Lindsay Granson is an accomplished, seasoned executive sales and operations leader with proven expertise across sales and marketing, people operations, and operational functions.

Lindsay is a recognized turnaround specialist, leading teams and operations through new, ambiguous situations and forging a path to successful results.

As a performance-driven professional, Lindsay leverages her experience and expertise within sales and marketing to advance operations and deliver positive outcomes across all business functions.

Lindsay is a graduate of Wright State University with her Bachelor of Arts degree. She is dedicated to continuous learning, earning Certified Interviewer specializing in Targeted Selection Behavioral Interviewing as well as being a Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Lindsay thinks that coming into the industry six years ago from a different area has given her a fresh prospective to bring to the table. She is very passionate about the evolution of the industry and the impact we can make on all demographics moving forward.

Please note: Lindsay Granson has withdrawn from the 2023 ICCFA Board of Directors Election.

Spencer Hines started his career in the profession in 2006 as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Kansas and Missouri. He had the opportunity to work for SCI over 12 years in different roles: Funeral director, general manager, plus multi-unit leadership roles for operations and sales. In 2018, he joined NorthStar Memorial Group as the Vice President of Service Sales. NorthStar Memorial Group focuses on sales and operational training, deploying marketing strategies, growing businesses, and enhancing customer service through personalized services.

Spencer has been on the board of the Southern Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (SCCFA) since 2014 and is currently serving as the president of the association. He is also a member of the Florida Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (FCCFA) and attends the convention.

Rene has been in the industry since 2009, having joined Service Corporation International (SCI) as a sales manager in the Los Angeles area. After a successful run of five years as a sales director, he was promoted to SCI Houston home office in the role of director of pre-need sales for North America. In the role, Rene created and led the strategic growth plan for the Pre-Planning Advisor program and was responsible for growing the sales team to 2,000 sales personnel and 100 managers/directors while growing sales from $385M in 2018 to $500M+ in 2020. He left SCI in April 2021 to join the executive leadership team at Inglewood Park Cemetery where he leads the sales and marketing departments.

Rene participated in the DEAD Talks Sales Conference in January 2022 as a guest speaker and panelist on community engagement.

He is humbled that someone put his name forth for consideration. The industry will undergo much change over the next 10 years and he believes that he can help the ICCFA go through that change. Changing demographics (age, ethnicity, secularism, etc.) will force organizations such as the ICCFA to adapt so that we as an industry can help serve families well into the future. Rene would bring a diverse viewpoint to the board that would contribute positively to the growth and sustainability of the ICCFA.

John Newcomer graduated from the University of Kansas in 2008 with a Master’s in accounting and worked as a CPA for a large public accounting firm in Chicago until 2012. He joined the family business in 2017 as an apprentice funeral director in the Louisville, Kentucky market and managed the funeral homes in that market. In 2017 John moved to our company’s home office in Topeka, Kansas. He currently serves as the president of Newcomer Funeral Service Group. The company operates 42 funeral homes and 2 cemeteries in 10 states.

Rafael Ochao earned his MBA from Pepperdine University with a concentration in finance. He is an active member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international society of collegiate schools of business. He entered the industry after joining Hillside in 2003 as an accountant. Since then, he has held numerous roles within the company. In these various capacities, Rafael has worked on several board-level committees including finance, investment, audit, land use and planning, and marketing. He works directly with Hillside’s board of directors ensuring that their strategies align with their mission and overall business sustainability.

Rafael is an active member of the ICCFA. He is an active meeting attendee, having completed three years of ICCFA University and has attended DEAD Talks and Fall Leadership conference on a regular basis for the last several years. He is also an active member of Cemetery and Mortuary Association of California (CMAC) and holds an active funeral director license in the state of California.

He has a strong finance background that is coupled with a well-rounded multi-discipline approach. He serves on committees in our local school board and is an active volunteer at community events and with local organizations.

Andrew T. Parsell is the vice president of Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium and Parsell Pet Crematorium, with five locations serving Delaware. He is a 2008 graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. Born and raised in Lewes, Delaware, he is engrained in his community, serving as a past officer for the Volunteer Fire Department and as a member of the Catholic Church, among other organizations.

Professionally, Andrew is the past president of the Delaware Funeral Directors Association; past member of the Compassionate Care Hospice Advisory Committee; and is currently on the Certification Committee for the Pet Loss Professional Alliance (PLPA) through ICCFA, as well as appointed to the Delaware State Board of Funeral Services by Governor John Carney where he serves as secretary of the board.

Miles Penn has worked with the Lexington Cemetery for 24 years. He has mainly been on the operations side, but also has managed the cemetery’s salespeople. Miles was promoted to COO in 2019.

He has previously attended the ICCFA Annual Convention. He is the immediate past president of the SCCFA as well as the past president of the Kentucky Cemetery Association (KCA) where he is still active as a board member.

Kent Robertson is a founder, entrepreneur and business leader with 30 years of proven leadership in both public and private settings. He has board-level experience at all levels including state and national trade associations including regulatory and legislative rulemaking. His industry experiences include the healthcare service industry, industrial services, healthcare technology, automotive and deathcare.

Foundation Partners and its partners have been involved in many different aspects of ICCFA over the last 10 years.

Kent is responsible for the operations of more than 250 funeral homes and cemeteries in 21 states. Foundation Partners Group serves more than 100,000 families annually through its network of cemeteries, funeral homes and crematoria. FPG employs more than 1600 team members. His experiences and responsibilities help inform an objective perspective and bring commercial experience to the ICCFA.

Jeremy Weaver is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the state of Texas and has been in the funeral home & cemetery profession since 1995. He has a broad base of management experience with funeral homes & cemeteries. He is also proud of a multiyear focus on the cremation consumer, crematories, and development of cremation gardens in various states throughout the south. Currently, Jeremy works with Carriage locations in Florida and Louisiana.

Jeremy is a strong supporter of local and national associations and a firm believer in the value that membership and participation brings our profession. Currently, he is an officer or board member of the following associations: North Texas Funeral Directors Association (NTFDA), Texas Funeral Directors Association (TFDA), Southern Cemetery Crematory Funeral Association (SCCFA), and the Texas Cemeteries and Crematory Association (TCCA).

As a member of the Board of Directors for ICCFA, he would look forward to associating with top individuals from the industry to fortify and expand the industry on a national level. He would embrace every opportunity to grow as a devoted member of this community. Being involved with multiple state associations will facilitate more opportunities to speak on their behalf as a voice for these organizations and the industry.