Shows / On Deathcare
On Deathcare
Each week we deliver news and commentary for end-of-life professionals.
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Episodes
On DeathcareSCI’s $1B Preneed Surge, Greenbelt Mega-Cemetery Push & Missouri License Battles
In this weekly rundown of news from around the funeral service industry, Tony Russo discusses recent corporate earnings, high-profile legal and regulatory…
On DeathcareThe Joe Vanella Report: Victor’s Redemption and the Heat on Joe
In this episode, Tony and Spencer catch up on two action-packed weeks of reality TV drama on The Traitors, covering the aftermath of “Fruitgate,” shocking…
On DeathcareManaging Multi-State Licensing with Michaelene Dowers
Tony Russo sits down with funeral director, entrepreneur, and expat Michaelene Dowers. Moving away from their usual industry-wide discussions, the conversation…
On DeathcareFruitgate, Coffin Chaos, and Traitors Drama
In this episode of the Joe Vanella Report, host Tony Russo and roving reporter Spencer Haik break down the latest drama from The Traitors: New Blood. Following…
On DeathcareOpen-Air Pyres, Floral Delivery Brawls, and the Funeral Women Lead Report
In this episode, Tony Russo discusses small stories making waves across the funeral profession, including independent funeral home acquisitions, green burial…
On DeathcarePierce Board Expansion, Park Lawn Changes, & Small-Town Zoning Battles
In this weekly rundown of news from around funeral service, Tony Russo covers major institutional changes, regulatory hurdles, corporate shake-ups, and legal…
On DeathcareApple Ambush & Cliffhangers in the Castle
Key Highlights & Discussion * Show Dynamics & Timing: * Tony notes this is Episode 3 of the podcast following a week off, while Spencer clarifies that The…
On DeathcareMike Miller on Equipment, Innovation, and Second Retirements
Subscribe to stay updated on industry insights, equipment innovations, and expert advice to help grow your funeral service business. In this episode, host Tony…
On DeathcareSelected Court Order, Matthews Rightsizing & Seattle Rebuild
Episode Summary: Tony Russo breaks down a busy news cycle in funeral service, covering legal halts on a major industry vote, shifts in corporate M&A…
On DeathcareStress, Standards, and Cultural Shifts
In this episode of The Rest, host Tony Russo dives into critical news and lighter stories affecting funeral service, emphasizing the mental health challenges…
On DeathcareStrategy, Secrets, and Survival: The Joe Vanella Report Episode 2
In this edition of The Joe Vanella Report, host Tony Russo and co-host Spencer Haik recap the latest episodes of The Traitors, tracking fan-favorite contestant…
On DeathcareKeenan Knopke on Modern Day Old School Cemetery Management
In this episode of On the Clock, host Tony Russo sits down with longtime funeral professional Keenan Knopke. Keenan shares his journey in the deathcare…
On DeathcareMD Composting Reversal, Delta Lawsuit, and the Selected/NFDA Vote
📌 Episode Summary In this weekly rundown, Tony Russo covers Worcester County, Maryland’s political reversal on human composting, a lawsuit involving Delta…
On DeathcareUndertaker to Undercover: Joe Vanella’s Strategic Debut on The Traitors
In this inaugural recap episode, host Tony Russo brings on guest Spencer Haik to break down the latest season of The Traitors: New Blood. Spencer gives an…
On DeathcareLoan Shifts, Cemetery Disputes & a $21,000 Difference of Opinion
In this week’s episode of The Rest, host Tony Russo covers major updates from across funeral service. From taking on a new role at Connecting Directors to…
On DeathcareTransparency, Governance, and the Future of Selected
From early on in this project, I wanted to have deathcare salons, where several people turn over a topic and evaluate everyone else’s. It’s different from a…
On DeathcareAverting a Crisis: Honnalora Hubbard on National Cremation Placement Day
In this episode, Coldspring Regional Sales Manager Honnalora Hubbard discusses the launch of National Cremation Placement Day, held annually on October 17…
On DeathcareGail Rubin on Mortality Movies and Changing End-of-Life Planning
Host Tony Russo sits down with “Doyenne of Death” Gail Rubin following her return from a trip to London. Gail shares insights from a recent gathering of…
On DeathcareEquipment Heists, Large Cemetery Sales, and the Direct Cremation Question
As summer winds down, this quick-hit roundup covers theft sprees, cemetery sales, direct cremation challenges, crematory zoning disputes, polymer vault…
On DeathcareIFG Adds 50-State Health Plan for Members
In this episode, host Tony Russo sits down with Brad Kuchnicki, Executive Director of the Independent Funeral Group. Brad announces the release of the…
On DeathcareThe Rest: AI in Aftercare, Association Mergers, and Industry Trends
Episode Breakdown * AI Training vs. Human Connection in Aftercare: We take a critical look at the rise of AI-driven tools marketed to funeral directors and…
On DeathcareAlanna Navin on Leadership Lessons from ICCFA University
In this episode, Tony Russo sits down with Alanna Navin, Assistant Funeral Manager at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery. Returning for her second year at…
On DeathcareNew Funeral Home Healthcare Benefits, Indiana Board Hits Back, and More
Hi, folks! Instead of autogenerated show notes this week, I’ve included a cleaned-up transcript. It’s still AI-assisted, but from words that came out of my…
On DeathcareIllinois Crackdowns, Aging Mausoleums, and the High-End Pitch for Private Estates
In this episode of The Rest, we cover body-mishandling investigations in Chicago, regulatory enforcement shifts in Illinois, mausoleum maintenance issues in…
On DeathcareThe Natural Funeral CEO Mike Reagan on the (Local) Future of Human Composting
In this episode, host Tony Russo sits down with Mike Reagan, CEO of The Natural Funeral and Terracare, which manufactures and sells human composting vessels…
On DeathcareProposed NFDA Merger, SCI Strategy Shift, and Oklahoma Casket Regulation
In this episode of The Rest, host Tony Russo looks into a proposed association merger, recent corporate earnings reports, licensing disputes in Texas, and…
On DeathcareTexas Fraud, Parting Stone Spotlight, NOR Updates, and Consolidator Changes
In this episode of The Rest, host Tony Russo covers the latest news and updates across the funeral service industry, including legal updates in Texas, cemetery…
On DeathcareHeritage Family COO Lindsay Granson on Navigating Funeral Home Integration
In this episode, host Tony Russo and Lindsay Granson discuss rebranding funeral homes, managing large-scale operational integrations, and the shifting…
On DeathcareConsolidation News, A New Orleans Eviction, and AI's Backlash Problem
In this episode of The Rest, host Tony Russo breaks down major structural shifts among deathcare consolidators, a New Orleans funeral home eviction story, and…
On DeathcareConsolidator Updates, More on AI, and the End of 'Cemetery Mischief' in Indiana
In this episode, we dive into a criminal charge in Indiana, check in on major consolidators like SCI and Carriage, look into shifting cremation rates in the…
On DeathcareEarned Media, Permit Pitfalls, Body Prep, and More
Episode Overview In this week’s roundup, Tony Russo covers the practical power of earned media for local funeral homes, updates on an alarming financial…
On DeathcareOperating in the Gray Area: Tanya Marsh on the Indiana Death Doula Case
In this special “Death Doula” edition of The Rest, host Tony Russo sits down with law professor and funeral law expert Tanya Marsh to break down the recent…
On DeathcareBuried in the Past: Modernizing a Legacy Family Cemetery at Lincoln Memorial
When a legacy family cemetery faces a sudden transition, the threat of receivership or a corporate fire sale looms large. In this episode, host Tony Russo sits…
On DeathcarePE Money in Deathcare, Preneed Fraud Deals, and Cremation Missteps
This week on The Rest, host Tony Russo covers shifts and critical developments across the deathcare industry. The episode breaks down the recent leadership…
On DeathcareA Possible Shakeup, Mis-cremation Implications, and a Green Cemetery Coup
This week on The Rest, we dive into the leadership shakeup at Foundation Partners Group. We also look closely at a recent civil lawsuit in Ohio that…
On DeathcareStandards v. Trends: Faith Haug on the Future of Mortuary Education
In this episode, host Tony Russo sits down with Faith Haug, mortuary science program director for Arapahoe Community College and newly elected…
On DeathcareNFDA Election Silence, ASD Viral Videos, a Tornado Survival, and More
In this episode of The Rest, Tony Russo rounds up the latest major headlines shaking up and shaping the deathcare industry, from viral social media shifts to…
On DeathcareNFDA Election Drama and Earth Funeral Moves East
In this week’s episode, Tony Russo breaks down a highly unusual and contentious development in the National Funeral Directors Association election. We also…
On DeathcareReimagining Deathcare Community Outreach with Beth King
In this episode, Tony Russo sits down with Beth King, general manager of her family’s multi-generational funeral firm. Beth talks about her firm’s partnership…
On DeathcarePoliticizing Funeral Service, the Case for Burial, and More
In this week’s episode, host Tony Russo dives into the heavily politicized battle over Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) in Oklahoma, legislative updates on…
On DeathcarePierce Dempsey on Why Your Funeral Home Needs to Engage Hospice
In this episode of On the Clock, host Tony Russo sits down with Pierce Dempsey of Leaf Cremation to explore the relationship between funeral professionals and…
On Deathcare'Dan the Funeral Man,' Carriage Goes Big, and the Texas Implosion Begins
In this episode, Tony Russo dives into the latest developments across the deathcare industry, from regulatory drama in Texas to corporate shifts at Carriage…
On DeathcareFrom Montana to the Hill: Chris Holt on Strengthening the Voice of Funeral Service
In this episode of On the Clock, host Tony Russo sits down with Chris Holt, a funeral director and crematory technician from Montana who is currently running…
On DeathcareConservation and Closure: Life Forest and Helping Children Grieve
In this episode of On Death Care, host Tony Russo sits down with Stephanie Rush and Amanda Goodell, co-authors of the award-winning children’s book, You Can…
On DeathcareBad Juju, Better Practices, the Battle for Terramation and More
In this episode, Tony Russo covers high-profile controversies in Detroit, the ongoing legislative battles surrounding natural organic reduction, and cultural…
On DeathcareCarlton Maye Jr. on Service, Advocacy, and the Future of Education
In this episode of On the Clock, Tony Russo interviews National Funeral Directors Association Secretary Candidate Carlton Maye Jr. Maye discusses his…
On DeathcareAuthenticity as Currency, Insider Tech, and Human Composting Advances in Illinois
In this episode of The Rest, Tony Russo dives into the importance of “being the face” of your funeral business to establish authentic community trust. From the…
On DeathcareLobbying and Lifelines: Maureen Krienen on the NDFA, Retention Issues, and Independent Ownership
In this episode of On the Clock, Tony Russo speaks with Maureen Krienen, a fourth-generation funeral director and candidate for an at-large position on the…
On DeathcareICCFA's Nadira Baddeliyanage on Advocacy, Leadership and 30 Years in Deathcare
In this episode, host Tony Russo sits down with Nadira Baddeliyanage, Executive Director of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, to…
On DeathcareShakeups Galore in Texas, Everstory and the EEOC, and The Final Whistle
In this episode, Tony Russo breaks down a high-stakes week in the funeral industry, from executive departures at Park Lawn to significant legal and regulatory…
On DeathcareThe New Guard: Shelby Ogozaly on Youth and Leadership in Funeral Service
In this episode of On the Clock, Tony Russo sits down with Shelby Ogozaly, a first-generation funeral director and NFDA at-large candidate. As part of a…
On DeathcareWitness Cremation, Human Compost Bans, and Preneed Scandals
In this week’s episode, Tony Russo breaks down the latest shifts in the death care industry, from innovative “witness cremation” practices to legal battles…
On DeathcareNFDA Board Candidate Steven Johnson on Earned Media, Growth, and Advocacy
In this episode of On the Clock, Tony Russo sits down with Steven Johnson, CFSP, a first-generation funeral director from Western New York who has overseen…
On DeathcarePablo Metz on Bringing Terramation to Individual Funeral Homes
In this episode, Tony Russo sits down with Pablo Metz, co-founder of Germany-based Circulum Systems, to discuss the operational and technical realities of…
On DeathcareThe CCMS Sale, Minnesota Burial Troubles, and a Funeral Home Estate Sale
In this week’s roundup, we dive into the major shifts impacting mortuary education, a bittersweet farewell to a historic Polish funeral home, and ongoing legal…
On DeathcareRehan Choudhry on Chptr’s Expansion and Recognizing Funeral Directors
In this episode of On the Clock, Tony Russo sits down with Rehan Choudhry, founder of Chptr, to discuss the company’s growth and future. Chptr has expanded…
On DeathcareImproving Enforcement, Downsizing to Rightsize, and Navigating Tough Times
Stories Covered in This Episode * Illinois Regulatory Changes: Representative Anthony DeLuca is working to give the Illinois Comptroller’s Office more…
On DeathcareAlways a Teacher: Erin Wilson’s New Mission at Funeral Women Lead
In this episode, Tony Russo sits down with Erin Wilson to discuss her new role at Funeral Women Lead and the launch of the Women’s Leadership Academy. Erin…
On DeathcareSCI’s Preneed Strategy, Electric Cremation in the U.S., and the Tech Bros Are Coming
This week we look at a shift in strategy from SCI, the “homogenization” of funeral service, “disruptor” startups, green tech in Detroit, and legislative wins…
On DeathcareMental health, fraud legislation, and an ME's weird debt problem
In this episode of The Rest, Tony Russo tackles the mental health and retention crisis facing funeral professionals, highlighting a new survey aimed at…