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #13 – The Highest Lead -to-Sale Conversion Rate: Referral Prospecting
Brent Thomas, Homesteaders Life Company
Referrals are the best type of leads. They close faster and with a higher ratio than other lead sources. According to Homesteaders Policy Owner research, 47% of policy owners first learned about prearranging from someone who had done it, 74% of them considered making arrangement with only one funeral establishment, 98% of them were completely/very satisfied with their decisions to prearrange, 58% have recommended prearranging and 40% would consider recommending. This data shows that satisfied consumers who previously prearranged are the best prospecting tool and will offer referrals. By knowing this data and how to use it, preneed specialist will not only, get more referrals that close faster, they’ll be more comfortable with asking for referrals. They’ll even be ready to overcome a referral objection.
Brent Thomas is the Director-Field Training and Development at Homesteaders Life Company. Prior to joining Homesteaders, Brent spent 23 years in the funeral profession, including 17 years at Batesville Casket Company. Beginning as a preneed counselor Buchanan Group, Inc., he quickly moved into cemetery sales management. At Batesville, Brent’s roles ranged from key account and business consulting to cremation and sales management. He holds a degree in Organizational Communications from Indiana University and is a certified facilitator of InsideOut Coaching. Brent’s award-winning experience as a business consultant, coach/mentor and strategic sales leader is rooted in his commitment to helping families honor their loved ones.
10:00 – 10:20 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #14 – Words Matter
Rob Shalvey, Rest Haven Funeral Home and Cemetery
In our world of selling we are very accustomed to scripts and presentations. The real masters understand that word choice can be very important. We already know that we should avoid using industry jargon and acronyms. This dynamic session will identify words that have a negative subconscious effect in selling interactions that are hurting your presentations without you even knowing it. Participants will learn why some commonly used words can be a hidden bomb in a sales interaction. Attendees will leave this session knowing several words they should avoid using and what to replace them with that will help increase their appointment rate, reduce appointment cancelations, increase their presentation effectiveness, sales average and closing rate. The one thing in both a funeral presentation and a cemetery presentation that most people get wrong will also be discussed.
Rob Shalvey has served for over 30 years in Funeral Service. He is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer as well as a Licensed General Lines Life Insurance Agent. His career has encompassed funeral home and cemetery operations and sales leadership roles in Colorado, Texas and Louisiana. Rob is an accomplished speaker and presenter who has contributed at several events, seminars and conventions. He has been most recently seen as a contestant in the Pre-Need Sales Showdown at the 2023 Dead Talks. Rob currently serves as the Director of Family Service for Rest Haven Funeral Home and Cemetery in Rockwall, Texas. Rob has a passion for training and developing success in others.
10:20 – 10:40 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #15 – The Content Revolution: Your Competitive Preneed Edge
Aaron Butler, Domani Preneed
Picture this: attracting more families seeking prearrangements, becoming a recognized community leader, and sharpening your skills as a preneed sales professional. It’s all within your reach – by creating online content. Session Takeaways:
• How to Easily Create Content: Content creation is simpler than you think, and you’ll discover it’s an accessible and effective tool for your success.
• How to Find Your Unique Voice: Craft a message that’s unmistakably you, setting you apart in a competitive market.
• How to Create Consistent Inspiration: Say goodbye to writer’s block with expert strategies to generate compelling content ideas, day after day.
Leave ready to kickstart your content journey, reshape your future in the funeral industry, and embrace a career upgrade like never before.
Aaron Butler has served families for a decade as a sales professional, sales leader, and marketing leader in the funeral industry and software technology sector. A repeat DEAD Talker, Aaron specializes in the science of leadership and persuasion, with an emphasis in sales training. He is guided by a drive to innovate our industry and create modern, memorable and meaningful experiences for the families we serve.
10:40 – 10:45 AM
Presidio 3-5
INTRODUCTION TO DEAD TALKS TOPIC: SALES STRATEGY
10:45 – 11:15 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #16 – Solving the Sales Puzzle
Jorge Vara II, Fairmount Memorial Association
Are you puzzled when someone asks for your plan to increase sales this year? Jorge will share ideas, processes, and solutions that you can immediately implement to increase sales. Sales can be a puzzle of many departments and this session will enable attendees to see how they can grow sales regardless of what department they represent.
Jorge Vara II has worked in the sales profession for over 20 years across the industries of professional sports, oil and gas, consulting and deathcare. For the last 15 years, he has served in sales leadership growing top line revenue in each role. He is currently serving as the Director of Sales at Fairmount Memorial Association based in Spokane, Washington. Prior to joining Fairmount in 2020, Jorge served as a sales manager at Service Corporation International from 2015 to 2020 in Seattle and Oklahoma City. His greatest joy at work is seeing individuals and organizations break their sales records.
11:15 – 11:45 AM
Presidio 3-5
DEAD Talk #17 – Embracing an Ownership Mindset: Five Key Principles for Sales Leaders
Tiffany Gleeson, Park Lawn Corporation
An individual who exhibits an ownership mindset is critical to the success of any business. They think like a boss and take initiative to fix issues and move forward without blaming other team members. These individuals look into managing up, accepting constructive feedback and providing active solutions. They never have an “it’s not my job” attitude and do what it takes to have a team mentality. Tiffany will guide you through 5 key principles that Sales Managers can use to drive results based on an ownership mindset.
A dynamic innovative leader in the deathcare space, Tiffany Gleeson is currently Vice President of Sales, East Division at Park Lawn Corporation. Building and leading the team to execute Park Lawn’s sales strategy, setting short- and long-term growth plans, and exceeding revenue targets are among her responsibilities. Tiffany has a strong passion for nurturing a mindset of customer excellence. Prior to joining the Park Lawn family, Tiffany held many leadership roles throughout her career from her beginnings as a family service counselor to Area Vice President of Operations and Sales. Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in finance. She believes we should never stop learning.
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Presidio 3-5
WRAP UP & CLOSING
Shane Pudenz, Carriage Services
With over ten years of experience in the deathcare industry, Shane Pudenz is a sales leader that has delivered throughout his career. As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Carriage Services, he is responsible for leading a national sales and marketing team of over 200 people. Shane believes strongly in the Carriage core values of partnerships, support, and empowerment and continually uses them to motivate his teams for success.