OGR will have three vacancies on its Board of Directors to fill this year. Voting opened in January and the winners will be inducted as part of the Golden Circle Celebration Dinner at the Annual Conference in Indianapolis this May. Below are the three employees of OGR-member funeral homes who have been nominated to fill those vacancies.

S. Chase Lewis, LFD
Lewis Funeral Homes, Inc. | Milton, Florida

I pledge to be a hardworking, organized, detail-oriented and resourceful board member.

I am a 2014 graduate of mortuary science from St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida. I am a fourth-generation funeral director and embalmer for Lewis Funeral Homes. I am a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer as well as a Certified Crematory Operator, working in the funeral profession the past 25 years.

I currently serve on OGR’s Young Professionals Council and am finishing a partial term on the Board of Directors. I am also on the Elizabeth Chapel Community Cemetery Board in Chumuckla, Florida, and on the security team for the First Pentecostal Church of Pensacola, Florida.

Chase has been married to his wife Rhonda for eight years, with whom he has two furry children, Layla and Millie. Chase was elected last year to serve out the remainder of another director’s term. He is now on the ballot for his first full term.

Larnique Mickens, MBA, CFSP, CCSP
Heritage Mortuary, Inc. | Las Vegas, Nevada

I bring my passion for caring for families and the commitment to improve the deathcare profession. My passion has become the building block for Heritage’s objective to ensure those who have experienced the loss of a loved one know the importance of celebrating life. As a result I have created a celebration of life culture at Heritage in lieu of having a traditional funeral service.

I will be committed to OGR, and I don’t believe in the word impossible because I feel there’s always a solution to all problems. My convictions are strong and loyal. Whatever adversity you face, you just show up to work and address the issue. With the passion and commitment that I bring to the OGR board, I will also bring my open-minded skills. My open-mindedness reminds me to stay humble and rely on others for strength in the areas where I am weak as well as the areas where I still need to learn.

My leadership skills are diversified, derived from my military background of 24 years in operations, logistics, HR, customer service, finance and executive assistance; ownership experience at Heritage; education; nonprofit volunteer experience; and my upbringing. Throughout my careers, I have served in numerous leadership positions using my skills in team-building, diversity, creativity, organization and attention to detail, which have established fresh perspectives and increased value to the bottom line of all the organizations that I oversaw.

I have applied these values to my own company, overseeing all financial aspects and doubling Heritage Mortuary’s revenue in three years. Even though I am a new board candidate for OGR, I am not new to leadership, teamwork or dedication. To serve on the OGR board would be a wonderful opportunity for me to contribute, “give back” and support the work of this phenomenal professional organization.

Larnique has been married to her husband Tyrone for 21 years, and has four children: Chris, Donavan, Asia & Skylor.

Peter Urban Jr., LFD
Anton B. Urban Funeral Home | Ambler, Pennsylvania

My talents, skills and ideas will continue to help OGR evolve and support growth in all areas of the funeral profession. With this growth, we can continue to provide our families with the best support and care, and better attend to their needs.

I have been working at Anton B. Urban Funeral Home since 2001. In 2009, I received my bachelor’s degree in mortuary science from Gannon University and associates degree in funeral service education from Northampton Community College. In 2011, I completed all requirements to become a licensed funeral director in Pennsylvania.

I work well both individually and on a team, and enjoy bringing ideas to the table when brainstorming. There is a time for leading discussions, but I understand when to sit back and listen to the ideas of other members of the team. While focusing on details, I can see how it will affect the big picture in the long term.

I am an active member of the OGR Young Professionals Council and served as its chairman for five years. Since October 2019, I have served on the Board of Directors, when the board was expanded to include YP Chair as a specific board seat.

Peter is married to Kelly, with whom he has two children, Meredith and Peter III, and a cat named Bubbles. He has served on OGR’s board since 2019, first in his capacity as chair of the YP Council and then as a duly elected Director. He is now on the ballot for his second term as a Director.

This article was originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of The Independent® magazine. Click here to read the entire issue.