The Toale family business generational gap is perfectly illustrated in a dank, musty room on the top floor of the company's downtown Sarasota headquarters.There are stacks upon stacks of rust-colored worn files and tattered manila folders. It's the lifeblood of the Toale Brothers Funeral Homes and Crematory, which has been continuously operating since 1912 and in the Toale family since 1948.Robert Toale, part of the second generation to run the business, smiles proudly when he swings the door open for a visitor to take a peek. To this Toale, the room is a paper reminder of the all the lives the business has help lay to rest with dignity.But to Jason Toale, Robert Toale's son and one half of the company's new leadership team after his father's retirement, the room is an important piece of history, but also represents the business' shortcomings. Jason Toale sees paper files and metal cabinets where he should be seeing digital folders and windows - of the Microsoft variety.
