This press release from Foundation Partners Group (FPG), which is dated Friday, June 12, announces “the appointment of Jim Evanger as chief executive officer (CEO) and president, effective immediately”.

The press release went on to say the following:

“Evanger succeeds John D. Smith, who led the organization through its recent ownership transition. In making the announcement, Chairman Ray Wallander expressed appreciation for Smith’s leadership, commitment and service during an important chapter in the company’s growth. . . . . 

. . . . .Evanger brings more than three decades of leadership experience across consumer services, healthcare, retail, B2C, franchising, manufacturing and private equity-backed businesses.  Throughout his career, he has led large organizations, strengthened operations and delivered sustainable business growth.”

According to the press release, Orlando-based Foundation Partners Group now owns 225 funeral homes, cremation centers, and cemeteries across 21 states.

Related Information —  Foundation Partners Group press release of June 6, 2026, announcing Ben Brink as CFO and Gabrielle McCarron as Chief People Officer.

Related Information — Foundation Partners Group press release of August 4, 2025, announcing “New chapter with new investment, new ownership, and bold plan for growth”.

Related Information — Here is the website for Access Holdings, a private equity company that now lists Foundation Partners Group as part of their “Previous Holdings”.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  Foundation Partners Group has been, in my opinion, the experiment on whether the Robert Waltrip inspired philosophy of building Death Care scale through acquisition can work in a cremation-centric “price-point” business as well as it has worked in the traditional funeral home business model.

Foundation Partners Group has continued to grow — now listing 225 facilities whereas I was able to find an archived press release that the company operated only about 140 facilities at the end of 2020.  That’s a growth of about 85 facilities in only 5 1/2 years time and I’m not so sure that any other Death Care company, with the possible exception of  Service Corporation International (SCI),  has added 85 facilities to their scale in the past 5 to 6 years.

The question that I, and many others in the Death Care business world ask is, “Is FPG getting this growth while staying profitable or is the almost continuous changing of the leadership guard at FPG an attempt to try to bring profitability to that growth?”

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Lawmakers hold biometric data collection hearing.  Video news story and print article.  AOL  WIBV-TV Buffalo (NY)
• The bereavement money checklist:  Everything you should do after someone you loved dies.  The Independent
• Wooster native Justin Roberts joins family business.  Wooster Daily Record (OH)
• Archaeologists followed a forgotten staircase in an old church and found a 400-year-old burial vault hidden beneath the floor.  Daily Galaxy Science

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