Mark Scharenbroich

Speaker/Author

Mark is known as a top performer in the speaking industry for his authentic delivery, his talent for delivering unique stories and his comedic timing. His audiences remember his “Nice Bike” presentation for years after it is delivered.

Mark’s core messages have always been about connecting. Sometimes it was in schools to help teachers connect to their students, or in organizations and businesses to help team members feel truly connected to their core values and their customers.

Mark’s biggest “Aha!” moment came while traveling through Milwaukee, Wisconsin to a speaking engagement. It was there that he stumbled upon the Harley-Davidson 100th year anniversary celebration. He kept overhearing people as they passed bikers share two simple words, “Nice Bike”.

A connection was made. It gave Mark an unforgettable metaphor that inspired him to write his award-winning book, Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life.

Andy Clayton, CFSP

Executive Director, Indiana Funeral Directors Association

Andy Clayton, CFSP, is a second-generation licensed Indiana funeral director and current Executive Director of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association. A graduate of Mid-America College of Funeral Service and Indiana University, he has been actively involved in funeral service since 1991.

Andy is a Past President of IFDA, 2013-14; a past member of the Indiana State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service; past Indiana Policy Board Representative to the National Funeral Directors Association; and a lifetime Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, CFSP, through the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice since 2002.

Dana Goodell

Director of Education and Sales for The Embalmers Supply Company

Dana Goodell serves as director of Education and Sales for The Embalmers Supply Company. He is a 30 plus year veteran of funeral service. Dana has extensive experience in all areas of funeral service but his main emphasis has always been providing every family a positive memory picture of a loved one.

Dana is a 1987 graduate of Southwestern Community College in Iowa and a 1988 graduate of Dallas Insititute of Funeral Service. Prior to accepting his current position, he served as a prep room supervisor for 14 years in a large volume firm in Iowa. He has always been a proponent of quality embalming on each and every case, as well as researching new and old techniques that e nsure that no matter what it takes to do an excellent job in the embalming room you just simply do it.

He has attended the Fountain National Academy in Springfield , Missouri, and has previously presented to the New Hampshire State Funeral Directors Convention, Maine Funeral Directors annual meeting, The Iowa Funeral Directors State Convention. He was a presenter at the 2022, 2023,and 2024 NFDA national conferences, as well as many local district seminars throughout the United States,as well as at mortuary programs. In the year 2018 he traveled to the Philippines and conducted trainning sessions for more than 200 embalmers over a 6 day period of time, as well as showing pratical modern techniques that were not currently in use.

Dana is a great believer in putting the emphasis back on the deceased, not an urn, he has witnessed both professionally and personally what a difference a quality presentation does for the family and friends, and the overall need for a public viewing of a loved one will do in the recovery from the grief process. 

Today Dana continues to be actively involved in funeral service as he serves as a part-time director and embalmer for Christy Smith Funeral Homes in Sioux City, Iowa where he and his family have made their home for the past 32 years. He has been married to his wife Lorna, who is his biggest cheerleader and supporter since 1979.  They have one grown son. 

Eric Layer

Partner, McKee Wallwork

Eric Layer is the author of The Right Way of Death: Restoring the American Funeral Business to Its True Calling. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics, and a Master of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of York. Eric has spent his entire life around funeral service. His parents were married in the chapel of the mortuary where they both worked, and his childhood was marked by firsthand experience with the funeral homes and cemetery where his family built their careers. Today, he heads up a variety of consulting efforts as partner at McKee Wallwork, an internationally recognized organizational identity firm that specializes in bespoke solutions to unify and inspire leading companies from the inside out. Eric has consulted for globally recognized funeral brands and has played an integral role in their campaigns, products, and research efforts. He has presented in front of thousands of leading funeral professionals, including Selected Independent Funeral Homes, CANA, and numerous state and provincial associations. 

Nelson Thulin

Director of Business Consulting Services, Johnson Consulting

Nelson Thulin began his funeral service career at a family-owned funeral home in Wisconsin and over the course of 35+ years, his work experience has included independent ownership as well as corporate leadership roles. His management experience ranges from a single location serving approximately 100 families a year to multi-location markets serving over thousands of families annually. 

As Director of Business Consulting Services at Johnson Consulting, Nelson has overseen the development of JCG’s Leadership and Management Academy, the nationally recognized Customer Experience Workshops, internationally utilized Strategic Planning and the highly rated Business Assessment Program. Nelson emphasizes a keen focus on the importance of exceeding expectations of client families and providing a meaningful and memorable experience for their guests, resulting in a loyal advocacy of our profession as well as continued growth of individual businesses.