By Thomas A. Parmalee
On Oct. 25, Tribute Technology announced big news: Charlie Cole “mutually agreed” with the company’s board of directors to step down from his role as the company’s chief executive.
Cole, who previously led FTD, also known as Florists’ Transworld Delivery, isn’t the only one who left: Frances DeBlasio, who was chief financial officer; and Alex Cross, who was head of transformation, also parted ways with the company.
Moving forward, instead of one chief executive, the company will be led by Tribute Technology’s board of directors and an Office of the CEO, composed of key executives, including Courtney Gould Miller, who will serve as president of commercial markets.
Rounding out the executive suite will be Matt Powell, who will serve as chief technology officer; Joshua Gibbs, who has been hired as chief operating officer; and a chief financial officer, which the company is about to hire, Gould Miller said.
“This experienced leadership team will ensure stability and guide Tribute Technology through its next phase of innovation and growth,” according to a news release.
Gould Miller, who previously served as the company’s chief customer officer, said her role will largely be an extension of her former position. “The board recognized that our funeral home customers must come first, that the voice of that customer is what needs to inform every part of our operations,” she said. “It’s no secret that Tribute has experienced incredible growth by being the very best at converting visitors to funeral home websites into floral and tree purchases. That’s allowed us to service funeral homes through a revenue share model. We’re proud of that, but the board also recognizes the need to be the best at what matters most to this profession. We need to be the best option for helping funeral homes grow their at-need and preneed services and, above all, giving them the best tech resources to serve grieving families with excellence and compassion.”
FuneralVision.com recently caught up with Gould Miller to learn more about Tribute Technology, the changes at the company, how the business she grew up in and helped build – MKJ Marketing – fits into its portfolio, and more.
When did MKJ become part of Tribute Technology and what factors went into deciding to transition that business to a new owner?
In 2022, my parents and I realized that partnering with Tribute Technology would be the best move for MKJ. Like any business owner knows, tech overhead can really add up, and hiring developers and website contractors was getting costly. Joining forces with Tribute let us tap into their incredible development team, complete with top-notch eCommerce and UX expertise. This partnership has allowed us to still deliver high-quality digital assets to our clients without the burden of handling it all on our own.
We are absolutely focused on expanding MKJ not only for Tribute but for our customers. At MKJ, we continue to serve the many funeral homes we have served over the last 40 years and are working with new customers all the time. We learn the most from direct communication with our customers.
What is MKJ Marketing’s place in the Tribute Technology universe … and what’s new at MKJ?
MKJ Marketing is a premier partner of Tribute Technology, which means all MKJ clients get access to Tribute’s top-notch tech, plus exclusive marketing support from MKJ’s experts. What makes us unique is that our team really understands the funeral profession and knows how to connect with families in the best, most approachable way. Funeral home marketing is a very specific type of marketing that is hard for outside marketing companies to understand.
We’ve been expanding our digital marketing services, where funeral homes can pick the package that fits their needs and budget. From social media and SEO to email newsletters, these services are helping clients boost community engagement. We’ve had many clients who have produced a substantial number of preneed leads thanks to this service.
Our ideal customer I would describe as being defined by more than just case count. We have some very small firms working with us as well as large consolidators and independent funeral homes. They are all focused on implementing technology throughout their business at a very high level – and they are focused on growing and retaining market share.
The funeral homes that love us and enjoy the experience are the ones that are very excited about bringing in technology and thinking about what is next. Our profession can have those who are very afraid of technology … we try to meet people where they are.
If you are really excited about bringing on new technology and thinking of all the ways it can streamline your service and interaction with the community, we are a great fit for that.
What are the main operating companies of Tribute Technology and are you looking to make other acquisitions in the funeral space?
Our brands inside Tribute Technology include MKJ Marketing, CFS, SRS Computing, Legacy Touch, Funeral Tech, Funeral Innovations, Frazer Consultants, and Ad Perfect. We have extensive teams dedicated across all these brands to ensure clients receive the best support. As for acquisitions, we are always open to expanding our portfolio by partnering with other top businesses within our industry.
We regularly look at great businesses inside and outside of the profession to assess fit for our business. We are approached all the time by businesses in the profession that recognize the expensive nature of technology and want to be part of a broader platform.
Who are the financial backers of Tribute?
Tribute Technology is financially backed by the Carlyle Group and Vista Equity Partners. Members of Carlyle and Vista sit on our board of directors, which is a tremendous resource because they are working with top technology businesses across all industries and bring a wealth of resources and knowledge. There are several other companies in our industry that have also received private equity investment, so we are not alone in this. We are grateful to our board members who provide many resources and strategic guidance for our growth and tech development. They help us make connections we would have never been able to make on our own.
What do you love most about working at Tribute Technology?
What I love most about working at Tribute Technology is how closely we connect with funeral directors and the families they serve. I grew up watching my parents work in the profession for decades — eventually helping them lead MKJ — and I’ve seen funeral directors’ commitment to their communities up close. Knowing how important funeral service is drives me to make sure we’re offering funeral professionals the very best. Being part of a team that shares that my mission makes what I do here feel meaningful every day.
Why was there a leadership shakeup at Tribute Technology?
Tribute Technology’s leadership change was made after extensive strategic planning, including outside consultants. This planning is all about gearing up for the next chapter. The board wants a leadership team and focus that keeps pace with Tribute’s evolving goals. That includes an emphasis on the connection to the profession through myself and others who have history in the profession and are also dedicated to its long-term success. By adjusting the leadership structure, we are more focused on delivering even more value to clients. It’s a strategic move to make sure Tribute has the right team in place to keep building on our mission.
Charlie Cole wasn’t the only one to leave the company … what about the other departures?
The board and leadership felt it was the right time to make changes that guide Tribute’s next phase. Each of them contributed so much to getting us here, and this decision was all about positioning the company to keep growing and better serve our clients. With the new leadership setup, we’re confident Tribute is set to continue growing stronger.
Some people feel this transition was a bit abrupt … was it, or had the company been thinking about going in a different direction for some time?
It might seem fast to some, but this direction has actually been in the works for a while. The board had been considering the best path forward, and this is the natural next step to support Tribute’s goals. We’re still on the same mission — this shift just gives us a new team setup to keep us moving forward and growing with our clients.
How has artificial intelligence impacted how you and your team operate at Tribute Technology? In what ways are you using it?
We are using AI in all sorts of ways … our development team uses AI to help them speed up their coding time, our marketing teams can produce copy faster than ever, our eCommerce and UX team use AI for data analysis. We are using AI in pretty much every department of our company. I hope to have some new success stories on using AI for SEO to share with our customers very soon!
How are your parents doing … and how active do they remain in funeral service?
My parents still remain very active in funeral service — in fact, they serve on the Tribute Technology team as advisers. They both have so many insights and decades of experience that many Tribute employees call upon them for guidance and to get their thoughts on new tech features. Glenn and Marilyn are both still very involved in our MKJ Summits, too … both of them led incredible sessions at our most recent Summit in Palm Beach.
Do you ever miss being a practicing attorney?
Not at all! I am much more oriented to business. But I credit much of my professional life to law school and my legal training. Law school teaches you to think in a different way – analyze both sides of an argument, thinking about messaging and how it is received, so much.
Are there any new products and/or services Tribute Technology is offering that you would like to shine a spotlight on?
I’d love to talk about two new products that we are excited to share with our clients.
Tech Turbo Packs: Tech Turbo Packs are our all-in-one bundles crafted to enhance a funeral home’s digital footprint, offering things like advanced website features and grief support. Funeral homes can pick which tier works best for their business.
Lead Logic: Lead Logic is the ultimate lead management tool that keeps funeral homes connected with potential families. It captures leads in real-time, making it easy to follow up fast and keep business growth on track — no missed opportunities, just smarter connections.
What is the most interesting thing/interesting person/ or interesting product or service that you encountered at the recent NFDA convention?
One of my favorite new products is Pressed Floral. I love how they make florals into beautiful keepsakes.
What’s a book or resource that you would recommend to funeral professionals?
My favorite book to recommend is “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott. We can all benefit from having clear and direct communication, both personally and professionally!
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