Joseph Paul Lanza (born October 3, 1935), commonly referred to as Paul, is a retired builder in New England. Though he was responsible for the construction of over 300 single family houses and 150 commercial construction projects, he is best known for the construction of the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
The memorial was commissioned by the citizens of Barnstable, Massachusetts and dedicated on July 8, 1966. Architect Donald Durell was responsible for the overall design and the Kennedy bust sculpture was created by Agop Agopoff. The inscription, “I believe it is important that this country sail and not lie still in the harbor” is part of JFK’s Radio and Television Report to the American People on the State of the National Economy on August 13, 1962. Materials were sourced from across the Northeastern United States, primarily from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The memorial uses the center of the pool as a focal point and was inspired by the eternal flame at the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
Lanza and his wife of 54 years, Susanne, currently reside in Simsbury, Connecticut, where he has been active in the town building committee, historic district commission and design review board. He holds a bachelors in American Studies from St. Michaels College (Winooski, VT) and a certificate in building construction from the Rhode Island School of Design. Lanza also served as an advisor to the US Secretary of Housing on the implementation of housing materials for US rural and foreign markets.