Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home Founder Honored for Lifetime of Service to Profession and Community
Rick Tuss Receives Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association Lifetime Achievement Award
WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 19, 2024) – Foundation Partners Group today announced that Venice, Florida resident Rick Tuss, funeral director and partnership consultant, has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (FCCFA).
Presented at the FCCFA annual convention in Bonita Springs on July 27,2024, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Tuss for more than 40 years of dedicated service to the funeral profession and the families of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Tuss began his funeral service career in 1979 as a pre-need consultant in Macon, Georgia. Over the years, he has served as a cemetery sales director, general manager and regional funeral home manager. In 2012, Tuss and a partner purchased what is now known as Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home, Cemetery and Crematory in Punta Gorda, Florida, which had been ravaged by the destructive path of Hurricane Charley in 2004. Tuss and his partner not only completed needed repairs, but remodeled and modernized the facility and added a crematory, making it the only combination funeral home in Charlotte County. In 2019, they sold Charlotte Memorial to Foundation Partners Group and after two years of retirement, Tuss reentered the deathcare arena as a partnership consultant for Foundation Partners.
A member of the FCCFA since the early 90’s, Tuss has served on the board of directors for most of that time. He was president from 1999-2000 and has served as secretary of the board since 2023.
FCCFA Vice President Jason Toale said, “Rick has always been on the leading edge of trends in the funeral service industry. He has never wavered in his dedication to serving the communities along Florida’s Gulf Coast and we are extremely pleased to recognize his years of selfless and dedicated service.”
Tuss has earned the admiration and respect of professional colleagues throughout the industry.
“I have seen Rick’s remarkable contributions to all facets of our industry, spanning sales, funeral services and management operations,” said Keenan Knopke, president and CEO of Curlew Hills Memorial Gardens in Palm Harbor, Florida. “He is a beacon of integrity and innovation, tirelessly enhancing Florida’s funeral industry landscape and leaving a profound impact nationwide.”
Today, as a business development consultant for Foundation Partners Group, Tuss shares his own journey from mortuary school to owning and operating a successful funeral business and his decision to sell at age 64. He speaks with funeral business owners daily about their goals for the future of their businesses and walks them through his own decision process and the factors that influenced the sale of his business.
“From small changes in day-to-day funeral home practices to a larger strategic vision of the future, Rick is a trusted counselor to funeral service professionals on the challenges, solutions and opportunities that make this one of the most exciting times in our profession,” said Alex Daubert. Foundation Partners vice president of corporate development and M&A.
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About Foundation Partners Group
Winter Park, Florida-based Foundation Partners Group is one of the industry’s most innovative providers of funeral services and the second-largest funeral home group in the country based on the number of families served. Foundation Partners owns and operates a network of over 230 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states. Our deep understanding of technology and customer experience-centered approach allows us to deliver truly innovative and compassionate care to the families we serve. Visit www.foundationpartners.com to learn more.
About the FCCFA
The Florida Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (FCCFA) is committed to establishing and upholding the highest level of quality assurance for the deathcare industry. Based in Tallahassee, Florida the FCCFA membership spans throughout Florida and is comprised of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, individual professionals, and their suppliers.
