Meet Our Valued Staff

Will Anderson is a sixth-generation owner of Platt’s and oversees day-to-day operations of both our Augusta and Evans locations. He truly considers it an honor to carry on his family’s legacy of funeral service and enjoys meeting with families, supporting the staff and working on Platt’s community outreach programs. Will grew up in the Summerville area of Augusta and has always loved the people of Augusta and its rich history and traditions. He moved back to the CSRA after his mother, Kitty Curtis, passed away in 2019. Prior to returning home, Will owned a medical distributor business in Indiana for 11 years, specializing in spine instruments used in neurosurgery. Before getting into medical sales, he worked in Atlanta for 12 years in sports marketing and sales.

Will is happy to offer his varied career and business skills to manage and grow Platt’s. He is an avid sports fan and can often be heard cheering too loudly for his favorite college and professional teams. He loves to work on his golf game with his family and is a supporter of the arts and live music, enjoys being active outdoors, traveling around the South, and spending time with his wife Heidi and their three children Zach, Isabel, and Alex. He is a member of Kiwanis, Historic Augusta, Morris Museum of Art, Columbia County Chamber, and Augusta Country Club.

Heidi Anderson joined Platt’s full-time in 2024 as marketing and office manager as well as accounts receivable. She enjoys helping the staff and families at Platt’s and representing the business with her husband Will in the community. Prior to joining Platt’s, Heidi owned an interior design and gift shop, Dogwoods, and worked in public relations for several large firms in Atlanta where she managed accounts and led national media relations campaigns for consumer and business to business clients. Heidi grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Journalism.

Heidi fell in love with the South on family vacations in South Carolina, and met Platt’s co-owner, Will Anderson, in Hilton Head while working there for the summer in college. They have been married for 23 years and have three children. They love to support the Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks, where their oldest son is in school; listen to live music; support local restaurants; and stay active. Heidi has volunteered as event chair in their River Island neighborhood and enjoys supporting the Morris Museum, Historic Augusta, Columbia County Chamber, and Augusta Country Club.

Herb Gilstrap is a lifelong resident of Augusta.  He graduated from Westside High School in 1995 and earned his degree in Mortuary Science from Ogeechee Tech. Herb joined Platt’s 21 years ago and contributes to many areas of the business as Funeral and Crematorium Manager, Funeral Director, and Embalmer. His strong ties to the Augusta community are felt by the families he serves. Herb enjoys spending time with his family, especially cheering on his son at his soccer games.  He also enjoys watching UGA football, Braves baseball and collecting sports memorabilia. Herb and his family are members of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church.

Cindy Martin was born in Augusta but grew up on army bases all over the world. In 1980, her family settled in Columbia County, where she graduated from Evans High School. She attended the American Academy McAllister Institute in New York City and earned a degree in Mortuary Science in 1993. She joined the staff of Platts Funeral Home in 1995. She is licensed as a funeral director and embalmer in South Carolina and Georgia and a member of the Academy of Graduate Embalmers of Georgia.

Connor Stanley is a native to North Augusta, SC. He graduated from North Augusta High School in 2009.

Connor started working at Platt’s in December of 2012. In the early days of working at Platt’s, you could find him delivering flowers to families, assisting with visitations and funeral services, and learning the ropes in the embalming room and crematory. Over a period of time, he became more involved in the crematory, and is currently the main crematory operator for Platt’s.

Connor enjoys spending time with his wife, listening to vinyl, and going to Beaufort, SC to go hunting for shark’s teeth on the beach.

Mandee Newman is a lifelong resident of Augusta and is in charge of Platt's payroll, accounts payable and employee benefits. She joined Platt's in 2024 and is known for her creative approach and attention to detail. With seven years of payroll experience, Mandee has worked on diverse projects ranging from implementing new procedures to processing large payroll accounts for companies across the U.S. Her ability to understand and translate a company's needs sets her apart. Mandee finds inspiration in her two beautiful children, music, and fashion.

Mindy Calton Baldwin has lived in the South Carolina/Georgia CSRA area most of her life. She graduated from North Augusta High School in 1985. She’s worn many hats in her career, but they all have the same denominator of giving great care and customer service to the public. She joined Platt’s in 2008 and has been serving its families for 15 years. Mindy has been married to her husband Desmond Baldwin for 25 years. They have two sons – David and daughter-in-law Mikayla Bentley; and DaVon Baldwin. Her hobbies are reading and keeping her dogs happy.

Thomas grew up in Albany, New York and moved to Augusta, Georgia in 1986. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a B.S. in Secondary Education and Master's degree in Educational Leadership. He worked in education as a teacher, coach, and administrator for 13 years before transitioning into business management for various companies. Thomas joined Platt’s as a Funeral Services Apprentice in May 2024.

Thomas lives in Waynesboro with his wife, Maggie. They have two kids, Caitlin and Keegan, who have both been students at the University of Georgia. He is a parishioner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waynesboro and a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.