History & Staff

Richard Tetrick Chief Executive Officer

Richard Tetrick is the third generation of his family to be a funeral director. He started working in his family business at the age of 16. He is an active member of First United Methodist Church of Elizabethton and the Elizabethton Rotary Club. He serves as a board member and secretary of Citizens Bank of the Tri-Cities. Richard has been a member and chairman of the Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers and is a former director and secretary-treasurer of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Richard has been married to Norma Greene Tetrick since 1972. They have one son, Tyler, who is active in the family business and is a funeral director.

Tyler Tetrick President - Heritage Family Cemeteries

Tyler Tetrick is the son of Richard and Norma Tetrick and represents the fourth generation of licensed funeral directors in the Tetrick family. He is a licensed funeral director for Tetrick Funeral Home and he formerly practiced as a licensed CPA in the State of Tennessee. Tyler is also a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Elizabethton, is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, and is the current president of the Cemetery Association of Tennessee. Tyler is a member of Munsey United Methodist Church of Johnson City and serves on multiple charitable boards throughout the community.

Renee Lockhart President and CEO

Renee Lockhart is President and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Operating, LLC. Renee joined Heritage Family Funeral Services in April of 1990. She has served as a member of the Elizabethton Civitan Club, the Rotary Club of Elizabethton and the board of Abuse Alternatives, Inc. She was selected for inclusion in the 2001 Forty Under 40 class featured in The Business Journal of Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia.

Originally from Middlesboro, Kentucky, Renee is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a master’s degree in Accountancy. She has served as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President and President of the ETSU Alumni Association Board and currently serves as a member of that board and of the board of the ETSU Foundation. She was inducted into the ETSU College of Business Hall of Fame in 2003. Renee and her husband of 30 years, Jess Lockhart, who has been with the Sullivan County Tennessee School Systems for 33 years, attend Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church.

Mark Aaroen Vice-President / Chief Operations Officer

Mark Aaroen has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer for 34 years, and has an extensive background in operations management and staff development having managed firms of various sizes throughout his career. Mark has held membership in several professional organizations including, the National Funeral Director Association and Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Mark is married to Marcy Aaroen and they have three sons. Mark and Marcy are members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Johnson City, TN.

Dr Bruce Offutt Chief Financial Officer

Paula A Akers Human Resources Administrator

Paula joined Heritage Family Management in 2013. In her current position as HR Administrator, Paula is responsible for the management and administration of company policies, benefits administration, and overseeing human resources activities. Paula is married to David Akers and has two sons, Eric and Justin, and a grandson, Eric Jr. Paula resides in Piney Flats, TN and enjoys time on the lake with family and friends.

Chad Sams I.T. Manager

Chad is from Elizabethton and currently resides in Kingsport, TN. He graduated from East Tennessee State University with a degree in Computer Science, and has been working for Heritage Family since 2004. In his current position as IT Manager, Chad provides technical support to Heritage Family offices, so each location can better serve and take care of their families. Chad is happily married to a wonderful woman, Kristen, and is the proud step-dad to Emily Peters. He also is active in his church, Grace Fellowship, in Kingsport, TN.

Justin Stubbs Creative Director

Justin Stubbs joined Heritage in 2021 as Creative Director, and director of communications. Justin began working as a freelance graphic designer in 2006 where he developed a strong book of business in the entertainment and music industry. He has a passion for branding and identity with strengths in typography and editorial design. He also oversees social media and public relations for all of our firms.

Justin is also a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and crematory operator in the state of Georgia. He spent 10 years in the funeral industry at the funeral home level before transitioning to the creative side in 2020. Melding his two passions - graphic design and funeral service - Justin feels he has the right tools in his kit to help Heritage excel in our industry.

Justin graduated from Lowndes High School in 1999 and Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in 2012. Originally from Valdosta, GA, he currently lives in McDonough, GA with his wife, Nikki and son, Holland.

Greg Cannon Director of Employee Development

Greg is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Georgia and Alabama, and a Certified licensed insurance agent in Georgia. He is certified by the American Academy of Bereavement as a grief facilitator. Mr. Cannon is a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, Decatur, GA, where he served as class president and a member of Pi Sigma Eta.

“Serving others” is his life’s work, and after 40 years of serving families, he now shares his knowledge from those experiences with other funeral professionals.

He has served on the national Policy Board of the National Funeral Directors Association, the Executive Board of Georgia Funeral Directors Association, and the Selected Independent Funeral Homes Educational Trust Board of Trustees. He served on the Mass Fatality Team for the 7-county area of Metro Atlanta and the Mass Fatality Planning Team for the state of Georgia. A sought-after speaker, he is well-experienced in media relations and has spoken widely to diverse funeral service and public groups and to television stations and newspaper outlets.

Thomas Burton Regional Director of Pre-Need Sales

Thomas is from Lincolnton, GA, and is a 4th generation funeral director and cemeterian. He is a graduate of both Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service and The Georgia School of Ministry. Thomas is married to his best friend Erin Burton, and they have three children, Caden, Kaylee, and Carly.

Thomas and Erin are credentialed ministers through the Assemblies of God, and are active evangelists through their ministry "Relentless Discipleship."

Gail Bradley Accounts Payable

Jessica L McDonough Accounting Clerk

Jessica graduated from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio in 2009. She worked in Columbus until deciding to move to East Tennessee. She recently married a remarkable Stoney Creek resident, Ezra Jacob Brummitt and they bought a house in Bristol, TN. Together, they enjoy traveling, driving and hiking the mountains with their dog, and caving.

Regenia Duck Staff Accountant

Lisa Blevins Accounting Clerk