After a lifetime of unconditional love, let us give your pet a proper goodbye. Located in historic Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Companions Forever is owned and operated CF Pet Services, Inc. The afterlife care of your pet is your final act of love and we are committed to the sensitive, compassionate care upon their passing.
The Cremation Process
Our Founder
Companions Forever was established by Mike Giglio in 2009 after a bad experience with the Cremation of his beloved great pyrenees, Zeus. Disappointed by the services he received, Mike decided that he could provide the cremation services with an emphasis on compassion and dignity for one’s final act of love. Mike was born in Long Island and moved to Morrison Tennessee in 2000 with his family and operated Companions Forever until his retirement in December 2022.
Our Team
Tom Metier
Chief Executive Officer
Tom Metier is our CEO and is a proud veteran of the US Army Special Forces and is responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of the Organization. Tom is a pet loss professional with over a decade of experience and is well-known and respected in the pet cremation industry.
Tom was born and reared in Iowa and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee in the 1980s where he operated a chain of Karate schools and worked as an engineer for Panasonic. In 1987, Tom met his wife, Maredith Clayton Metier; while she was attending the University of Tennessee. The pair married in 1993 and moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee in 1999. Tom has two sons, Jeromy and Cooper, and twin daughters, Jessica and Kristin.Tom and Maredith, currently live on a farm in Bell Buckle Tennessee.
Our crematory facility is located on a beautiful hillside adjacent to the Metier’s home.
Dawn Briley
Director of Operations
Dawn Briley, a licensed CPA, has been with Companions Forever since 2018 and acts as the Company’s operations Director. Dawn attended Tennessee Tech where she received her bachelor’s degree in business and is the past President of the Humane Society of Warren County.
Dawn is responsible for running and scheduling the Cremation retort and for caring for the afterlife needs of the pets. She cleans and prepares each pet for cremation with loving care and procures the hair clippings for our premium service. She speaks to them as she goes about her duties as if they were still living.
Once cremation the process is complete, Ms. Briley is responsible for processing and placing the pet in the urns and double-checking to ensure that each urn is polished and without defects.
Fred Snipes
Logistics Coordinator
Fred Snipes acts as our transportation coordinator and has been with the organization since 2018. Fred is retired from the US Navy having achieved the rank of Petty Officer First Class. In addition, Fred played middle guard for Appalachian State University.
Fred’s duties include picking up and returning pets to the Veterinarian clinics. Fred is known for his cheerful and humble attitude displayed as he places each pet with care in our delivery vehicle.