Former FL Retail Federation President/CEO and FSAE Past President Bill Kundrat, Jr. passed away recently at the age of 82.
A force in FSAE and the association community for quite some time "back in the day” and FSAE Past President in 1988, Bill was the second of just five people in FRF history to hold the dual titles of President and CEO, which he held from 1980-1995. During Bill’s Presidency, FRF's membership grew from 478 in 1980, to over 8,500.
A few of the many accomplishments under Bill’s tenure include: positioning the organization as one of the key business associations in Florida and one of the leading retail trade associations in the country; the driving force in moving FRF’s headquarters from Jacksonville to Tallahassee and marking the organization’s official shift in focus to governmental affairs.
Bill's trade organization management experience included serving as Executive Director of the Albuquerque Convention Bureau, Vice President of the Association Services Division of the American Retail Federation (now the National Retail Federation), Executive Director of the New Mexico Retail Association, and Manager of the Caldwell, Idaho, Chamber of Commerce. Bill was founder and President of the “NO Ad Tax in Florida Coalition” and served as President of the Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) in1988. He was a lifetime honorary member of FSAE and received their prestigious "Executive of the Year" Award in 1987.
Bill served on the Boards of the American and Florida Society of Association Executives, Florida Society of Association Executives Foundation, Florida Press Association, Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Florida Tax Watch, Keep Florida Beautiful, Easter Seals, Governors Club, and the University of Florida's Center for Retailing Education and Research.
He leaves behind his loving wife Connie Craig Kundrat, and they have one daughter, Kathleen Leach, married to Daniel Leach, with one granddaughter, Elizabeth. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, for those wishing to do so, memorial contributions in honor of Bill can be sent to:
Football Scholarship Fund
College of Idaho
2112 Cleveland Blvd., #49
Caldwell, Idaho 83605
**Please note that the contribution should be clearly marked for the Bill Kundrat Football Scholarship Fund, Class of 1956.