STERLING, VA (June 22, 2022) – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s (ICCFA) Annual Convention & Exposition made its long-anticipated return on March 22 – 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
The convention saw very high attendance as 1,125 deathcare professionals gathered for over 44 hours of educational content, networking and connecting over the four days. When surveyed, 82% of respondents rated their overall convention experience as “excellent” or “very good”. The 2022 exhibit hall featured 244 exhibiting companies covering 461 booth spaces and included nearly 1,300 exhibiting personnel. Exhibitors rated the exposition very highly with 83% rating their experience positively.
The convention featured four well-received keynote presentations from Lynne Lancaster, Rikard Steiber, and Mark Scharenbroich, highlighted by a standing-room only presentation from Daymond John, Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship and Star of ABC’s Shark Tank. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn from global deathcare leaders at 40 breakout sessions which featured topics such as green burials, ethics in deathcare, online marketing, and cemetery management.
Throughout the week, the ICCFA had the honor of recognizing many members of the deathcare profession for their achievements and contributions. Keeping It Personal (KIP) winners were recognized on stage on Wednesday morning, while Quarter & Half Century Club inductees had their dedication to the association celebrated at the closing banquet. On Wednesday evening, Glenda Stansbury was awarded the ICCFA Educational Foundation’s prestigious Lasting Impact Award for her legacy in the training and development of celebrants. ICCFA Past President Bill Wright & ICCFA Educational Foundation President Jim Price both received entry into the prestigious ICCFA Hall of Fame during the closing banquet on Friday.
More highlights from the week include a rousing opening concert from Grammy-winning artists, the Oak Ridge Boys. The Pet Loss Professionals Alliance (PLPA) celebrated their realignment and welcomed Lauren Blevins as their new chair at a special reception on Wednesday night. The Convention came to a close at Friday’s banquet which began with a moving performance from the Las Vegas Mass Choir during the Celebration of Remembrance.
ICCFA President Gary Freytag said the following regarding the event, “This year’s Annual Convention & Exposition was an incredible event that demonstrated the ICCFA’s dedication and value to the deathcare profession. Throughout the week I heard so much positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors about their experiences with us. I would like to extend my gratitude to our convention co-chairs, Lori Salberg & John Bolton, for all of the incredible work they put into the convention. I look forward to replicating this year’s success next year in Kansas City.”
The 2023 ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition will be held at the Loews Kansas City Hotel & Kansas City Convention Center on May 16 – 19, 2023. More information on next year’s event will be available soon at iccfa.com/annual.
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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.
