A Legacy of Care

What is your full name, and where are you from?

Charles F. “Chad” Snyder III and I was born and raised Lancaster, PA.

Can you share a little about your professional background and current role?    

I grew up literally above our funeral home on the second and third floor of the Lancaster location. Growing up above the family business and being around funeral service my entire life I never thought I’d end up following in my dad and grandfather’s footsteps. That calling and realization occurred after college in 2004 after moving home. I am a now a third generation funeral director and owner of the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory and the other brands that Charles F. Snyder own.

Its been a great honor to continue what my grandfather started in 1947, to appreciate what my father Chip grew, and I continue to learn from him. I am thankful to some great advisors we have partnered with over the years and the incredible team members and leaders that I get to work with on a daily basis. The idea of living and working in a community that I dearly love is also very important to me.

Most importantly, my family has been extremely supportive of my vision over the past 21 years. I am very blessed and grateful to continue to work in a place that I dearly love and has helped shape who I am today.

What inspired you to get involved in your family business (or field of work)?

The positive impact my father and the business had on the community always intrigued and motivated me. I also saw an opportunity where I could work with my father, lean into my entrepreneurial mindset, and help him grown the business. He and I have shared a similar vision early on. Today, we still share that same vison and even the same physical office! Ha.

What do you consider your biggest passion or driving force in your career?

Striving for excellence in all that our team does. The constant desire to provide meaningful and memorable experiences is what our team focuses on. Being in a professional services line of work combined with hospitality, it is important to understand that we need to treat everyone equally, exceptionally, and humbly. That is the heart of our company’s DNA. We work really hard at focusing on both the external and internal customer. There is absolutely no way anyone can run a business by themselves successfully. Developing an incredible team around me is also a passion and I am grateful to them as they have helped develop me.

Have you experienced any challenges or adversity in your journey? If so, how did you overcome them? 

A good bit however that adversity helped shape our company and pushed us to grow, develop, and adopt training and development opportunities for our team. My father, Chip Snyder always shared that “Every day is a learning day” I apply his advice to each day of my life. Over the past 15 years we have partnered with some incredible industry focused coaches and consultants who have helped analyze our company. This has helped us evolve and embrace change.

What has been one of the biggest highlights or successes you’ve experienced in your family business?

One of the biggest highlights of my career to date is having a great working relationship with my father. Having Dad around really is very special to our company. The other highlight is watching and participating in the daily growth of our team and the number of locations. It is an incredible team of professionals who believe in the simplicity of taking care of people and making them feel comfortable at a tough time. We have grown over the years because of the trust we have built and work hard at. That growth happens with the help of our team believing in what they do makes an impact on other lives. That impact is why people generation after generation have come to rely on us. We have grown and adapted as a result and haven’t changed our core values. Another highlight for me is when someone shares a story about an experience my grandfather, father and or a team member created for them.

What lessons have you learned from navigating the highs and lows of your journey?

Life is precious and make the most of it. When things are weighing you down always know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I would also say to surround yourself with similar minded people. Believe in yourself and follow what you’re passionate about. Go with your gut.

How has being part of a family business shaped your leadership style or outlook?

Leading the family business has been very rewarding and it also comes with many challenges. The family business has shaped who I am as a person and as a leader. It has created countless opportunities.  Being a part of a family business it is important to be transparent, open, honest, humble and clear with communication. These are some of the most important items to me in running the family business. We have weaved these characteristics into our company’s DNA.

What advice would you give to the next generation stepping into leadership roles?

Always be positive, be humble, and respect people’s opinions even if you do not agree. Good things happen to good people. Try to be as consistent as possible with all that you do.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future—for yourself, your family business, or your community?

I am excited to continue to grow with our team, our client families, the community, while also being focused on growing the business and caring for it. It is also important to always be in tune with what your clients needs are. We welcome all walks of life into our funeral homes and those relationships are what shape our business. We are extremely grateful to each guest who calls upon us and entrusts their family to us. That responsibility we do not take for granted or take lightly.

I am excited to see my children grow, I am excited to have an awesome wife and that excitement motivates me to continue to be a better person. I am excited to have wonderful parents who remain active in our lives both professionally and personally. 

I am also excited to see Lancaster County continue to grow. Our hometown is so amazing in all that it has to offer. Having an awesome place to live and work in helps with recruitment and retention of team members. This is something we should all be proud of. 

This blog post was written by Charles F. “Chad” Snyder III, owner of Charles F. Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory, and shared in partnership with Next Gen of Lancaster. It reflects on the lessons, challenges, and defining moments of leading a family business—where values, relationships, and resilience shape both the journey and the legacy. Chad’s story highlights the importance of balancing tradition with innovation and empowering the next generation to carry forward a culture of compassion, excellence, and community commitment.