Mr. Pitt's journey began with humble beginnings, born in Princeville, North Carolina, the first town in America established by freed black slaves. His life is a testament to personal resilience, having emerged from challenging circumstances, including poverty, and growing up in an environment where racial injustice was a constant challenge.
Drawing on his extensive experience in executive-level positions with major corporate giants, including Service Corporation International (SCI), Stewart Enterprise, and Stonemor Corp, Mr. Pitt witnessed firsthand the systemic inequities within the industry.
After working his way up the corporate ladder from the cemetery and funeral sector to prominent executive roles, he realized the necessity of advocating for equity and fairness. He started his own business
20 years ago to provide
fair and equal services to all communities, and later identified the critical need for a
unified conglomerate purchasing hub to help independent businesses compete. The Commander Initiative was born out of this understanding: to create a viable solution to
reduce costs through volume purchases and cooperative networking.
Unifying Independent Funeral Homes and Certified Vendors
In its first year, the Initiative quickly grew into a national network of leading independent funeral homes and service providers. This cooperative network now performs a combined total of over 18,000 services per year. Our core strategy, implemented by Cooper Professionals, LLC. (the entity behind the Funeral Homes Buying Cooperative), is the pooling of funds of Independent funeral homes and service providers to increase purchasing and contracting power. This collective effort allows members to compete effectively against larger corporate entities. Major suppliers and vendors have responded positively to our initiative, recognizing the collective power of our network.
Qualifying for Partnership
The Commander Initiative encourages licensed funeral home/service providers and owners who wish to save on everyday products and services to join. To participate and maintain active Partner status, members must commit to purchase from a minimum of two vendor product commitments certified by the Commanders Advisory Board.
Significant Benefits for Members
Commander Initiative Partners gain significant advantages by leveraging our unified purchasing power:
• Volume Discount Purchasing: Members qualify for exclusive group discounts on Funeral Products & Services. We negotiate exclusive group promotions to reduce costs and increase profitability. This is essential as independent Funeral Homes often overspend by 30% on essentials at annual conventions.
• Networking and Opportunities: Members gain access to a network of independent funeral professionals across the country for collaboration on future growth potential. This includes the ability to collaborate and share out-of-town funeral opportunities.
• Education and Skill Enhancement: We provide reduced costs on education options, including online courses, seminars, and workshops, helping members enhance skills and stay current on industry trends.
A Network of Certified Vendor Discounts
The Initiative provides access to a wide range of high-quality products and services from approved vendors. Our certified vendors offer substantial promotions specifically for Commander Partners, including:
• Casket Suppliers: Discounts up to 25% off on caskets from companies like Thacker Casket Company and Titan Wholesale Casket Company (up to 25% off).
• Software & Management Solutions: Halcyon Deathcare Management Solutions provides a 50% Discount for Initiative members and guarantees the lowest monthly investment for comparable management software. Parting Pro offers a 30% Commander Discount on its software platform.
• Professional Services: Significant savings are offered on services like Insurance Assignment Funding (one full month free), Web Design and SEO, and Funeral Home Answering Service (8 weeks free trial).
• Deathcare Products: Access to wholesale pricing and discounts on items like shipping/cremation containers (C&L Containers, 15% off), urns (World of Urns, 10% off), and DNA collection (DNA Memorial, 20% off wholesale cost).
Cooper Professionals and Technology
Cooper Professionals, LLC., is committed to ensuring our members have access to modern tools to stay competitive. Cooper Professionals offers the Marketing Tech AI platform, also known as the Digital Blueprint. This platform integrates cutting-edge AI applications designed to help businesses evolve and enhance the client experience. These AI-driven solutions are tailored for businesses, featuring advanced SEO tools and communication AI Bots that can interact effectively with families regarding options like pre-planning.
The Commander Initiative is where tradition meets innovation, ensuring our members are leading the way in adopting transformative technologies that enhance the client experience.
Join The Commander Initiative Today!
The Commander Initiative and Cooper Professionals, LLC., are diligently working to pool the resources of Independent funeral homes to ensure their survival and growth in a volatile marketplace. We encourage licensed funeral home/service providers and owners who wish to secure their future and save on essential products and services to join our community.
Contact us today to learn more about how our cooperative buying power can benefit your business