CMS Corporate Profile

CATHOLIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Shared. Strategic. Solutions.
Corporate Profile
2016
CATHOLIC
MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Shared. Strategic. Solutions.
About Us: Catholic Management Services (CMS)
Who We Are
Catholic Management Services (CMS) is a nonprofit organization that offers strategic planning and
professional services that apply best practices to address the funeral, cemetery and administrative needs of
today’s Catholic Church. CMS has developed proven, mission-centric programs in marketing and
communications, education and outreach, information technology and finance that serve our goal of creating
a financially healthy and sustainable funeral and cemetery system within each of our client-dioceses across
the nation. With the help of our proven business model, CMS strives to support the leadership and mission
of each diocese by leaning confidently on our ability to create and execute well-founded strategies. We are
forward-thinking and uniquely positioned to help each diocese better serve their Catholic community.
Our story began in 2011 when the Diocese of Oakland’s cemeteries were at a crossroads, and leadership
began to consult with other leaders who wished to leverage their experience. Since that time, we have
established relationships with dioceses across the country while broadening the scope of our services along
the way. CMS staff members currently support over 30 active cemeteries conducting 10,000 burial services
annually, as well as 10 funeral centers providing over 2,500 funeral and cremation services annually. Our
unique approach has reinvigorated a vital ministry that is producing positive financial results when dioceses
are being challenged to sustain their operations. As a Church-owned organization we are uniquely
positioned to understand its issues and, therefore, serve its needs.
What We Do
CMS offers a wide scope of services that can be customized to meet the needs of a diocese:
Management Services integrates a three-phased approach-discovery, assessment, and implementation. The
discovery phase results in a strategic business plan followed by an intensive assessment period and
implementation of new policies, procedures and programs. Core management services include areas such
as sales, marketing, accounting and finance, human resources, information technology, capital development,
strategic services and governance. Management Services is designed to work alongside existing management,
or, when necessary, serve as the executive management running the organization.
Consulting Services offers both strategic and operational consulting. Strategic consulting projects include
business plans, market assessment, funeral home planning, new cemetery development, parish cemetery
reviews and a variety of financial planning projects such as endowment care or trust fund review. Operational
consulting projects include rules and regulation review, policy and procedure development, and other
cemetery specific projects.
Our Solution to Transform Your Cemetery System
Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services (CFCS), our national brand for Catholic
cemeteries, represents our pastoral approach to serving the Catholic
community. CFCS reinforces the charitable nature of Catholic cemeteries,
coupling a trusted and recognizable national brand with local name recognition. The CFCS branding and
programs closely align the cemetery organization to the Church’s mission while positioning the Church at the
center of all end-of-life decisions.
Our professional staff partners with local diocesan leadership and cemetery directors to leverage the CFCS
brand, transforming declining systems into profitable entities poised to address the needs of the Catholic
Church for the coming decades. This success is achieved through cemetery and funeral management,
consultation, and new program implementation, along with support in functional areas including marketing,
national purchasing programs, and human resources.
Leadership
Robert Seelig, CMS Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Robert founded CMS in 2011 after serving as Director of Cemeteries for Oakland. Many
years earlier, Robert worked as Vice President of Smith Industrial Supply Company from
1989-1997 and then purchased the third-generation, family-owned wholesale distribution business. The business grew with offices across the West Coast and Robert started
a manufacturing company BioBlast to complement their strategy. US Filter, a publicly
owned company, purchased the two businesses. Robert stayed with the company for five
years, as a Vice President in charge of the Western United States.
In searching for more meaning to his work, he left US Filter in 2002 to work for the Diocese of Oakland as
Director of Cemeteries, as the organization was at a crossroads, requiring new leadership and strategic
planning. After renovating the cemeteries, he saw the synergies developing in the industry and both
developed and acquired funeral homes to provide the community with a complete set of services.
Upon completion of this strategic initiative in Oakland, there was a call for providing other dioceses with
consulting and management services, which led to the launching of Catholic Management Services.
Robert graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He
has been a frequent speaker at cemetery industry events and has become a sought-after collaborator on how
the Church can create efficiencies, even as it delivers more effectively on this ministry.
Ron Gies, CMS Chief Operating Officer
As COO, Ron is responsible for driving continuous improvement in our services to
client-dioceses and for building CMS’ talented group of individuals. His background is
focused on the intersection of operational capabilities and strategy, as he has been
involved in building new departments and capabilities within Fortune 200 companies, as
well as creating small businesses.
While working at the prestigious consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Ron had the opportunity to serve
many leading international companies on operational transformation. Additionally, he has served as a
senior executive with one of the largest banks in the United States, developing their customer-facing
strategy.
Similarly, Ron has had many interesting opportunities within the Church. He was elected by fellow
parishioners to represent them through the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s convocation process in the
mid-1980s. In addition, he has also served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and as a catechist at many age
levels.
Ron holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Political Science, with Departmental Highest Honors, from the University of California,
Los Angeles. He has been quoted in numerous business publications, including The Wall Street Journal and
Crain’s Chicago Business.
Larry Dodd, CMS Chief Financial Officer
Larry Dodd brings many years of financial experience to the team, having worked in both
large and small organizations. Larry has worked as the Assistant Controller for the
Northern California division of Kaufman & Broad, as well as the Controller for the San
Francisco Giants for a number of years.
Larry has spent the majority of his career as a CFO or a Regional Finance Chief for a
number of land development and home building companies, including Meritage Homes
and Signature Properties, often working with the same leadership team in different organizations. Between
these assignments, he has worked on several occasions for Resources Global, which was a consulting arm of
Deloitte & Touche.
Larry has been a faculty member of the American Management Association and was the Regional Financial
Executive of the Year for the Institute of Management Accountants in 2006. He holds a degree in
Accounting from Sonoma State University.
Randy Moore, CMS Director of Client Services
Randy is responsible for overseeing the CMS program implementation and training
programs for Cemetery Directors, General Managers and Family Service Counselors as
it relates to best practices, process development and revenue generation. As an original
member of the CMS team, Randy has personally developed much of the processes and
training curriculum that has directly contributed to the success of our client-dioceses
across the country.
Prior to joining CMS, Randy served as a Family Service Counselor for the Diocese of Oakland
Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services. Randy also worked in the automotive industry for over 15 years in a
variety of leadership positions for private and Fortune 500 companies, specializing in national sales training,
leadership and business development. Prior to entering this industry, Randy worked in the emergency
medical field in the Bay Area of California.
Randy’s specialized skill set in leadership development and training is a great asset to the Catholic cemetery
and funeral industry. He is focused on the mission of teaching others how to educate and guide the families
in our client-dioceses, while providing proven methodologies to growing this ministry through better
processes and business practices that support the Catholic Church.
Regional Directors
Jim Peterson, Regional Client Director - West Coast Region
Jim has been CMS’ Regional Director for our West Coast since October of 2013. In the
role of Regional Director, Jim provides focused support that helps our clients exceed
shared goals and objectives. Prior to joining the CMS team, Jim was a Chair for Vistage
International, where he lead groups of CEOs who were committed to improving their
company’s performance to higher annual revenue rates of nearly 15% greater than the
D&B average. Jim’s background also includes positions in operations and merchandising
at various retail outlets such as Ross Stores, Big Lots and Macy’s.
Anthony Crespo, Regional Director - Mountain West Region
Anthony, a third-generation funeral director, was most recently the Executive Director of
Catholic Cemeteries for the Diocese of Tucson before joining the CMS team. In this role,
he was responsible for balancing the needs of more than 700 families annually with the
resources of a mission diocese that has averaged a 65% cremation rate for the last three
years. Anthony interfaced with the Bishop’s office, clergy, the Board of Directors,
cemetery operations, sales, and administration departments.
In 2001, he and his wife Madeline founded L.A. Crespo Funeral Directors in Baytown, Texas, which
subsequently became Crespo & Jirrels Funeral and Cremation Services. They sold the firm in 2012 to a
national funeral and cemetery firm. He has served on numerous church, professional and civic boards and
committees.
A graduate of Commonwealth College of Science, Anthony holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration
from the University of Houston, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.
In 1994, he was named a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner by Academy of Professional Funeral Service
Jack Drexel, Regional Director - East Coast Region
Jack serves CMS’ east coast clients, including the Archdiocese of Puerto Rico. The vast
majority of his experience was with the Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of Rochester
NY, most recently as its Director of Operations and Project Development. He has been a
member of the Catholic Cemetery Conference for over 20 years, serving on committees
and holding several Board positions including Vice President.
Ed Koerner, Regional Director - Midwest Region
Ed has extensive experience in the customer service industry, where he served in various
roles for various automotive and financial companies, such as Chevrolet and Advisors
Capital, Inc. He is an active nonprofit volunteer, assisting with Kids Against Hunger and
serving as Parish Council member at his Church.
National Advisory Board Members
The CMS National Advisory Board is comprised of a group of experienced individuals within the industry
who provide guidance and support on all of CMS’ business and mission-based endevours.
Paul Bongiovanni, Chief Financial Officer, Diocese of Oakland
Paul, who has over 30 years of experience working for nonprofit organizations, has been a valued employee of
the Diocese of Oakland since 2008. He began his tenure as the Controller for the Diocese and was appointed
to Chief Financial Officer in 2014. He currently serves as a trusted advisor to Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J., in
addition to directing and supervising day-to-day operations within the Diocese. A Bay Area native, Paul has
been attending Mass within the Diocese since he was born.
Prior to working for the Diocese of Oakland, Paul worked for various nonprofit entities, including the Family
Stress Center in Concord, CA, The Catholic Youth Organization of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration
from California State University, Hayward.
Tom Gordon, Chief Operating Officer, Catholic Extension
Tom is responsible for internal organization processes and infrastructure that allows Catholic Extension, a
national fundraising organization committed to strengthening poor mission dioceses across the United
States, to fulfill its mission. Tom’s passion for excellence allows him to oversee both strategic and operational
programs with the utmost effectiveness and creativity. Tom has more than 30 years of experience in strategic
planning, marketing, sales and finance, having served in various leadership roles in large American
corporations, entrepreneurial firms and small start-ups.
Dr. Leslie (Les) Maiman, Chief Financial Officer, Archdiocese of Anchorage
Les’ 24 years of ecclesial service include five years as the Executive Director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference and 17 years with the Diocese of San Angelo (Texas) including appointments as
Chancellor, Diocesan Finance Officer and Retreat Center Administrator. Immediately out of college, his
initial 15-year professional career was spent in the financial securities industry as a manager for Merrill Lynch
and E.F. Hutton.
Les holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Catholic University of America, a Masters in Business Administration
from the University of Texas at Austin, a Masters in Theological Studies from the University of Dallas, and
a Bachelors degree in Philosophy from Saint Louis University. He coauthored, “Long-Range Planning For A
West Texas Catholic Diocese” (Interfaces, March-April 2009, ref: National Catholic Reporter, June 23, 2009)
in addition to having published his dissertation topic, Pastoral Finance Workshop: Money Tools for
Presbyters, which he presents as a two-day workshop to diocesan priests throughout the United States.
Very Reverend George Mockel, Vicar General, Diocese of Oakland
Very Reverend George Mockel is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Oakland, as well as a Pastor at
Santa Maria Parish in Orinda, CA. As Vicar General, a position he’s held in Oakland since 2005, Father
Mockel oversees all clergy services, pastoral planning and property management of the Cathedral. In addition
to being a member of both CMS Boards, he serves on other Boards throughout the area, including the
Diocesan Finance Council, the Diocesan Planning Board, the Priest Personnel Board and the College of
Consultors.
A Bay Area native, Father Mockel received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from St. Patrick’s College
in Mountain View, and attended St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. He has previously served as Judicial
Vicar of the diocese and pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Concord. In addition, Father Mockel attended the
Institute on Matrimonial Tribunal Practice at Catholic University of America and the Institute on the Revised
Code of Canon Law at the University of San Francisco.
Peter Persuitti, Managing Director, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Peter is the Managing Director for Global Religious and Nonprofit Practice at Arthur J.
Gallagher & Co., a US-based global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Peter, a
seasoned executive and passionate leader, has over 30 years of experience in a variety of roles within
academic, faith-based and nonprofit institutions. He leads Gallagher’s strategy for bringing resources to bear
for the benefit of the religious and nonprofit sector and is heavily involved in the ongoing implementation of
“Virtus,” a national initiative that identifies best practices programs designed to help prevent
wrongdoing and promote “right doing” within religious organizations.
Peter received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from the Jesuit University of Scranton and a
Master of Arts degree in Classics (Ancient Greek and Latin) from The Ohio State University. He is a
Founding Trustee for the Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart and was the recipient of the “Daniel P.
Wachs Memorial Award” for outstanding marketing achievement by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Group of
Companies in 2003.
CMS Board Members
Robert Seelig
Paul Bongiovanni
Very Reverend George Mockel
Representative Clients
Diocese of OaklandArchdiocese of Hartford
Diocese of Sacramento
Archdiocese of Portland
Archdiocese of Detroit
Diocese of Honolulu
Diocese of SpokaneDiocese of Richmond
Diocese of Monterey
Diocese of San Bernardino
Archdiocese of Denver
Archdiocese of New Orleans
Diocese of RenoDiocese of Saginaw
Diocese of Lansing
Archdiocese of San Juan
Testimonials
“The transformation of the cemetery ministry in the Diocese of Oakland has been extraordinary. As both
a pastor of a parish and Vicar General of the diocese, I have witnessed firsthand how the establishment of
Catholic Management Services has provided opportunities for greater service to families at the time of the
death of a loved one. Additionally, those of us ministering in the name of the Church are able to encourage
the family to draw from the rich liturgical tradition of the Church in the choices they make about Christian
burial.”
~Very Reverend George Mockel, Vicar General, Diocese of Oakland
“I had the pleasure to work with many of the leaders of CMS while serving as Bishop of Oakland. As a result, I
was very confident about inviting them to the Archdiocese of Detroit to help reshape our cemetery
ministry. As is the case in so many other dioceses in the United States, the revitalization of our cemeteries
was a pressing need; and it was comforting to know that I could entrust the leadership of this ministry to
them.”
~Archbishop Allen Vigneron, Archdiocese of Detroit
“By partnering with Catholic Management Services, I was able to reduce stress and rely on a team of
professionals with experience across all facets of my business. I now have a thought partner helping me set
a strategic agenda for the coming decade. In two short years, our ministry has stemmed operating losses,
increased advanced planning revenues, and furthered our ministry through a renewed presence in the
community. Catholic Management Services played an integral role in the launch of our Catholic cemeteries
into the funeral business, which in just a couple months of operations is already exceeding our expectations.”
~Jim Falkner, Executive Director
Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Spokane
“CMS has provided our diocese with an expert senior management team that has helped us manage the
financial challenges of a changing industry. By supporting our ministry, CMS has given us the chance to
concentrate on end-of-life services that meet the needs of the Faithful and sustain our rich Catholic
traditions.”
~Tom McNamara, Chief Financial Officer
Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Sacramento
CMS Fast Facts
Founded: 2011
Web: www.cmsmission.org | info@cmsmission.org
Headquarters:
4457 Willow Road, Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Tax Exempt Nonprofit Status:
Incorporated 2001
Application to IRS filed 2013
Recieved Exepmtion Status 2015
For Media Inquiries, Contact:
Megan Folkman
Client Communications Manager
Office (925) 965-2781
mfolkman@cmsmission.org