Management Team
AUDREY THACKER
Audrey is Vice President of Thacker Caskets, Inc. She is a native of the Scranton, PA area. While working for a local casket manufacturer, Audrey met and later married Carl Thacker, owner of Old Dominion Casket Company of Washington, DC. She moved to Washington and became active with the firm. Following her husband’s untimely death, Audrey boldly took the reins and kept the company viable until her young son, CJ, was able to come on board with the firm full time. Today, Thacker Caskets, Inc. owes its very existence to Audrey and her strong determination in the face of very challenging circumstances. Audrey maintains an active presence at the company working side by side with CJ and the Thacker Customer Service Team to serve their valued customers. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren Danielle, Justin, and Sara. On the rare occasions when Audrey is not on the job (she lists one of her hobbies as “work”), she can be found just about anywhere across the globe as she is an accomplished world traveler.
CJ THACKER
CJ Thacker is President of Thacker Caskets, Inc. He began his career with Thacker Caskets, Inc. while still in high school. Upon graduation and the untimely death of his father, CJ came on board full time to help his mother, Audrey, run the family business. Under CJ’s guidance and management, the company has realized remarkable growth. This expansion includes serving 33 states from 13 distribution centers, and the opening of a new manufacturing plant in Florence, AL. On the personal side, CJ and his wife Diane live in Ijamsville, MD and they have three children—Danielle, Justin, and Sara. During his free time, CJ enjoys spending weekends at the family’s lake house, hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling.
SANDRA SAUCIER
Sandy is Secretary/Treasurer of Thacker Caskets, Inc. She received her initial orientation into the casket and funeral industry while working summers during high school for Carl and Audrey Thacker at the founder’s Washington, DC office. In 1971, after completing studies at Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross, Sandy moved with her husband to Newport, RI to begin a family. In 1978, she returned to the Washington, DC area with her two daughters, and accepted a position at Stone Ridge Country Day School as Assistant Director of Development. In 1980, Sandy began a renewed love of the casket business and service to the funeral industry when she again joined the Thacker Family. Sandy comments that, “This has been a most exciting adventure to actively participate in the leaps and bounds growth of Thacker Caskets, Inc. to become the second largest family owned casket company in the US!” In her spare time, Sandy enjoys visiting with her grandchildren and also teaching dance.
JIM PEACOCK
Jim is the President of Balanced Line Casket Company. Balanced Line joined with Thacker Caskets, Inc. in June of 2001. Jim is a graduate of Vincennes University, and the Indiana College of Mortuary Science. He maintains an active Indiana Funeral Director’s license, and he is a former funeral home owner. Jim has been serving leading Indiana Funeral Homes as a sales and merchandising consultant for over 35 years. As past President of the Casket and Funeral Supply Association and the Indiana Funeral Supply Group, Jim’s expertise is well respected both in Indiana and nationally. He is proud to serve as a board member and advisor to a number of independent funeral homes and cemeteries. Jim and his wife Sandy live in Indianapolis. They have two sons and four grandchildren. He is a life member of Sertoma International, and a member of Christ the King Catholic Church. In his spare time, Jim enjoys golf, travel, and spending time with his family.
JIM SPINKS
Jim is the Manager of Manufacturing for Thacker Caskets, Inc. A native of Columbus, MS, Jim started in the casket business as a welder for West Point Casket Company in 1989. Jim quickly “climbed the ladder” and became West Point’s Plant Manager by 1995—a position he held until 2002 when he joined Thacker Caskets’ manufacturing facility in Loretto, TN, also as Plant Manager. Jim attended East Mississippi Community College and MUW. Jim's wife, Renee, also works in the Thacker office in Florence. They have a son, Taylor, born in 2000—a “next generation” casket maker. Jim spearheaded the move of Thacker Casket Manufacturing from the factory in Loretto, TN to the new plant in Florence, AL. This was a major undertaking. Under Jim’s guidance, the Florence factory opened for full production on October 17th, 2009—several weeks ahead of schedule!
TONYA SWEETWOOD
Tonya joined Balanced Line Casket Company in 1986. After moving her way up from order entry clerk to eventual Balance Line Office Manager, in 2008 Tonya and her family moved to Florence, Alabama to become part of our manufacturing operations. Tonya is part of our Thacker Casket Manufacturing Management Team, specifically handling all the purchasing duties for the plant. Tonya's husband Mike is also a part of our Thacker as a department head. Natives of Cambridge City, Indiana, Tonya and Mike have three boys-- all of whom are very actively involved in sports. The boys' hectic schedules do not leave Tonya a great deal of time to pursue hobbies.
MIKE BEARDSLEY
Mike joined Thacker Caskets, Inc. in November, 2004 as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Previously, Mike served as Director of Sales & Marketing for the Marsellus Casket Company, Syracuse, NY. He joined Marsellus in 1973 after graduating summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Oswego with a degree in Secondary Education/Social Science. Mike has assisted leading funeral directors in 46 states & across Canada to create strategic merchandising plans. He has been a speaker for the National Funeral Directors Association, the National Foundation of Funeral Service, and numerous State Funeral Associations. Mike and his wife Nancy live in Chittenango, NY and have two children. His hobbies include golf, New York State Archeology, antiques, and collecting early casket & coffin company advertising. Mike is a contributing writer for AntiqueWeek magazine.
