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ASA International Conference is the leading event for the global valuation profession. Celebrating its 86th year, the Conference attracts thought leaders, practitioners, allied professionals, vendor partners, government agency personnel, and more from all parts of the world. This paramount event provides an experience unlike other appraisal conferences, offering timely content for all appraisal professionals spanning Business Valuation, Personal Property, Machinery & Equipment, Real Property, Gems & Jewelry as well as Appraisal Review & Management.

Available in a hybrid format, the ASAIC23 offers the convenience of both live and virtual programming where you can learn and connect in your preferred environment. Join us on-site in New Orleans or from the comfort of your home or office—the choice is yours! Both formats allow you to explore the latest ideas, trends and best practices and interact and engage with fellow professionals. Don’t miss this exciting celebration of exceptional education and networking with leaders in the appraisal profession.

Don’t miss these industry experts presenting our Personal Property sessions*:

Ivo Kostov, Ph.D, a member of ASA, is a certified appraiser BV, MTS, RP, & FAFI (acc. the BG legislation). He has over 19 years of experience (with over 3000 appraisal reports) in valuing different types of businesses, receivables, financial assets and financial institutions, real estate, machinery & technical specialties for a wide range of purposes for the needs of banks, government agencies, municipalities, regional administrations, courts, private and state bailiffs, insolvency practitioners, firms that are involved in different branches of economics (incl. construction and investment companies), law firms, accounting offices, REITs as well as natural persons. Since 2008, a Chief ASST Professor at the Business, Investment, Real Estate Department at the University of Economics – Varna (BG). He is a highly sought-after course developer, instructor, author, and presenter. Dr. Kostov has been a member of ASA (International Virtual Chapter, NorCal Chapter, European Chapter) since 2021, a member of the Polish Real Estate Scientific Society (TNN) since 2015, a co-founder member of the Chamber of Independent Appraisers in Bulgaria (CIAB) since 2009, a member of various international editorial and scientific committees, and an active volunteer with experience in management bodies of valuation profession organizations (VPOs). He owns two trademarks: IvoKo®, Dr Kostov®. Ivo Kostov is an author of more than 40 publications in Bulgaria, Poland, Spain, Italy, Russia, USA.

Susan M. Golashovsky, FASA, is a personal property appraiser with multiple specialties, including Antiques and Decorative Arts, Antique Furniture, General/Residential Contents and American Folk Art. A past International President and a Fellow of the American Society of Appraisers, Ms. Golashovsky is an Accredited Senior Appraiser of the American Society of Appraisers with over twenty-five years of experience. Susan’s subject matter experience was gained over twenty-five years as an antiques dealer and by attending educational programs such as Winterthur Museums’ Winter Institute on Early American Material Culture. She is a frequent presenter regarding connoisseurship, and methodology, at Personal Property Discipline Conferences.

Liza Hickey, ASA, earned her senior appraiser accreditation in Antiques & Decorative Arts in 2015. The following year, she joined the Northern California ASA chapter Board of Directors as Secretary and later moved on to the role of Treasurer. Her appraisal practice is concentrated in the decorative arts, typically silver, ceramics, glass and other functional artwork. She has worked in the personal property appraisal field since 2007 and has a master’s degree in Art History. Liza is based in San Francisco and is currently head of appraisal services at the Roth Art Group.

Darcy Tell, AM, ASA, is an accredited member of the American Society of Appraisers in the Antiques and Decorative arts specialty. She has worked in the art trade and, for over 30 years, in the non-profit sector, including 29 years at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art. Darcy is the author of Times Square Spectacular (Smithsonian Books/Collins, 2007), the first and only visual history of Times Square, which was awarded First Prize for Best Four-Color Scholarly Reference Book by the Book Industry Guild of New York in 2008. In addition to European and American fine and decorative arts and antiques, Darcy specializes in research for provenance, attribution, and publication; in museum history; in the history of taste; and in American art, art documentation, and archives.

Fran Zeman, M.A., FASA, a member of ASA since 1980, has earned an M.A. in Art History and holds multiple personal property accreditations in Fine Art, Antiques/Decorative Arts, and Oriental Rugs. She has been Chairperson of the International Personal Property Committee, Chancellor of the College of Fellows, Personal Property Vice-Chair for the ASA Board of Examiners, is an instructor of Principles of Valuation courses and specializes in complex assignments. Fran has published articles and presented on various appraisal topics. With offices in San Francisco and New York, Fran is an active member of the ASA NorCal Chapter and serves as its current Personal Property Chair and Chapter President.

Mel Buchanan has been the RosaMary Curator of Decorative Arts & Design at the New Orleans Museum of Art since 2013. She has curated original exhibitions including Personalities in Clay: American Studio Ceramics from the E. John Bullard Collection (2017), Atomic #13: Aluminum in 20th-Century Design (2021) and Katherine Choy: Radical Potter in 1950s New Orleans (2022). Buchanan serves on the board of The Decorative Arts Trust and of the American Ceramic Circle, for which she chairs the annual symposium. Before NOMA, Buchanan worked at The RISD Museum and at the Milwaukee Art Museum, and holds degrees from Yale University and the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture.

Amanda Winstead is a fine art appraiser and private art dealer specializing in the art of the American South. She was a fine art specialist and Director of the Consignments and Appraisals Dept. at Neal Auction Company in New Orleans from 1996 to 2004. She has been an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America since 2000 and incorporated her own independent appraisal firm in 1999. Amanda has appraised many important private and institutional collections throughout the Southeast, including the collections of the LSU Museum of Art, the portraiture collection of the Louisiana Supreme Court, Longue Vue House & Gardens, the Masur Museum of Art, the Hilliard University Art Museum and the Dusti Bongé Art Foundation among others. She is regularly engaged by the FBI and US Attorney’s office in New Orleans. She recently published the catalogue “The Orleans Gallery: 65 Years Later” in conjunction with an exhibition held in December 2022. Amanda has a MBA from the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, a BA in Art History from Newcomb College at Tulane University and has completed the Certificate Program in the Appraisal of Fine and Decorative Art at New York University. She has served on the board of Arts New Orleans for over ten years, including five years as Board Chair, and currently holds the position of Vice Chairman. She is the committee chair of LUNA Fête, the largest digital art and technology festival in the country.

Charles Rosoff, ASA, MRICS, is the president of Appraisal Services Associates, a firm of appraisers that provide forensic valuations of Fine Art, Antiques, Decorative Arts, Residential and Office contents. He has been appraising since 1984. He was the Legal Issues Editor of the Personal Property Journal of the ASA, was on the faculty of the American Law Institute, American Bar Association (ALI-ABA) Post-Mortem Planning and Estate Administration, and participated at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York program Divorce in New York in the 21st Century. Mr. Rosoff has also taught Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) for the Appraisal Foundation, taught the 4th required course Personal Property Valuation—The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Appraisal Practice for the ASA at various universities, taught Appraisal Research Methods at New York University, and has testified as an expert witness numerous times in multiple jurisdictions.

Mark S. Campbell, CPA, ABV, CFF, is Managing Director at Scout Valuations LLC. Campbell provides attorneys, high net worth individuals, public and privately held companies and business owners with valuation services for business planning and succession, shareholder disputes, buy/sell agreements, financial reporting, mergers and acquisitions, gifting interests, estate planning, taxation, matrimonial dissolutions, restructurings and reorganizations and litigation support services. Mark has provided hundreds of valuations to clients across a variety of industries and purposes.

Garrett Schwartz, ASA, CEA, is a senior equipment appraiser and a managing partner of Sencer Appraisal Associates. He holds an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) designation from the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) with a specialty in Machinery & Technical Specialties, and a Certified Equipment Appraiser (CEA) designation from the Association of Machinery and Equipment Appraisers (AMEA). He is an active member of the ASA, currently serving as the ASA International President. Garrett served as editor of the fourth edition of ASA’s foundational textbook, Valuing Machinery & Equipment: The Fundamentals of Appraising Machinery and Technical Assets, published in 2020. Based in Northern California, Garrett has performed equipment appraisals for clients across the United States, Mexico, Asia, and Europe. His clients have included the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the United States military, local and regional banks, charitable organizations, business brokers, legal and accounting firms, private individuals, and business clients from single-proprietorships to Fortune 5 corporations.

Beryl F. Hunter, M.A., is an Asst. Archivist at the New Orleans Notarial Archives Research Center and is the founder and owner of Elelyon Cultural Solutions LLC. Hunter is an author, historic scribe, cultural strategist, and inspirational speaker. She has studied sociology and documents visual historic traditions and holds a Master of Art in Museum Studies from Southern University at New Orleans.

James Zemaitis is a 20th Century design curator and market expert, specializing in exhibitions, private secondary market sales and museum relations at one of the world’s leading galleries of historic and contemporary design. He was a Senior Vice President, 20th Century Design at Sotheby’s New York for nine years and is currently Director of Museum Relations, R & Company, a design gallery in New York City.

Jennifer Mass, Ph.D. is the President and Founder of Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC, a scientific consulting firm that addresses questions about artworks’ attribution, state of preservation and mechanisms of degradation. SAFA assists art conservators, museums, art lawyers, appraisers, auction houses, and art insurers in their cultural heritage assessment and preservation missions. Jennifer is also Professor of Cultural Heritage Science at Bard Graduate Center. She has developed and taught scientific curricula to art conservators and art historians for twenty-four years and is the former Director of the Scientific Research Laboratory at The Winterthur Museum. Jennifer earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from Cornell University and conducted her postdoctoral work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has published numerous articles and volumes in the conservation literature and is on the international editorial board for Springer Verlag’s Cultural Heritage Science series. Jennifer also leads the TEFAF NY Scientific Vetting Committee.

Douglas Bort is the Founder, and Lead Investigator of Odyssey Global Consulting, LLC. Prior to that, he spent twenty-one years as a Special Agent with the United States Customs Service and Homeland Security Investigations. He is a Subject Matter Expert in the investigation of art and cultural property crimes. He conducted many complex international investigations, undercover operations; and trained many other law enforcement personnel on how to investigate art and cultural property crimes.

Renée Vara, MA, AAA, UPAP, is the founder of Vara Art, with over 25 years of valuation expertise with a specialty in postwar, contemporary, and emerging art. She has work with over 5,000 collections including ARTnews Top 200 with holdings up to 2B. She is an award-winning past Board Member for AAA and NYU Educator, recognized for her contributions to the field of appraisal studies. Ms. Vara has been cited in more than 40 major media outlets including The Art Newspaper, Forbes, Artnews, The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal. She is an active public lecturer, sharing her expertise with more than 50 organizations and institutions. In the production of contemporary culture, she has curated more than 40 public art shows at international venues including the Venice Biennale and Istanbul Biennale. Ms. Vara is also recognized artist’s rights advocate and expert, who has been formative to protecting creative rights by winning the landmark case (5Pointz v. G&M Reality) for the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which has large implications within the art market and valuation practices for living artists.

Lydia Blackmore is the Decorative Arts Curator at The Historic New Orleans Collection. She earned an MA and a certificate in museum studies from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware; she also holds a degree in history from the College of William and Mary. She has over 10 years of experience studying and curating American Decorative Arts in public and private collections such as Colonial Williamsburg, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and the US Supreme Court. At The Historic New Orleans Collection, Blackmore has curated and co-curated several exhibitions, including Goods of Every Description: Shopping in New Orleans, Pieces of History: 10 years of Decorative Arts Field Work in the Gulf South, and Making Mardi Gras.

Rustin Levenson, FAIC, FIIC, RAAR, graduated with a degree in Art History from Wellesley College and was trained in conservation at Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum. She worked on the conservation staff of the Canadian Conservation Institute, the National Gallery of Canada and the Metropolitan Museum of Art before founding ArtCare Conservation, with studios in Miami, Florida, Los Angeles, California and New York, New York. Her studio teams treat paintings from museums, private, and corporate collections. She is co-author of Seeing Through Paintings, Yale University Press, and contributed chapters to The Expert versus the Object (Oxford University Press) and The Conservation of Easel Paintings (Routledge Press). In addition to her publications, Rustin lectures extensively to professional groups, universities, and public forums. She is a Fellow in both the American Institute for Conservation and the International Institute for Conservation. In 2015 she was honored with a Residency at the American Academy in Rome. In 2021 she was made an Honorary Member of the American Institute for Conservation.

Sandie Tropper, FASA, is an accredited appraiser in fine art in the Washington, D.C. area. She is an instructor for both POV classes, the Fair Market Value class, the Report Writing class and USPAP.

Karin Gross, Esq., is a Special Counsel in the IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel in Washington, DC, where she focuses on the federal charitable contribution deduction. A member of the DC Bar, she is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and also holds a tax law degree from Georgetown University Law School.

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ASA International Conference is the leading event for the global valuation profession. Celebrating its 86th year, the Conference attracts thought leaders, practitioners, allied professionals, vendor partners, government agency personnel, and more from all parts of the world. This paramount event provides an experience unlike other appraisal conferences, offering timely content for all appraisal professionals spanning Business Valuation, Personal Property, Machinery & Equipment, Real Property, Gems & Jewelry as well as Appraisal Review & Management.

Available in a hybrid format, the ASAIC23 offers the convenience of both live and virtual programming where you can learn and connect in your preferred environment. Join us on-site in New Orleans or from the comfort of your home or office—the choice is yours! Both formats allow you to explore the latest ideas, trends and best practices and interact and engage with fellow professionals. Don’t miss this exciting celebration of exceptional education and networking with leaders in the appraisal profession.

Don’t miss these industry experts presenting our Appraisal Review & Management sessions*:

Charles E. Blau, Esq. ASA, CRE, is a partner at Blau & Blau. He has over 40 years of experience in real estate appraising and law specializing in valuation issues in litigation. Mr. Blau is a designated member of ASA and has served on the Real Property Committee. Mr. Blau is also a past national President of the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers and has appeared on CNN, the Wall Street Journal and the New Jersey Law Journal. He has qualified as an expert witness on valuation issues before United States Bankruptcy Courts, US District Court, New Jersey Tax Court and the Superior Court of New Jersey as well as trying valuation matters as an attorney.

Tyler J. Arbour is an attorney and shareholder at Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard. The New Orleans practice includes tax planning and tax controversies, tax-exempt organizations, estate planning/administration and litigation, commercial transactions and general commercial litigation. Tyler also has substantial experience handling high-net-worth community property partitions and the negotiation and preparation of marriage contracts (prenuptial agreements). Specifically, his experience includes representation of taxpayers before the IRS, the Louisiana Department of Revenue and various parishes. Tyler has also handled the administration and litigation concerning of contested and uncontested Successions worth tens of millions of dollars. Tyler regularly advises clients concerning operating agreements, asset purchase agreements, employment agreements, and other business matters. Tyler’s experience is not limited only to transactional business work. Tyler regularly handles litigation matters as well and has successfully argued motions in both state and federal court.

William Tomlinson, CRPC, is a Wealth Advisor at Independence Wealth Advisors. As a war history buff, Bill has always enjoyed a good defensive strategy. This passion has spilled over to his work as an advisor. Bill takes pride in helping his clients protect their nest egg from the many risks they will face in retirement. He also believes working as a fiduciary is the best way to do business. Every client is different and deserves a personalized plan based on their specific wants and needs. Since beginning his career in financial services in 2007, Bill has been the recipient of many quality awards over the years. However, he takes the most satisfaction in knowing that he has been able to assist many families along the way. Hard work, research, and surrounding himself with some of the best professionals in the business has been the cornerstone of Bill’s success. Bill resides in Chagrin Falls, OH with his fiancée, Jill, and two dogs, Breckenridge and Jackson. He enjoys boating, skiing, and is active with animal rescue.

Jack Beckwith, ASA, CEA, is an Accredited Senior Appraiser and Certified Equipment Appraiser. Mr. Beckwith began his appraisal career by opening EAGI in 1996 specializing in healthcare acquisitions after selling Mission Medical in 1996 with offices in Texas and Mexico. He has been involved in course development and teaching MTS Principle of Valuations since 2003. He is currently serving as the ASA Representative on the Advisory Forum Working Group for IVSC.

Charles C. Dixon, ASA (MTS-ARM), CSA, is president and owner of CD Valuations Services, In.  An ASA member for over 30 years, Charlie is an Accredited Senior Appraiser in the MTS and ARM disciplines of ASA, a Certified Senior Appraiser of the Equipment Appraisers of North America (EANA), and an Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) Certified USPAP Instructor (personal property).  In addition to teaching USPAP, he is an instructor for ASA of POV courses, including AR201, ME201 & 202, and various seminars on report writing, appraisal best practices, and other issues. He has served the ASA internationally on the Machinery & Technical Specialties (MTS) Committee for over ten years and for two years as MTS Discipline Governor. As an active member of the Philadelphia ASA chapter, Charlie served as Chapter President and was awarded the George D. Sinclair Award for Professionalism. Charlie currently serves the ASA on the Educational Foundation, the Board of Examiners (ARM), and as co-editor of the ARM e-journal and he is the Appraisal Review Chair for EANA.

Mike Pratt, ASA, IFA, IAAO-P, CFE, CAM, is Director of Education Services in Palm Beach County, Florida with 45 years’ experience in real estate, appraising and management. Mike is a State-Certified Residential Appraiser, Residential Appraiser Instructor, Community Association Manager (CAM), Real Estate Salesperson and Certified Florida Evaluator (CFE). Mike managed commercial, industrial and multi-family property then spent 20 years at the Broward County Property Appraiser as a review appraiser, supervised apartment evaluation, and managed education, standards and compliance programs. Mike is a Director at the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s jurisdiction with 250 employees, valued at $300 billion, 700 thousand parcels in 1,970 square miles. Mike Pratt is the Chair of the ASA Real Property-NAIFA Discipline Committee serving on the committee the past 9 years. Mike was elected Governor serving on the ASA Executive Board 2013-17.

Richard Conti, ASA, ARM, MAA, is Owner/President of Conti Appraisal Service, Chief Assessor for the City of Taunton, MA and City Councilor At Large/Finance Committee Chair for the City of Attleboro. Conti is a verteran appraiser with extensive experience in the valuation of personal property, real property and appraisal reivew. He is also an accomplished teacher, author and expert witness.

R. David Bolls, III, LL.M., is of counsel at Leigh Law Group P.C. Bolls presently serves as Of Counsel to Leigh Law Group with offices in San Francisco and Dallas. He is licensed to practice law in California and Texas and is focused on business transactions and litigation. David has enjoyed serving as in-house and outside General Counsel for multiple companies. More notably, David served as Chief Operating Officer of Duck Commander and Buck Commander, a multi-million dollar empire operated by Louisiana’s camouflage-clad Robertson family, who became well-known by A&E’s Duck Dynasty television series. David also served as Deputy General Counsel/EVP of Business & Legal Affairs for Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. During his tenure at Outdoor Channel, he was responsible for overseeing and negotiating network contracts, licensing agreements, intellectual property agreements, and managed and participated in business litigation, as well as the development of entertainment content and key relationships with talent and producers. Bolls has been an attorney for over 25 years.

Edward Kainen is Managing Member at the Kainen Law Group, PLLC. Kainen is the senior and managing partner of the Las Vegas law firm Kainen Law Group, PLLC, which is an ‘AV’ rated firm and featured in the Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys. Kainen Law Group is the largest group of most-credentialed family lawyers in Nevada, and it is where he leads of team of six dedicated and talented family lawyers, five of whom are Board Certified Specialists and Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). Mr. Kainen, himself, is an elected Fellow of the AAML and the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). He is a Nevada Board Certified Specialist in Family Law and is also Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has achieved the highest rating available by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Mr. Kainen was the first Chair of the Nevada Board of Certified Family Law Specialists and held that position for five years. He is a Past President of the Nevada Chapter of the AAML and has served on the National Organization’s Board of Governors. He is admitted to the practice of law in the state and federal courts of Nevada, Florida and Kansas.

Robert B. Morrison, FASA, is a retired business valuer.  He was honored in 2021 by his nomination and acceptance into the ASA College of Fellows. He is a past ASA International President and BVC Chair.  Bob currently serves on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of The Appraisal Foundation.

David Doering, ASA, IFA, has over 35 years of experience in the appraisal profession is one of two Real Property Governors on the International Board of Governors of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), is a representative to the Missouri Housing Industry Alliance and, serves as President of the Missouri Appraisers Advisory Council (MAAC). In addition to taking specialized courses from the AIREA (now Appraisal Institute) and NIAFA, he holds a BA in Economics from the University of Missouri and is an AQB certified USPAP instructor and is a Senior Instructor of the American Society of Appraisers. Mr. Doering is President of Missouri Property Appraisal, Inc.

Carlos Lavin, ASA, MRICS, is an industry veteran, having completed appraisals in 20+ countries over 30+ years. His valuation experience encompasses projects in the private, public and industrial sectors. Carlos holds the prestigious ASA, MRICS and PQS designations and have mentored junior appraisers for more than a decade. Carlos is the president of Appraisals International, a leading global insurance company, with employees and established subcontractor network in four continents.

Natalia Szubbocsev, BA, CAIB, MBA, is Director of Operations and Sales for Appraisals International.Szubbocsev oversees business development and project management.

Christopher T. Caplinger, is a Shareholder at the Lugenbuhl law firm. Caplinger has over 25 years experience representing debtors, creditors, and creditor committees in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization cases, creditors and debtors in Chapter 7 and 13 cases, and creditors in all aspects of prosecution and defense of claims and actions before bankruptcy courts and related litigation before federal district courts. He also represents clients in other commercial litigation matters.

Peter Jagger is Managing Director/Senior Vice President at Aon Commercial Risk. Jagger works with the firm’s clients on their pre-loss and post-loss planning and risk mitigation. During an insurance industry career that has spanned more than 25 years, he has been involved in claims program design and development, and the preparation of property claims for a variety of industries. Previously, at Aon, he served as director of Property/Casualty Claims/Specialty Services responsible for the oversight and management of the property and casualty claim staff. Over the years, he advised clients around the world that have sustained losses due from such large-scale disaster events as Hurricane Georges, Super Typhoon Pongsona, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Wilma, Hurricane Ike, Thailand flood, and Super Storm Sandy.

Kevin J. Madden, CPSU, ARM, is directly responsible for the oversight and direction of all Aon real estate accounts. Representing over 30% of the largest real estate owners and managers, Aon is the largest real estate insurance broker. As the Aon Real Estate Practice leader, Kevin is committed to provide experienced and professional risk management and insurance services this very important industry. He is considered an expert on insurance for the real estate industry and is a regular speaker on insurance issues. Kevin is the only person to be recognized by Risk & Insurance Magazine as a “Power Broker” in both 2006 and 2007 for the real estate industry. In 2009 he was a finalist.

Gary R. Trugman FASA, CPA/ABV, MVS, is President of Trugman Valuation Associates, Inc., a business valuation and economic damages firm with offices in Florida. Trugman is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in Florida, and is designated as an Accredited Business Valuer by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) and a Fellow Accredited Senior Appraiser in Business Valuation by The American Society of Appraisers. Gary has a master’s degree in Valuation Sciences from Lindenwood College. Gary has been very active with numerous committees of various accounting and valuation professional organizations. He has authored a textbook entitled Understanding Business Valuation, now published by Business Valuation Resources (6th ed.), has coauthored several other textbooks, has authored educational courses for several organizations and has authored articles in various publications. Gary has served on the faculty on the National Judicial College and has testified throughout the country in both Federal and state courts. He lectures and teaches business valuation topics all over the country for various organizations.

Michael A. Gregory, ASA, CVA, is a Qualified Mediator with the Minnesota Supreme Court Founder and Chief Manager. Gregory is an ASA and a CVA. He founded Michael Gregory Consulting, LLC in 2011 after 28 years with the IRS where he headed up business valuation nationally during his last 11 years. He is a Qualified Mediator with the Minnesota Supreme Court and has served on over a dozen boards.

Raymond Rath, FASA, CEIV™, CFA, is Managing Director at Baker Tilly US, LLP. Rath has over 40 years of experience in valuing businesses, securities and intangible assets for a wide range of tax reporting and litigation purposes. He is a highly sought after course developer, instructor, author and presenter. Rath has been a designated member of ASA for over 36 years, an active volunteer with the BV and ARM disciplines.

Carla Glass, FASA, is Managing Director at Marcum LLP. Glass is a managing director in the Valuation and Litigation Support Services group and has more than 25 years of experience in the valuation of businesses, partnerships, debt, derivative securities, intellectual property, and other intangible assets in a wide range of industries. She served as Chair of the Business Valuation Committee of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and Chair of the Appraisal Standards Board of The Appraisal Foundation, which is the board that promulgates the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). She is a Fellow in the ASA College of Fellows (FASA), the ASA’s highest mark of achievement and recognition. She was also one of eight valuation professionals who served on the Valuation Resource Group of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. She is a frequent speaker on topics in business valuation to appraisal, legal, accounting, and other professional groups.

Michael H. Evans, FASA, is President of Evans Appraisal Service, Inc.M Evans has been actively engaged in the real estate appraisal field for forty years, President of Evans Appraisal Service, Inc., a real estate appraisal firm specializing in agricultural, commercial, industrial, special purpose including going concern properties. Michael is the only person currently holding designations in Real Property, Rural, and Going Concern Properties for the American Society of Appraisers, He serves the Society in many president positions including International President. He is a author, instructor and presenter. In 2005, Michael was bestowed a Fellow Membership designation by the American Society of Appraisers in full recognition of his outstanding services in the Society and his contribution to the Appraisal Profession at large. He currently serves as the Chancellor of the College of Fellows.

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Editor’s Note: Garrett Schwartz, ASA, began his one-year term as International President for ASA on July 1, 2023. To learn more about our new leader, we sat down to ask a few questions.

ASA: Congratulations on your election. Can you tell us a little about your professional background?

Schwartz: I’m an Accredited Senior Appraiser in Machinery & Technical Specialties with Sencer Appraisal Associates. I’m based in Oakland, California, and have been an equipment appraiser for about sixteen years, valuing equipment for financial reporting, litigation, gift tax and estate planning, lending, and other purposes. I appraise many types of assets, but much of my work is in areas like construction, agriculture, manufacturing, food processing, metalworking, and medical equipment. Most of my work is in the United States, but I’ve valued assets for clients in Canada, Central and South America, Asia, and Europe. I’ve worked with a number of U.S. agencies, like the Department of Justice, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the U.S. military, as well as state and local governments across the U.S., and I regularly work with regional and national banks, charitable groups, attorneys, accountants, and business clients from sole proprietors to international Fortune 5 corporations.

In addition to my ASA credential, I’m also a Certified Equipment Appraiser with the Association of Machinery and Equipment Appraisers and am also a Financial Professional member of CalCPA.

ASA: How have you served ASA and the profession in the past?

Schwartz: I’ve been active in our Society for many years, starting with my involvement in the ASA NorCal chapter, where I was on the Board of Directors and served as chapter president. I was a member of ASA’s Machinery and Technical Specialties Committee and served as editor of the fourth edition of our equipment appraisal textbook, Valuing Machinery and Equipment: The Fundamentals of Appraising Machinery and Technical Assets, which was published in 2020. I’ve served as president of ASA’s International Chapter and as a member of several other ASA local, discipline, and international committees.

I served on the ASA Board of Governors as the Region Governor for the Western U.S. and Canada, Australia, and the Asian-Pacific Rim, and was elected as ASA International Secretary/Treasurer and then International Vice President.

ASA: Can you tell us a little about your personal background?

Schwartz: I’m from Columbus, Ohio, and went to The Ohio State University. (Go Bucks!). I move to Texas and then Los Angeles, and now live in Oakland, in the San Francisco Bay Area. After a decades-long break in my college education, I returned to school about 15 years ago and graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts. Then I stuck around and got a Master of Business Administration while also working on the ASA Principles of Valuation courses for my first appraisal accreditation. My wife, Caren, and I have two sons, Tate and Ezra, and in addition to my ASA service, I am also the vice president of my synagogue, Temple Beth Abraham, in Oakland.

ASA: What do you see as important to ASA and the appraisal profession?

Schwartz: I’ve been active in our Society because of how it both supports and raises the bar for appraisers. Our members have diverse needs and for ASA to thrive, we need to support that diversity. We need to ensure that chapters can flourish to support members locally, as that is the first and most accessible opportunity for many appraisers to meet other appraisers and recognize what a professional organization like ASA can offer. We are a multidisciplinary organization, and while that is a strength, we also need to be able to support the different needs of our six disciplines. ASA’s education has long been the strength of our Society, and we need to make sure we are adjusting to the times and staying on top of best practices to continue to be seen as the leader in appraisal education. And we need to ensure we provide opportunities for appraisers internationally while maintaining strong support for our members in North America.

Our Board of Governors has spent a lot of the last year focusing internally on restructuring and how our governance model works, and I’m hoping to refocus this year on our Society’s long-term strategy and how we can best serve our different disciplines, support the long-term success of our chapters, and continue to improve our education.

ASA helps set the standard in our profession internationally, and I feel that ASA’s growth and success are fundamental to our profession’s long-term success and appraisers like me.

ASA: Thanks for your time and sharing a little about yourself. Any closing thoughts?

Schwartz: It’s a privilege and an honor to serve as ASA International President. I’m grateful for the opportunity and look forward to working with our Board of Governors and our chapter, discipline and committee leaders over the next year, and I hope to see everyone in person or online at the upcoming 2023 ASA International Conference, October 1-3, at the Sheraton New Orleans.

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This past month I had opportunities to discuss ASA’s growing role in the appraisal ecosystem and participate in multiple profession and ASA hosted events. I’m also pleased to spotlight exciting news about upcoming ASA real property educational opportunities, ASA’s annual awards and continued success of The ASA Difference branding campaign.

Appraisal Ecosystem

It was great being interviewed by Joanna Pineda for the Associations Thrive podcast and telling the story of ASA and all that we have accomplished and some plans for the future, including how we’re trying to think of ASA as not just an appraiser organization, but a place where anyone from the field can come and be part of the ecosystem. Here’s a page that has links to the podcast networks that carry Associations Thrive podcasts, including the recording of my interview: https://associations-thrive.captivate.fm/

Events

It was also great attending the CBV Institute Conference in Toronto, Canada and talking to a number of ASA members who attended; spending time at The Appraisal Foundation Board of Trustees meeting and activities representing ASA; and also hosting new ASA Board of Governors members at HQ for a meet & greet welcome dinner and leadership orientation.

ASA also saw a number of attendees participate in the past month’s 2023 ASA ESOP Virtual Conference and 12th Annual ASA Equipment Valuation Conference, as well as the brand new Beyond Valuation–Professional Development and Growth Conference that was tailored to the needs of new or younger valuers from all disciplines. A huge thank you to our organizers, presenters and sponsors for their support. With the successful completion of our spring and summer events, we look forward to our upcoming fall main event…the 2023 ASA International Conference, to be held in person October 1-3 at the Sheraton New Orleans and online. Complete event schedule and registration available at https://www.appraisers.org/ASAIC23. Early registration savings available through August 4.

Real Property Education Spotlight

I am pleased to share exciting news about ASA hosting a new Efficient Appraisal Practice webinar series for practicing real property appraisers. Topics to be covered will include:

• RP131 Efficient Appraisal Practice: How Does an Assistant Fit In?, September 6, 2023;
• RP132 Efficient Appraisal Practice: Far Beyond Data Entry Assistance, September 20, 2023;
• RP133 Efficient Appraisal Practice: The Master Assistant, October 11, 2023;
• RP134 Efficient Appraisal Practice: Where’s Your Procedures Manual?, October 25, 2023; and
• RP135 Efficient Appraisal Practice: Planning for the New Year, November 15, 2023.

Real property appraisers will also have the opportunity to earn the appraisal profession’s only real property ‘Going Concern’ specialty designation. Register for these ASA virtual classes:

• RP400 Going Concern Appraising for Real Estate Appraisers, October 16-20, 2023; and
• RP401 Allocating Components in Going Concern Appraisals, February 5-9, 2024.

Annual Awards

ASA opened nominations for its 2023 annual awards. Nominations must be submitted by July 15, 2023. Winners to be announced at the 2023 ASA International Conference. Show your appreciation by nominating a member who’s made a difference.

Continued Success

Lastly, it is great to see our members continuing to promote The ASA Difference by incorporating it in all of their marketing platforms. Our Regional Governor, Scott Miller, is using it on his business card. Other past examples of member usage can be viewed here. For more information about the campaign, click here.

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By Carol Akers Klug, ASA, with contributions by Susan Golashovsky, FASA

Appraisers may not be aware of what ASA’s Educational Foundation (ASAEF) does to sustain our profession and aspiring appraisers. Below is our vision that education provides a path to membership in the appraisal profession, and hopefully to ASA.

“Believe me when I tell you it’s been a bear to raise funds. Please know how appreciative we are at the ASAEF for your support.” COVID and the general financial climate clearly damaged the ability of people in, and trying to enter, our profession among all disciplines. These events caused an influx of people needing and looking for grants to help them advance, or change careers. “We see this as a window of opportunity to drive (or sustain) membership through the funding of grants. Not a particularly pleasant fact, but necessary for all concerned.”

Initially, the Silent Auction was ASAEF’s only fund raiser, and donations contributed by members were and still are nominal. By June 2021, ASAEF had $260,000 in assets, a nominal sum, given our over 5,000 members. In an effort to increase revenue, ASAEF initiated grants for the development of appraisal education text books which added royalty income from the following:

• BV’s Valuing a Business, 6^th Edition–grant for development of Shannon Pratt’s appraisal primer which is a required text book for BV POV courses.
• PP’s Coming Soon Personal Property Discipline Book, 1^st Edition–grant for development of its first Principles of Valuation (POV) text book, which will replace its white papers;
• ASA’s Coming Soon Shannon Pratt’s Lawyer’s Business Valuation Handbook, 3rd edition–grant for development of an appraisal primer for attorneys, an industry source of referrals of valuations to appraisers in all disciplines;

ASAEF continues to provide needs-based grants to aspiring appraisers which hopefully will lead to new certified appraisers. Here are a few of their stories:

• Grant for PP201 POV course for new chapter member. (ASAEF considered the applicant was unemployed yet committed to join ASA.)
• Grant for BV203 POV OnDemand course for applicant in South America. (ASAEF previously had provided BV201 and BV202 grants to this applicant. ASAEF considered applicant’s country suffers high inflation and foreign currency crisis, and there is an active chapter in said’s city.)
• Grant for GJ201 POV course for applicant in Asia. (ASAEF considered this applicant is working for a national GJ authority, and residing in a country with high inflation and foreign currency crisis.
• Grant for GJ202 POV for applicant in Asia. (ASAEF previously had provided a grant to this applicant for GJ 201. Applicant is working for a metals testing firm, and has taken courses at the GIA.)
• Grant for GJ201 POV courses for applicant in Asia. (ASAEF considered this applicant had completed GJ training courses in London, India, and GJ103 Fundamentals of Jewelry Appraisal. Applicant is also taking GIA courses, and working in a jewelry testing lab in a country that suffers high inflation and foreign currency crisis.)

Please join ASA-EF’s List of Donors by contributing an ITEM to its Online $ilent Auction or CA$H always works – or Bid with Vigor! It’s easy – just click here or e-mail caklug@swbell.net

Carol Akers Klug, ASA, is an accredited senior appraiser specializing in business valuation. She has been an active member and volunteer of ASA for over 30 years, most notably serving as Co-Chair of ASA Houston’s Energy Valuation Conference, ASAEF Board Member, Region 3 Governor, President of ASA’s Houston Chapter and International Virtual Chapter, and on numerous committees on the international level. She currently is a member of the ASAEF board, member of the Business Valuation Resource Panel for The Appraisal Foundation, and Co-Chair of ASA Houston’s Energy Valuation Conference. In 2021, Carol was voted ASA’s Appraiser of the Year.

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The ASA Elections for the 2023-2024 International Officers have come to a close!

Congratulations to ASA’s newly-elected International President, Garrett Schwartz, ASA, CEA; International Vice President, G. Adrian Gonzalez, ASA; and International Secretary/Treasurer William Engel, ASA; as well as our new Discipline Governor and Discipline Committee Officers, and Members-At-Large who will officially take office July 1st. We are honored to have such dedicated experts on board and we’re eager to support the innovative visions that will continue taking ASA to the next level. View our complete list of new ASA 2023-2024 volunteer leaders here.

ASA has also successfully completed its 2023 Member Needs Assessment. Thank you to the 700+ members who participated. The feedback received will be used in upcoming strategic planning. Another congratulations to respondent drawing winner Robert L Weaver, ASA, from Gastonia, NC who won a free registration to the 2023 ASA International Conference in New Orleans. Looking forward to meeting Robert in person in New Orleans. 

I had the pleasure of attending the ASA Australia Chapter meeting in Hunters Valley, Australia at the beginning of last month. It was truly enjoyable to connect with the members and gain insights into the Australian market. The program, organized by Shane Miller and Craig Bowring, was executed flawlessly. I eagerly look forward to future opportunities to visit and engage with the chapter once again.

Earlier this month I also had the opportunity to attend the esteemed Appraisal Foundation Board of Trustee meeting and engage in various activities while proudly representing the ASA. The experience was filled with valuable interactions, insightful discussions, and promising developments that are poised to shape the future of our profession.

The Appraisal Foundation has begun its annual search for qualified candidates to serve on the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB). Application Deadline is August 1, 2023. For more information, click here.

It was great participating in another outstanding Energy Valuation Conference that was presented by the ASA Houston Chapter. The conference had over 250 attendees from 24 states and 7 different countries, as far away and as diverse as Kazakstan, Poland, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Germany, Canada, and US. Additionally, it was a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to personally celebrate the event’s resounding success alongside some of the dedicated and hardworking members of the planning committee: Michael J. Morgan, ASA ARM/BV; Carol Akers Klug, ASA; Laurie Leigh White, ASA; Alan B. Harp Jr., ASA, Atiba Henry, Karl Bartholomew, ASA; Tim Stuhlreyer, ASA; Ray T. Garcia, ASA; Robert S. Svoboda, ASA; Michael R. Crismyre, ASA; James Herr, ASA. Congratulations on another unforgettable and smoothly executed event!

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A multidiscipline spotlight on ASA’s Professional Development and Growth Conference.

ASA’s 2023 Beyond Valuation – Professional Development and Growth Conference is coming June 8. Here’s why you need to attend.

Did you know the valuation profession is in a state of rapid change? Yes, a massive shift in the workforce is occurring due to aging senior professionals and ever-changing economic factors, technology advancements, and shifting demand by consumers. Younger valuation professionals need an edge beyond learning the fundamentals. They need to develop the soft skills beyond valuation to take their careers to the next level.

Recognizing this emerging trend, ASA with the collaboration of Empire Valuation Consultants, has developed a specialized half-day virtual event, 2023 Beyond Valuation – Professional Development and Growth Conference, to be held Thursday, June 8, 2023.

To learn more about this trend, we sat down with six senior, expert valuers from different disciplines to learn more about why this type of training is important.

“The valuation profession offers tremendous opportunities for new or younger appraisers. Whether you’re looking to join a firm or start your own, the need for soft skills beyond valuation is critical for success. Training programs like those offered by ASA help to accelerate your development process, and connect you with leading experts for networking opportunities.”

‒J. Mark Penny, ASA, ARM, IA, Managing Partner, Hempstead & Co.

“After almost 40 years in providing business valuation, financial forensics and economic damages assessments I applaud ASA for producing the upcoming Beyond Valuation: Professional Growth and Development webinar on June 8. I continue to mentor member of our BVFLS team and others on the importance of building a personal brand as part of one’s overall career path in the profession. Often our key professional staff are kept so darn busy with chargeable work that we don’t adequately allow them to pause and reflect on what else needs to be attended to over time for their overall holistic satisfaction in their professional development. This venue appears to offer a lot of the blocking and tackling tactics needed to accomplish this. I know a couple of the presenters who are perfectly positioned to share some best practices tips I suspect will be useful to most anyone looking to ‘pull it all together’ to optimize the growth and development of their practice and their brand recognition.”

‒Ron Seigneur, ASA, Partner, Seigneur Gustafson LLP

“Learn all you can about everything. Ask lots of questions and be thorough. Learning appraising will make you a much better business person and vice versa. Since you are your brand, your word is everything. SO KEEP IT. Don’t forget, life is all about relationships. So make as many as you can!”

‒Mark Sandler, ASA, MGA®, Designer Jewels

“Demand for qualified appraisers has never been greater, but finding and/or developing such professionals is difficult. Critical skills like those covered in this training event are valuable and directly increase the marketability of those new to the profession or just getting started and looking for new career opportunities like those being offered now by our firm.”

‒Bharat Kanodia, ASA, Senior Managing Director, Suncorp Valuation

“I think this type training is important because young valuers may not be aware of the details and requirements of the profession. Getting additional information and insight outside of the traditional classroom structure would create a broader understanding of the profession, overall.”

‒Deborah Dunner, AM, M.A., Founder and Owner, Aesthetica Art Services

“Appraisal theory and a highly experienced mentor, as well as this type of training in a young valuer’s professional development helps translate the crucial skills learned into practice and vitally important to becoming a successful member of the profession.”

‒David Doering, ASA, IFA, President Missouri Property Appraisal, Inc.

Don’t miss out on this critical training event. Register online for ASA’s 2023 Beyond Valuation – Professionals Development and Growth Conference at https://bit.ly/44LbWvb or by calling (800) 272-8258.

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ASA President Richard Berkemeier, a Rhode Island base Machinery & Technical Specialties Appraiser specializing in aircraft valuations and also a William G. Congdon art collector, recently loaned pieces from his private collection for an exhibition entitled “A Life’s Journey: A Collection of Works of William Congdon”, presented by the Portsmouth Abbey School’s McEvoy Gallery.

Berkemeier’s pieces, along with pieces from other collectors featured in the exhibition, included various sculptures, drawings and paintings from 1935 to 1996, with a majority representing a significant 25-year span of Congdon’s career.

A sample of William G. Congdon’s work displayed at the exhibition was spotlighted on Portsmouth Abbey School’s Facebook page. As noted in the post, the drawings were recorded while serving as an ambulance driver in WW2, being one of the first responders to enter the Bergen Belsen concentration camp after its liberation in 1945.

Additional samples of the exhibit were also showcased in a special video promotion hosted on the school’s YouTube channel, including these three:

Berkemeier was also spotlighted in the video promotion and spoke to Congdon’s background, style, and what he liked about the artist’s work. View Berkemeier’s interview here.

When asked about his passion for Congdon’s work, Berkemeier mentioned he liked how each piece is quite unique and not copied from somebody else; how the artist was the cream of the crop for his era and genre; his extraordinary travels and coverage; and how Congdon’s work is engaging.

Learn more about William G. Congdon by reading: The Market & The Muse – If an Artist Paints in Monastic Seclusion, is it Art?

All photos credit: Portsmouth Abbey School.

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The 2023 ASA Personal Property Appraisal Symposium was recently held at the Kimpton Canary Hotel in downtown Santa Barbara, California. The Symposium had nearly 75 people in attendance, including 20 speakers presenting on a broad variety of topics covered over the course of 2 days.

The event started at the Kimpton Canary Hotel’s rooftop where guests checked in and attended a welcome reception surrounded by the beauty of Santa Barbara. The first day started with breakfast and opening remarks by Symposium chair Holly Mitchem. Presenters throughout the 2-day event spoke on numerous topics ranging from 20^th Century California Fine Art Photography to the history and impact on movements and art of the West Coast.

The first presentation, titled, Welcome to Santa Barbara: Experience the History of Americas Riviera with Emily Alessio of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, gave a broad overview of the history and material culture of Santa Barbara. She was followed by Dr. Pamela Jill Huckins with The Arts In California and the Missions. This session took a look at the historical scope of art in California beginning with the arts of the indigenous Chumash people and then covering Spanish colonial art, the development of its market and its private and institutional collectors. Following Dr. Huckins was Michael Dawson who spoke about Understanding the Market for 20^th Century California Fine Art Photography. Michael provided an overview on key California photographers and discussed how variations in signatures, photographic papers, and aesthetic approaches affect the value of their photographs. Picking up where Pamela Huckins left off, Jennifer Wilson spoke on The Golden Coast of California: Art & Design of The West. Jennifer discussed the history of art and design in California following the gold rush, emphasizing its role as a marketing tool for settlement.

After a brief lunch break, the Symposium resumed with the fourth speaker of the day, Olivian Cha presenting on Come Alive: The History of Corita Kent. Olivian discussed the life and work of the artist, educator, and social justice advocate, Corita Kent. The presentation went into detail about Corita’s unique approach to silkscreen prints and the commercial representation of her work. Following this presentation was The Limitless World of Limited Editions: California Fine Art Publishers presented by Debra Burchett-Lere. Debra discussed the history of printmaking in California, focusing on the historic and contemporary print publishers while highlighting publishers that continue to expand the limitless creative processes of this medium.

The final session of day one was How Big is Big? Managing Large and Complex Assignments by Stephanie Boris, Analee McClellan, ASA and Andrea Roth, ASA. This session discussed the approaches to managing significant assignments, highlighting common elements including identifying the scope of work, managing client expectations, determining experts and team members, handling changing elements, and delivering the final report.

Day two of the Symposium began with a presentation by Patty Ross on Creating a Marketing Plan to Grow and Scale Your Business. Patty spoke about the importance of having a good marketing plan in place to be successful and provided attendees with a roadmap to bring their businesses success. Following Patty’s presentation was Mexican American, Chicano/a, Latinx and What Comes Next moderated by Patrick H. Ela, ASA with presenters Angel Diaz, Rafael Barrientos Martinez and Dr. Denise Sandoval and Dr. Susana Smith Bautista,. This panel discussion focused on the past 50 years of development of political, social, and artistic recognition of Hispanic artists in California, particularly those of Mexican heritage. The presentation focused on the Mexican-American based movements on car culture, art, cultural and lifestyle changes in California, as well as how they have influenced or are currently influencing markets, and predictions of future collecting trends.

After a brief lunch break, Rick L. Schwartz began his session on Billing and Fee Policies for the Professional Appraiser. Rick informed attendees of the best strategies and practices for billing and fee policies for appraisers, including reviewing fee agreements, preparing and delivering invoices and addressing psychological aspects of the billing process from both the appraiser and clients’ viewpoints. Following Rick was The Government Wants You to Succeed! How Laws, Regs, and Court Cases Make YOU More Marketable plus NFT Update presented by John D. Russell, JD. John suggested potential talking points and marketing aspects to help ASA appraisers stand out from other professionals. He provided a handout exercise to attendees for documenting their accomplishments and emphasizing their skillsets.

The final speaker of the 2023 Personal Property Appraisal Symposium was Leslie Wright, Chairman, North America at Bohnams, presenting on Auction House Mergers and Outlook for Collecting. Leslie covered the recent consolidation of auction houses and provided an outlook on the market and collecting, highlighting growth opportunities in the industry.

Once the Symposium had concluded, the event was over for some, but not for all! The post-event tour day began on Wednesday where we toured the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. Attendees enjoyed a private tour of Mission Santa Barbara, observed the art in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and walked through the Santa Barbara Courthouse and visited Sullivan Goss Gallery and other downtown Santa Barbara galleries. The tour ended at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum with a private tour of their collections, followed by a wine reception in its historic courtyard.

We would like to thank this year’s sponsors for their support in another successful event: John Moran Auctioneers and Appraisers, Sullivan Goss Art Gallery, John V. Henley, Biondi Rare Books & QED Appraisals, Abell Auctions, Clars Auction Gallery, Appraisal Scribe, Acanthus Appraisals and Consultation Services and Appraisal Resource Associates.

We would also like to thank those who volunteered, those who presented, and those who attended this year’s 2023 Personal Property Appraisal Symposium!

Here’s some notable attendee comments including posts to ASA’s new online community, ASAConnect:

“Great to see old friends, make new ones and hear terrific speakers. And the weather is holding out well for lunches on the roof with great views of the area. This is a great success!” –Sandra Tropper, FASA

“Great day of conference speakers today, enjoyed the diversity of topics. Perfect setting to see colleagues and make new friends.” –Peter Held, ASA

“Relaxing at lunch after a very gratifying morning. “Art in California and the Missions” with the brilliant, Dr. Pamela Jill Huckins, then a basketful amount of new info by my new friend and colleague Michael Dawson about key California photographers and finally “The Golden Coast of California: Art & Design of the West” by John Moran Auctioneers specialist.” – Lela Hersh, ASA

“Today we saw views from the Mission, the clock tower with talk on clock works, art museum tour (great Asian arts section) plus a tour given by the generous and knowledgeable docent, Maria Cabrera. We also went to galleries, the History Museum for tour and reception, and ended with a relaxing dinner with dear friends.” –Susan Golashovsky, FASA

“The talks were very good, varied and full of information that included sessions on connoisseurship, the market, and managing our businesses. The conference was well run and full of information. Thank you.” –Darcy Tell, AM

To view the full album of photos from the 2023 Personal Property Symposium, click here.

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By: Jack Beckwith, ASA, CEA

The IVSC Advisory Forum-Working Group (AFWG) just concluded their first face to face meeting since 2019 at the RICS Headquarters in London. Valuation Professional Organization Representatives attending from left to right were Gilles de Courcel from France; Aida Dedajic from The Appraisal Foundation; Ben Elder from United Kingdom; Val Chiasson from the Appraisal Institute; Dave Bunton with The Appraisal Foundation; Jack Beckwith with ASA; Reiner Lux from Germany; Leandro Escobar from Spain; John Martin, AFWG Chairman, from Australia; Karen Lusnic from Slovenia; Robert Hecek, our visiting guest from WAVO; John Clote from South Africa; and Muath Alkhalaf from Saudi Arabia.

Nick Talbot, CEO, gave opening remarks on the state of the organization. IVSC is financially in stable condition although some IVSC membership organizations did not survive the pandemic. Our members and sponsors of IVSC have grown to over 200. The IVSC has opened an Asia office. The IVSC has a three-year agreement to increase to three staff over three years. The IVSC Asia committee is focused on outreach and the IVSC is in early stages of exploring if a similar regional office can be set up in areas such as Middle East and Africa. The IVSC has several board members leaving the boards and has gained several new trustees. He added that the IVSC engagement with IOSCO continues.

Richard Stokes, Marketing and Communications, introduced the new IVS Branding campaign, while Alexander Aronsohn, Director of Technical Standards for Tangible Assets presented the “IVS Exposure Draft Apr-23” and the “IVS Exposure Draft Apr-23 Summary and Consultation Questions”. The IVS Exposure Draft Consultation is now open to our ASA Members and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.ivsc.org/consultations/ivs-exposure-draft-for-consultation-2023/

Talbot asked if each of IVSC members could comment on the standards. The greater the feedback, the better the quality of standards. There will be a vetting process through July of 2023 where there can be a basis of conclusions on how the Board discussed the feedback and can move to make a decision. Talbot emphasized the importance that the valuation profession gets recognized by leaders and regulators in the industry. There are often no requirements to become a valuator which is not in the public interest. IVSC views partnership with professional organizations and partners to be important. The IVSC has had engagement with other regulators around the world. In Singapore, the IVS is well embedded. The IVSC has engagement with tax authorities, and there is increased engagement with the UN. The IVSC has a meeting with IMF in Washington DC, which also helps with capacity building and help make recommendations for standards and professionalism around the world.

Our group discussed key points for growing the profession globally are noted below.

• Concentrated and continuous campaign to make the public aware of the benefits using qualified appraisers, for what is in most cases is the largest investment they will ever make in their lives, the purchase of a home.
• Diversification and inclusion of all who aspire to enter our fields of expertise by reconsidering and developing meaningful and inclusive paths to obtaining education, experience, and employment.
• Developing relationships with education institutions at the high school and university levels that can 1) inform students about career opportunities in the profession, and 2) coordination of entry level appraisal education to allow students a head start in obtaining required education and experience.

There was an overall agreement by our group that our VPO Members face similar challenges with an aging population and the need for global standardize training and education. Talbot was impressed with ASAs efforts to offer free membership to students, hosting in-person and virtual networking events, establishing special business valuation student club program for college students to learn more about the BV profession, and expanding ASA’s mentoring program.

John Martin led the members through a draft of a Growing Recognition of the Valuation Profession Globally paper and asked the members to discuss the following questions with their VPO:

• Do we need a more globally recognized valuation profession?
• Do VPOs want it?
• What’s in it for VPOs?
• What are the barriers to success?

Jack Beckwith, ASA CEA, serves as ASA’s representative to the IVSC. He has performed and supervised valuations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, as well as published articles for various valuation topics in Equipment Finance Advisor, the M&TS Journal, and the ASA Professional. In addition, Jack has been an instructor for ASA teaching Principle of Valuation courses. Honorariums include: ASA International Conferences Presenter and ELFA Annual Conventions Presenter. He can be reached at beckwith@eagi.com