04/05/2026
Meet Your 2026 Convention Speakers — First Look
Ben Upton, Carlos Quezada, and Chris Cruger are headed to San Antonio this June
Ben R. Upton
Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Fewell Monument, Buchanan Group — Indianapolis, IN
Turning Your Cemetery into a Triple-Threat
Ben will walk attendees through three key areas that can ensure growth in your cemetery. He will discuss the why behind Aftercare and what steps to take with a family after the services of a loved one. He will review the vital steps to cremation placement and the framework to make it a success. And he will outline creating and offering estates in your cemetery to capture large sales and the intermediate estates that give families their own cemetery within a cemetery.
Carlos R. Quezada
Chief Executive Officer & Vice Chairman, Carriage Services, Inc.
From Hospitality to High Purpose: Leading with Service Excellence
In this keynote, Carlos Quezada shares how foundational lessons from early roles in hospitality shaped a disciplined approach to service, consistency, and operational excellence — and how those same principles, when elevated, transform the funeral profession into something deeply meaningful. Central to this journey is the role of leadership in intentionally designing systems, behaviors, and standards that reinforce culture. Attendees will gain a clear perspective on how repeatable service disciplines, attention to detail, and purposeful leadership can move an organization from transactional service to delivering truly exceptional, trust-based experiences. Participants will leave with three core takeaways: first, how to operationalize service excellence through simple, repeatable behaviors that scale across teams; second, how to lead with intention by designing a culture where people take pride in delivering elevated, detail-oriented experiences; and third, how to connect daily actions to a larger purpose, turning routine interactions into moments that honor life and create lasting impact for families and communities.
Chris Cruger
Chief Executive Officer, Foresight
Insights in Action: How Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors Are Reshaping the Funeral & Cemetery Business Model
For seven years, Foresight has conducted in-depth research into consumer attitudes and behaviors related to the funeral and cemetery profession. Designed to move beyond anecdotes and assumptions, this research delivers fact-based insights that help businesses anticipate change and respond with confidence. Over the past four years, Foresight expanded this work to include funeral and cemetery professionals, creating a rare dual-perspective view of the profession. The findings reveal a critical challenge: a growing disconnect between what consumers expect and how many businesses operate today. In some cases, the profession is not only out of sync but resistant to the very changes shaping consumer decision-making. This session explores where and why these gaps exist, drawing on key findings from Foresight's research. Attendees will gain practical insights into the attitudes, behaviors, and expectations influencing purchasing decisions today and tomorrow. More importantly, they will leave with clear strategies for bridging the perception gap, adapting their business models, and positioning their organizations for long-term relevance and success in an evolving marketplace.
Three more speaker spotlights will be featured in the May edition of The Southern Connection.
Registration is open now — visit SCCFA.info/convention to secure your spot.