STERLING, VA (December 21, 2023) – The International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA) will honor I. Frederick Lappin, CCE, with its prestigious Hall of Fame Award during the 2024 ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition, April 10- 13, at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street & Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. The ceremony will take place during the President’s Banquet on Thursday, April 11, at 7:00 PM.
After a career that focused on the entertainment industry and commercial real estate, Lappin joined the deathcare profession more than 22 years ago when he became the President and CEO of Knollwood Cemetery Corporation in Canton, Massachusetts. With two large cemeteries just outside of Boston, the company serves more than 1,000 families a year.
Lappin began serving as a volunteer with the ICCFA in 2001 as a member of the Sales and Marketing Committee. His subsequent positions have included multiple terms on the Board of Directors, including three Vice President appointments. He was a co-chair for both the Fall Leadership and Sales & Marketing Conferences and has served on a variety of committees, including the Mission Statement, Strategic Planning, Future Directions, Service Bureau, and more. Lappin has also been selected to serve on numerous Executive Committees and, most notably, was elected ICCFA President for 2014-15. Additionally, he was an original Trustee/Board member of the ICCFA Educational Foundation and was integrally involved with the inclusion of The Jewish Funeral Directors of America, Inc. (JFDA), as well as expanding the relationship between the ICCFA and the Latin American Association of Cemeteries and Funeral Services (ALPAR) by attending their events in Panama, Guatemala, and Spain.
“This is unbelievably special and something that one never expects or even considers,” said Lappin. “It is an incredible honor, and I am truly humbled by the award and by those who have the belief in me as being worthy of the ICCFA Hall of Fame. It has literally taken my breath away.”
The Hall of Fame award is the ICCFA’s highest honor. It was created to pay tribute to those who have demonstrated unselfish service and outstanding contributions to the ICCFA, to the cemetery, funeral, cremation, and memorialization profession, and, ultimately, to the public. Since its creation in 1965, it has been awarded to only 37 individuals.
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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.