President's Message, April 2024
Spring 2024 President's Message
Friends and colleagues, it is such an honor to represent the Appraisal Institute as your 2024 President. The most gratifying part is hearing how enthusiastic members are about the changes at the Appraisal Institute. I am hearing more all the time about how welcome they feel no matter the category of involvement or membership. You are welcome! Promoting an atmosphere that welcomes all and broadens our tent is important to me. The chapters are the place it starts, and you are doing an impressive job! We appreciate you!
We’re a Membership Organization
Speaking of welcoming members, the Board’s proposal to call people “members” who support the Appraisal Institute at each level of affiliation is not new, and it has no effect on the different levels of benefits enjoyed by each type of affiliation. In fact, the term “member” continued to be used intermittently from the early 1900s until 2013, when that term was discontinued. As part of our initiative to recruit and retain members by being more inclusive, the Board proposes to again use the term “member” with all levels of affiliation. We are a membership organization, after all!
Can the Clearwater Joint Regional Meeting be Eclipsed?
One of the benefits of membership is the great people we work with, and spending time with them in person at Appraisal Institute events. I’m writing this having just returned from Region X knocking it out of the park at our Joint Regional Meeting in Clearwater, Florida. Director Wes Sanders, MAI, AI-GRS did a fantastic job planning, organizing, and raising sponsorship dollars to offset the cost, and even organized a solar eclipse for our entertainment! Regions II, III, V, VII, and X were represented to experience great panel sessions that included the following topics, ChatGPT, Marketing Your Company and Yourself, Lender Panel, a Residential Roundtable, and a Non-Lender Opportunities Panel. Cindy Chance, CEO, and Alissa Atkins, our new Director of Education & Publications, gave an update on education followed by the officers presenting an update on the exciting things happening at AI. On Monday evening, we had a wonderful beachfront event with music by Mike Twitty, MAI, great food, drink, and lots of networking. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Joint Regional Meeting in Kansas City, which will bring together all 10 regions. Region X has set a high standard, and we hope that everyone will help try to make this event even better than Clearwater!
Region X event April 8, 2024
Appraiser-Centric Advocacy and Member-Focused Communications
We have recently published our First Quarter 2024 Highlights, and I highly recommend taking some time to read it. This report provides a transparent view of the progress we are making towards improving the Appraisal Institute, as well as some of the challenges we’re facing. We are also continuously improving and upgrading our website to provide our members with the latest news and features. To fully appreciate these updates, please visit our website often and share your feedback with us.
In my previous message, I emphasized the importance of sharing our individual stories to highlight the quality of our work and profession, and we’ve now launched the "What I Value" video series. The first is a wonderful video of Maureen Sweeney, SRA, AI-RRS. Please enjoy this short video and share it on your social media. Raising public awareness and trust is crucial in promoting our profession. For even more appraiser-centric advocacy, you can find the replay of the March 21 “One Appraisal Institute Advocacy Briefing” webinar on our website. If you were not one of the 200 plus members that joined our live session, be sure to check it out!
Very Hot in Vegas: Valuation Expo 2024
Valuation Expo 2024 is scheduled to take place from August 19th to 21st in Las Vegas, (last year's high was 116 degrees Fahrenheit!). This year, the Appraisal Institute is a Platinum sponsor for the first time, which comes with some benefits. These include the opportunity to host pre-meeting courses to help cover our costs, a 25% early bird discount for our members (use code "appraisal25"), space in the trade show, Appraisal Institute speaking opportunities, and promotion of the AI brand. At the expo, Jason Farris will be teaching a course on "The Impact of Short-Term Rentals on Real Property Valuation". If you're planning to attend and haven't taken this course before, it's a great opportunity to learn from Jason.
The Next Generation of Diverse Appraisers
Cindy and I will attend the ACTS Conference and the ADI Workshop in Colorado Springs, CO, April 21-23. We are thrilled to connect with our members and potential members. The ADI Workshop anticipates a large, diverse group of aspiring appraisers who will learn about the profession and the opportunities it brings to the next generation. We will be there to welcome them and understand how to better attract and retain the next generation of diverse appraisers.
AI PAREA is a significant project that has only been implemented by AI in the marketplace so far. Although two organizations abandoned the idea of PAREA, the demand for it is high, and the program requires a considerable amount of time, talent, and staff. I receive many questions regarding PAREA, and my answers always center around the same points: investing in ways to develop a well-trained and diverse group of appraisers to meet the public's needs is the right thing to do. We need to adapt to the 21st century while staying true to what is best about our profession and its high standards. We are fully committed to this project, and we would appreciate others joining us. If you are in need of a pipeline of appraisers, please consider offering financial support for mentors and participants. Help spread the word about AI PAREA to anyone interested in becoming an appraiser!
I’m looking forward to hearing from you at our upcoming post-Board meeting Q&A session, which is scheduled for Friday, May 10 at 5 PM Central Time. We will send a formal announcement in the weeks leading up to the meeting, but please mark your calendars. In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to all of you for a healthy, productive, and inspiring year. We exist because of your hard work, commitment and the public's trust. Thank you for all you do!
Sandy Adomatis, SRA