Funeral Services, Inc. (FSI), the leading deathcare trust administrator for preneed and perpetual care trusts, announced today it has been acquired by Argent Financial Group (Argent), a leading deathcare trustee and fiduciary wealth management firm.
Under the agreement, FSI will keep its name and leadership team and maintain local decision-making in Florida while continuing to operate independently in Tallahassee. FSI President/CEO Bill Williams, who joined the company in 2001, will also remain as executive management for FSI operations.
“This acquisition is an exciting opportunity for continued partnership between FSI and Argent,” said Williams. “We’ve worked closely with Argent in the past and know the benefits of building a modern-day trust program to ensure greater service and success. Though there will be no immediate impact for clients of FSI, this new partnership will allow clients of both companies to have access to even more seamless and efficient service delivery should they elect to do business with us both. Importantly, FSI will continue to serve multiple trustees.”
Founded in 1978, FSI is a trust-administration and record-keeping company providing trust solutions to funeral homes, cemeteries, industry associations and financial institutions. For 44 years, FSI has been working to lift the burden of establishing and maintaining trusts off the shoulders of its clients. FSI serves both private and publicly owned clients in 24 states.
Through its subsidiary Argent Trust Company, Argent has provided the deathcare profession with trustee and investment management services for 32 years. The firm is qualified to serve funeral homes and cemeteries in 41 states.
“Argent’s acquisition strategy has consistently been about aligning with the highest-quality companies for continued growth,” said Kyle McDonald, CEO of Argent Financial Group. “We are committed to growing in ways that allow us to better serve our clients, including those in the funeral and cemetery profession. For decades, FSI has demonstrated its leadership in trust-administration and record-keeping in the deathcare industry. Combining their expertise with that of Argent’s deathcare services team, led by Mark Milton, SVP and institutional services manager, and Steve Jackson, SVP and funeral services group manager, will provide current and prospective clients with the best of both organizations.”
About Funeral Services, Inc.
Funeral Services, Inc. (FSI) specializes in the administration, recordkeeping and support of preneed and perpetual care trusts for cemeteries, funeral homes, deathcare industry associations and financial institutions. With more than 300 years of combined industry experience, FSI ensures trust and sales programs are operating at maximum efficiency through unmatched security, convenience, speed, compliance and cutting-edge technology. Over the course of 44 years, FSI has grown to serve over 1,200 individual firms located in 24 states and administers more than 300 deathcare trust accounts across the nation for publicly and privately-owned entities. For more information, please visit www.FSITrust.com.
About Argent Financial Group
Argent Financial Group (Argent) is a leading, independent, fiduciary wealth management firm. Responsible for more than $35 billion in client assets, Argent provides individuals, families, businesses and institutions with a broad range of wealth management services, including trust and estate planning, investment management, retirement plan consulting, ESOPs, funeral and cemetery trusts, charitable organization administration, oil and gas (mineral) management and other unique financial services. Headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana, Argent was formed in 1990 and traces its roots back to 1930. For more information, visit www.ArgentFinancial.com.
