MANSFIELD — Bill Wappner is no stranger to leadership roles.
Co-owner of Wappner Funeral Directors, he has been a member of statewide funeral organization boards since 1986.
In September, Wappner took on a new role as president of the International Federation of Thanatologists Association (FIAT-IFTA) — the world organization of funeral operatives. He will serve as president of the international organization through 2026.
FIAT-IFTA was founded in 1970 to promote professional best practices and share ideas among different cultures, as well as support public awareness of funeral services and aid grieving communities.
Wappner is the first IFTA president from Ohio and only the fourth from the United States. He follows immediate past president Marek Cichewicz of Poland.
The last IFTA president from the United States was William Hocker, who held the seat from 1992-1994.
“It’s a great honor to do this and have a great executive team with me,” Wappner said.
More than 80 countries are IFTA members, and each country has only one representative.
Wappner has served as the U.S. representative for FIAT-IFTA since 2017. He held positions of secretary and vice president before delegates nominated him to president this year.
Wappner is also a past president and chairman of the regulatory committee of the National Funeral Directors Association, past chair of the Funeral Service Foundation and currently sits on the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.
He also serves as a member of Preferred Funeral Directors International, as a board member of the Ohio Crematory Operators Association, and Mansfield Memorial Homes.
Wappner to attend international expos as IFTA president
Wappner said he has implemented practices from other cultures in some of Wappner Funeral Directors’ local practices.
“I had learned from the Asian Funeral Expo how crematories in Japan have family members of the deceased able to view and be involved in parts of the process,” he said.
“American crematories aren’t really like that, but I wanted to build a chapel and viewing area at ours to have a more ceremonial option.”
Wappner Funeral Directors has locations in Mansfield, Ontario and Ashland. The Ashland location has an onsite crematory, and Wappner also manages a crematory in Madison Township.
Wappner said some of his responsibilities as IFTA president will include attending funeral conventions and conferences, networking with other professionals around the world and keeping in regular contact with other IFTA executive board members.
He has already attended multiple funeral expos around Asia, Europe and South America as IFTA’s U.S. representative. Wappner also traveled to Australia and New Zealand as a National Funeral Directors Association ambassador.
Did You Know?
FIAT-IFTA’s mission is to unite, inform and raise the standard of funeral service around the globe.
The organization works with international groups that set international repatriation standards, such as the International Air Transport Association. IFTA works with the United Nations agency UNESCO to preserve funeral customs and heritage around the world.
