StoneMor Partners L.P. announced changes to its management team with the appointment of Leo Pound as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective March 30, 2018, and the hiring of Jim Ford as its Chief Operating Officer, effective March 1, 2018. Pound will replace current CEO Paul Grady, who has resigned and is leaving StoneMor and the StoneMor GP Board on March 30. A search for a permanent CEO is underway.

Ford will have responsibility for all operational aspects of the Partnership including the sales and customer service functions for the cemetery and funeral home businesses. Pound is an experienced executive with a focus on increasing customer and shareholder value. Throughout his career, he has worked with several multinational companies and has been active in the CEO, COO and CFO roles in a variety of service industries.

He has served as a Director of StoneMor's General Partner since 2014 and from April to September 2017 was StoneMor's Acting Chief Operating Officer. He has in-depth knowledge of operational and strategic planning, M&A, forecasting and budgeting initiatives. Ford joins StoneMor from Foundation Partners Group, where he was Chief Customer Officer.

He previously held the position of Vice President, Business Optimization, where he led efforts to formulate and implement business strategies that drove organizational growth and expansion. Prior to joining Foundation Partners Group, Ford held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Cremation Services with the Neptune Society in Plantation, Florida. Before that, he held several senior management positions with Service Corporation International (SCI) during his 16 years with the company.

Ford has served on the Boards of Directors of the Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin Cemetery Associations and the Board of Directors of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association.