Business View - March 2015 117
KEMMIS:
CANA continues to promote memorialization
and best practices in cremation. The most significant
change over the past 100 years has been the incred-
ible increase in options related to cremation technol-
ogy and memorialization. Consumers now have nearly
infinite options to remember their loved ones. This is
also particularly challenging to death-care profession-
als challenged to work with families to personalize
their experiences and navigate the myriad choices.
BUSINESS VIEW: In terms of membership numbers,
his is the association broken down?
KEMMIS:
The total membership is 3,300. Roughly
200 are supplier members – manufacturers and
service providers to death care professionals, 1,800
are funeral homes, 900 are cemeteries and 350 are
stand-alone crematories. The remainder are student,
association or school members.
BUSINESS VIEW: Have there been any recent trends
with the numbers? Any noticeable increases or de-
creases in any particular segments?
KEMMIS:
CANA membership is increasing across all
categories, but particularly among supplier members
and funeral homes.
BUSINESS VIEW: What does the “most typical” or
“most frequently occurring” member look like and
what is its most often-stated purpose for joining?
KEMMIS:
The typical member is passionate about cre-
mation and is seeking out progressive innovators in
the death-care profession. The typical cremation prac-
titioner is operating a mid-sized to larger business with
higher numbers of cremations that the local or nation-
al average. Cremation is core to their businesses.
BUSINESS VIEW: What percentage of possible mem-
bers do you think you now have signed up? How
much of the total association-appropriate audience
has been brought in?
KEMMIS:
We estimate that we have approximately 20
percent of the overall market share – total number of
funeral homes, crematories and suppliers – and 60
percent of the total number of crematories in the Unit-
ed States.
BUSINESS VIEW: Are there any associations “com-
peting” for the same groups of people, or is your or-
ganization seen by eligible members as the voice of
the profession?
KEMMIS:
CANA members typically join their state or
HEALTHCARE
