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 85th 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“.
Sherrie Galderisi, Marty Ortiz and Anita Luciani at the Registration Desk
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.
Blythe Kelly Zoom Coordinator
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.
Thanks to The Remedy Band for performing!
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.
ASA-IFA Eastern Region Appraisal Conference Award Winners 2023
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.
7 NAIFA Past National Presidents
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.
This could be you next year sitting here!
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.
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.
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
L to R – Jeffery Hays, Craig York, Christine York, Cameron Tipton, Corey DeWitt, Pamela Bensoussan, Johnnie White
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 27th 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.
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.
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!
Editor’s Note: ASA participated in the College Art Association (CAA) 111th Annual Conference February 15–18, 2023 at the New York Hilton Midtown the largest convening of art historians, artists, designers, curators, and visual art professionals in the US. Activities included presenting a session on determining the authenticity, rarity, and value of a work of art; exhibiting; and providing attendees with information about ASA and the appraisal profession, including a special flyer for educators on the opportunities to transition to a new career or side job. This article spotlights these opportunities for art educators.
Transitioning to a New Career or Side Job | Contributor: Jennifer L. Strasbaugh
As an art educator, you have a natural passion for the arts, history, and a strong commitment to professionalism. If you are currently a part-time art educator, or adjunct instructor at the college level, you may sometimes wonder how you could spend more time developing your own arts business, and less time on campus.
Have you ever wondered if you could turn your art educator training and experience into a new career, either full or part-time? Academia, both at the secondary and higher-education levels, has become even more time consuming than in the past. Part-time educators are sometimes asked to spend unpaid hours in professional development, or in helping struggling students re-gain traction after two years of Covid online learning. Though this work is important and rewarding, you still might find yourself longing for an option to begin a new career.
Arts educators might contemplate how they can translate their broad knowledge of the arts, as well as their academic research and visual literacy skills into a personal business, or a career outside of education. Yet, “who’s going to hire someone who loves to study the decorative and/or fine arts?” you may ask yourself. Well…welcome to the world of personal property appraisal.
What is a Personal Property Appraiser?
A personal property appraiser determines the value of property, often for insurance purposes, but also for charitable contributions, estate or gift tax preparation liabilities, insurance or damage and loss claims, equitable distributions, fair rental and sale decisions, collateral loans, tax audits (foundations), or legal disputes.
While many appraisers may choose to specialize in just one area, other appraisers practice in multiple specialties. Such areas include fine art, decorative art, antiques, automobiles, boats, books/manuscripts, coins, collectibles, firearms, memorabilia, musical instruments, photography, stamps, textiles, wine and much more.
What Do Personal Property Appraisers Do?
Many personal property appraisers work independently, with a great deal of flexibility; others find positions at art galleries, auction houses or insurance companies. Museums or private collectors are other possible sources for employment.
Appraisers research and analyze all types of personal property, and use a variety of resources, such as books, photographs, databases and comparable examples in order to determine the value of the piece and then prepare a credible appraisal report. This report includes a detailed description of the item (with photographs); methodology, analysis, and data used to provide a value conclusion and the rationale for value; finally, a signed certification that states the appraiser is not biased and does not have a present or prospective interest in the personal property.
How to Start Your Career as a Personal Property Appraiser?
First, it’s recommended you have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school, ideally in fine art or art history. Arts educators would already have this credential. Courses of particular value include art techniques, theory and specialized studies of various time periods, regions and mediums.
For an art educator looking to transition into appraising, the next step would be to pursue training, accreditation and membership with a professional organization like ASA. The Society offers a four-course Principles of Valuation program, an Appraising Fine Arts Overview course, as well as an accelerated four-week Appraisal Summer Camp, a two-day Personal Property Appraisal Symposium and a two-day International Appraisers Conference, along with Accredited Member (AM) or Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) accreditation programs.
Upcoming ASA Offerings Include:
PP201 Introduction to Personal Property Valuation (Aug. 1-3, 2023)
When joining a professional organization like ASA, the benefits quickly add up. Not only do you receive exclusive members-only savings off training offerings and networking events, but you’ll also receive access to professional referrals, a dedicated job bank, Member Directory, FREE news and list-serv subscriptions, members only products/services discounts, and much more.
Know with confidence that it is possible to pivot careers and/or turn your passion into a career!
Start your path today to becoming a personal property appraiser. Visit ASA at http://bit.ly/3WkHORU or call (800) 272-8258.
About the Contributor
Jennifer L. Strasbaugh has been an independent fine arts appraiser since 1995. She has been a member of the American Alliance of Museums since 1992 and a Candidate, American Society of Appraisers since 2003. Since 2009, she has also been developing and teaching for Stevenson University in Baltimore. Strasbaugh has taught a variety of courses including art history, literature and professional practice.
This past Valentine’s Day ASA appraisal experts advised buyers to follow the Four’s C’s of Gems & Jewelry.
A news release outlining the Four C’s was sent to the media. Included in the release was an invitation for reporters to speak with an accredited expert in gems & jewelry appraising.
As a result of this outreach, Patti Geolat, ASA, who currently serves on ASA’s Board of Governors as the Gems & Jewelry Discipline Governor, spoke with David Rancken of Dallas-Forth Worth, TX KRLD Newsradio 1080 on What should people know when buying jewelry for Valentine’s Day?
Questions covered in the interview included:
What should a customer first look for?
Are smaller jewelry companies better?
How important is it for jewelry companies to get to know their customers?
What kinds of questions should people be asking a jeweler?
For diamond alternatives, what are some more affordable stones people should be looking at?
An article was also pitched to the media and published on ASA’s blog. Entitled, When Buying That Romantic Gift, Make Sure to Follow the Four C’s of Gems & Jewelry, the piece spotlighted the importance of making sure whenever one is considering the purchase or sale of gems or jewelry, that the appraisal is based on the Four C’s of Gems & Jewelry, as compiled by ASA.
Last, ASA released new Four C’s of Gems & Jewelry consumer materials for ASA member jewelry appraisers. The new materials include a rack card and social media posts for Instagram and Facebook-LinkedIn. The materials provide a brief advisory on the importance of hiring an ASA accredited appraiser and were designed for members to download, customize with their personal contact information, and share.
ASA’s presence this month spread from US coast to coast – even reaching overseas into London, England.
Earlier this past month, Marti Hubbard and I attended the AGTA GemFair™ in Tucson, AZ. In addition showing off the ASA Difference backdrop display, ASA ran a giveaway and awarded 2 lucky winners a jeweler’s loupe, played promotional videos, and was equipped with a display of the Jewelry Appraisal Handbook, 10th Edition and other educational marketing materials. I want to extend a big thank you to Marti who was instrumental in making this event appearance the success that it was.
From Arizona to London, I also had the pleasure of participating in the Corporate Jet Investor London 2023 event. I moderated session: ‘A View from the Stage’ where our expert appraiser panelists, Chris Miller, Chris Reynolds and Brendan Lodge, ASA, did a phenomenal job covering the current value of aircrafts, discussing the different perspectives of the appraiser versus broker, as well as sharing insights into what’s to come this year.
After heading back to the east coast, myself and Frances Zeman attended the College Art Association Annual Conference in New York. We presented the session: ‘Valuing the Unique Outliers’ and discussed the importance of unique identifiers, such as artist signatures or edition numbers, in determining the authenticity, rarity, and value of a work of art.
ASA also had a presence outside of the session rooms at CAA. ASA staff member, Patrick Vann, helped tend the exhibitor booth during the event, helping spread awareness of the appraiser profession to students, artists, and professors worldwide.
The month came to a close in Orlando, FL where I represented ASA and attended the 2023 Equipment Management Conference & Exhibition with our International President, Richard Berkemeier, ASA. ELFA put on another spectacular event filled with interesting topics, capitavting speakers, and good networking opportunities.
For many, it’s truly the most wonderful time of the year, a time to buy pricey romantic gifts, engagement, and wedding rings. And, whenever one is considering the purchase or sale of gems or jewelry, it’s critical to make sure the appraisal is based on the Four C’s of Gems & Jewelry, as compiled by ASA:
Competent–Accredited appraisers have the education, experience, and professionalism to solve whatever valuation questions a buyer may have. The training is thorough and designed to ensure that appraisers perform all necessary testing and research.
Credible–The information and value opinions an accredited appraiser provides are based on precise evaluation and market driven data that assure buyers that it is believable and supported by evidence.
Confident–The solid, ethical underpinning and expertise of an accredited appraiser provides reasons to assure confidence. Accredited appraisers are required and expected to be independent, unbiased, and ethical in every facet of their work.
Credentialed–Appraisers like those with the ASA credential are respected, educated and accredited. Those with the ASA credential are the most highly trained professionals in the industry. An appraiser with the ASA designation has an extensive background of education, experience and training. Those who also have the Master Gemologist Appraiser® (MGA®) certification communicates that the appraiser has reached the pinnacle of the Gems & Jewelry appraisal profession. The Master Gemologist Appraiser® credential requires significantly more education, testing, and gemological laboratory certification to earn and is considered the industry’s gold standard.
All too often, that special moment of picking out a Valentine’s Day gift, an engagement and wedding ring, or considering a special family heirloom to bequeath can sour if the item is based on a faulty or incomplete appraisal. Consumers can ensure that present is all it’s meant to be by making sure to follow the Four C’s of Gems & Jewelry to ensure that the appraisal is done by an accredited professional, like those with the ASA and MGA® credentials.
Patti J. Geolat, ASA, is the founder and CEO of The Geolat Group. She began her career at a jewelry sales counter, and today is a widely known authority on the appraisal, brokerage and sale of fine jewelry.
