Sympathy Brands Names Mark Kittnar as Chief Technology Officer to Accelerate Growth


Sympathy Brands, dedicated to providing support to those navigating end-of-life matters, names Mark Kittnar Chief Technology Officer. Mark will lead the team in enhancing capabilities through innovation, feature development, and optimization across Sympathy Brands’ holistic solution.

Sympathy Brands Company, dedicated to providing support to those navigating end-of-life matters, names Mark Kittnar Chief Technology Officer. As the deathcare industry recognizes the value of Sympathy Brands’ holistic solution, Mark will lead the team in enhancing capabilities through innovation, feature development, and optimization.

Mark brings deep technical and leadership expertise to the team. He joins Sympathy Brands after holding multiple digital leadership roles at U.S. Cellular. Prior to U.S. Cellular, Mark led technical teams at Kantar, a division of the WPP Group, CNA Insurance, and was a founding member at EthnicGrocer.com, a $100MM funded startup. Throughout his tenure, he led the implementation of more than 100 digital platform upgrades, delivering revenue in excess of $10B, with a focus on digital transformation to maximize the customer experience while streamlining operations.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to the team. His leadership, strong technical foundation, and innovative mindset will undoubtedly strengthen our team and drive growth,” says Michael Schimmel, CEO of Sympathy Brands. “Having Mark further solidifies our commitment to a best-in-class, connected experience throughout our digital ecosystem.”

“The ecosystem and its network effect excites me from a technological standpoint. The opportunity to lead a team focused on creating connections through technology at such a meaningful moment captured my attention immediately,” said Kittnar. “I am looking forward to helping Sympathy Brands achieve its goals.”

Sympathy Brands platform, SBConnect™, helps the industry and consumers navigate end-of-life solutions by enabling technology to deliver meaningful connections with ease. SBConnect serves to connect the industry to the family and their expanded network of supporters providing information at increased touchpoints across the entire journey, from pre-planning to at-need to aftercare, including memorialization and commemoration. Throughout the experience, Sympathy Brands provides solutions to improve care such as automated, personalized messaging offering a family guidance and the ability to virtually eulogize and memorialize the deceased with Viewneral®, a virtual suite of interactive services. With Sympathy Brands’ family of brands, including eCondolence.com, Cemetery.com, shiva.com and others, the deathcare industry can reach a family’s community, providing support and services at meaningful and relevant times.

Visit SympathyBrands.com to learn more.

About Sympathy Brands Company

The Sympathy Brands’ Company family of brands, including eCondolence.com, http://www.cemetery.com, shiva.com, and others, supports families and industry experts through all stages of end-of-life matters™ with its trusted marketplace, leading technology and highly curated network of strategic partners. To learn more, please visit SympathyBrands.com.

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