Chicago – Representatives of several independent state professional appraiser organizations met in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday October 11th, to further discuss collaboration on issues affecting their membership. The network, which started as a conversation among three State appraiser organizations less than a year ago, now comprises 16 such State Organizations which is expected to continue growing.
The group, which functions as a network rather than a formal organization is unique in its focus and operation. The network has no single elected leader but is comprised of leaders from each participating state organization; it is self-governing by consensus. Participating organizations do not pay dues and market no products. The network has a single overarching purpose: to improve and elevate the appraisal profession.
Each State Organization maintains individual autonomy and focus on its own specific issues. Participants share data, assist each other with organizational matters and support each other on state issues when historical experience, or current activism is most useful, and work together on national issues where their geographic diversity provides a unique strength and influence.
The network does not view itself as a competitor to the existing well-respected national organizations, but intends to establish both a responsible national voice and professional credibility as stakeholders. The key distinction is that this network is composed of independent state level members who are researching, developing, and presenting positions that have been vetted and approved by each state level organization signing correspondence. This means that the combined membership, collectively one of the largest in the nation, supports by consensus the positions being presented. Individual state organizations who choose for whatever reason to not participate in a specific correspondence or position paper are free to not add their signature.
The meeting was historic in that participants, who had never met face to face before, but had collaborated together only by conference call and e-mail, know of no other similar national initiative. “We are working with each other in close cooperation for one reason – to better our profession”, said meeting participant Charles Gress President of the Ohio Coalition of Appraiser Professionals (OCAP). “We are doing this by grass root efforts to develop representation from all 50 States.”
For information contact Peter Gallo at 704-752-6252
- The following state organizations have ratified the Press Release:
- Appraiser’s Coalition of Washington
- Arizona Association of Real Estate Appraisers
- California Coalition of Appraiser Professionals
- Georgia Coalition of Appraisal Professionals
- Idaho Coalition of Appraisal Professionals
- Illinois Coalition of Appraisal Professionals
- Maryland Association of Appraisers
- Mississippi Coalition of Appraisers
- North Carolina Real Estate Appraiser Association
- Ohio Coalition of Appraiser Professionals
- Oklahoma Professional Appraisers’ Coalition
- South Carolina Professional Appraisers Coalition
- Virginia Coalition of Appraisal Professionals
- West Virginia Council of Appraiser Professionals
