TREVOSE, Pa., March 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StoneMor Partners L.P. (NYSE:STON), a leading owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes, today announced changes to its management team with the appointment of Leo Pound as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective March 30, 2018, and the hiring of industry veteran Jim Ford as its Chief Operating Officer, effective March 1, 2018. Pound will replace current CEO Paul Grady, who has resigned and is leaving StoneMor and the StoneMor GP Board on March 30. A search for a permanent CEO is underway. Ford will have responsibility for all operational aspects of the Partnership including the sales and customer service functions for the cemetery and funeral home businesses.
Robert B. Hellman, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Partner, commented, “These appointments mark important changes for StoneMor that we believe will help accelerate the Partnership’s turnaround and efforts to streamline the organization. Leo Pound is a seasoned executive who has counseled or led many companies during times of transition, and he will provide strong oversight and valuable continuity during this interim period. We are pleased to welcome deathcare industry veteran Jim Ford to StoneMor, who brings with him three decades at leading deathcare companies and a proven track record of strong performance, efficient, aligned and energized teams, and innovative customer-first sales, product and services strategies. In addition, we thank Paul Grady for his service, and we wish him well.”
“I look forward to leading StoneMor as Interim CEO and will diligently guide the Partnership and team through this transition,” said Leo Pound.
Added Jim Ford, “StoneMor’s scale affords it an exciting opportunity within the deathcare industry and continued improvements to the organization, salesforce and product portfolio will ensure it is positioned to capture market share and other growth opportunities that will benefit customers, employees and unitholders alike. I am excited to join StoneMor and look forward to working with the entire team to introduce new ideas that will help position us for success in the years to come.”
Pound is an experienced executive with a focus on increasing customer and shareholder value. Throughout his career, he has worked with several multinational companies and has been active in the CEO, COO and CFO roles in a variety of service industries. He has served as a Director of StoneMor’s General Partner since 2014 and from April to September 2017 was StoneMor’s Acting Chief Operating Officer. He has in-depth knowledge of operational and strategic planning, M&A, forecasting and budgeting initiatives.
Pound received his degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from LaSalle University.
Ford joins StoneMor from Foundation Partners Group, where he was Chief Customer Officer. He previously held the position of Vice President, Business Optimization, where he led efforts to formulate and implement business strategies that drove organizational growth and expansion.
Prior to joining Foundation Partners Group, Ford held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Cremation Services with the Neptune Society in Plantation, Florida. Before that, he held several senior management positions with Service Corporation International (SCI) during his 16 years with the company.
Ford is a native of Southern California and was a licensed Funeral Director in California. He attended Loyola University in Los Angeles where he studied Biology. He has served on the Boards of Directors of the Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin Cemetery Associations and the Board of Directors of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association.
About StoneMor Partners L.P.
StoneMor Partners L.P., headquartered in Trevose, Pennsylvania, is an owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States, with 316 cemeteries and 93 funeral homes in 27 states and Puerto Rico.
StoneMor is the only publicly traded death care company structured as a partnership. StoneMor’s cemetery products and services, which are sold on both a pre-need (before death) and at-need (at death) basis, include: burial lots, lawn and mausoleum crypts, burial vaults, caskets, memorials, and all services which provide for the installation of this merchandise. For additional information about StoneMor Partners L.P., please visit StoneMor’s website, and the investors section, at http://www.stonemor.com.
