Ken Varner, retired President and CEO of Cypress Lawn, transitioned to consultant and Chairman of the Board of Cypress Funeral Services, Inc. in June 2017, leaving a 21-year legacy of innovation and continuous growth. During Varner’s tenure, Cypress Lawn built a strong endowment fund to care for the cemetery well into the future, increased its financial strength to better serve the community, and expanded the cemetery to meet the needs of the public. The staff of Cypress Lawn grew from 50 employees to over 200 employees under Varner’s leadership. Some of the most recent innovations at Cypress Lawn include the construction of a new cemetery to benefit the community for the next 125 years, plus a new funeral home, cremation facility, and reception center – the first of its kind serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.