Local group buys Cotrell Funeral Service

Three Poplar Bluff-area residents have formed a consortium and purchased a prominent local business.

Dr. Clint Vanlandingham, Dr. Donald Piland and insurance agency owner Steve Phillips formed a consortium known as PVP Investment Group and purchased Cotrell Funeral Service from Premier Funeral Management Services of Naples, Florida.

The sale was finalized Feb. 14, according to a press release from the investment group.

Cotrell was initially formed by George Begley and J.J. Frank in 1879. It was run by local businessman Larry Cotrell or his predecessors for many years. In 2008, Cotrell sold the funeral home to Iowa native Randy Schultz. He moved to Poplar Bluff and ran the business for six years before selling to Premier in 2014. He now resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

Piland has practiced internal medicine in Poplar Bluff for 36 years and has participated in multiple business and community endeavors during that time, including lengthy stints as chief of staff of both Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center and Black River Medical Center, as well as serving on the board and as president of the Black River Coliseum for 10 years.

Piland continues to actively practice both inpatient and outpatient medicine in Poplar Bluff at Physicians Park Primary Care and Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he serves on the PBRMC Board of Directors.

Phillips is a local insurance agency owner of 30 years and president of First Choice Insurance Agency in Poplar Bluff and Perryville. He also is vice president, Midwest region, for Seeman Holtz, a national insurance agency located in Boca Raton, Florida.

Phillips is not only an independent insurance agent offering various insurance products to local citizens, but also is active in putting together a nationwide health insurance offering in an effort to provide quality, affordable health insurance to industries and citizen groups throughout the US.

Vanlandingham has practiced podiatry locally at Coppertop Foot and Ankle for over 15 years and has treated local athletes with regard to their various foot and ankle injuries, as well as providing complex wound care and general podiatry services for Southeast Missouri-area citizens.

He has also been instrumental in support for local youth baseball programs, and has served on the Board of Directors of Black River Medical Center for over 10 years.

Vanlandingham said for the recent purchase, “Our group is excited about the opportunity to provide local ownership to a funeral service that has been a landmark in Poplar Bluff for 150 years.”

Phillips reiterated those feelings, stating, “It will be great for local community members to once again be in charge of seeing to the final rites of local citizens.”

Piland stated the group plans no changes to the employment situation at Cotrell’s and the transition should be seamless to all but those on the management side of the business.

Piland said, “Our plan is to continue to provide the same outstanding, caring and personalized service that Cotrell Funeral Home has always been known for. We look forward to continuing that record of excellent service to our community and surrounding areas.”

Bruce Goin, current general manager of Cotrell, stated, “I am happy that Cotrell’s ownership was brought back to a community-minded group of local owners. This will greatly benefit the citizens of Poplar Bluff.”

He also shared the group of dedicated employees at Cotrell “will be the greatest benefit to the new owners and that they (PVP) are very fortunate to be able to take over ownership with this great group of resolute, service-minded employees.”

Goin has been employed at Cotrell since 1981.

Carol Boyer, administrative manager, has been at Cotrell since 1999. She and Carla Cross, along with Goin, make up the trio of full-time funeral directors at Cotrell Funeral Home.