What do you do at Pinnacle? I am responsible for making our pre-arrangement counselors as successful as possible (i.e., write a boatload of pre-need contracts). Thanks to a number of tools and techniques (not to mention a tremendous amount of support from Homesteaders Life Co.) we can create a system that will help many families be prepared for the inevitable. My job is to create that system. I've seen the difference between a family making arrangements when nothing was pre-arranged and when everything is pre-arranged. The scenario is much better for that family when everything is pre-arranged and I've had many a family tell me so. I want this team to help as many families as possible.
What are you known for professionally? Quite frankly, I should be known for being very fortunate. When I was able to escape the corporate situation I was in to work for a small group of our funeral homes in 2014, that was the best career move of my life. Thanks to that fateful move, I am known for writing a lot of pre-arranged funeral/cremation contracts which, basically, was to help thousands of families do one of the most considerate things they can do for their loved ones. So you could also say I'm known for helping people. It's also important to show my appreciation to my co-workers who have helped me be successful, so I've been told by a number of my co-workers that I am a grateful man. If I have a reputation for being grateful, if that is my knack, then I can look myself in the mirror every day with no problem.
What are you most passionate about professionally? The answer to this question kind of falls back on the previous one. I've had the privilege of serving many families after they have lost a loved one. When those arrangements were pre-arranged and pre-paid, those families, almost every single time, have told me how relieved they were that everything was planned and paid ahead of time. I can not recall one time that a family ever said that they wish that had not been done. So, I am passionate about family members feeling a great sense of relief on one of the worst days of their lives. Not to mention how much easier it makes the funeral director's job. I'm passionate about that, too.
Who have you worked for in the past? To avoid writing a novel, suffice it to say I've been an at need funeral director/embalmer and a pre-need funeral director for over 30 years. My career has seen me work for family owned firms, corporate firms and third party marketers. I am very thankful to be with Pinnacle Funeral Service.
