Funeral service is changing - fast.
More families are choosing cremation over burial. Traditions are shifting. Expectations are higher. And the families walking into funeral homes today are more informed, more selective, and more willing to shop around than ever before.
That's where Cambridge Memorial Group comes in.
We buy, own, and operate funeral homes by partnering with owners who care about their people, their families, and the legacy they've built - and want a future that protects all three.
We help funeral homes evolve without losing the trust, reputation, and community connection that made them successful in the first place.
John Baker & Cole West
Questions Many Owners Face
Many funeral home owners we work with ask some of the same questions:
When's the right time to step away?
How do you time a transition the right way?
What happens to your community and your team?
What will families think after you leave?
How do you balance business decisions with family relationships?
There's no one-size-fits-all exit. Whether you're ready to 'toss the keys tomorrow' or ease into a gradual transition, we work arm-in-arm with you to build a plan that actually fits your goals, your team, and your timeline.
Who We Are
Most companies start with a business plan. Cambridge Memorial Group started with a friendship.
Cole West and John Baker met at freshman band camp at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School as two clarinet section-mates. Cole grew up in a funeral home family. John grew up in a family business. Both saw firsthand what it takes to build something from the ground up and what it takes to keep it going. Long before the company existed, they spent afternoons sitting in the high school parking lot (usually in John's car, because it was nicer than Cole's) talking about building something together one day. Cambridge Memorial Group is named after Cambridge Avenue, the street where it all began.
John & Cole in high school
Scott, Cole & John today
Years later, a cold call connected them with Scott Betzler. A second-generation funeral home owner, Scott has spent his career proving that funeral homes don't have to choose between tradition and embracing change. What began as a conversation quickly became a shared conviction: funeral service was evolving, and owners deserved a better partner to help navigate it.
Scott brought decades of industry experience and a relentless enthusiasm for what funeral homes could become when excellence for families is the standard. Cole and John brought entrepreneurial energy and fresh perspective. Together, they built Cambridge Memorial Group around a simple idea: evolve the industry without losing what makes funeral homes matter in the first place.
Cole West
Chief Executive Officer
Cole grew up around funeral service - his family has owned a funeral home for over 70 years, and he saw firsthand the impact a great funeral director can have on a community. He also inherited the family's entrepreneurial streak early. From a 5th grade art business to a grocery delivery service in college, he's always been building something, and those experiences shaped the way he thinks about creating a great customer experience, leadership, and how to push through when things get hard.
After college, he spent time working across retail, insurance, and healthcare industries in Deloitte's Strategy & Operations practice, focused on improving business operations, leveraging marketing technologies, and managing change across large organizations.
Cole left Deloitte to join Indeed.com, where he led teams to launch and manage software products both in the U.S. and internationally. He holds a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In August 2023, he married the love of his life, Adrienne.
Likes: Golf, live music, and traveling with his wife, Adrienne
Favorite Bucket List Item: Going skydiving
John Baker
President
John is an entrepreneur and finance professional with extensive experience in commercial real estate. Growing up in Michigan, he watched his father and uncle build a direct mail business, sparking his entrepreneurial spirit early. At Babson College, John co-founded a promotional laptop sleeve business, an experience that taught him crucial lessons about co-founder dynamics, financial planning, and building positive company culture.
After college, John joined Wells Fargo's Real Estate Banking team, where he has consistently advanced from Analyst to Vice President, underwriting, structuring, and executing commercial real estate debt transactions across multiple asset classes.
John remains connected to his Midwest roots as an avid Detroit Lions and Michigan State Spartans fan, frequently traveling to Michigan for game days with family. John holds a bachelor's degree from Babson College.
Likes: Detroit Lions and Michigan State Spartans game days, road trips with family
Favorite Bucket List Item: Visit all 50 states — currently 36 down, 14 to go
Scott Betzler
Partner
Scott brings operational depth and a practical, people-first approach to the businesses Cambridge Memorial Group partners with. His experience is rooted in the real work — as an owner and Life Story Funeral Director at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Scott spent years building one of the most respected and innovative funeral homes in the region. Under his leadership alongside his father, Roy Betzler, Betzler Life Story became the first funeral home to join the Life Story movement — reimagining the funeral experience not as a transaction, but as a true celebration of life. Scott was also instrumental in helping grow the Life Story Network, expanding that vision beyond a single location into a broader movement across the industry.
Having lived the day-to-day realities of running a funeral home — earning the trust of families during their most difficult moments, managing staff, and preserving a culture built over decades — Scott brings a perspective that few advisors in this space can match.
Likes: A pint of Guinness, Notre Dame, golf, ski, and fishing trips with the guys, golden retrievers
Favorite Bucket List Item: Visiting all the US National Parks with wife Julie
Why Funeral Home Owners Choose Us
Legacy Preservation
We believe the relationships, reputation, and service culture behind every funeral home should be carried forward thoughtfully and responsibly.
We Are In It Every Day
We are operators, not financial engineers. We work alongside you and your team — earning your trust through actions, not words.
Modern Tools, Human Touch
We're always looking for ways technology can make things better — smoother arrangement conversations, stronger communication with families, and more time back for your team, all without losing the personal touch.
Innovation Mindset
We have long standing family ties to funeral service, but we also have worked in other industries. That combination gives us a fresh perspective on what's possible and a drive to bring new ideas to the firms we partner with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from funeral home owners considering a transition.