Labor Day President's Message

Good news! Great things are happening at the Appraisal Institute! I just could not wait to share what has happened in the last couple of weeks.

My last President's Message announced that the Board of Directors approved using the most welcoming term for all AI professionals. The three new membership classifications are:

• Designated Members (those holding one or more Appraisal Institute designations),
• Associate Members (Practicing Affiliates and Candidates for Designation) and
• Affiliate Members (Affiliates and Student Affiliates).

We are all members. We are more inclusive and welcoming. We are One Appraisal Institute!

Val Expo - We were Platinum Sponsors of the Expo this year that brought 660 attendees to Las Vegas to learn more about residential valuation matters. The presence of the Appraisal Institute's bright, new, impressive booth, Officers, and staff brought attention to the brand. Our members expressed their approval of the booth and attendance by Officers and staff.

International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) - Paula Konikoff, President-Elect, and I attended the IAAO Conference in Denver immediately following Val Expo. IAAO drew 1,700 attendees and it was four days of not only educational sessions, but also ideal networking with valuation professionals.

AI members at the conference commented on how happy they were to see the Appraisal Institute encouraging more collaboration with like-minded organizations. Paula and I met with the CEO and Presidents of the IAAO, American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and AI Canada to discuss how we might work together in areas like lobbying efforts, joint meetings, sharing of information on valuation topics, and so much more.

IAAO has a very active Women's Initiative Committee (WIN). This presents a great opportunity for our two WIN groups to connect and learn from each other. I was on a panel at the WIN Luncheon where around 250 people were in attendance. The panelists shared our stories about leadership positions in our organizations and in our profession.

We are better together! Let us continue to build bridges to create a louder voice for valuation professionals.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Your friend,

Sandy Adomatis, SRA