Why I partnered
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.
Contact Us
If you’re thinking about succession planning, now is the perfect time to arrange a complementary, confidential financial analysis with Foundation Partners.
Foundation Partners Group
369 N. New York Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
For general inquiries, please call:
Phone: (888) 788-7526
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