Dewey Akers

with budgeting for administrative and maintenance areas of the company. Dewey approves all company related expenses and he maintains electronic cash transfers in and out of the corporate office as well as location based accounts. Dewey is also responsible for the investment advisors he consults and trust accounting for GAAP reporting purposes. The securities in trust have a market value of $31 million. Dewey also provided a means for the company to operate more nimbly by increasing the company's efficiency with respect to its technology systems through the hiring of Justin Hollingsworth, CIO. Justin's in-depth knowledge of technology, as it relates to the death-care industry, has helped take this company to another level.

Dewey continually drives operating discipline and leverages the company's scale through the standardization of processes and the use of key performance metrics for staffing and other operational and administrative activities. He continually examines our purchasing to look for ways to consolidate the supplier base, modify processes and policies for more efficient purchasing, and employ metrics to manage and improve supplier performance. In 2012, he led the development of a new purchase order and accounts payable system to streamline the handling, approval, and payment of vendor invoices as well as provide greater visibility into company expenditures. He also transitioned certain accounting and administrative functions to outsourced providers providing for greater efficiency.