Wednesday – Day 1 MASCFC
November 12, 2025
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Grand Ballroom

Registration

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Exhibitor Kick off Reception

Join our exhibitors and your industry peers for drinks and appetizers.

Thursday – Day 2 MASCFC
November 13, 2025
8:00 am - 9:15 am
Grand Ballroom

Breakfast with our Exhibitors

9:30 am - 9:45 am
Grand Ballroom

Opening Remarks

9:45 am - 10:45 am
Grand Ballroom

Your CRM Is Not a Fancy Rolodex—Use It Like a Boss

Tim Kolasa
Director of Operations at Merendino Cemetery Care

Let’s be honest—most CRMs are either underused, misused, or just plain ignored (until someone needs a report five minutes ago). This session isn’t for your sales staff (they already sat through the click-by-click tutorial). It’s for you—the owner, the manager, the person who has to pretend to understand what’s going on when the reports don’t add up. We’ll cover how your team should actually be using the CRM so you’re not left guessing about leads, follow-ups, or whether Steve from sales is just winging it again. We’ll unpack the dashboards and data you should actually care about, discuss how automations get stuff done without reminders, and why “just checking in” isn’t a real strategy.

If your CRM isn’t giving you the right insights—or any insights at all—it’s time to fix that.

No fluff. No tech talk.

11:00 am - 11:30 am
Grand Ballroom

Break with Exhibitors

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Engaging Your Cemetery with Communities for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

Ashley Abruzzo
Heritage Tourism Manager for the Crossroads of the American Revolution

The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution is less than a year away! Are you ready? Last year we discussed how New Jersey’s 250th commemorative organization, RevolutionNJ, was getting all New Jerseyans ready for its commemoration period. Across America, state commemorative organizations have been working hard to get their residents prepared for the commemoration as well. Kids, adults, museums, historic sites, and yes, cemeteries, have a role to play. What are cemeteries doing to be involved? How can they better engage with their community? How can cemeteries connect to a broader tourism initiative? All this and more will be discussed in this session.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Grand Ballroom

Lunch with Exhibitors

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Grand Ballroom

AI in Action: Practical ChatGPT Applications for Deathcare Professionals

Pierce Dempsey
Fourth Generation Cemeterian

AI is transforming every industry, and deathcare is no exception. In this highly practical session, we’ll move beyond theory and dive into hands-on applications of AI—specifically ChatGPT—to streamline operations, improve customer interactions, and enhance marketing strategies. You’ll learn how to use AI tools to automate tasks, generate content, and improve decision-making.

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Break with Exhibitors

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Grave Concerns, Bold Solutions: 5 Steps Toward Cemetery Renewal

Jason Troyer
Grief Psychologist

Once revered, cemeteries are now increasingly overlooked by the communities they serve. This trend won’t be reversed with traditional sales strategies, AI, or outdated marketing approaches. Instead, we must return to our roots, but with a modern twist. Thankfully, cemeteries have several unique ‘super powers’ working in their favor. In this presentation, Dr. Jason Troyer will describe 5 strategies cemeteries can use to revitalize themselves and remain relevant in their communities.

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Closing Remarks followed by time with Exhibitors

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Grand Ballroom

Closing Connections Reception