Companah Pet Aftercare and Memorials

Shannon Atkins, Owner and Operations Manager

Bachelor of Science - Genetic Engineering

Shannon’s undergraduate work at NC State and Cedar Crest College was spent learning the techniques used to develop genetic research. Along the way, she did internships with Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab. After graduation, she worked with RJ Reynolds in Winston-Salem, NC as a part of their effort to reduce carcinogens in their smokeless products.

Masters of Teaching - Science

More recently, Shannon has been teaching Earth Science in the public High Schools here in North Carolina. Helping teenagers learn about environmental science and ways to reduce carbon impact while also opening their eyes to the wonders of science and the world in which we live.

Hal Atkins, Relations Manager

Management Experience

Over the course of his professional career, Hal has had extensive management experience in non-profit, private, and technical sectors. Serving start-up efforts, Agile workflows, and customer-facing environments, he has a wealth of previous experience to bring to bear in starting a new venture.

For five years, Hal held a position as Senior Manager at two different Apple stores. In Naples, FL he led the store opening team at the Waterside Shops - hiring all staff, creating positional plans, publicity for store launch, and leading operations for the first year of business. He returned back to North Carolina to hold the same position at the Apple Store in Durham, NC. During his time there he led a team of over 100 sales and service professionals in a store that returned over 5 million in sales annually.

Previous to his time working with Apple, Hal spent ten years working in new church development here in North Carolina. He was able to craft a vision that called over 200 persons in to weekly volunteer service for the work of the church. Managing volunteers, he was also responsible for raising and managing the financial support of the church.

Environmental Science

For the past seven years, Hal has worked for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, specifically in managing the publication of its scientific journal (Environmental Health Sciences). While working with that program, he became aware of new techniques to combat the environmental impact of traditional carcass disposal by incineration. Through research and community awareness, he discovered a company that was bringing new technology to the field of biomedical and animal waste that significantly reduces the carbon footprint while also neutralizing all carcinogens, pathogens, and prions in the remaining bone ash - (the process being known as alkaline hydrolysis. )The commercial application of this science to the domestic pet market is a significant differentiator of Companah to any other provider in this area.

Grief Counseling to Families

While in Seminary, Hal focused on the study of grief counseling with families (especially families with children). His work toward his MAPC was working with family systems theory and the stages of grief and healing. During his pastoral career, he was well-known for his care, grace, and assistance as families experienced the loss of a beloved family member. He is excited about once again working with families during a period of grief, hoping he can be a part of their journey to heal.

A Conservationist Couple

Beyond having a background of business management, a heart of a Pastor, and the mind of a Scientist - together, Hal and Shannon have embodied a life of conservationists. Hal spent his childhood in the mountains of North Carolina enjoying the natural splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shannon spent her younger years down east on the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers. Knowing the importance of our natural environment, we are excited to bring a technology that will significantly reduce the environmental impact of traditional animal disposal methods while returning a better overall product to the consumer.

As a family, they have always enjoyed having dogs and cats as a part of their family - experiencing the joy of their companionship and knowing full well the pain of their loss. They recognize that, with families with young children, their first experience of grief and loss occur around the death of a family pet. Shannon and Hal believe very strongly that they can provide resources of healing that may serve them as they grow and mature - all the while showing that science can afford us advancements that reduce our impact while returning and even-better product.