ICCFA Elects New Officers, Directors During The 2021 Virtual Convention

STERLING, VA – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) elected new leadership during its 2021 Virtual Convention & Exposition, May 17-21.

ICCFA officers for 2021-2023 are:

President—Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, Ohio;
President-elect—Robbie L. Pape, Service Corporation International, Houston, Texas;
Vice President, Education—John Bolton, CCE, CCrE, CSE, CXE, Blackstone Cemetery Development, Santa Ana, California;
Vice President, Membership & Marketing—Shawna de la Cruz, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Glendale, California;
Vice President, Internal Affairs—Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE, Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York;
Vice President, External Affairs— Lee Longino, Service Corporation International, Palm Harbor, Florida;
Treasurer—Christopher Keller, Sunset Memorial Park & French Funerals and Cremations, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and
Secretary—Stacy Adams, NorthStar Memorial Group, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Regular members elected to serve three-year terms on the ICCFA Board of Directors are:

Matthew Bailey, CT Life Tributes: Bailey Family Funeral Home, Wallingford, Connecticut;
Sean O’Regan, Woodland Cemetery & Arboretum, Dayton, Ohio;
Nectar Ramirez, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Glendale, California;
Amy Shimp, Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium, Maryland;
Micah Singerman, Shalom Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Arlington Heights, Illinois; and
Phil Zehms, Park Lawn Corporation, Kansas City, Missouri.

For the first time, Supplier/Professional members have been elected to the ICCFA Board of Directors. These members will serve staggered terms. Supplier/Professional members elected to the ICCFA Board of Directors are:

Gino Merendino, Merendino Cemetery Care, Linden, New Jersey; (2-year term); and
Delana Pratt, Cairn Partners, Woodland, Washington. (1-year term)

Past presidents elected to serve a one-year term on the Board:

Darin Drabing, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Glendale, California; and
Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE, Blackstone Cemetery Development, Santa Ana, California

The International Memorialization Supply Association appointment to the Board is Ronen Rybowski, Behar Mapping LLC, East Rutherfold, New Jersey.

Members of the 2021-2023 Executive Committee are as follows:

ICCFA President: Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, Ohio;
ICCFA President-elect: Robbie L. Pape, Service Corporation International, Houston, Texas;
ICCFA Immediate Past President: Jay Dodds, CFSP, Park Lawn Corporation, Houston, Texas;
President’s appointment: Darin Drabing, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Glendale, California; and
Past President’s appointment: I. Frederick Lappin, Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton, Massachusetts.

Additionally, this year’s election ballot included a proposed proviso asking if the ICCFA Bylaws should be temporary amended to allow for an additional one (1) year term of new officers elected in the 2021 election. The proviso passed, extending the presidential term of Gary Freytag, CCFE, and his officers to the 2023 ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition.

Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral and memorialization profession. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.