Shane A.S. Ritchie, CFSP

My presentations are based on a firm belief in the value of open casket viewing and authentic funerals. Offering both technical and motivational speeches and/or seminars, I am available to speak to groups of embalmers, funeral directors, civic and church groups, etc. I have several presentations that are geared exclusively for funeral professionals including:

Considering the Why - What the future holds for funeral professionals and what we can do about it.
Embalming for Restoration
Restoring Massive Head Trauma
Soft Tissue Repair and Specialized Cosmetic Techniques
A Scientific Case for High Pressure / Low Flow Embalming
Embalming Techniques for Difficult Cases

Please check back from time to time as new topics will be added as appropriate.

Shane A.S. Ritchie, CFSP is a licensed funeral director / embalmer in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia, operator of Huntington Mortuary Service in Ceredo, WV, a published author with articles appearing in many funeral related publications including The Director, Funeral Business Advisor, The Dodge Magazine, and American Funeral Director. He has been a guest speaker at numerous events including the prestigious Fountain International Conference on Embalming and Reconstructive Surgery and was a winner of the 2016 FNA Distinguished Service Award, the Graduate Embalmers of Georgia Annual Conference, the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association, and the Ohio Society of Embalmers Fall Seminar Series, as well as speaking to various civic groups. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and the winner of the school's award for Excellence in Restorative Art. Shortly after graduating mortuary school, Shane experienced a life changing event when his twenty-four-year-old daughter, Felicity, passed away suddenly of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. In honor of his daughter, Shane decided to spend the rest of his life helping families who have lost loved ones be able to say goodbye; even in cases of traumatic injuries that most embalmers would deem too severe to restore. Combining his hobby and experience in special effects makeup techniques with restorative art was an excellent starting point but Shane wanted to develop his expertise beyond the current “norms”. Shane attended training classes at the prestigious Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, allowing him to become the Huntington-Ashland-Ironton Tri-State’s only certified Post-Mortem Reconstructive Surgery Specialist. He is a tireless learner and teacher who enjoys sharing his knowledge and skills with his fellow embalmers and anyone who is interested in the funeral profession. In his various seminars he stresses the importance of having a dedication to educating on the value of open casket viewing as well as technical expertise. In addition to his mortuary education, he is also a skilled businessman and holds a BA in Management from Ottawa University and is currently pursuing an MBA.