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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

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It’s been an exhilarating few weeks at ASA, with a range of exciting initiatives and member participation that have truly captured the spirit of our organization. From event collaboration to increased member participation, all of ASA has been hard at work raising awareness and driving positive change.

Earlier this month, I participated in the 21^st Annual NAFA/ASA Aircraft Appraisal Education Program in Key Largo, FL; which was held in conjunction with the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) 51^st Annual Conference. During the NAFA conference, I was able to moderate an outstanding panel session that included George Kleros, our International President Richard Berkemeier, and Joe Zulueta. Thank you to Conference Chair, Louis Seno, ASA and everyone that helped create yet another spectacular event with a fantastic lineup of session topics and speakers. I look forward to more ASA/NAFA collaborative initiatives in the future.

I also appreciated spending time at the ASA Automotive Specialty group’s meeting in Denver, CO this past month. I learned a lot about the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies related to valuing vehicles, as well as deeper insight into market conditions, specific valuation techniques, and emerging issues in the automotive industry.

In addition to spreading awareness of ASA through in-person event participation, this month ASA HQ has also been busy solidifying ASA’s online presence with the launch of 2 more foundational building blocks to better support its members virtually.

ASA and the MTS Committee were thrilled to announce that the MTS Journal is now available in a brand new, online, searchable, archive format. This much-anticipated feature has been years in the making and has been achieved through the relentless efforts of countless individuals. Not only can subscribers access the latest journal content, but also they can browse through the complete MTS Journal Archive, dating back to the 1980s. This launch has been in the works for quite some time – congratulations and great job to everyone who helped make this happen!

The ASA Staff has also been keeping busy with the launch of ASAConnect, a new online social platform tailor-made for ASA members.

This launch has also been generating a lot of excitement, and we are committed to fostering a culture of involvement and shared purpose, especially as the economic climate continues to shift.

ASAConnect was launched to replace the former Listserv and aims to make it easier for our members to stay connected. We’re thrilled to see a growth in members who are joining and using this new online community; and to see seasoned members networking with new members from all over the world. This is exactly what the industry needs to continue moving forward. We encourage all members to start connecting with ASAConnect and take advantage of its networking opportunities.

In addition to capitalizing on the MTS Journal Archive and ASAConnect, we’ve also seen quite a few members follow our lead in raising awareness by using the ASA Difference marketing toolkit for themselves and/or businesses – yes! There’s power in numbers – and our Society has them.

While having lunch with the ASA Chicago Chapter Leadership, ASA member Natasha Perssico Escobedo, MBA, CPA, ASA-BV showed me her new business card, a creative way to incorporate the ASA Difference into her own marketing. I love seeing our members using the material we developed to help create awareness about ASA and the importance of hiring an ASA-accredited member. We appreciate the support and let’s keep this momentum!

Throughout the years, we’ve had a number of impactful members exhibit long and outstanding support and efforts to ASA and the profession. This month, we were also pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 ASA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to: Jack Beckwith, ASA, Charles Carmona, ASA, Roger Grabowski, FASA, Robert C. Schlegel, FASA, and Nancy Stacy, ASA, MGA® (awarded posthumously). This is a momentous occasion and a true testament to your hard work, dedication, and contributions to your field over the years. Thank you for your commitment to excellence and for setting a high standard for others to follow.

Winners will be recognized during the International Awards Luncheon held at the 2023 ASA International Conference on Monday, October 2, from 1:30-2:30pm ET.

Once again, congratulations to these 5 members on this remarkable achievement – well deserved!

I’m confident this remarkable participation ‘theme’ will uphold next month, as elections for new ASA international officers is set to begin May 12 – 30^th. I encourage all eligible voting members to review the election policies and processes. ASA will be using eBallot again this year, an independent and secure online voting platform, to manage the process.

Don’t miss these upcoming ASA events!
2023 ASA Fair Value Spring Conference, May 4, 2023, New York, NY & Virtual
12^th Annual Equipment Valuation Conference, June 7, 2023, Virtual
Beyond Valuation–Professional Development and Growth Virtual Conference, June 8, 2023
2023 ESOP Virtual Conference, June 20, 2023, Virtual
2023 Personal Property Appraisal Summer Camp, August 1-24, 2023, Virtual
2023 ASA International Appraisers Conference, October 1-3, 2023, New Orleans, LA & Virtual

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The do’s and don’ts of buying gems and jewelry away from home.

By Juanita Addeo, ASA, Master Gemologist Appraiser® and Barry Block, ASA, Master Gemologist Appraiser®

As appraisers, we see many clients with items of jewelry bought while on destination vacations, including quite a few from cruise ship vacations. More often than not, the story does not have a happy ending. For our vacationing friends (as well as others traveling on business), our advice is simple: If you want to buy gems or jewelry away from home, especially on a cruise, do so because you’ve fallen in love with the piece or as a memento of your vacation, but never buy jewelry for the purpose of “investment.”

The cruise ship travel industry is vast. According to Cruise Industry News, cruise ships carried an estimated 27.8 million passengers and that number is expected to increase to a whopping 38.7 million by 2027. The industry revenue for 2023 is expected to be $25.14 billion and will rise to 35.87 billion by 2027 – that is ‘b’ as in Billion. These statistics present a titanic (if you will excuse the pun) opportunity for deception and puffery from jewelry stores affiliated with the travel business, and vacationers looking to be “entertained.” The numbers suggest that the cases we hear about may only be the tip of the iceberg (again, excuse our reference!).

Do Your Research Before You Go

Even if you aren’t planning on buying gems or jewelry, arm yourself with some information regarding the establishments that you are likely to see at your ports of call. Find out if there have been any problems for previous travelers. Below is a partial list of helpful consumer sites and blogs that should be reviewed before you go. Some of these sites were started by travelers themselves who, unfortunately, learned the hard way.

• www.cruisecritic.com
• www.complaintsboard.com
• www.jvclegal.org
• www.ripoffreport.com
• www.pricescope.com

When You Are There

Disregard the claimed “values” expressed by the seller – they want to sell you something after all, and they know you won’t be back anytime soon! Use logic and common-sense guidelines. Common sense, as in RED FLAG: a salesperson claims the item is valued (or should appraise) at $15,000 but is going to sacrifice it to you for just $5,000. Think about it, if it is ‘worth’ $15,000, why would they sell it for $5,000? It’s just not logical.

It’s not “value” if it’s overpriced to begin with! Some sales people are trained to lure you with sizzle, rarity or exclusivity, perhaps to meet a quota and to close the sale despite whatever objection or resistance you may voice. They are expecting you to haggle, and if you don’t, they win-if-you buy.

Don’t be tempted to trade in your older pieces of jewelry unless you’re prepared to do so. Your guard is usually a bit more relaxed while on vacation. (Save the Mai-Tais for after the shopping trip!) You might be lulled into doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Get a current appraisal of items you want to trade before going on your trip. Odds are you can get more for your old jewelry at home. An American Society of Appraisers (ASA) Gems and Jewelry appraiser can advise you as to how much you should expect to get for your trade. Know before you go!

Exclusive Or In-Store Branded Jewelry

Unless it is a brand that you recognize that is sold in well-known stores around the world, beware. These ports-of-call stores pay for exclusive branding rights so they can charge whatever they like, and their products usually prove to be a poor value in other markets.

Seek the advice of an Accredited Jewelry Appraiser before you go. Finding an accredited, independent jewelry appraiser is simple: go to ASA’s website, www.appraisers.org and do a “Find An Appraiser search in the Gems and Jewelry Discipline using your zip code.

Read The Fine (Faded, Light, Tiny, Copious) Print

Read the “guarantees” and “return” policies! Particularly if they are conditional. Be careful here; Some sellers will offer a “guarantee” that states something like; “If the item appraises for less than we sold it for, we’ll give you your money back.” What if the diamond appraises for what you paid for it or a even little more, but the quality grades are not as stated? For instance, the ‘I’ color diamond you thought you purchased grades as ‘K’ color? You won’t be able to get your money back because the condition on the back of your receipt states that there are no returns for diamonds unless they grade at least 2 color grades different. These are conditions! Don’t buy unless all conditions are removed! If you can’t get an unconditional guarantee from a would-be seller, make a purchase from someone who will.

Check the back of the sales receipt for a contract before signing a sales receipt. Ask yourself-why would I be asked to sign a sales receipt in the first place? Turn the receipt over and see if you are agreeing to the seller’s “sales contract” at the same time.

Such a seller will not make it easy for you to make a return. It is not unusual for large stores to throw up smokescreens in order to discourage you from returning an item. They might state that they won’t take it back because they won’t know if the item is the same as what they’ve sold. Or, if you’ve had an appraisal, they might say that the appraiser is not “independent.” They won’t return your calls, or they might insist that you get another laboratory report or yet another appraisal. This will not only cost you money, but also valuable time, effort, and energy.

Tip: Your local jewelers and online sites will usually give you unconditional money back guarantees.

If You Buy

Insist these items be included in writing on your receipt:

• You are able to get a full refund for any reason, that is, an unconditional money back guarantee. Make that a condition of sale.
• Insist on specific quality information; for example, G color, VS-2 clarity, NOT “superfine white” or “eye-clean” or other non-standard language.
• Do not rely solely on your cruise line lists of recommended jewelry stores. Many stores are owned by the same corporation, and if one doesn’t get you to buy, the other one will. Like Area 51, the fact that the cruise line companies actually partly own these companies might not be urban legend!
• If a lab report does accompany a diamond or gemstone, insist on one from a reputable independent laboratory, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or American Gemological Society (AGS).

How To Pay for Your Purchase

How you pay makes a great deal of difference. Always pay with your credit card! Utilizing your credit card will give you an advantage if a problem should arise and you want to make a return. In-store financing does not give you any leverage (refund) in case of disputes.

Points To Remember

• Get your guarantee in writing
• Never sign their sales slips, you might be signing a contract.
• Schedule a consultation with your ASA Gems and Jewelry appraiser before traveling
• Think clearly and unemotionally, don’t be pressured into the “once in a lifetime deal.”
• As one of billions of travelers these stores see a year, if you purchase the item, it is not “wholesale.”
• You will not be able to profit from your purchase.

Having said all this, we want to add that it’s not always a bad experience. Markets are becoming more global, especially with mass-produced jewelry.  If you visit such local places as boutiques, cultural centers and artisan shops, you just might find something you wouldn’t be able to get at home.

With these simple guidelines and tips, you will enjoy your vacation, and return safely with many wonderful memories!

Juanita Addeo, ASA, is a Master Gemologist Appraiser®, and a third generation jeweler, owner/operator of Central Florida based Addeo Jewelers with family. Her specialties include reviewing portfolios, large diamonds, expert testimony, appraisal reports, and designing fine jewelry. She has won the coveted DeBeers Diamonds Today Competition Award, as well as ASA’s Jerry Larkins Volunteer Service Award. Juanita can be reached at (407) 333-0390 or juanita@addeojewelers.com.

Barry Block, ASA, is a Master Gemologist Appraiser®, the New York based The Jewelry Judge. Barry is an experienced appraiser with a demonstrated history of working in the consumer services industry. Strong professional skills in diamonds, colored stones, pearls, luxury goods, gem identification and gemology. He is New York’s first, and Long Island’s only, Master Gemologist Appraiser. Barry can be reached at (516) 248-8130 or bblock@jewelryjudge.net.

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By Pardeep Goyal, as seen on LinkedIn.

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, it’s more important than ever to stay up-to-date with the latest skills and trends in your industry. That’s why continuing education should be a top priority for professionals at all stages of their careers.

Here are a few reasons why continuing education is so important:

1. Stay competitive: By keeping your skills and knowledge current, you’ll be better positioned to compete for job opportunities and promotions.
2. Expand your network: Continuing education programs often provide opportunities to connect with other professionals in your field, which can help you expand your network and open up new career paths.
3. Adapt to changing technologies: Many industries are being transformed by new technologies, and continuing education can help you stay ahead of the curve and adapt to these changes.
4. Boost your confidence: When you’re knowledgeable and skilled in your field, you’ll feel more confident in your abilities, which can translate into greater success and job satisfaction.

Whether it’s attending workshops and conferences, pursuing a degree or certification, or simply taking online courses, there are many ways to continue your education and invest in your career. So, make a commitment to lifelong learning and take the first step toward achieving your professional goals.

Editor’s Note: A key part of being a successful personal property appraiser is the ability to recognize what you are looking at. Expanding your broad base of knowledge is critical. ASA recognizes this need and strives to provide valuable continuing education. Here’s a look at upcoming offerings:

• May 18, 2023 | PP160 The Wiener Werkstätte: Its Creation and Legacy | Webinar
• June 16, 2023 | PP158 An Overview of Pennsylvania German Fraktur | Webinar
• July 20, 2023 | PP159 An Overview of Pennsylvania German Broadsides | Webinar
• October 1-3, 2023 | 2023 ASA International Conference | In-Person & Online

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How one firm’s success leads to a recruitment challenge.

Editor’s Note: Suncorp Valuations and its legacy companies has over 60 years of experience in assessing value – market value and insurance value for property of all types: diamond mines to water and wastewater systems; condominium complexes to retail malls; or pulp & paper mills to the house down the road, and all things in between. From Dubai to Bahrain, Columbia to Alaska, Suncorp values the globe from their network of offices. To learn more about the firm, its success and how continued growth is driving new opportunities for appraisers we sat down with President & CEO, Tom Gardiner, ASA, MRICS.

ASA: It is great to see your firm experiencing continued growth. Can you tell us more about your success?

Gardiner: Suncorp Valuations has   become one of the largest independent valuation firms in North America since our launch in 1984. Since that time, our firm is often called upon by fortune one hundred companies to perform valuations of complex mining, refining, and chemical processing facilities throughout North America and as far away as Dubai, South Africa, and India. We have grown to set the North American standard in condominium appraisal and are one of the world’s most experienced appraiser of churches and other religious properties. Suncorp Valuations has also diversified its service offerings to include risk management services which provide risk control solutions to our client base in conjunction with our valuation offerings. Our firm routinely values entire municipalities, including their road and sewer infrastructure, water & wastewater treatment facilities, recreation complexes, and we have become one of the largest providers of school safety audits in Canada.

ASA: What core firm values have been key factors in meeting your clients’ needs?

Gardiner: Our business is value. We make it a point to fully understand the needs of our clients, and because of our experience we know what can go wrong and therefore we help them manage their risks and avoid future losses, as a result. We are experts at helping them manage and determine ongoing value. Simply put, we provide our clients with appraisal and valuation services that determine their assets worth and risk management services that help them mitigate potential future losses and keep track of everything that they own, along with its value over time.

ASA: How is your success leading to a recruitment challenge?

Gardiner: Demand for qualified appraisers has never been greater. The ability to work at a high-level, deliver on-time, credible, professionally presented reports for clients, help write legislation, sit on advisory councils, and testify as certified expert witnesses are critical skills needed today. Finding and/or developing such professionals is difficult, especially now due to the retirement of experienced senior appraisers and a growing gap in new candidates entering the profession.

ASA: What solutions are you employing to address recruitment/development?

Gardiner: We have taken deliberate steps to recruit and develop valuers, the principle of which has been partnering with leading valuation professional organizations like ASA. This past year we participated as a Gold Sponsor at the Society’s 85^th Annual International Conference in Tampa, which included our team members being onsite delivering a technical presentation and meeting with attendees at our booth. We have recently contracted with ASA to repeat the Gold Level sponsorship at the annual International Valuation Conference along with a Presenting Sponsor at the annual ASA Equipment Valuation conference over the course of the next five years, commencing this year. Additionally, we are running a recruitment themed banner advertisement in ASA’s Machinery and Technical Specialties monthly e-newsletter. Partnering with ASA is important to us due to our shared values and commitment to professionalism and the profession. ASA’s long-standing reputation and international recognition helps to better position us in front of the profession’s best and brightest.

ASA: How can appraisers pursue new opportunities at Suncorp Valuations?

Gardiner: Individuals are welcomed to visit the careers page on our website at https://can63.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/suncorpvaluations, call us at 1-800-764-4454 or email me directly at tom.a.gardiner@suncorpvaluations.com, as I would be pleased to meet with them to discuss our firm’s goals and objectives and outline how those goals and objectives can help them meet their professional growth plans within the valuation profession. New recruits can also view our recruitment video “Why Choose Suncorp“.

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   The ASA-IFA Eastern Region Appraisal Conference was recently held at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ with nearly 100 people in attendance over the course of two days. The conference offered students either the option of “In Person” or “Virtual/Zoom”.

   The speaker’s presentations were structured around the latest up to date methods, issues or concerns facing Real Estate Appraisers. Included among the speakers were NJ Real Estate Appraisal Board President John McCann and Vice President Carmen Brocato who opened the conference speaking about new and ongoing responsibilities of Real Estate Appraisal Boards in the United States. 

The second speaker of the day was John Nolan who spoke on Valuation of Photovoltaic. The final segment of Day 1 was entitled Valuation of the Cannabis Industry, which was presented by Andrew Lines, Mike Peterson & Derek Weissman. To end the day, Monday evening, we had a Social Networking dinner and awards presentation.

The night ended with Bob Solotist being presented with a Lifetime Achievement award, John McCann winning the NJ Appraiser of the year award, Sherrie Galderisi, Blythe Kelly, and Marty Ortiz being presented Chairperson Awards for their commitment and dedication to the conference. A big thank you to Rob Luciani and his band, “The Remedy”, for donating their time and playing at the dinner.

The second day of the conference began with a presentation by Rob Luciani speaking about the current hot topic of Desktop Hybrid Appraisals. The conference ended on the second afternoon with an enlightening presentation by T. J. McCarthy and Tom Munizzo on Appraisal Quality Control and the Impact of Revisions. The conference supported the NAIFA Education Research & Trust as the recipient of this year’s donation. 

Great to have seven Past National President’s from the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers (NAIFA) in attendance. Lastly, I would like to thank our sponsors, without whose support we would not have a conference of this magnitude. We thank this year’s sponsors for their continued support, ASA International, Landy Insurance, Columbia Bank, ASA Northern NJ chapter and ASA-IFA NJ Atlantic-Cape South chapter. 

A big thank you to those that volunteered for registration or being a moderator for each of the educational segments each day. The conference committee consisted of myself, Sherrie, Blythe, Marty & Bob are truly grateful for the continued support of everyone who attends this conference every year. 

Mike Lange Jr. – Conference Chairperson

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An Important Look at ASA Governance Changes

Editor’s Note: ASA’s Board of Governors have recently taken actions to restructure. Updates on these changes have been reported in communications to members and addressed in an ASA Virtual Town Hall Meeting for members only on Thursday, April 27, 2023 from 5:00pm-6:00pm EDT featuring ASA International President, Richard Berkemeier and ASA CEO, Johnnie White. To learn more about the restructuring and other governance changes, we sat down with President Berkemeier to get his insight.

ASA: What were the motivating factors behind the restructuring?

Berkemeier: ASA’s Board of Governors (BoG) over the past four years has taken deliberate and continued steps to improve governance. The primary driver behind this effort is to better position ASA for long-term strategic success. Key actions taken to date have included: the implementation of a new governance model (Carver System); modernization of related policy documents; new BoG monitoring procedures; increased transparency and communication to members; and implementation of a new strategic plan focusing on three pillars: Education, Membership and Branding.

The new restructuring addition to this effort will include a phased restructuring of the BoG to reduce the number of discipline governors from two to one and the addition of a new ARM discipline governor, while the number of regional governors will be reduced from five to four. This action was taken per the recommendation of the Board Reduction Taskforce after a period of detailed study to improve governance efficiency. The process will take place over the next several years and conclude as each current term is completed.

ASA: What will be the vision forward for the BoG?

Berkemeier: As part of the vision forward, the BoG’s role will focus on addressing long-term strategic issues and initiatives, while the CEO position will work to address all operational activities through the support of staff and the numerous member volunteers involved in the Society’s Standing Committees. Regular and ongoing monitoring by the BoG of key areas will occur to ensure proper due diligence is being conducted.

ASA: What will be the impact of these changes?

Berkemeier: Benefits to the Society and members have already been visible, including the successful pivot to virtual and OnDemand educational offerings; comprehensive overhaul of the Society’s technology platform with new Association Management System (AMS), Learning Management System (LMS) and Financial Management System (FMS); new refreshed website with upgraded Find an Appraiser search tool and new online membership directory; new soon to be released ASAConnect member community platform; new membership programs for students and Ally members; new member marketing toolkit; new branding campaign to promote members; and better ease in taking advantage of ASA member marketing efforts.

ASA: How satisfied are you of the efforts taken?

Berkemeier: I am very satisfied and proud to have been a part of the work towards accomplishing these goals. I’ve been a long-time advocate for such, of which played an important role in my decision to becoming a volunteer leader and a large part of my campaign platform. I look forward with anticipation as the BoG moves to better position the Society for the future.

I hope future leaders of the Society will continue to look at reductions in the Board over the next 5 years. We have many critical issues coming up and rightsizing the Board will be important to implement changes going forward.

I am very pleased in the Discipline Committees and their leadership. I am very impressed how these committees have continued to grow and improve the status of their members. I look forward to seeing you all in New Orleans.

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As we conclude Women’s History Month, I’d like to thank all the women appraisers, especially those who are members of ASA, whose contributions helped shape the profession. We applaud your accomplishments in the field as well as your efforts to combat prejudice and promote equality in both your line of work and in everyday life. Continue to serve as an example for younger people and other industry professionals.    

Earlier this past month, I headed over to Nashville for the Association of Machinery and Equipment Appraisers (AMEA) 2023. Richard Berkemeier and I had the opportunity to create more awareness about ASA through an educational presentation and  expanded our professional connections while networking with like-minded professionals

I also was able to attend the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) annual conference in Houston and visit with our members. While in Houston , I also enjoyed having dinner with ASA Houston Chapter members: Jeffery Hays, Christine and Craig York, Cameron Tipton, Corey DeWitt, and Pamela Bensoussan. It was another opportunity for great conversations with a handful of Houston’s greatest appraisal minds.

 

ASA Updates:

Please be sure to join us for the ASA Town Hall meeting scheduled April 27^th 5:00pm est.  Our International President Richard Berkemeier and I will provide an update on the recent changes to the Board of Governors structure and an update on the strategic plan.

ASA has also been busy adding new Membership Renewal FAQs to the website, adding 3 new benefit partners, and finishing up the set up to ASAconnect, an online platform is designed to provide greater access to subject matter experts and expand professional development and networking. ASAconnect is due to launch April 12, so keep an eye out for more information.

As ASA continues to lead the profession in technology advancement and adopting new marketing trends, I urge everyone to follow ASA on any and all social accounts Twitter,  LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram.
Did you start following us on Facebook prior to 2018? Our account has changed since! Please visit our Facebook page, and give us a refollow and make the most of your engagement by liking, receiving notifications and sharing posts.

EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR:

2023 ASA-IFA Eastern Region Appraisal Conference, April 17-18, 2023, Atlantic City, NJ and Virtual
ASA Personal Property Appraisal Symposium, April 30-May 2, 2023, Santa Barbara, CA
2023 ASA Fair Value Conference, May 4, 2023, New York, NY and Virtual
12^th Annual Equipment Valuation Conference, June 7, 2023, Virtual
Beyond Valuation–Professional Development and Growth Virtual Conference, June 8, 2023
2023 ESOP Virtual Conference, June 20, 2023, Virtual
2023 Personal Property Appraisal Summer Camp, August 1-24, 2023, Virtual
2023 ASA International Appraisers Conference, October 1-3, 2023, New Orleans, LA & Virtual

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Understanding the differences and the value of both.

By Calli Ensor, as seen on RecruitmentMarketing.com

For people who want to invest in their career, networking and joining a professional community are likely at the top of their list.

While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, it is important to understand their similarities and differences in order to truly maximize the benefits associated with each.

Let’s take a closer look!

While networking and professional communities are focused on interacting with people, there are several key differences that separate the two.

Networking refers to the practice of building and maintaining professional relationships with individuals who can provide opportunities for career development and business contacts. There are many ways to network both virtually and in-person by attending events, becoming a member of professional organizations and joining networking platforms such as LinkedIn.

In terms of how networking is traditionally used, professional networks are typically task-driven and connections are built one at a time. When using virtual networking platforms, individuals invite others to connect with them, look for jobs, promote their business, invite users to upcoming events and share newsworthy updates about starting a new role or earning a promotion.

As a job seeker, networking is often one of the best ways to hear about new job opportunities. This is especially beneficial when you consider that 85% of jobs are filled through networking.

Professional communities are designed to support a slightly different focus. While they may contain a networking component, communities are member-driven and rely on participants to define, create and share content to foster organic conversations.

For example, a human resource manager of a hospital might publish a question in a discussion forum about how difficult it is to find qualified nursing staff and ask the community for recruitment marketing tips. Community members can step in with their advice and provide the human resource manager with the help they desperately need.

One of the best things about communities is their lack of hierarchy. Anyone who participates in the community can post their advice or ask questions. There should be no worries about how they “look” when they seek assistance. Instead, a community is very supportive, and the people who engage in the community share common needs.

Joining a community is a great way to reach people in similar situations. While friends, family and colleagues can be a source of support, a community of like-minded members offers a source of solutions.

Through a community, people can have conversations that help them learn more about their profession and think about their current issues in a fresh light.

Communities also provide a level of belonging and connection. People join communities because they want to build lasting relationships with people who share similar interests, experiences and goals. Communities require actions and contributions from members to thrive.

Tips for Maximizing the Value of Communities

• Find your niche. Search for communities that are relevant to your job function.
• Once you have joined a community it is important to be authentic. Complete your profile, use a headshot for your profile picture and select a header image that brings out your personality.
• Review the community structure. Read the About Us section, review the Code of Conduct and make sure you understand the Dos and Don’ts of the communty. Online communities are moderated to ensure a good user experience so you want to make sure you are aligned with the community values and are leveraging the community benefits available to you.
• Introduce yourself in the community forum. While there are some benefits of being a silent observer, so many more benefits open up if you are an active participant. Think of this step like an in-person networking event. You have to introduce yourself to allow conversations to manifest.
• Create and post relevant content. Aim to start a conversation once a week to start. Conversations can be as simple as posing a question to the group or as complex as a challenge you are facing.
• Participate in surveys and polls posted by the community administrator. Community administrators often ask their communities directly what types of content will benefit their experience in the community. By participating in these questionnaires, you can help to shape the community conversations and culture.
• Engage with others. Comment and react to posts by others.
• Join events. Communities often host exclusive events for their members. Joining gives you another level of human interaction to strengthen your relationships in the community.
• Have fun! Communities should be fun and bring value to your life. If you come with a positive mindset and are excited to chat with people who have a shared interest, a community can only help you advance your career, bring solutions to your work and build your network and community.

Networks and Communities Add Value to Your Career

While professionals often praise the numerous benefits that networking offers, online communities can provide another outlet for people to improve their skills and expand their access to professionals in their industry.

Joining a community or participating in a networking event may seem time-consuming, but they are both massively beneficial for career development. It is worthwhile to invest in both!

Editor’s Note: View important news about the launch of ASAConnect—The next generation online community for members.

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By Andrei Kurtuy, as seen on CareerBlog.

LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network, with over 700 million members from 55 million registered companies.

This means that you can use LinkedIn for, well, just about anything related to growing as a professional:

• Connect with potential employers and get a new job.
• Network with experts in your field and develop your skill-set.
• Source and hire candidates for your firm.
• Find a business partner for your next venture.

And everything else in-between!

Nonetheless, this wide reach doesn’t make connecting with people and networking on LinkedIn an easy process.

Truth is, using LinkedIn can be confusing, especially if you’re just getting started.

After all, the platform doesn’t come with a manual on how you can build a professional description, approach recruiters, gain followers, or foster your professional ties.

…But that’s why we’re here!

In this guide, we’ll be going through 7+ best tips you can use to upgrade your LinkedIn profile, expand your professional connections, and network on LinkedIn like a pro.

7+ TIPS ON HOW TO NETWORK ON LINKEDIN

#1: Complete Your Profile

If you haven’t already, make sure your LinkedIn profile is completely filled out. Meaning, all the sections on your profile are filled in and there are no gaps and blank spaces.

Why? Because LinkedIn prioritizes complete profiles over empty ones.

So, if an employer looks up your job title, you’re more likely to pop up on page #1 if your profile is completely filled out.

Even if this wasn’t the case, having a half-filled LinkedIn profile is like having a half-page resume.

Anyone that visits your profile is going to think that you just don’t have much to say about yourself professionally.

So, make sure to add the following sections to your LinkedIn profile:

• A headline
• A profile photo and background picture
• A LinkedIn summary
• Current job title
• Your country and zip code
• Work experience with relevant dates
• Education section
• Any volunteer work or other hobbies
• At least 5 relevant skills

#2: Optimize Your Profile

Filling up your LinkedIn profile is only step #1. If, however, you want to stand out from thousands of other applicants on the platform, you also have to optimize it.

So, implement these tips when making your LinkedIn profile to build the best possible personal brand for yourself:

Add a Professional-Looking, Friendly Profile Picture

As a rule of thumb, pick a high-quality picture where you look neat and clean, smiling, and located near the camera. If possible, consider getting your professional headshot taken.

Add an Effective Headline

Your LinkedIn headline helps you do two main things: show up in recruiters’ LinkedIn searches and show them what you’re up to in an instant.

Here are some tips that’ll help you pick the right headline keywords for your situation:

• Find the exact jobs you’re interested in. Go to LinkedIn’s Job Board and filter your search by experience level, job type, geography, etc. Sift through the search results and choose a number of roles you’re interested in.
• Continue by looking for the words and phrases that appear most frequently across these headlines. These are the keywords that recruiters use to find possible candidates.
• Use these keywords when creating your headline. So, for example, let’s say you’re searching for an entry-level job as a data scientist in Tech. Keywords for this position include Analytics, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Data Modeling, and Computer Science. Here’s a potential LinkedIn headline you can use:

“Data Engineer actively looking for new opportunities in Analytics, Business Intelligence and Data Science.”

Create a Comprehensive and Eye-Catching Summary.

Include your years of experience, most relevant skills (especially technical skills), your current job title, passions, and what job position you’re looking for (in case you are).

Optimize Your Work Experience

Most people don’t think to include their work experience details on LinkedIn. Instead, they simply list their current and previous job titles.

Want to stand out?

You should fill out your work experience sections, just as you would on your resume.

Meaning, you can include job responsibilities, duties, accomplishments, and tangible results you’ve achieved for each position worked.

#3: Get Endorsements

LinkedIn endorsements are a way for your colleagues and connections to attest to your expertise in a specific field or skill. So the more endorsements you get, the more credible your online profile looks.

But how does one get endorsements?

Well, the best way is through endorsing others. Start with your closest coworkers, friends, and family on LinkedIn, as they’re most likely to return the favor. Do this by scrolling down to the ‘Skills & endorsements’ section on their profile, finding the specific skill you want to endorse them for, and pressing the “+” button next to it. It’ll turn into a  “✓.”

Afterward, ask them to return the favor and endorse one of your skills or projects.

Another way to get endorsements is by directly asking for them. It doesn’t have to be a long message, you can just send your connections a quick: “Hey, mind endorsing me for X project/skill?”.

Make sure what you’re asking to be endorsed is something they’ve seen you do, complete, or that appears on your LinkedIn profile, otherwise, this approach might not be too effective.

#4: Gather Connections from People You Know

There are many different ways to grow your LinkedIn network, but the first and most reliable way is by connecting with people you already know.

And, luckily, there’s a very easy way to find them on LinkedIn.

Start by importing all of your phone contacts on LinkedIn and sending them a connection request. Then, use the “People You May Know” feature to find more people you might have missed from the same school, company, or from your industry.

You can do this by tapping on the My Network tab in the navigation bar, and scrolling down to the “People You May Know” section.

#5: Connect with Strangers in Your Field

The goal of networking on LinkedIn isn’t to add as many people as possible. Rather, it is to create meaningful connections with people who can help you grow professionally.

Do this by:

• Sending invites to a manager, recruiter, or company representative that works in your specific field and can help you get your desired job position. If you’re in accounting, don’t connect with strangers who do the polar opposite, like medicine, geology, or engineering. They might give you a “like react”, but they likely won’t be interested (rather, slightly annoyed) in the content that you post.
• Send a personalized message along with your request. For example, you can add 2-3 sentences explaining why you two should connect, such as: “Hello, I see that you work for Company X. I wanted to reach and connect because I am currently exploring new job opportunities. I’ve been working for ABC Company for 4+ years and I’m now ready for my next challenge”.

#6: Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn groups are dedicated forums where professionals with similar interests, or who work in the same industry, share their knowledge, ask questions, and have conversations about topics they want to learn more about. Joining these groups can help you create new connections, grow partnerships, and show off experience and expertise.

LinkedIn makes finding and joining these groups easy—all you’ve got to do is search for specific keywords related to your industry, interests, or desired customer.

For example, a quick search of the keyword “content marketing” in the group section results in about 6,600 groups.

Joining just a few of these active groups means thousands of people in your industry could see your profile and reach out to you.

For this to actually happen, though, you’ll need to do more than just join. You have to interact with the LinkedIn group by participating in discussions, asking questions, and posting relevant content, among other things.

#7: Regularly Write Content

Actively liking, commenting, and showing love to your LinkedIn connections is a great way to grow your network—but why stop there?

If you have experiences and educational or informational content yourself, you can publish it to boost your profile’s credibility and present yourself as an expert in your industry.

Follow these tips when writing content for LinkedIn:

Tailor your language to the LinkedIn demographic by writing in a professional and authoritative voice.

Post regularly, which is usually several times a week.

Add relevant visuals such as infographics and pictures along the content to make the post as attention-grabbing as possible.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

We hope you found our guide helpful in understanding how to use LinkedIn to create meaningful professional connections.

Before leaving, let’s quickly go over some of the main points we covered:

• On LinkedIn (just like pretty much everywhere else) looks matter. So before networking, make sure your LinkedIn profile is completely filled out and optimized.
• Look for connections among people you already know and those working in the same industry.
• Join LinkedIn groups and regularly engage in them by asking questions and leaving comments to build new connections and gain exposure.
• Update your profile regularly with your own work experiences and professional learnings.
• Personalization is key: never send generic, boring messages to potential leads and recruiters.
• Lastly, always keep a positive attitude and don’t get discouraged if some people don’t respond or “return the connection”.

Editor’s Note: Connect with ASA on LinkedIn today!