Winning the Cremation Consumer: Smart Strategies for Cemeteries

Join us on February 19, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET for, Winning the Cremation Consumer: Smart Strategies for Cemeteries, an ICCFA Webinar led by Tim Kolasa, Director of Operations at Merendino Cemetery Care, and Gino Merendino, Chief Gardener at Merendino Cemetery Care.

As cremation rates keep rising, many cemeteries are asking the same questions: Where do we start? What do families actually want? How do we avoid expensive mistakes? 

This webinar offers a simple, practical roadmap for attracting cremation families while making the most of your space and revenue. You’ll learn how to evaluate your current assets, understand what today’s consumers are looking for, and create cremation inventory that truly meets demand. 

Whether you’re an experienced manager or brand-new to the role, you’ll walk away with clear steps to move from uncertainty to opportunity. 

A Marine Corps Desert Storm veteran with 35+ years in cemetery operations, Tim Kolasa is the Director of Operations at Merendino Cemetery Care. He oversees more than 1,500 acres of cemetery property and supports operations involved in roughly 1 out of every 500 U.S. burials. A graduate of the CCC School of Leadership and Management Excellence and ICCFA University—and a former ICCFAU instructor—Tim is known for modernizing cemetery operations, improving service delivery, and expanding cremation-focused inventory. 

Gino Merendino is the Chief Gardener for Merendino Cemetery Care. He is passionate about leading the profession through education.  He is the President and a trustee of the ICCFA Educational Foundation and the Dean of the Land College for the ICCFA University. He holds a BS in Business Management from Rutgers University and is a Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardener. He is the architect of the Veteran Administration approved GI Bill Apprenticeship Training Program for cemetery care managers. 

Webinar sponsored by: