Smashing Records and Demolishing Barriers, the 2025 Funeral (Un)Conference Raised the Bar

You know when someone tries to explain an amazing experience and says, “I guess you just had to be there…?” Well, that’s the best thing about the fifth annual Funeral (Un)Conference, which happened live from Scottsdale, Arizona on June 17 and 18. You didn’t have to be there to witness what an absolute monster this year’s event morphed into — you just had to watch. 

And here’s the best news: you still can … and for free.

Down with records, up with the bar

This year, DISRUPT Media CEO and Connecting Directors founder Ryan Thogmartin packed the stage with leaders from more than 20 deathcare powerhouses for eight hours of real talk — no fluff, BS-free, bold, and brutally honest conversations about the state of industry and what the future holds. More than 1,600 attendees registered and tuned in for the (Un)Conference, making it, hands-down, the largest virtual event in deathcare history.

“This wasn’t just another webinar — this was the biggest virtual moment in deathcare history,” Thogmartin said. “We broke old barriers and brought the biggest names from the biggest companies to the same table, unfiltered. If you didn’t watch, you missed history.” 

What you (may have) missed

One of those history-making moments took place on the first day of the (Un)Conference, when representatives from three leading casket and vault companies shared the stage for the first time ever — and hopefully it won’t be the last. In a discussion that touched on everything from digital showrooms to cucumber-melon-scented embalming fluids to Ryan Thogmartin’s early days wrecking vault carts and jack-knifing trucks, Jenn Parvin from Batesville, Billy Eaton from Matthews-Aurora, and Lance Ray from The Wilbert Group shared where their respective companies are focusing their attention in the next 12 to 36 months. 

This wasn’t the only panel where competitors came together for the better good. After a one-on-one with Curtis Funk, founder of (Un)Conference title sponsor Tukios, Thogmartin gathered a tremendous panel of tech experts to join Funk, including Legacy.com’s John Heald, Funeral 365’s Eric Banks, and Tribute Technology’s Matt Powell. The top takeaway? Technology is transforming funeral home operations, websites are the windows to your firm, and artificial intelligence is the new Google. That last point was emphasized by Antonio Green, director at James H. Cole Home for Funerals in Detroit and AI aficionado, who shared some must-try hacks to easily harness the power of generative AI.

All in two days’ work

All of this (and much more) happened on day one — four hours of original, once-in-a-lifetime collabs and content … so you can imagine what day two brought to the table. 

Oh, wait — you don’t have to imagine it. You can watch it for yourself! So shed your suit, grab your popcorn, and click the links below … and enjoy.

Watch day one of Funeral (Un)Conference:

Watch day two of Funeral (Un)Conference:

You won’t want this monumental event to pass you by. Trust us, you’ll be crushing conversations next week as you spill all the knowledge your noggin can hold!

Kudos and credits

This phenomenal funeral conference wouldn’t have been possible without the following featured panelists: Tukios, Elevia, Travel Plan by Inman, Legacy.com, Foresight, Ring Ring Marketing, Global Atlantic, Treasured Memories, Batesville, Jen Graziano, C&J Financial, Antonio Green, and Cremation Recycling, as well as  Sepio Guard, Johnson Consulting Group, Funeral 365, Funeral Cremation Marketing (FCM Marketing), Matthews International, The Wilbert Group, Tribute Technology – Virtual, and Memory Share.