Please join us in welcoming Tristan Herrera as the new Managing Funeral Director of Martinez West Funeral Home and Crematory, West Odessa, Texas. Tristan was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Texas Tech University, followed by a Master of Business Administration. His early career as a fitness specialist at Covenant Lifestyle Centre allowed him to work closely with patients recovering from cardiac and respiratory trauma and reinforced his passion in caring for others. Driven by that calling, Tristan entered the funeral profession and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Services in 2025. He gained hands-on experience with Combest Family Funeral Homes and is licensed as both a funeral director and embalmer. Tristan is committed to serving families with compassion, professionalism, and integrity. Outside of work, he enjoys life with his wife, Gabby, and their two dogs, Bear and Mia, and continues to prioritize wellness and personal growth. We’re excited to have Tristan step into this leadership role and look forward to the impact he will make at Martinez West Funeral Home and Crematory.

We’re pleased to announce the promotion of David Houston to General Manager of the Roswell Market, overseeing Ballard Funeral Home & Crematory and LaGrone Funeral Chapel & Crematory in Roswell, and Terpening & Son Mortuary in Artesia. David began his funeral service career in 1982 after graduating from Lamesa High School. He earned his Funeral Director and Embalmer licenses in Texas before relocating to New Mexico, where he became an FSP in 1989. David has held leadership roles on the New Mexico Funeral Service Association Board (twice as President) and the New Mexico Board of Funeral Service (four years as Chairman). David has been a steady presence at Terpening & Son for many years, and we’re confident he will bring strong leadership and direction to the Roswell Market in this new role. Congratulations, David!

We're pleased to share several exciting leadership updates within the Legacy Family: Kevin Combest, a former owner and Regional Manager, is promoted to Regional Director. Kevin will take on an expanded leadership role across the Southwest and the Texas Panhandle. With the support of Billy Vallie, Jr. (Area Manager), Kevin will oversee both the Odessa and West Texas Markets, along with the Texas Panhandle. He will also help guide the Abilene Market in partnership with Bryan Hicks (Area Manager). In addition, Kevin will continue his managerial responsibilities throughout New Mexico. We are also excited to announce the promotion of Ryan Stephens to Regional Director. Ryan has been the Regional Manager of Central Texas for some time now. In this new role, Ryan will work alongside Norman Gonzales (Regional Manager) to oversee both the South Texas and Central Texas Markets, supporting continued growth and operational excellence across the region. Ray Dupre has been named Regional Manager for the entire state of Louisiana. In this expanded role, Ray now provides leadership and oversight statewide, including the recent addition of the Baton Rouge Market—comprising Ascension, Baker, and Resthaven Gardens of Memory & Funeral Home. Ray’s dedication and leadership to his team continues to strengthen as he works to assist with the care provided to families across Louisiana. Please join us in congratulating Kevin, Ryan, and Ray on their well-deserved promotions. These leadership changes reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence and position us for continued success throughout the communities we serve.