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The association world said goodbye to a giant this year. John Fridlington, RCE, CAE—who had served as CEO of the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® since 2015—passed away on Jan. 7. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer in recent months while continuing to lead SPAAR.
“John’s dedication to SPAAR, its members and its staff remained constant even as he dealt with difficult health issues,” says 2023 President Brianne Lawrence, who worked closely with Fridlington for the past three years. “Everyone who worked with John was blessed to learn from his expertise and the many insights he shared over the years.”
A dedicated association leader for more than 40 years, Fridlington previously served as CEO at the state level in Massachusetts and Florida. He also worked for many years at the California Association of REALTORS®.
He chaired the AEC-RCE Board in 1998 and the AEC-State EO Forum in 2013, in addition to being active at the National Association of REALTORS®, including serving on its Finance Committee, Executive Committee and Board of Directors. He was also a Golden R and President’s Circle member of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee and, in 2007, was inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame.
Fridlington held citizenship in both the U.S. and Ireland, and his ashes will be scattered in Kinsale, Ireland, this summer, following a celebration of life at SPAAR’s headquarters in the spring.
