Curtis Funk

Founder and CEO of Tukios

As a tech-minded entrepreneur, Curtis Funk is always looking for a way technology can simplify things. He comes from an entrepreneurial family and got his start in the funeral profession by digitally recording memorial services. That “side-hustle” eventually became FuneralRecording.com, which was a national brand in funeral webcasting software.

In 2010, Curtis noticed a need for an easier way to create memorial videos. Tukios was born from that idea, and now the software is used by thousands of funeral homes to easily create beautiful videos for their families. The name means “events” in Swahili. “I came up with the name Tukios because I got tired of people forgetting who we were at FuneralRecording.com. Our name and brand must have been too boring.”

Curtis is also the creator of the hit web-show Funeral Cribs. The goal of that project is to give back to the industry and help funeral directors learn from successful people in the funeral profession.

Curtis Funk is the founder and CEO of Tukios, a software company providing websites and a tribute video platform for funeral homes. He has been an entrepreneur his entire adult life and has founded multiple companies. He has spent the last 15 years providing products and services exclusively to funeral homes.Curtis grew up in Ogden, Utah, and graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelors in Professional Sales. While in college he was starting and running businesses. Curtis and his companies have received many awards including the National Funeral Directors Association Innovation Award, the “Coolest College Startup of 2010” from Inc Magazine, and the Young Alumni of the Year Award from Weber State University. Curtis is recognized as a thought leader in the funeral industry and has built a company with an impeccable reputation and thousands of customers worldwide. He loves to golf, surf, and mountain bike. He’s immune to mosquitoes, can play the piano upside-down, and is married with 3 kids and 2 dogs.

Matt Smith

The opportunity to impact the lives of others can present itself in many ways. But for Matt Smith, he answers that calling every day in his life’s work. In death, he restores beauty and creates a greater family experience by making the loved one “Perfectly Presentable”.

If there ever were a trailblazer in a profession, it is Matt Smith.  In the past 25 years, Matt has become an international icon in embalming and professional instruction.

“Matt MAKES the impossible POSSIBLE and the overwhelmingly challenging EASIER.”

~S. Hill

Matt is well-known for his innovative solutions for difficult case restoration and feature setting. The one to transform bodies and mindset in the most difficult cases;

Severe Edema, Severe Emaciation, Gun-shot trauma, Auto accident trauma, Burn victim, Decomposition cases, Jaundice, Infant embalming, Autopsy,

Tissue Donor, Frozen cases,  Multiple Complexities

The infamous ‘Creating the Smile’, and more.  

Developing and teaching his rarified technical procedures and artistic enhancements with his extensive experience, Matt inspires this community. He has designed well-documented visuals and instructional courses to transform the profession. Matt is driven to make an impact. But most importantly, he is an inspirational, encouraging, and compelling coach.

Matt has spoken to numerous groups, Colleges, and Associations including the American Board of Funeral Services Education. Internationally Matt has presented for the NFDA, ICCFA, ABFSE, AFE in Hong Kong and  Macau, and Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.  In the United States, he has presented at state association conventions in 30 states.

Embalming nearly 19,000 bodies during his career since graduating in 1994 from John A. Gupton College in Nashville, TN, Matt has been a trade embalmer for several funeral home operations in the Metro Detroit area. Matt is the owner and President of Homeward Bound Shipping specializing in domestic mortuary shipping and international repatriation.  Matt is also the founder of Professional Embalmers Institute (PEI), where embalmers from around the world gain experience with hands-on training. 

“Matt Smith is a true professional; an embalmer with great talent who combines technical proficiency and true compassion. He serves the living by caring for the dead.” 

~T. Lynch