RGA’s cemetery preservation team at the historic Lebanon Cemetery in York, PA.
RGA’s dedicated team of cemetery preservation professionals recently participated in the Association for Gravestone Studies’ (AGS) 2025 annual conference in York, Pennsylvania. AGS’s annual conference is a leading event for professionals focused on the research, documentation, and preservation of historic gravestones and cemeteries. This conference provided a valuable platform for our staff to engage with academics, conservators, geophysical archaeologists, and others from various disciplines focused on cemeteries and gravestones to hear informative presentations and share ideas.
The conference offered stimulating programs with a wide array of keynote presentations, informative workshops, and panel discussions, covering the latest trends and advancements in the field. Our team engaged in sessions as presenters on the topics of developing historic preservation plans and the basics of hands-on cemetery preservation. The opportunity to interact with industry leaders provided unique insights and inspired new approaches to existing challenges within the field of cemetery preservation.
Annie McDonald, RGA Senior Architectural Historian, led an intensive workshop on preservation planning for stewards of historic cemeteries, and Jason Harpe, RGA’s Director of Cemetery Conservation, teamed up with Gus Fraser, Vice President of Preservation and Facilities at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on a cemetery preservation workshop session. Harpe, Fraser, McDonald, were also joined by Ellen Turco, Principal Senior Historian and RGA’s North Carolina Branch Manager, in leading a cemetery preservation workshop field session at the historic Lebanon Cemetery in York.
Beyond the informative sessions, a key highlight for our staff was the invaluable networking opportunities presented. By interacting with professionals from diverse backgrounds, they were able to forge new connections, strengthen existing relationships, and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals. This interaction with peers and potential collaborators fosters a sense of community and allows our team to better understand how our company fits into the larger industry landscape.
The knowledge and inspiration gained at the Association for Gravestone Studies’ conference this year will have a lasting impact. At RGA, we strongly believe that investment in our employees’ development strengthens our firm’s position as a leader in the field of cemetery preservation. We look forward to next year’s conference and the opportunity to reconnect with our friends and colleagues across the industry!