Tech Turbocharge: Digital Tools to Elevate the Deathcare Profession

Dec. 11, 2025 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baltimore - BWI Airport

Tech Turbocharge

Digital Tools to Elevate the Deathcare Profession

At Tech Turbocharge, you’ll learn how to put technology to work for you, your staff, and most importantly – the families you serve.

Some of the most trusted experts in deathcare will 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-proofing: Early adoption of technology ensures long-term competitiveness as consumer expectations continue to evolve.

Whether it’s leveraging artificial intelligence, managing workflows or putting best practices into place that result in families rushing to give you five-star reviews, you’ll discover how technology can transform your business for the better.

Tech Turbocharge Starts in:

About the Speakers

Well known industry leaders

Matthew
Bailey
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 has conducted trainings for the National Funeral Directors Association, International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association, Cremation Association of North America and numerous other groups and associations. He attended the America Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service (AAMI) in New York City where he was elected by his peers to serve as class president. He went on to join the faculty of his alma mater and currently serves on the school’s board of directors as treasurer. He was named “Funeral Director of the Year” in 2021 by American Funeral Director magazine.
Welton
Hong
Welton Hong, founder and CEO of Ring Ring Marketing, is the secret weapon behind some of the deathcare profession’s highest volume firms. A leading expert in helping businesses in deathcare, hospice and senior care, his marketing strategies help firms of all sizes convert leads from online directly to the phone line. He is the author of “Making Your Phone Ring with Internet Marketing”. Prior to starting Ring Ring Marketing, he was a senior technologist for Intel, Sun Microsystems and Oracle.
Brent
Thomas
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’s gained award-winning recognition as a business consultant, trainer, coach, mentor, and strategic sales leader. His dedication to supporting families remains at the core of his professional mission.
Cole
Waybright
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. With significant experience as a leader focused on strategic sales and business operations efforts, he had driven high-level growth while streamlining operations. He’s passionate about training, leadership, mentorship, and implementing best practices to influence process improvements.
Minh
Reid
Minh Reid 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. With more families beginning their journey online, Minh focuses on meeting them where they are, whether through mobile-friendly obituaries that serve as lasting memorials or integrated eCommerce features that allow loved ones to connect and support from afar. Her work reflects a core belief: Technology doesn’t replace care, it amplifies it.

Agenda

Tech Turbocharge Speakers and Topics

Thursday December 11, 2025

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Registration, Breakfast & Networking

Start your day by connecting with fellow attendees and your hosts. Grab your conference materials, settle in, and enjoy a piping hot cup of coffee, fresh juice, and a selection of delicious breakfast treats, from toasted bagels to flaky danishes. It’s the perfect opportunity to network, meet new faces, and gear up for a day packed with insightful discussions, valuable business connections, and fresh ideas.

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Brent Thomas

Head of Business Development, Dead Ringers

Beyond the Call: Using Analytics, Learning and AI to Elevate the Customer Experience

From the early days of telephony to today’s AI-driven customer interactions, technology has revolutionized how we connect. However, at its core, telephony remains distinctly human-built on communication, trust and empathy. As businesses strive to optimize customer experiences, the intersection of technology, training, and analytics plays a critical role in answering the call for excellence. Brent Thomas, head of business development at Dead Ringers, will explore the intersection of technology and communicating with customers. Walk away knowing how to:

Grasp the impact of the “human effect” that separates the telephone from other forms of technology.
Identify the six pillars of customer experience and how it begins.
Implement a customer experience on the telephone.
Bolster the customer experience through interactions on the phone.
Leverage insights from AI to enhance how you engage with families on the phone.

Don’t miss this session that will demystify the evolving role of telephony in today’s customer experience landscape. Whether you’re in business development, customer service, or leadership, you’ll walk away with practical tools and fresh insights to humanize phone interactions in a digital world.

9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Break

9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Welton Hong

Founder and CEO, Ring Ring Marketing

Tech-Savvy Growth: How AI and Digital Marketing Can Elevate Your Business

In 2026, the winners in the deathcare space won’t just be compassionate — they’ll be tech-enabled. That’s because the digital expectations of today's families are evolving fast, and leveraging digital marketing and AI is essential to stay competitive. In this session, Welton Hong will reveal how AI and digital innovation are reshaping the way funeral homes, crematories and cemeteries attract, convert, and serve families. You’ll explore practical, immediately actionable ways to use technology to:

Optimize your website and mobile experience for higher conversion rates.
Automate and enhance your online advertising for stronger ROI.
Monitor and manage your reputation with AI-powered review insights.
Generate compelling, localized content that resonates with families.
Predict and respond to market shifts before the competition.

If you're looking to grow both at-need and preneed business while delivering standout customer service, this is the session for you. Learn how to strengthen your brand and claim more market share in an increasingly digital world.

10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Nicholas Allan

Founder of Celebrate Life Co.

Sponsor Presentation

Nicholas Allan, the founder of Celebrate Life Co. (one of our Gold Sponsors), which is revolutionizing cemetery care with innovative add-on services that enhance and personalize the memorial experience, will share how his company is seamlessly blending technology with tradition to ensure that every tribute is beautifully maintained and easily accessible.

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Cole Waybright

VP-Sales Optimization, Homesteaders Life Company

Breaking Silos: Maximizing Efficiency with Integrated Technology

Cole Waybright, vice president of sales optimization at Homesteaders Life Company, will shine a spotlight on how disconnected tech tools can slow down operations, create inefficiencies and hinder collaboration. That realization is the first step to understanding the importance of leveraging integrated technology solutions to advance funeral home operations. Find out how to:

Increase efficiency, optimize processes, and improve the customer experience.
Eliminate silos, improve data accuracy and support business growth by seamlessly integrating different technology solutions.
Take simple steps to successfully implement a connected tech ecosystem – and get all the members of your staff invested in your approach.

With new technology emerging daily, it's crucial to identify which solutions will benefit you and appeal to the families you serve.

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Lunch

Enjoy a delicious spread for lunch, sip a cold beverage and network with peers as you share best practices and gear up for an afternoon of learning.

1:15 PM - 1:30 PM

Craig Meehan

National Sales Manager at ASD

Sponsor Presentation

Craig Meehan, national sales manager at ASD – Answering Service for Directors, the leading funeral home answering service, will highlight how ASD leverages technology to provide stellar service to funeral home clients and the families they serve.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Matthew Bailey

Owner of Connecticut Life Tributes

Tech that Touches: Using Technology to Enhance the Human Experience in Funeral Service

In an increasingly digital world, families still seek deeply human experiences, especially in times of grief. Tech that Touches is a forward-looking session that explores how funeral professionals can harness technology not to replace the personal, but to enhance it. From AI-assisted storytelling and livestreaming to digital keepsakes and memory-sharing platforms, learn how to use today’s technology to deliver more meaningful tributes, more personalized interactions, and more lasting connections. With numerous practical takeaways and real-life examples, this session offers a blueprint for integrating innovation with empathy, raising service standards while preserving what matters most: the human touch.

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Break

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Minh Reid

Manager of E-Commerce & Web Strategy, Carriage Services

Compassionate Innovation in E-Commerce, Obituaries and Web Optimization

More families than ever are starting their journey online searching for guidance, comfort and connection in the moments they need it most. This session explores how funeral professionals can thoughtfully harness digital tools to extend their compassion beyond the front door. From transforming obituaries into lasting digital memorials to offering meaningful e-commerce experiences and optimizing your website to feel as warm and intuitive as your in-person care, we’ll uncover how technology can quietly but powerfully amplify your mission. Because technology doesn’t replace care, it amplifies it. If you're looking to turn your website into a true extension of your service, this is the conversation you don’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn:

Why shifting consumer behaviors and mobile-first expectations are redefining the funeral planning journey.
How to create obituary experiences that serve as living memorials and meaningful touchpoints for families.
How to offer sympathy gifts in a way that supports connection and creates new, meaningful revenue.
Website must-haves, from mobile design to accessibility, that help families feel supported from the first click.
Key performance metrics and practical tips to optimize your site’s speed, usability and conversion.

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Q&A and Closing Remarks

Hotel

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baltimore - BWI Airport

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baltimore – BWI Airport

890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, Maryland, 21090, USA

Book your room at our special rate for Tech Turbocharge! »

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!

Amenities include free parking, free WiFi and a fitness center.

There is also an on-site restaurant: Eden’s Landing offers a relaxing setting with a pleasing variety of menu selections. Eden’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and features a lounge area with full bar. You can also enjoy Eden’s in the comfort of your room by ordering room service.