Pierce Mortuary Colleges, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of
Robert “BBJ” Boetticher, Jr., Joseph Finocchiaro, Shana Garrett, and Steve Jackson to its Board of Directors.
These appointments strengthen the organization’s leadership team and support its continued commitment to educational excellence and industry achievement. The newly elected board members bring extensive experience and expertise in the funeral profession, education, and finance. They join existing board members Jay Dodds, Mark Bates, and Timothy Borden.
“We are honored to welcome these distinguished leaders to our Board of Directors,” said Jay Dodds, chairman of the Board of Directors. “Their collective knowledge, professional accomplishments, and passion for our mission will provide valuable guidance as we continue to serve our community and pursue our strategic goals.”
Meet The Board Members
Robert “BBJ” Boetticher, Jr.
Robert “BBJ” Boetticher, Jr. has dedicated more than three and a half decades to the funeral, cemetery, and cremation profession, building a career centered on service, leadership, and, most importantly, the development of people through education.
Throughout his career, Boetticher has served in progressive leadership roles across multiple organizations. His experience in funeral home, cemetery, and crematory operations has given him a broad view of the profession, but his greatest passion has remained constant: investing in people. He has consistently focused on coaching leaders, developing teams, and creating opportunities for professional growth through practical education, mentorship, and hands-on learning.
A defining chapter of Boetticher’s professional impact has been his more than decade-long involvement with the Cremation Association of North America, including service as its president. He has also spoken internationally on cremation trends, data analytics, and evolving consumer expectations, always with an eye toward helping professionals adapt, learn, and lead in a changing environment.
Boetticher’s career-long focus on workforce development, leadership training, and professional education aligns naturally with Pierce’s mission to prepare future funeral service professionals for meaningful and impactful careers. His career reflects a simple but powerful belief: When you invest in education, you invest in people, and when you invest in people, you strengthen the future of funeral service.
Joseph Finocchiaro, EJD, MBIE, CFSP
Joseph Finocchiaro began his funeral service journey with E. James Reese Funeral Home & Crematory in Seminole, Florida, as a part-time associate and worked his way toward becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer. In 2012, he became a professor at Miami Dade College. By 2023, he had been appointed president of the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. He currently serves as college president and chief executive officer of Pierce Mortuary Colleges, Inc.
As an industry professional, Finocchiaro is a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, a member of the British Institute of Embalming, and a member of several funeral service associations, including the National Funeral Directors Association and the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida. He is a past president of the American Board of Funeral Service Education and a founding member of Impact 1000 of the Funeral Service Foundation.
In addition to his professional work, Finocchiaro maintains a YouTube channel as “Professor Fin,” where he discusses funeral service industry and education topics.
Finocchiaro holds an associate degree in Funeral Service Education from St. Petersburg College, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Florida, and an Executive Juris Doctor degree from Purdue Global Law School.
Shana Garrett, PhD
Shana Garrett is a respected educator, licensed professional counselor, and higher education leader with more than 25 years of experience in program development, administration, and faculty roles across online and traditional learning environments.
As dean of the College of Psychology and Community Services at Walden University, Garrett leads innovative programs that advance adult learning, instructional design, and organizational effectiveness. She currently serves as the 2025–2026 president of the United States Distance Learning Association, where she promotes distance education.
Garrett was recently featured in Higher Ed Digest in “Advancing Authentic Leaders within the Higher Education Community.” Her presentations include “Pure Heart Leadership” at the Third International Women Influencers Network and Women’s Leadership Congress, as well as at the Mindful Leader conference in Washington, D.C.
Garrett developed the Pure Heart Leadership approach, which integrates psychological principles with practical strategies designed to help leaders foster trust, respect, and productivity. She is the author of Pure Heart Thoughts: An Approach to Authentic Leadership, published in 2014, and Pure Heart Leadership, published in 2019. She has also published extensively on professional development.
Garrett holds a PhD in Psychology from Saybrook University, an MBA from Walden University, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a BA in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Texas. She is licensed as a professional counselor in Texas and holds the National Certified Counselor credential. Her areas of expertise include crisis intervention, family dynamics, and relationship counseling.
Steve Jackson, CPA, CFP
As senior vice president of Argent Trust’s funeral and cemetery division, Steve Jackson is responsible for the division’s overall management.
Jackson is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor, Certified Financial Planner, and Certified Public Accountant. He has more than 30 years of experience in banking, trust, and funeral services. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern Arkansas University.
About Pierce Mortuary Colleges, Inc.
Pierce Mortuary Colleges, Inc. is a nonprofit organization comprising three schools: Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Mid-America College of Funeral Service, and Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service.
Pierce is dedicated to advancing funeral service education, including the study, research, and teaching of embalming and the broader business and profession of funeral service. It is one of the largest institutions of funeral service education in the United States.
Learn more about the organization and its members on the Pierce Board of Directors page.