I am truly honored to be the president of the Nevada chapter of the Appraisal Institute for 2018 and I'm appreciative of the confidence that has been shown in me for this position. As one of the largest geographic area chapters in the country, we have appraisers with very diverse markets. From the beautiful little northern town of Lamoille...all the way south to Laughlin. And even though we are geographically diverse, there is a commonality among us all.

 

I want to congratulate the 2017 president Luke Adamo, MAI, for a job well done, and I want to thank my fellow 2018 officers for their continued support and assistance in the coming year. I further want to thank Tina Anderson, our Executive Director. Tina puts her heart and soul into our chapter, and she is truly one of the best in the industry. I've seen firsthand just how instrumental she is at the chapter, regional level and national level. We look forward to another successful year with her on our side.

 

Our chapter is structured to enable it to provide services so that its members are afforded quality educational courses, guidance and assistance that meet their expectations, and reflects an organization that has a stated purpose and offers additional benefits on their behalf. In order for this to occur, the chapter functions with the volunteering of time and effort by members to serve in various positions and capacities. To keep our chapter strong, I ask that everyone get involved. We have openings on a couple of committees, and we could use your help.  The Nominating committee and the Northern Nevada Branch Advisory board each have two vacancies.  If you are interested in serving, contact Tina Anderson or I.   

 

In the coming year we're beginning the process of duplicating our successful market symposium in Northern Nevada. Dates and speakers have yet to be chosen, and we are open to ideas. Given the recent growth in all Northern Nevada markets, we believe this will be a benchmark event for valuation professionals in this market. The Southern Nevada market symposium will continue this year on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at the Suncoast Hotel. Speakers and panels will be finalized soon.

 

On the national level, the Appraisal Institute is providing leadership and forward thinking for an ever-changing world. An example of this is the chapter finance system. This is an outgrowth of the Appraisal Institute Board of Directors governance structure project team (GSPT) which was formed in 2015. The GSPT provided its final report to the board in June 2017 at which time membership was informed and allowed to comment. Considerable discussion was had at the Region VII meeting in Lake Tahoe this past fall. A new accounting process is being beta tested by a number of chapters throughout the country. A summary of the Appraisal Institute strategic plan can be found at https://www.appraisalinstitute.org/strategic-initiatives/.

 

We all understand that change is a constant; and we all know that sometimes it is difficult to espouse change without being able to clearly see the final outcome. Nonetheless, National is listening, and I encourage you, what ever your stand, to express your opinions and suggestions for improvement as National is continuing to review all comments and suggestions.

 

Lastly, I would like your input and help two specific areas.

 

First, is speaker recruitment. We are striving to find the most engaging, informative and entertaining speakers that have a direct connection to our industry. We aren't asking for much, just a 30 to 40 minute presentation on their area of expertise. I know we all have contacts out there that might be helpful. Think about it. We are specifically looking for fall 2018 speakers.

 

Second, is home-grown education. In my discussions with other chapters around the country I have discovered that the home-grown education is the best attended and most engaging. If you have any ideas for education, specifically local education, we will work with that person to help them achieve the required approvals at the state level. Think of your clients and Associates. We are looking for subject matter experts for half-day or full-day classes. Contact myself or Tina with any ideas.