Just as with baseball, spring is the time for businesses to re-evaluate returning talent, determine which rookies may require some more seasoning and to bring on board a veteran bench coach who will share valuable lessons with the team.

As the season begins with an economy that is trying to circle the bases without getting caught in a run-down, The Whitmore Group has added the consulting services of a valuable veteran to its roster.

Harry Pontone is a long-serving executive from the funeral services industry. In our dugout, he, will provide us with more than 60 years of business and management expertise to support our insurance underwriting and management programs for companies in the New York area and nationwide.

A licensed funeral director who graduated from the New York School of Embalming, Harry will share with us his career stats as a five-tool player in the areas of marketing, sales and management. He will help The Whitmore Group expand its casualty underwriting for funeral homes, other funeral-related businesses and businesses in other industries.

Harry started his career by working for his father, who founded the South Brooklyn Casket Company during 1931. Along with his brothers, Harry operated and expanded the business to include additional services such as personalization, merchandising and business planning. He dedicated his entire career to providing services in the death care industry with compassion.

Harry is the greatest salesman I ever met. He’s been a mentor to me and, for many years as one of our earliest clients, he has believed in the insurance program we developed for the funeral industry. His marketing and client service expertise, whether for the funeral business or for any line of business, along with his commitment to ensure that people’s wishes and needs are understood and respected, have been a tremendous asset to us since we first met. His experiences will be even more valuable to us now as we continue to improve our underwriting programs and services for all business sectors locally and across the country.

It is no secret that I attribute my success in business to all that I learned as an athlete in high school and college athletics. I also engage in business with many others who have played sports at various levels. While Harry did not get his game from the sports field, he did me one better, or, should I say, at least two sewers better. He played ball the hard way – figuring out how to get out of the house with his mother’s broom handle so he and his buddies could play stickball in the streets of Brooklyn.

Welcome to your new team, Harry!

JCM

3 Comments

• 

  By Tim, May 9, 2011 @ 6:46 pm

  Congratulations Jim!. Looks like the team at Whitmore just keeps growing and getting stronger.
• 

  By seth, May 9, 2011 @ 7:15 pm

  Jim,

  You’re a smart man for tapping into the experience of a man like Harry Pontone. The wisdom that comes from running a successful business over a long period of time is priceless.

  Gook luck,
  Seth
• 

  By Peter J. Lee, May 11, 2011 @ 10:01 pm

  Another coup by adding marquee players to your team! Goodonya!!

Other Links to this Post

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment