Tech Turbocharge in Baltimore to Elevate the Deathcare Profession with Digital Tools and Insights 

Join Your Peers on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 

When you come to Tech Turbocharge: Digital Tools to Elevate the Deathcare Profession, you’ll learn how to put technology to work for you, your staff, and most importantly – the families you serve.

On Dec. 11, 2025, some of the most trusted experts in deathcare will come together at the DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore – BWI Airport to reveal why it’s so important to embrace new technology solutions and which tools can help your funeral home, crematory and/or cemetery boost market share. You’ll walk away with a blueprint so you can:

• Enhance the family experience: Modern tools provide personalized, seamless communication, helping families feel more supported during difficult times.
• Boost operational efficiency: Automation and integrated systems reduce administrative burdens, allowing staff to focus on compassionate service.
• Improve revenue streams: Advanced marketing and analytics tools can drive more preneed and at-need cases by reaching the right families at the right time.
• Future-proof your business: Early adoption of technology ensures long-term competitiveness as consumer expectations continue to evolve.

Visit www.TechTurbocharge.com to learn more about the event – or just click on the events tab on FuneralVision.com.

Continuing education applications for the event, which is hosted by FuneralVision.com, are underway.

“Whether it’s communicating with families over the phone, using technology to make services more personal, streamlining business processes or leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence, technology is increasingly at the core of funeral service,” said Thomas Parmalee, founder of FuneralVision.com. “We’re excited to offer an event that focuses on how funeral homes, crematories, combination operations and cemeteries to use technology to retain and boost market share, while also enhancing customer satisfaction and profitability.”

Speakers include:

Matthew Bailey is a sixth-generation licensed funeral director and embalmer, certified celebrant, certified crematory operator and celebrant trainer. He owns Connecticut Life Tributes, which includes B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, Bailey Funeral Home and Carpino Funeral Home. He will deliver a session titled “Tech that Touches: Using Technology to Enhance the Human Experience in Funeral Service.”

Minh Reid, manager of e-commerce and web strategy at Carriage Services, is a strategic leader in digital merchandising, e-commerce and site optimization, recognized for driving meaningful improvements in user experience and digital performance.  As manager of e-commerce and web strategy at Carriage Services, she spearheads initiatives that combine data-driven insights with compassionate design, helping funeral homes and cemeteries create digital experiences that are as supportive and accessible as in-person care.  

Brent Thomas, head of business development at Dead Ringers, has more than 28 years of experience in the deathcare profession. He began his journey in cemetery and funeral preneed sales before quickly advancing into sales leadership roles. He went on to work at Batesville and also led the sales training and development team at Homesteaders Life Company. He will deliver a session titled “Beyond the Call: Using Analytics, Learning and AI to Elevate the Customer Experience.”

Welton Hong, founder and CEO of Ring Ring Marketing and the secret weapon behind some of the deathcare profession’s highest volume firms, will deliver a presentation titled “Tech-Savvy Growth: How AI and Digital Marketing Can Elevate Your Business.”

Cole Waybright is the vice president of sales optimization at Homesteaders Life Company. He formerly was an executive at Foundation Partners Group, serving as vice president of sales operations, director of preneed and as a preneed manager. He will deliver a session titled “Breaking Silos: Maximizing Efficiency with Integrated Technology.”

Reserve Your Seat Early and Save Money! 

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baltimore – BWI Airport is 10 minutes from Baltimore/Washington International Airport, with a free 24-hour shuttle both ways.

Its location near I-195 offers easy access to downtown: Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, and the Inner Harbor are eight miles away. Enjoy a warm chocolate chip cookie when you arrive!

Register for Tech Turbocharge before Sept. 12 and you will pay only $229 per ticket, which includes breakfast and lunch. After the early-bird expires, everyone pays $349.

Reserve your hotel room at our special rate here:  https://group.doubletree.com/9nhuvg

Tech Turbocharge would not be possible without our generous sponsors, including our Platinum sponsor, Homesteaders Life Company; and our Gold sponsors, Celebrate Life Co., ASD – Answering Service for Directors, Nomis Publications and Ring Ring Marketing.

Don’t miss your chance to join your peers and move your business forward by signing up for Tech Turbocharge.

Don’t forget: Visit www.TechTurbocharge.com to learn more about the event – or just click on the events tab on FuneralVision.com.

A week ago today I woke up to the news of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor.  It wasn’t so long ago that I was in Baltimore for the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in October 2022.  I was in awe of being in proximity to this historical area where Fort McHenry lent so much to the birth and early history of our nation.  And, I even enjoyed a great meal overlooking the that same harbor with some of my dear friends from the profession.

Needless to say, the tragedy that was the bridge collapse is heartbreaking. . . and it looks like at least six innocent souls will have perished during the event which makes it even more heartbreaking.

As an optimist I look for positives in almost all situations. . . I’ve found that attitude to be healthy.  In coaching being behind in the score of a game always gave an opportunity for a great comeback.  In funeral service there was always ways to improve visuals and/or services which created an opportunity for family satisfaction.  Being optimistic, like I said, has always been healthy for me.

However, there is also a big part of me, that while optimistic, is also realistic.  And, when I think of the bridge collapse I think of the enormous financial costs that will need to be born to put a new bridge in place.  And, wherever the money comes from there is a good bet that at least part of the construction cost will come from the State of Maryland.

That’s where I find this interesting and a potential connection to funeral service.  Earlier this month I read this article from ABC News Channel 7 out of Arlington, Virginia, that suggested that the Maryland state budget was about $761 million to the negative side of balanced and one of the ideas floated to rescue the budget was for a tax on certain services, such as funerals.

I saw the article, published on March 9th — almost three weeks before the bridge collapse.  I then concluded that there was not much possibility for this idea to move forward so it was one of those articles that I read in my research but just let go without seeing any reason to share it with my readers.  However, that was before the bridge collapse and the potential necessity of more funds being needed by the state of Maryland.

Who knows what will happen now?. . . But being a “realist” in society all but concludes to me that “anything is possible” going forward.

Funeral Director Daily take:  I don’t want to take a leap and say that an event will cause a tax, however, seeing the article and then the event in such a close chronological time period made me think of the possibility of the tax now happening.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

What thinking about it also did was make me think about sales taxes on funerals and funeral merchandise.  In lieu of no national sales tax each state is allowed to legislate if and how they will charge sales tax.  That creates some interesting scenarios for funeral service across the country.

For instance, at one time in Minnesota, a rental casket was taxable but a casket used for burial or cremation was not.  I don’t think that is still the case, but I’m not really sure.

And while this article is somewhat dated – 2015 – it does point out some of the interesting sales tax situations across the nation.

Taxing, spending, and tax fairness will always be an issue in America.  Implementing the taxes on as local a base as possible will be cause for a myriad of taxes and reasons for them. . . . .however, that is government decisions as close to home as they can be and in my book, that is not necessarily such a bad thing.

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