I like to stay in the know about all of the National and Regional funeral home and cemetery acquisition and operating companies.  Sometimes though I’m surprised by the growth of these companies over time if I have not checked in regularly.

I had that feeling the other day about Milestone Funeral Partners when I read this article that the Maine-based company had hired a veteran Mergers & Acquisition employee.  The article begins by saying this,  “Milestone Funeral Partners, an Auburn (Maine)-based funeral, cemetery and crematory business, has hired an industry veteran with experience in mergers and acquisitions to lead the company’s next chapter. . . . . .Christopher Sasso has been named chief development officer. He will succeed Seb D’Appolonia, who was in the role for three years.”

What struck me was not the fact that a new hire had came on board, but the next paragraph of the article which made this statement, “A spokesperson for Milestone Funeral Partners told Mainebiz that since its founding in 2021, the company has acquired 64 partner firms across New England and New York.”

My surprise was that I had no idea that Milestone Funeral Partners had acquired 64 units of operation since the founding in 2021.  I would think, in anybody’s book, that’s a pretty quick ramp up of scale. . . .It’s a pace that is more than one acquisition property per month being added to the company.

And I’m guessing that the hiring of Sasso was not done to slow down that ramp-up.  Here’s what the press release says about the future, “With the addition of Sasso, the company is poised for future growth and expansion.”

• Milestone Partners website

Related — According to the website of Rosewood Private Investments, Milestone Funeral Partners is one of their portfolio companies.

Related —  Here is a March 2024 press release from Rosewood Private Equity that gives more information on their involvement

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  There is nothing unusual about the hiring of a M&A person by a funeral acquisition and operating firm.  However, I think the wider view of this type of hiring is the fact that there are companies, with cash available, that are expecting to grow from acquisitions in the Death Care realm.

Hiring people with the contacts and friendships of over 30-years in the business can help build relationships that may give a company an edge over a competitor when discussing options for an owner who is looking for a succession plan.

In my book, these types of hires continue to show that the acquisition-built companies have the knowledge that a lot of firms are, or soon will be, looking at divestiture.  And, if private equity is involved there is probably ample cash available which may bid up prices for the best properties.

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Long Island funeral homes illegal cesspool highlights region’s water risk.  Gothamist  (NY)
• New rites, local lives:  Strontium isotopeanalysis of cremated human remains from the Late Iron Age cemetery at West Westhampnett, West Sussex, UK.   Journal of Archaeological Science (Great Britain)
• 2025 Business of the Year Announced:  Minnesota Valley Funeral Home.  New Ulm Journal (MN)
• Aberdeen Funeral Director wins over US $ 75,000 compensation after unfair dismissal.  The HR Director (Great Britain)

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