Curtis Ottinger, managing partner of the East Brainerd Chapel of Heritage Funeral Home, received Managing Partner of the Year, East Region, for Carriage Funeral Services on June 21, in Houston. The East Region covers 61 funeral homes in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Maine, Virginia, Florida, Connecticut, Louisiana, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and West Virginia.
On May 6, Mr. Ottinger received " Being the Best Pinnacle of Service Award" and "The Standards of Excellence Award" in Playa del Carmen, Mexico given by Mel Payne, founder and chairman of the Board of Carriage Services.
Carriage Funeral Services owns 180 funeral homes and 40 cemeteries in 30 states across the U.S. and is the fourth largest company in the death care market. In the Chattanooga area, Carriage Services owns both Heritage Funeral Homes, East Brainerd Chapel and Battlefield Parkway Chapel, both Lane Funeral Homes, South Crest and Ashland Terrace Chapel and the Williamson and Son Funeral Home in Soddy Daisy however each chapel is operated under local and independent managing partners.
The guiding principles behind Carriage is supporting each location by decentralization of its homes therefore giving the operating power back to the local managing partner.
Mr.Ottinger has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer for over 36 years and has served as managing partner for Heritage East Brainerd for the past 24 years. He is a licensed life celebrant and minister and performs funerals and weddings on many occasions. He is active in his community and also at Graceworks Church.