The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 40 Under 40 Award, recognizing 40 emerging leaders who are making a meaningful impact on the deathcare profession.
Selected from nominations submitted by peers, supervisors and colleagues, this year’s honorees represent a new generation of professionals helping move the profession forward through their leadership, accomplishments, service and fresh ideas. Nominees were evaluated in four areas: professional achievement, leadership, community involvement, and innovation.
“The 2026 40 Under 40 honorees demonstrate the talent, vision and commitment that will continue to strengthen our profession for years to come,” said Nadira Baddeliyanage, executive director of ICCFA. “What stands out about this group is not only what they have already accomplished early in their careers, but the ways they are leading others, serving their communities and finding new approaches to better serve families. ICCFA is proud to recognize their contributions and support them as they continue to grow as leaders.”
The 2026 ICCFA 40 Under 40 Award honorees are:
- Ofelia Alarcon — Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum
- Nicholas Allan — Celebrate Life Co.
- Elijah Bragg — Heritage Funeral Home – Fairmount Memorial Association
- Alison Brettnacher — Baue Funeral Homes
- Jordan Buckner — Security National Funeral Homes and Cemeteries
- Bailey Byrd — Schoedinger Funeral & Cremation
- Charles Eickhof — Eickhof Columbaria Inc.
- Brock Elkins — Ronk Funeral Home
- Bennett Forbes — Daniels Family Funeral & Cremation – Wyoming Chapel
- Annie Fuller — Memorial Park Funeral Home
- Evelin Gonzalez — SCI
- Caitlyn Hauke — Life Forest
- Eve Heavner — Baue Funeral Homes/Park Lawn Corp
- Annalisa Heppner — North Burial Ground
- Ryan Hughes — Hughes Family Tribute Center
- Megan Humphries — Everstory Partners
- Alexandria Johnson — Trinity Memorial Gardens
- Justin Keiper — Cantelmi Long Funeral Homes
- Rebecca Lange — Mountain View Funeral Home – NorthStar Memorial Group
- Lou Maldonado — City of Hobbs
- Todd Manuel — Trinity Memorial Gardens & Mausoleums
- Jorge Mendoza — Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes
- Jenyce Murai — Mililani Memorial Park
- Andrea Nadler — Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum
- Brittany Neunuebel — Baue Funeral Homes and St. Charles Memorial Gardens
- Autumn Petrowske — Dignity Memorial
- Matthew Pinero — NSMG/ San Jacinto Funeral Home & Cemetery
- Jessie Puga — Restland Funeral Home
- Milka Ramos Catalan — Señoriales Corporación de Servicio Guatemala
- Geoff Richter — Everstory Partners
- Sheyla Roca Calderón — Señoriales Corporación de Servicio Mexico
- Sergio Rodríguez Reyes — Señoriales Corporación de Servicio Guatemala
- Madison Ross — South Park Funeral Home – NorthStar Memorial Group
- Madison Schwartz — Resthaven Gardens of Memory and Funeral Home
- Kemberly Soria — Gethsemane and St. Mary’s Cemeteries
- Lindsey Stuffle — Hendersonville Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center
- Alejandra Suarez Urbina — Señoriales Corporación de Servicio Mexico
- Monica Vazquez — Funeraria San Juan – Carriage Services
- Damon Wenig — Homesteaders Life Company
- Marc Yearsley — Ensure-A-Seal
As part of their recognition, each honoree will receive a $500 scholarship from the ICCFA Educational Foundation toward registration for the 2026 ICCFA Fall Leadership Summit, taking place October 20–22 in Savannah, Georgia.
“Supporting the next generation of leaders is central to the Educational Foundation’s mission,” said Gino Merendino, President of the ICCFA Educational Foundation. “These 40 professionals have already shown tremendous initiative and dedication to the families, organizations and communities they serve. We are pleased to provide each honoree with a scholarship to the Fall Leadership Summit and an opportunity to continue learning, building relationships and developing as leaders within our profession.”
The 2026 honorees will also be featured in an upcoming issue of ICCFA’s Memento Mori magazine and recognized at the 2027 ICCFA Experience, taking place April 14–16 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
“The 40 Under 40 Awards give us an opportunity not only to celebrate what these professionals have accomplished, but also to invest in what comes next,” Baddeliyanage added. “We look forward to seeing the impact this group will continue to make throughout their careers.”
For more information about the ICCFA 40 Under 40 Award program, including nomination guidelines and eligibility criteria, please visit iccfa.com/awards.
The ICCFA Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity, established to make education accessible to future leaders in the deathcare profession and thereby raise the standards of professionalism within the industry. Additional information about the ICCFA Educational Foundation, its scholarship programs, and educational initiatives is available at iccfa.com/educational-foundation.
Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all cemetery, cremation, funeral and memorialization segments. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 rooftop members in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, supplier and related businesses worldwide. To learn more, visit www.iccfa.com.
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