Daniel Simons
Glen Burnie,MD
Summary
Funeral Professional with extensive experience in funeral home management with a proven record emphasis on market share growth, expense controls and customer satisfaction. Record of improving efficiency, productivity and profitability with value-based leadership. Outstanding interpersonal, motivational and customer service skills.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
General Manager
Going Home Cremation & Funeral Care
01.2020 - Current
- Designed and managed renovation of entire facility after acquisition
- Responsible for the care and control of entire crematory operations, including hiring, training, revenue generation, expense control, fuel contract negotiation and inventory
- Collaborate with business owners on brand expansion plans and entry into new markets
- Coordinate with direct reports on preventative maintenance, inventory controls and staff development
- Each business segment has experienced unprecedented volume growth over the past 3.5 years.
Managing Partner
Everly Funeral Home & Cremation Service
01.2011 - 01.2020
- Operated Hubbard Funeral Home for 6 years and stopped year over year market share loss and increased call volume over 30% within 3 years
- Developed and chaired multiple community outreach programs to improve goodwill and business image
- Took over management of Everly Community Funeral Care in Falls Church and worked to improve goodwill and increase market share through facility improvements, community involvement and customer engagement, doubling call volume in just over 2 years.
Location Manager
SCI - National Funeral Home, Memorial Park & Kind David
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Part of management team responsible for operating funeral home, crematory, central care center and memorial parks
- Under my direction, the funeral home has experienced a 100 + call volume increase year to date through strategic alignment with ethnic groups and churches and government contracts
- Responsible for funeral home outreach including clergy, hospice and nursing home social worker programs.
Managing Partner
Keenan Funeral Homes
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Managed newly acquired funeral home, overseeing corporate processes implementation
- Worked with former owner to insure retention of firms goodwill and heritage while steadily integrating new service and revenue enhancements
- Assisted funeral director staff with daily operations of firm in arrangements, funeral direction, embalming and night calls.
President / Funeral Director
DeVaney-Bennett & Simons Funeral Home
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Purchased and later divested funeral home to Loewen Group/Alderwoods former owner after losing legal battle to enforce former owners CNC
- My responsibilities encompass not only funeral directing and arranging, but also all financial, tax and operational planning for firm
- Responsible for all advance planning and community outreach which was extremely beneficial to the firm's continued stability and growth.
General Manager
SCI - Pirro & Sons, Farone & Son, and Bagozzi Twins Funeral Homes
01.2006 - 01.2007
- Overall responsibility for the direction and leadership of the Syracuse, NY funeral service operations and preneed sales of SCI with annual budget exceeding $8M
- Developed and maintained a positive employee relations environment so that employees are motivated to strive for performance excellence
- Identify, implement and continuously improve the internal business processes that impact customer satisfaction, employee moral and financial performance.
Location Manager
SCI - James D. Barrett Funeral Home
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Worked with area Market Manager to review, analyze and investigate locations' financial history for possible improvements in operating profit
- Researched locations' purchasing habits and inventory to suggest improvements for better inventory controls and distribution
- Evaluated Markets' vehicle fleet and designed plan to sell old fleet generating $100K of bottom line dollars while leasing entire new fleet resulting in lower overall vehicle operating expense
- Worked with Location Manager's to review and understand location's operating statements and expenditures and profit margin analysis.
Owner / Funeral Director
Maryland Mortuary Support
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Lead Transport agent for the Maryland O.C.M.E
- In the forensic removal and transport of over 800 cases annually covering an area of nearly 1500 miles
- Operated, managed and scheduled all aspects of business
- Company demonstrated high volume growth in its first year of business increasing its client list to over 60 firms within first 8 months of business
- National Mortuary Shipping contractor for the State of Maryland
- Sold business to explore other opportunities.
Preneed Counselor
SCI Baltimore
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Generated 26% of markets preneed sales quota out of a 7-member team
- Regularly placed within the Top 10 Best Sales Director in the Mid-Atlantic Region
- Produced best preneed sales record in Dignity Memorial Plans when the plans were introduced in 2000.
General Manager
SCI Washington, DC
01.1997 - 01.1999
- Worked with local Synagogue to create packages for exclusive service agreements with our locations
- Reduced firms Account Receivables by 50% within 6 months of new position
- Designed separate business plan strategies for each location for future growth
- National committee participant responsible for the development and design of new Batesville Casket Company's Jewish casket line
- Managed accounts payables as well as locations Capital Expenditure allocations.
Funeral Director
SCI Washington, DC
01.1995 - 01.1996
- Supervised preparation, casketing and detailing of deceased for 2 locations on rotating schedule with other team members
- Managed detail office responsible for dispatching transfer teams, scheduling next day funeral teams and coordinating operational duties
- Directed several high profile funerals involving various Government Officials and International Dignitaries.
Education
Howard County Community College
Columbia, MDFranklin Covey Time Management Training -
Franklin Covey Project Management Training -
SCI Managing for Excellence Training -
Corning Community College
Corning, NY01.2004
Associates Degree of Funeral Service -
Simmons Institute of Funeral Service
Syracuse, NY01.1992
Skills
- Problem Resolution
- Operations Management
- P&L Management
- New Business Development
- Team Leadership
- Customer Relations
- Relationship Building
- Process Improvements
Certification
- New York State Funeral Director's License, 1993, Inactive
- Maryland Funeral Director's License, 1994
- Virginia Funeral Director's License, 1995
- Connecticut Funeral Director's License, 2010, Inactive
- Certified Crematory Operator, 2021
Affiliations
- Vice President - Maryland State Funeral Directors Association (2023-2025)
- Board Member - Maryland State Funeral Directors Association
- Past NFDA Policy Board Member - Maryland Representative
- Past Board Member - Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department
- Master Mason / Masonic Lodge #396
- Volunteer Firefighter - Geneva Fire Department / Arbutus Fire Department
Timeline
General Manager
Going Home Cremation & Funeral Care
01.2020 - Current
Managing Partner
Everly Funeral Home & Cremation Service
01.2011 - 01.2020
Location Manager
SCI - National Funeral Home, Memorial Park & Kind David
01.2010 - 01.2011
Managing Partner
Keenan Funeral Homes
01.2009 - 01.2010
President / Funeral Director
DeVaney-Bennett & Simons Funeral Home
01.2007 - 01.2009
General Manager
SCI - Pirro & Sons, Farone & Son, and Bagozzi Twins Funeral Homes
01.2006 - 01.2007
Location Manager
SCI - James D. Barrett Funeral Home
01.2004 - 01.2006
Owner / Funeral Director
Maryland Mortuary Support
01.2000 - 01.2003
Preneed Counselor
SCI Baltimore
01.1999 - 01.2000
General Manager
SCI Washington, DC
01.1997 - 01.1999
Funeral Director
SCI Washington, DC
01.1995 - 01.1996
Howard County Community College
Franklin Covey Time Management Training -
Franklin Covey Project Management Training -
SCI Managing for Excellence Training -
Corning Community College
Associates Degree of Funeral Service -
Simmons Institute of Funeral Service
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