Chptr

This is one of those moments you don’t get often. On April 23, we’re taking over Times Square. Not for a brand. For a profession. We’re launching "The First Call", a national campaign to recognize funeral directors as the people communities rely on in their hardest moments. The ones who show up at 3am. The ones families turn to when everything changes. The ones who carry more than most people will ever see. And for 15 minutes, their faces and voices will be front and center in Times Square. This is just the beginning. With the support of NFDA, Tribute Technology, and Homesteaders, this campaign will extend across television, radio, and digital, reaching communities across the country and helping people better understand the role funeral directors play every day. The response so far has been incredible. Partners are leaning in. The profession is showing up. And we’re just getting started. If you’re a funeral director and want to be part of this moment, we want you in it. Email timessquare@chptr.com Let’s show the world who answers the first call.

Our founder Rehan Choudhry joined Tony Russo on On The Clock to talk about what’s changed over the last 6 years and why the last 24 months have been a turning point for Chptr. From scaling partnerships nationwide to putting obituaries on local TV in real time, the conversation covers how funeral homes are reaching their communities faster, more effectively, and with full ownership of their content. The conversation also explores an ongoing industry discussion around how technology can better support funeral directors, including ways to save time and stay focused on serving families. Watch the full video here:  https://lnkd.in/erh5sKJh

Meet Keenan Knopke. It starts with something simple. How a family is greeted. From the moment they walk through the door to make arrangements to the day of the service, every interaction should feel warm, personal, and intentional. He takes a hands-on approach, ensuring families are supported by a consistent and caring presence every step of the way. This work is deeply personal to him. When a family is in his care, they are his sole focus. Not one of many, just one. His hope is that each family feels that. That they feel seen, important, and genuinely cared for during a time when it matters most. We’re honored to share his story and the care he brings to the families and communities he serves.

Meet Monica Hall. A licensed funeral director and embalmer at Serenity Funeral Home, Monica approaches her work with a simple belief: people matter. Every life holds a story, and every family deserves a service that honors and celebrates it. For Monica, funeral service is an opportunity to create a meaningful final tribute while caring for families during one of their most difficult moments. Her hope is that each person who walks through the doors leaves feeling heard, seen, and acknowledged and that, even briefly, some of the weight they’re carrying feels lighter while their loved one is in her care. We’re honored to share the stories of the individuals behind this important work and the care they bring to the families and communities they serve.

Tom Anderson at Funeral Director Daily captured something we’ve been seeing firsthand: Funeral homes are actively looking for better ways to reach the full community when someone passes. His latest piece covers our work to bring death notices back to local broadcast, our growing partnerships, and the addition of Glenn Gould as President of Funeral Home Services. Good to see this conversation picking up across the profession. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eD8-Wq-r

Another humbling moment for Chptr: Milestone Funeral Partners is rolling out TV Obits and Slideshows across its entire network. They’re known for operational excellence and a high standard of care. When a team like this adopts something, it’s because it’s been tested and proven to work. For thier families and for their teams. We’ve had the opportunity to work alongside Milestone, and this expansion reflects the trust they’ve placed in us as an extension of their care. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eHNzZPyj #FuneralService #DigitalMemorials #Community

A few weeks ago, our Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Tennery attended the Tribute Technology Summit in Park City, where leaders from across the profession gathered to discuss the growing role of technology in the profession. In this recap, Jeff reflects on several of the conversations that stood out, including insights from Courtney Gould Miller of Homesteaders Life Company on how digital platforms are helping funeral homes modernize how they serve families. The Summit also featured thoughtful discussions on artificial intelligence from Jeff Hagel of McInnis & Holloway Funeral Home Ltd and Kyle Nikola of Fidelity Life, as well as new digital initiatives from leaders like Karen Angius of Altmeyer Funeral Homes, Bob Arrington of ObituaryShare, and Justin Whatley of OneRoom. We’re grateful for our continued partnership with Tribute Technology and the opportunity to be part of conversations like these as the profession continues to evolve. Read Jeff’s full reflections from Park City: https://buff.ly/sXNoOJw

Every funeral home already has a slideshow tool. That’s exactly why we didn’t build another one. Today we’re introducing Chptr Slideshows, a fully managed memorial slideshow service designed to remove the burden from funeral home teams while ensuring families receive a beautifully produced tribute for the service. Instead of assembling videos, collecting photos, and managing edits, funeral homes simply submit one request to Chptr. Our team works directly with the family, produces the slideshow, manages revisions, and delivers the final video ready to play at the service. Funeral professionals stay focused where they belong: supporting families. Families receive a polished tribute that reflects the life they are honoring. We��ve heard from early partners that it’s a game changer. For us, it’s simply the way this should work. Read the announcement: https://lnkd.in/eaZKgEVi Learn more or purchase: https://lnkd.in/ecDxAa3Z #FuneralService #DigitalMemorials #Community

Tony Russo recently highlighted Glenn Gould’s 40-year journey in funeral service, tracing his path from founding MKJ Marketing in the early 1980s to his new role as President of Funeral Home Services at Chptr. Throughout his career, Glenn has helped guide the profession through major shifts, from the rise of marketing and preneed planning to the expansion of digital tools within funeral service. We are honored to have Glenn as part of the Chptr team and grateful for the experience and leadership he brings to the industry. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eZtX6MnS

Meet Rehan Choudhry Rehan’s leadership at Chptr is grounded in a clear commitment to service, ownership, and respect for the funeral profession. After seeing how obituaries were being commercialized and funeral homes were losing control of their visibility and relationships, he set out to build something different, focused on reducing friction and returning control. In working closely with funeral directors, Rehan has developed a deep appreciation for the responsibility they carry each day. Their work requires resilience, empathy, and quiet strength. That perspective shapes how we operate at Chptr, how we grow, and how we continue to show up for the funeral homes we serve. We’re incredibly proud of the leadership Rehan brings to Chptr every day. Read the full spotlight here: https://lnkd.in/er2Gd5Sm