Dr. Lawrence H. Summers

The RICS Summit of the Americas takes place next month in Washington, DC from April 3-5, 2016. The event brings together leaders and best practices from across the full range of property and construction professions: capital markets, tax assessment, quantity surveying, facilities management, institutional investment, development, real estate and business, and personal property valuation, and will feature a keynote address from Former Treasury Secretary Dr. Lawrence H. Summers.

Organizers have gathered the foremost thought leaders and innovators well-versed in global issues, challenges and opportunities facing professionals today.

Event programming begins with an evening welcome reception followed by two full days of keynote presentations on the economy, industry, portfolio trends, infrastructure delivery and disruptive advancement; workshops with tracks focusing on the public realm, global industry, bricks & mortar and asset values; and an exclusive tour session visiting the Marriott Marquis, U.S. Capitol Dome, SW Waterfront and National Air & Space Museum.

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

The Summit is taking place at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, during the world-renowned Cherry Blossom Festival, which draws more than 100,000 visitors each year. This venue is the largest structure in Washington, DC, with 3.1 million square feet. Owned by the US General Services Administration (GSA) and operated by Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA), it’s the first and only federal building dedicated to both government and private use.

A special discounted rate of $300 off the full registration has been provided for ASA members, simply use the code: PARTNER300 when registering.

To learn more about the Summit visit: http://www.rics.org/us/training-events/summit-of-the-americas/

Editor’s Note: The American Society of Appraisers is hosting Advanced Mining on September 23-25, 2016 in Las Vegas, NV.

This is a three-day class with an option to attend the 2016 Mining Expo for two days following the course. Students who attend the 2016 Mining Expo will receive an additional 18 hours of continuing education credit, for a total of 48 (class + Expo).

ASA is holding a block of rooms at the Embassy Suites Las Vegas at a special rate. Rooms will fill fast so register early to ensure you receive ASA’s special rate.

ASA sat down with instructor Charles W. “Bill” Ruth, ASA for a Q&A to discuss this unique class.

Attendees of this class have the option to attend the 2016 Mining Expo.

Q: Can you tell us how this class was formed?
A: I was asked by Rick Berkemeier, ASA, to put together an advanced mining class back in 2010, and finished this course in 2011 and first taught it in Australia that year. The idea of this course is to play on the Mining class that Alan Iannacito, FASA, and Allan Bowles put together in 2010 and add an additional level for the students to gain additional information on the mining complex as a whole.

Q: What makes the mining industry so important to MTS appraisers?
A: The search for metals has been international since antiquity. Mining turned truly global before most other branches of industry. Tracing the centre of gravity of global mining over the past two centuries demonstrates its role as a foundation of society throughout history. Since this industry is in constant movement the demand for new equipment and buying and selling of mine sites themselves requires that the appraiser has a well-rounded knowledge base to appraise the equipment. 2012 total revenue of top three mining companies 453bn, Total assets of the same companies 1,231bn.

Q: What can students gain from taking this course?
A: In the Advanced Mining Topics course I have listed several current equipment costs and the recourses that I have used over several years of experience in the mining industry. The students will gain information in Mine Safety, dewatering, slop development, and monitoring. In addition we will discuss a mines general ledger entries, the pros and cons of their use. Then go through the mine based on the production and operations of blasting, loading, hauling, crushing, milling, concentrating, and Smelting. The class will be given information on Life Cycle Costing of large capital equipment, to use in addition to the general Cost Approach for equipment. We will also discuss Solvent Extraction Electro Wining for cathode copper. The mine infrastructure will also be discussed from interceptor wells, industrial wells, to rail road spurs. Electrical requirements for the mine as well as the general “footprint” of the mine for future growth. We will discuss how new construction environmental and technology may impact mining going forward.

The class time will be three days, then we will visit (for 2 days) the Mine Expo. This Expo only comes every 4 years and is the largest mining show in the world. Here the students will be able to crawl over and around extremely large equipment, talk directly to the major manufactures of mining equipment.

Q: Can you give us some background information on yourself?

Bill Ruth, ASA, instructor of this class.

A: I have worked inside the mining world since 1971. I have been appraising mining equipment since 1988 retired in 2009, called back to work as a construction manager for a mine expansion of 2 billion dollars for 3 ½ years. I have had a contract with the same company ever since I retired in 2009. I have traveled overseas and completed appraisals in Mexico, South America, Indonesia, Africa, and Canada. I have been an ASA since 1992 and am a senior instructor for ME201, 202, I’m currently on the MTS committee.

Editor’s Note: Thank you Bill for sitting down with us and explaining the importance and relevance of this unique class. Seats are sure to fill fast so register today!

For more information or to register visit ASA Online.

Vancouver, British Columbia, offers a unique multi-cultural backdrop for ASA’s 2016 Personal Property Conference, The Sacred and the Profane. Conference attendees will explore sacred and profane traditions across the spectrum of artistic cultures with well-known scholars, appraisers, authors, and other experts during the day, and experience First Nations People’s cultural history in the evenings.

Here are some of the highlights:

WELCOME RECEPTION, BILL REID GALLERY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9
Across the street from The Fairmont Hotel in downtown Vancouver is the largest assemblage of Haida artist Bill Reid’s craftsmanship. You’ll spot this internationally renowned Northwest Coast artist’s iconic imagery in the sculpture The Jade Canoe when you land at Vancouver International Airport, and later at the University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology. His work can also be seen at the Vancouver Aquarium, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, and on the back of the Canadian twenty-dollar bill.

Reconnect with your colleagues over specially selected Canadian wines and appetizers, join our dedicated docent guide, or stroll among totem poles, masks, and sculptures representing the finest of Northwest Coast Aboriginal Art. This is a wonderful opportunity at the beginning of The Sacred and the Profane conference to enjoy the iconography and symbolism of ravens, thunderbirds, orcas, wolves and air spirits of the Haida Nation’s sacred world.

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY, THURSDAY, MARCH 10
Transportation is provided to the University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology, where you’ll stroll around the partial reconstruction of a Haida Village, the longhouse and its towering totem poles, salvaged and preserved with the assistance of Bill Reid. Enjoy private, after-hours tours of the museum’s collections and see artifacts from around the world, including the Koerner Gallery’s collection of rare ceramics and one of the richest collections of First Nations People arts and artifacts in North America.

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY, FRIDAY, MARCH 11
An easy walk from the Fairmont Hotel, the Vancouver Art Gallery offers another opportunity for private, docent-led guided tours of its current exhibition, MashUp: The Birth of Modern Culture. Four floors of “mashup” strategies across media from 1912 to the present, this explosion of creative contemporary artistic genius is the museum’s biggest exhibition yet.

SACRED CLOSING CEREMONIES
The Sacred and Profane conference concludes at our luncheon on Saturday March 12, 2016 at The Fairmont Hotel with a performance by Spakwus Slolem, translated as the “Eagle Song Dancers.” The Eagle Song Dancers are members of the ancient Squamish Nation, which has lived in the lower mainland of British Columbia for over 10,000 years. Their songs feature the beautifully carved masks that honor the spiritual powers of the animal kingdom. The leader of the group is Bob Baker, who has been active with his people’s heritage his entire life.

The Sacred and Profane conference promises to be one of the most curiously unique, fun and educational conferences that ASA/PP has ever presented. Come, join your peers, and pique your curiosity.

For more information or to register, visit ASA Online.

The 50^th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning Conference was held on January 11-15, 2016 at the University of Miami School of Law in Coral Gables, Florida. The conference this year focused on today’s most important tax and non-tax planning issues and offered valuable insights on what lies ahead, and useful suggestions for planning strategies for the future.

The winner of our Yeti cooler, Irving Silver and ASA’s Accreditation and Reaccreditation Specialist, Megan Seid.

ASA was pleased to send representatives to the conference to help support ASA’s exhibitor booth. ASA volunteer members John A. Cento, ASA; Jeffrey (Jay) Reardon, ASA; Morgan Eldridge, ASA; Dan L. Peele, ASA; Bob H. Buchanan, ASA and Accreditation and Reaccreditation Specialist, Megan Seid from ASA headquarters were on hand to answer any questions, provide information on what ASA has to offer and to inform all of ASA’s free “Find an Appraiser” search. Volunteer members handed out ASA pamphlets and brochures about accreditation, membership and education.

ASA gave away 4 Yeti mugs and 1 large Yeti cooler (pictured) as raffle prizes.

ASA held a raffle with multiple prizes, 1 large Yeti cooler and 4 Yeti mugs. These prizes proved to be exceptional by the amount of business cards placed in the raffle bowl, over 400! Many attendees were impressed by the prize and spread the word, which sent a lot of traffic to ASA’s booth and gave ASA a greater ability to engage with conference attendees.

Volunteer member Morgan Eldridge, ASA stated, “We were pleased to attend the Heckerling Conference this year, which gives ASA a presence and ability to educate not only estate attorneys, but paralegals as well. All of the representatives for ASA were able to explain the benefits of hiring accredited appraisers in fields not only for Business Valuation, but also for Real Property and Personal Property.  Our giveaway of the Yeti products brought a lot of traffic and gave us the ability to engage with conference attendees.”

To view photos from the Heckling Conference event click here and to view a video of the raffle drawing, click here.

Cleveland, OH.

Editor’s Note: The 5th Annual Equipment Valuation Conference, sponsored by ASA’s Machinery and Technical Specialties Committee, has grown to become the definitive source for the latest insights into equipment valuation. The conference will be held from June 8-9, 2016 at Metropolitan at The 9 in Cleveland, OH. Below is a spotlight on the Metropolitan at The 9. 

Set in the converted 1906 Cleveland Trust Bank building, the Metropolitan at the 9 is one of Cleveland’s newest and hottest places to see and be seen! One of the iconic properties in the Autograph Group by Marriott, the historic locale is small enough to be considered a boutique hotel, but its amenities dazzle with possibilities.

ASA’s 5th Annual Equipment Valuation Conference will be held at Metropolitan at The 9 in Cleveland, OH. Photo source: metropolitancleveland.com

Gorgeous chandeliers made from glass baubles and 9-foot guest room doors made from striking Brazilian zebrawood are among the countless designer touches. The elegant guest rooms feature plush beds, spacious living areas, free W-iFi, 55-inch smart TVs and minibars. Suites add sofa beds, and some feature fireplaces or conference rooms. Club rooms include butler service, plus free breakfast, snacks and cocktails in the top-floor lounge. Other hotel amenities include a live theater, Energy Fitness Studio, Vibe Yoga Studio, art gallery, and even an indoor dog park.

Dining at the 9 is a foodie’s dream! In the basement far below the old Cleveland Trust rotunda are four historic bank vaults which have been transformed into a stylish full-service bar and cocktail lounge. Step through the largest vault door into Vault, where bank customers’ former safe deposit boxes have been embedded into the bar. Just opposite, a large round vault door with its original Carnegie Steel Co. markings stands open, tastefully lit so customers can examine its many details. The round opening takes the curious into what appears to be a Victorian parlor with soft leather seating and many interesting details. It and other rooms crafted from former vaults are available to rent for private meetings, accommodating from eight to 20. When they aren’t rented, they’re open as cocktail lounges with servers attired in Prohibition era uniforms.

Adega, the feature restaurant at The Metropolitan at the 9. Photo source: metropolitancleveland.com

The feature restaurant, Adega, puts a modern twist on fresh Mediterranean-inspired cuisine made with the finest local and international ingredients. To complete the unparalleled Adega dining experience, the restaurant’s centerpiece is a stunning glass wine vault.

Upstairs, above the hotel’s front desk and overlooking the lobby over a waist-high wall is Ledger Bar, an intimate space made for people watching or for hanging out while waiting to meet friends for dinner.

Follow the energy rising up to Azure, Cleveland’s only sun deck and lounge, perched 150 feet above the city streets.  It’s where the city’s elite meet and mingle under the sun and stars.  Eat, drink and soak up the downtown views from a cushy chaise lounge or dance the night away to local live music.

Arcade Mall in Cleveland, OH.

The Metropolitan at the 9 is a 5-minute walk from the West 6^th Street dining district and Arcade Mall, a 10-minute walk from Playhouse Square, Quicken Loans Arena, and Progressive Field, and a 15-minute walk from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.

To plan your trip to Cleveland, OH, visit www.cleveland.com.

Editor’s Note: To register or for more information visit ASA Online or call (800) 272-8258.

Richard-Raymond J. Alasko, FASA

The New Year brings anticipation for the 2016 ASA Personal Property Annual Connoisseurship Conference, March 10-12 in Vancouver, Canada. With the theme of the conference The Sacred and the Profane, the line-up of speakers and topics will ensure a provocative and stimulating time that all will want to attend. The conference will begin with an introductory lecture on the sacred and the profane by Richard-Raymond J. Alasko, FASA. This will be followed with two and one half days of presentations and panel sessions.

Dr. Don Thompson

Speakers include renowned author and economist Dr. Don Thompson speaking on the contemporary art market, which he has eloquently written about in The $12 Million Stuffed Shark and The Supermodel and The Brillo Box. Joining him on a panel on the profanity of the contemporary art and collector car markets and the impact on appraisers will be colleagues David H. Kinney, ASA, and Donald W. Osborne, ASA, who is also a regular contributor to Jay Leno’s Garage on CNBC. A leading art dealer will also be joining this panel.

Donald W. Osborne, ASA

David H. Kenney, ASA

In addition, there are sessions on appraising sacred books with Lee Biondi and John V. Henley, ASA. Noted authority and scholar Dr. Wendy Salmond, Chapman University Professor of Art and Art History and author of numerous books on Russian and early Soviet art and culture, will speak on icons and what appraisers need to know about them when asked to value them. David Borondin, ASA, will speak on the Chinese fine and decorative art market and its impact on what we as appraisers should be aware of. A session involving properties from the fringe, such as Nazi memorabilia, pornography and crime material, will be led by John V. Henley, ASA, and Susan Golashovsky, ASA.

Mary Jane Andrews

Mary Jane Andrews, CBV and advisor to the International Valuation Council, will speak on ethics in a new appraisal environment. Ms. Andrews was recently appointed CEO of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuers and has served on the IIBV board.

In addition to these sessions, there are private tours of the Museum of Anthropology and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Plans are also in the works for an opening reception.

Vancouver Art Gallery

Museum of Anthropology

So grab your passport and make sure you register TODAY for this exciting conference in beautiful Vancouver Canada!

The New Year brings anticipation for the Annual Personal Property Conference, 10 – 12 March in Vancouver, Canada. With the theme of the conference The Sacred and the Profane, the line-up of speakers and topics will ensure a provocative and stimulating time that all will want to attend. The conference will begin with an introductory lecture on the sacred and the profane by Richard Raymond Alasko, FASA. This will be followed with two and one half days of presentations and panel sessions.

Speakers include renowned author and economist Don Thompson speaking on the contemporary art market, which he has eloquently written about in The $12 Million Stuffed Shark and The Supermodel and The Brillo Box. Joining him on a panel on the profanity of the contemporary art and collector car markets and the impact on appraisers will be colleagues David Kinney, ASA, and Donald Osborne, ASA, who is also a regular contributor to Jay Leno’s Garage on CNBC. A leading art dealer will also be joining this panel.

In addition, there are sessions on appraising sacred books with Lee Biondi and John Henley, ASA. Noted authority and scholar Wendy Salmond, Chapman University Professor of Art and Art History and author of numerous books on Russian and early Soviet art and culture, will speak on icons and what appraisers need to know about them when asked to value them.

David Borondin, ASA, will speak on the Chinese fine and decorative art market and its impact on what we as appraisers should be aware of. A session involving properties from the fringe, such as Nazi memorabilia, pornography and crime material, will be led by John Henley, ASA, and Susan Golashovsky, ASA. Mary Jane Andrews, CBV and advisor to the International Valuation Council, will speak on ethics in a new appraisal environment. Ms. Andrews was recently appointed CEO of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuers and has served on the IIBV board.

Museum of Anthropology in Canada.

In addition to these sessions, there are private tours of the Museum of Anthropology and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Plans are also in the works for an opening reception.

So grab your passport and make sure you register TODAY for this exciting conference in beautiful Vancouver Canada!