As this year rapidly approaches its end, I am proud of how our chapter has adapted to the unique challenges of these continued unprecedented times. We have persevered through another year of perpetual Zoom meetings and virtual education. Our members have engaged and been adaptable to ever changing situations and I want to thank everyone for their time, efforts and understanding as our leadership navigated another year amid a pandemic. I am most proud of the successful merger of the Alabama & Mississippi Chapters and am looking forward to finally getting to meet in person next month. I truly believe the future of the Alabama Mississippi Chapter is going to be bright!

Our chapter has offered a couple of successful educational offerings since my last letter. There were 39 students in attendance for our virtual offering of Litigation Assignments for Residential Appraisers: Doing Expert Work on Atypical Cases taught by Stephen Roach, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS on July 29th. Our virtual Conservation Easements class held on September 17th was a significant achievement as well, with an impressive 74 students in attendance. It was difficult making the decision to postpone the in-person seminar and social event that was scheduled to be held in Biloxi in October. Plans are underway to reschedule that event in the summer - or - fall of 2022. I want to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who attended our classes this year. We appreciate you all and want you to know that the Alabama/Mississippi Chapter is committed to providing only the best education to our members and non-members alike.

Our first opportunity for the newly merged chapter to meet in person will be at the annual Holiday Party scheduled to be held at the Birmingham Country Club on December 3rd, 2021. We will offer a 3-hour seminar entitled

Six Recent Appraiser Lawsuits and the Lessons from Each

from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. with the Holiday Party starting at 6 p.m. You may register you and a guest to attend for free HERE. This will be a great opportunity for networking and meeting our new members. I am looking forward to being part of our larger, stronger chapter and it will be a benefit for all of us to get to know our new members in our neighboring state.

The 2021 Appraisal Institute Annual Conference took place in Orlando, Florida on August 9^th and 10^th with the theme of Rising to the Challenge. Appraisal Institute members, including some of our own from Alabama and Mississippi were able to reconnect safely with colleagues from around the country and experience informative speakers and first rate education sessions. I am already looking forward to the conference in 2022 scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, NV. The date is TBD but will likely be in late July or early August. This is the premiere event for real estate valuation professionals to gather for top-notch learning and networking. I believe it is worth marking your calendar and planning to attend if you can.

In closing, I would like to encourage each of you to take part in more of the chapter's classes and meetings in the upcoming year. A commitment to spend your time in these ways not only supports your personal and professional success; it also greatly benefits our chapter. We will only continue to flourish if you are willing to become more involved, help to grow our membership and build up our future leaders. One of the best ways you can do this is to attend our virtual and in-person education, as well as, our upcoming Holiday Party and any other in-person events in 2022.

I am truly grateful for the honor of serving as your president this year.

I hope to see you all in Birmingham, AL on December 3^rd, 2021. We have much to celebrate!

Respectfully Submitted,

Jennifer McDade, MAI, SRA

2021 AL/MS Chapter President 

Upcoming Chapter Meeting &

Installation of Officers

The Alabama/Mississippi Chapter’s Holiday Party & Installation of Officers

will be held

December 3rd, 2021

Location:

Country Club of Birmingham

3325 Country Club Road 

Birmingham, AL 35213

Time:

6 p.m. - 8 p.m. central

This will be a time for the Alabama and Mississippi Chapter Members to get together in person (finally!)

to celebrate the holiday season and the merging of two great chapters.

All Appraisal Institute Members, Candidates, Practicing Affiliates and their guests are invited to attend.

Come and enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres +

2 complimentary drink tickets.

(a cash bar will also be available)

Member + 1 guest = FREE

*Please include the name of your guest when registering.

Hotel Reservations

*Nearby Hotels:

Hampton Inn

Mountain Brook

2731 US Hwy. 280

205-870-7822

Grand Bohemian

New Autograph Collection

2655 Lane Park Road

Mountain Brook

205-414-0505

*These hotels are highly recommended as clean and close to the venue, however, there is not a group rate or room block being held at either of these. They are merely suggestions on where to stay if you need a room for the night.

3 Hours of CE

What: 3 Hours of Continuing Education (in-person class)

Where: Country Club of Birmingham

3225 Country Club Road

Birmingham, AL 35213

When: December 3rd, 2021 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. central

Instructor: Peter Christensen

Cost: $90 for AI Members

$100 for Non-Members

Six Recent Appraiser Lawsuits and The Lessons from Each discusses the interesting facts and legal issues in six recent lawsuits filed against real estate appraisers and draws the key takeaways from each case. The cases discussed address such matters as:

• The appraiser accused by the borrower of making a 15% error in square footage – will the appraiser be liable to the borrower? (In other words, can a borrower bring a legal claim for negligence against an appraiser even though the appraiser’s client under USPAP is the lender?)
• What are the most common alleged errors that lead to professional negligence and other legal claims against appraisers?
• Current trends in recent appraiser professional liability lawsuits.
• An appraiser is sued 6 years after delivery of the appraisal report. Will the statute of limitations get the claim dismissed?
• Appraisers being accused of discrimination and violations of the Fair Housing Act – what happens in a HUD investigation?
• What are the main reasons that appraisers are sued in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic?

In considering the six cases, appraisers learn about the key issues that cause legal problems and the best risk management measures that can be taken. At the end of the seminar, additional current legal issues affecting appraisers are discussed during a Q&A period. This discussion may include as examples: (1) “will an LLC protect you from personal liability?”, or (2) “can an appraiser successfully sue a review appraiser for negligence over a ‘bad review?’”

Peter Christensen is member of the California and Washington state bars, as well as a licensed insurance broker. After earning his BS and JD degrees at U.C. Berkeley, he began his career at Latham & Watkins LLP. He later served as general counsel to the largest provider of professional liability insurance to appraisers and valuation businesses. He’s based near Santa Barbara, California, but enjoys traveling the country to meet with professionals and firms, and he’s has made it to 48 states so far.

*Continuing Education Approvals

Appraisal Boards:

• Alabama Real Estate Appraisal Board - 3 Hours

• Mississippi Appraisal Board - 3 Hours

• Georgia Appraisal Board - 3 Hours

• Tennessee Real Estate Appraisal Commission - 3 Hours

• Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board - 3 Hours

Real Estate Boards:

• Alabama Real Estate Commission - 3 Hours

• Mississippi Real Estate Commission - 3 Hours

• Georgia Real Estate Commission - 3 Hours

*Other states may be willing to give CE credit by reciprocity, but you will need to verify that with each individual state board.

January 24th, 2022

2022-2023 7- Hour National USPAP Update

January 24th, 2022

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Central)

Live Virtual Classroom

(The ability to use ZOOM with video capability is required).

$195 AI Price / $215 Full Price

2020-21 Version of USPAP Required

A PDF of the NEW Student Manual is included in the cost (pictured below).

Solutions will be provided after class.

Instructor -Jeff Miller, MAI, AI-GRS

Jeff Miller, MAI, AI-GRS, CCIM, ASA is a Senior Managing Director/Partner at Valbridge Property Advisors l Atlanta. He has been involved in commercial valuation since 1991 and has taught numerous USPAP and income property seminars for the Appraisal Institute. Jeff specializes in complex property assignments but is very involved in the day-to-day practical application of USPAP for lending and litigation assignments.

This class has been submitted for 7 hours of CE in all 50 states & should be approved in all of them by the start of this class.

The AL/MS Chapter will begin featuring a "Member Spotlight" in each quarterly newsletter. The goal of this new feature is to recognize AL/MS Chapter Members' accomplishments across all career stages and to help members from AL and MS feel more connected by learning a little bit more about each other.

Rusty Rich, MAI – Rusty is the Senior Managing Director for Integra Realty Resources – Birmingham. Integra is one of the largest independent property valuation and consulting firms in the United States, and Integra-Birmingham provides appraisal services throughout the state of Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. Mr. Rich has over twenty years of commercial real estate valuation and advisory experience throughout the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. Mr. Rich began his appraisal career in 1998 with the Washington, DC area appraisal firm of Ratcliffe, Cali, Duffy, Hughes & Company, where he gained extensive experience in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland commercial real estate markets. In 2007, Mr. Rich joined Cushman & Wakefield in the Birmingham, AL office and was promoted to Associate Director in 2009. In 2011, Mr. Rich joined Grubb & Ellis Landauer as Managing Director and opened the Birmingham office, while also developing and overseeing operations in Mobile and Memphis. In 2012, Mr. Rich joined Integra Realty Resources as Senior Managing Director and founded the Birmingham, AL office.

Mr. Rich is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. In addition, he is also a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD where he received a Master of Science degree in Real Estate Appraisal and Valuation.

Rusty served the Alabama Chapter of the Appraisal Institute in various capacities over the past 10 years, acting as Public Relations Chair, Regional Representative, and a member of the Board of Directors (3 years). Mr. Rich also attended LDAC for 3 years and has held the offices of Secretary and Treasurer, and is slated to be Vice President of the Alabama/Mississippi Chapter in 2022. Rusty also served on the Board of Directors of Integra Realty Resources from 2017-2019. 

Rusty resides in Birmingham, AL with his wife Liz and his three children, Par (14), Jack (11), and Lacey (8). He is a member of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church and has also been active at the Cathedral of St Paul in Birmingham.  In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.  Mr. Rich is also a member of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, serves on the Men’s Committee for the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, and was honored by the Birmingham Business Journal in the 2016 class of the “Top 40 Under 40”.   

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