Our origins date back to 1972, with Martin and Barbara Czachor deciding to start a telephone answering business for local companies in the area surrounding their hometown of Glenolden, Pa. This was back in the days of "pots"--plain old telephone service--before anyone even thought of all the "pans"--pretty amazing new stuff--we have today. The basic capabilites of copper wire kept the business local until 1984, when Ma Bell begat the Baby Bells, and greater competition among telecos brought forth capabilities for call forwarding and nationwide toll-free calling.

As telephony made better answering services possible, the Czachors continued to improve their offerings to subscribers. Perhaps most important was their decision, early on, to focus on the special needs of funeral homes. While they had originally opened their doors to all comers, the Czachors soon found that funeral directors had similar values to their own. They were respectful in their business dealings, built long-term relationships, were pillars within their local communities, and were all-around good people. Simply put, they were a pleasure to have as subscribers.

With this new focus, and as technology advanced, the business continued to grow. In 1994, ASD went national and now serves funeral homes in every state--more than 4,000 subscribers. And as the Czachor family grew, all three children grew up in the business. Today, Kathy (Czachor) Kelley heads the accounting team; Marty, Jr., heads the technology team; and Kevin heads the sales and marketing team.

In 2006, ASD moved to its current 15,000-square-foot, custom-designed facility in Media, Pa. Martin and Barbara have the pleasure of watching the second generation take ASD to a new level, while continuing to be involved at the strategic level instead of the day to day. Their ASD family has grown to nearly 100 employees, while still keeping that special feeling of a family owned and operated business.

When it comes to answering life's most difficult calls, the decision is easy. ASD has the history, commitment, expertise, and values to earn its place as the perfect extension of your funeral home.