Q&A with Mark & Diane Musgrove
Musgrove Mortuaries & Cemeteries

Mark grew up in the funeral profession. Both his mom and dad worked as funeral directors, and the Musgrove family has been serving Oregonian families since 1883. Diane likes to say that she married into the business. The husband-and-wife team and Mark’s brother Jeff owned and operated Musgrove Mortuaries & Cemeteries for 40 years. Currently, the Musgrove brand includes 11 funeral homes and three cemeteries.

When Mark and Diane realized their two sons weren’t going to follow in their footsteps, they began looking for a partner. They joined Foundation Partners Group in 2020.

When did you start to think about succession planning?

MARK: We began planning for a transition six years before my brother, wife, and I wanted to sell and retire. You can’t just put the keys on the table and leave. We care about our profession and the families we serve too much to exit without a clear strategy. We ensured that our facilities and finances were in tip-top condition and took our time.

DIANE: When Mark turned 60, we felt it was time to think about retiring. We had a five-year plan that was closer to six years, but by the time we transitioned to our new partner, it was seamless.

Why was it the right time to sell?

DIANE: Funeral service is demanding. We wanted to retire with enough good years to play (laughs). We’ve buried a lot of people who waited too long and didn’t have the chance to enjoy retirement.

MARK: Funeral service is a wonderful profession, and I’m very proud of my years in the business. But when you look at your life’s timeline, you only have so many years to climb up a pyramid or play catch with your grandkids. I would have missed out on many things if we hadn’t sold the business and retired.

What were your top priorities in a business partner?

MARK: We had three critical factors to consider. First, it was essential that whoever purchased our business would continue our family's legacy of care, which dates back to 1883. Second, our employees had to be taken care of. And third, Diane and I wanted the resources to retire and do the things we dreamed about doing.

DIANE: I wanted our new partners to recognize the successful system we had in place, a profitable business run by a caring staff. Foundation Partners Group specializes in businesses that have a higher cremation rate. They understand cremation and what you have to do to increase profit margins when you focus on cremation. They came to Oregon and were genuinely interested in learning who we are and how we operate. They eased our concerns. We told our staff how and when the transition would occur and that Foundation Partners would keep the business running as it has been.

How did you hear about Foundation Partners Group?

MARK: My work with the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) allowed me to see multiple operations and companies up close. (Mark was the first Oregonian to serve as NFDA President from 2003-2004). Foundation Partners Group has always been a company that I respected as ethical, forward-thinking industry leaders that put families first. They were a natural pick for the top of the list.

DIANE: We had several potential buyers and multiple offers. Foundation Partners Group stood out because of its experience with cremation providers. Unlike some corporations, they want to continue the legacy of the companies they are purchasing. We had a good thing going with our business; they wanted to improve it.

What was your transition like?

MARK: The transition was smooth, primarily because we made sure everything was in order long before we sold.

DIANE: I agree. We kept our staff informed so they would be ready. Having the transition team from Florida onsite helped make it seamless.

Have you returned to the business since you retired?

MARK: I still work as a consultant now and then. We had the sad occasion of being on the other side of the desk when my dad passed away. We obviously made arrangements through Musgrove, and it was terrific having the same people that we trained and worked with, our extended employee family, help us. They’re still there. They’re still happy. It was a satisfying experience to see that our staff is thriving, the facilities look great, and the funeral and cemetery arrangements were flawless.

DIANE: Seeing our employee family as happy as they were when we owned the firm was wonderful. We’ve been delighted with the acquisition.

Q & A with Richard "Rick" Baldwin
Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society

Rick Baldwin jokes that his hair color – gray — shows that he’s been in the funeral service business “for a while.” Funeral service is in his genes, with the Baldwin family providing funeral and cremation care to three generations of Floridians. In 1973, with investment capital from outside investors, he founded Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Homes and Cemeteries in Orlando, Florida. The business grew to nine funeral homes and a cemetery - before being sold ten years later (1983).

Rick was on the ground floor for a new business venture, Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society, in 2013. He was instrumental in creating their successful business model for a simpler, easier, and cheaper way to arrange  end-of-life services. Then, in 2021, Rick and his partners (including former SCI President, Jerald Pullins) agreed to sell their business to Foundation Partners Group. Now retired, Rick remains busy with his many volunteer commitments.

We asked Rick:  When did you start to think about succession planning?

I started thinking about it immediately, even as we were just beginning Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society. In my work over the years, I’d met so many people who never thought about selling their business. They never thought about succession or what might happen if they got sick or just died suddenly! They had no plans, nor had they made any preparations, which meant things turned into a mess for the survivors. And for those who didn’t have direct survivors – a worse mess.

We thought about succession all along. Our goal was to adopt a succession plan that would satisfy the estate planning needs of our senior business partners and leave our junior partners with new partners, who were also growth, opportunity, and profitability minded. It was our thought that if you choose the right partners, the “basics” (growth, opportunity, and profitability) you worked hard to build will simply remain in place.

That’s why we picked Foundation Partners Group.

Why was it the right time to sell?

As my hair turned grayer, and my birth date became further away, I knew it was time for me to stand down.  I knew it was time for the younger partners to lead us, to bring their new perspectives, and to harness the opportunities of the future. I’ve always believed that life is more orderly when you think strategically about the next steps and the tomorrows – and not just let them happen randomly or unplanned.

I had always wanted our company to be about ‘us’ – not just about me.

How did you hear about Foundation Partners Group?

We were already familiar with Foundation Partners Group when they contacted us. We knew that they were growing in Florida, and we liked that.  We had a preliminary conversation, and one step led to the next. It was easy with Foundation Partners because we were both purposefully attuned.

Did you consider anyone else?

We felt it wasn’t good business to talk to two potential partners simultaneously. After our initial conversation, we liked them. We knew that Foundation Partners is a good company, and that their financial offer was reasonable.

What has the partnership meant to your team? 

Working in a smaller, closely held business is different than working in a larger company. Other people are involved, other markets are involved, and of course different challenges exist in each market. The advantage of a career in a larger funeral service company is the wide range of experience found in the management team, the different approaches to problem solving that are readily available, and the wide scope of opportunity that is open to each person!   

In my experience, it’s been fun to be on a team because it doesn't put all the pressure on you; you can depend on others, take a day off, and rest when you need to. A team is generally a lot stronger than the sum of its parts.

What advice would you give other funeral home owners looking to sell their business?

The funeral business is interesting because many of the owners live upstairs with their families, while the business is operated downstairs. People knock on your door in the middle of the night. There are few days off.  You’re always working, year after year, and the miles pile up. And then one day, the question becomes, “how will you end your career?”  Will you plan it? Or will you just drop dead one day?

I encourage my friends in the industry to think about succession by the time they’re 55 or 60 years old.

Maybe you too want to be able to turn your phone off, go to lunch, or play golf. If you do – it will all be much smoother if you have a thoughtful plan.

Are you happy with your decision to partner with Foundation Partners Group?

I am very happy. We had a compatible strategy with them. It was essential for us to have a partner who would reward our people, continue building the business, and do an outstanding job for every family we served. Like us, Foundation Partners feels end-of-life services is a very personal service; and they know we have to deliver that service one family at a time.

They’re doing a good job, and I recommend Foundation Partners to anybody who wants to expand their business, retire, or have the succession support of a larger company.

Q & A with Steve & Nanci Trevino,
Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services

Unlike many of today’s most experienced funeral directors, Steve Trevino didn’t grow up in a family of funeral directors. As a teenager he mowed lawns and parked cars at the funeral home of family friends and was moved by the grief-stricken families he watched enter the building. When these families came out, however, they were “changed”, and Steve wanted to know more about a profession that could have such a profoundly positive impact on families in need. That exploration led him to mortuary school and a 44-year career in funeral service. In 2003, Steve and his wife, Nanci, founded Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services in his hometown of Parker, Colorado, where Nanci joined him as a funeral director and administrator. In 2019, Steve and Nanci partnered with Foundation Partners Group to grow the business and devote more time to personally supporting and caring for families.

 Why was it the right time to sell your business?

STEVE: The biggest trigger for us was when our two sons decided to attend the United States Air Force Academy and we knew they were not going to follow in Mom and Dad’s footsteps. They asked us if they should come back and I said, you have the whole world in front of you, go follow your dreams. Knowing they were not coming into the business, we started to think about alternative succession plans. We wanted to spend more time with grand kids and travel and that motivated us to accelerate the transition.
NANCI: A friend of ours was in mergers & acquisitions so we reached out to him for help in finding the right buyer. Together we began the research process and worked through things like, what to do next? And what will our roles be after sell? He advised us to make sure that this is what we want to do; there would be no turning back. We had been approached by several companies and private individuals, but our friend helped us find the perfect match. When Foundation Partners came to the table, we found they were a great fit for what we wanted.

What was most important to you when looking for a partner?

STEVE: Early in my career, I spent 16 years working for a large corporation and I wanted something a little different. Foundation Partners is a smaller company, and our interactions with them were more personal and meaningful, which made the transition easier.
NANCI: The most important thing to me was making a smooth transition to a company that would carry on our legacy. We remain active members of our community and conduct many services in our own church. And our high level of preneed sales meant families placed their trust in us. We wanted to make sure that our legacy of good customer service and the ministry of our business would continue.

How was the transition process?

STEVE: For me the transition was exhilarating! We never did this before, and Foundation Partners made our transition from business owners to more active ministers to our community so much easier.
NANCI: The transaction and integration process took a lot of work, but in hindsight it went very smoothly. The Foundation Partners team always treated us with respect and the communication between our broker, Foundation Partners and ourselves was very good throughout the process. Foundation Partners is a very generous company that really recognizes and appreciates its employees.

How has your role changed?

STEVE: The core reason I entered the funeral profession was to help families, but as an owner you have do it all; the day-to-day operations can become overwhelming, and you sometimes forget why you’re there in the first place. This partnership has allowed us to step back from day-to-day operations to focus on serving families and community outreach. And we have more time to spend with our own family. I just love it and now it’s great. It’s been fun telling the transition story to peers and friends in the community.
NANCI: Initially, we were still here full-time and carried on many of our duties. As the business has expanded, I’ve pulled back some to focus on preneed sales. I still meet with families on occasion and assist at funeral services, as needed, but I’ve had more time to mentor the staff and I am confident we have the best people in each job and that they will maintain our high level of customer service, our integrity and our reputation in the community.

What are the benefits of being part of a larger organization?

NANCI: The tech and marketing support we receive from Foundation Partners headquarters has been a huge benefit. As any small business owner knows, marketing your business can mean staying up all night trying to learn about marketing and doing it all yourself; there’s a huge learning curve just to keep up. The support we receive from the home office in marketing, SEO, social media, etc. has been tremendous. And then there’s the accounting support. It’s so great to have taxes and payroll off my plate so I can devote more time to the families we serve.

Q & A with John and Jonathan Seitz, Adamson Life Celebration Home, Northern Colorado Crematory, Viegut Funeral Home and Best Friends Pet Crematory

After 20 years as a minister, John Seitz knew what it meant to help families in need. He began his funeral service career on a part-time basis in 2000 and purchased his first funeral home just seven years later, bringing his son Jonathan onboard to help. Since then, they have offered families innovative, customized funeral and memorial experiences, and shaken up the Colorado funeral market. The father-son team joined the Foundation Partners family in June 2021. Jonathan managed the transition, while John was excited to take a step back and enjoy time off.

How did you begin succession planning? 

John: When I turned 68 I knew that I needed to start thinking about it. I had always intended to legally transfer the business to Jonathan, but never considered what it would mean to fully retire, because I always wanted to make myself available to him. My financial planner asked me, “What will it look like when you lock the office door and never look back?” The question stunned me and I began to think a lot more about what retirement meant. I then began to back away slowly as Jonathan became the face of the business. We now meet every day to discuss things, but now all the managers report to him.  While we started succession planning with the goal of Jonathan taking over, we were always open to other options. We’re good friends with Jason Widing, Foundation Partners’ vice president of business development, and he bounced a few ideas off Jonathan. They always joked about selling but then the conversation became more serious. We considered how working with a larger company could help us grow what we started. Ultimately, we decided selling to Foundation Partners was the best way to go. 

Why was it the right time to sell? 

Jonathan: My dad and I started this is a business together. With him slowing down, I wanted other players around me who could provide me the operational support that he had always provided. Selling wasn’t on our radar at all until Jason called me. We trusted him so that made us comfortable. I also thought a lot about where I see myself in the next ten years and what I want to achieve in my career and Foundations Partners would provide me those opportunities.

Why did you ultimately choose Foundation Partners Group? 

John: I’m now 70 and winding down vocationally, however. Jonathan’s engines aren’t slowing down at all. He’s very talented and everybody loves him. At 36, he’s ready to make his mark. Foundation Partners offers him the option of continuing with the company and joining the larger team. Jonathan’s future was pivotal in our decision. Selling took care of my income needs for life and provided a challenge and exciting future for Jonathan. It seemed like a win-win.  We choose Foundation Partners because we share similar values. Jonathan and I are very future focused and always have been. Instead of resisting families’ increasing interest in cremation, we embrace it. We don’t care if people choose cremation or burial, as long as they have a good experience with us. Like Foundation Partners, we have always emphasized the funeral service and the gathering itself to promote comfort and healing. Our mission is to move beyond the status quo of funeral service to reimagine what an end-of-life service could be. We feel like that’s a perfect match with Foundation Partners. 

What does this partnership mean for your team? 

Jonathan: For our staff, this partnership is extremely beneficial. The career advancement opportunities are huge for them. They’ll have opportunities to transfer to other Foundation Partners’ locations to further their careers and have access to more robust benefits. Employees are what make the business go. I’m excited for them to grow with a firm that believes in innovation and changing the industry. 

What does the future look like for you both? 

Jonathan: The partnership provides great opportunities for my career. My dad will still be involved but take on a community-liaison type of role for the brand and step back from daily operations. As he says, “ I’m not retired, but not required.”  

Q&A with Alistair and Tommie Kamm, All-States Cremation and All Veterans Funeral & Cremation

Like many children of funeral home owners, Alistair “Al”  and Tommie Kamm, grew up around the family business. Their parents, Tom and Diane Kamm, started Denver, Colorado-based All-States Cremation in 1986. In 1989, Tom, a U.S. Airforce veteran, added  All-Veterans Funeral and Cremation, the country’s first funeral and cremation service created exclusively for veterans. His mission? To provide lower cost, simpler services for veterans and their families. Al and Tommie purchased the business from their parents in 2014 and in July of 2019 they joined the Foundation Partners Family.

What was most important to you when looking for a partner? What were your top priorities? 

Al: My top priority was to preserve the brand. I have given my life to building this company. The thought of partnering with an organization that would not preserve that legacy was incredibly disheartening. We refused to consider any firm looking to slap their corporate logo on our facilities or take down our signs. We wanted to fuse with our buyer to create a partnership that would provide us with resources to continue to do what we do best.

Tommie: We met the Foundation Partners leadership team and knew we could trust them. We were impressed with the way they partnered with other brands. I never thought we could sell our business and retain this level of autonomy and independence.

Why did you choose Foundation Partners Group?

Al: I know that every big player out there makes promises about what they’re going to do, but I heard time and time again from former owners that Foundation Partners really delivers on those promises. That was big for me. Foundation Partners buys successful companies not to change them but to give them the additional resources to do what they do best.

Tommie: We didn’t want a public corporation. Foundation Partners is a private company. We wanted a partner who believes in value, low-cost cremation. A company strong enough to go head-to-head against our competitors. Foundation Partners has invested in companies similar to ours; they see the future of this industry.

Has your role in the business changed since partnering with Foundation Partners?

Al: My role has not changed very much at all. I’m working the same number of hours but my level of stress is greatly reduced. I am able to run the company and grow the business knowing that I have resources to back me up, whether it’s legal or marketing. We’re no longer alone in it.

Tommie: I’m doing the same things but I no longer feel the full weight of the business is on our shoulders. The day we sold, my anxiety started to dissolve and morph into a sense of freedom and joy for what we did. I don’t have to have all the answers. There is a Foundation Partners department behind us that has those answers. They are incredibly responsive and really smart.

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If you’re thinking about succession planning, now is the perfect time to arrange a complementary, confidential financial analysis with Foundation Partners. Just call 1-888-788-7526 or fill out the form here.