The Upstate New York Chapter of the Appraisal Institute

2024 Mission and Goals

Mission Statement

The mission of the Upstate New York Chapter is to support members with the resources and advancement programs that promote professional development that is consistent with the high standards of knowledge, ethics and creditability established by the Appraisal Institute.  The chapter exists solely for the benefit for its current and future members.

Goals

1. Provide “value added” benefits to chapter members.

·         The Education Committee (EC) should develop and maintain a revolving two-year education calendar.  The calendar should be updated each year with refinements to currently scheduled offerings and expanded to include new offerings.  Offerings for the immediate 12 months should be firm, while Year 2 offerings will be tentative.

·         The EC will conduct a study of offerings by competing associations along with costs for the immediate 12-month period to insure the highest cost benefit to members.

·         Continually update web site to show education offerings and meeting dates.

·         Market seminars and courses to members.

·         Compile a current listing of all members e-mail addresses to promote educational offerings.

·         Solicit sponsorships from valuation industry affiliates to offset meeting costs.

·         Encourage and support “home grown” courses that address topics specific to the local and regional market.

·         Retain NYS approvals for continuing education for all “home grown” courses.

2. Promote the credentials and services of Chapter to prospective members.

·         Obtain web site links from other sites (e.g. Realtors).

·         Promote Chapter with sister organizations including CCIM Institute.

·         Promote meeting schedules to NYS certified appraisers within the region that are not AI members.

·         Provide literature to guests at all Chapter functions regarding membership categories, costs and benefits of membership.

·         Advertise meeting schedules in business publications of the cities within the boundaries of the chapter.

·         Encourage members to promote chapter benefits to other industry affiliated participants, such as brokers, attorneys, accountants, etc…

·         Promote the chapter and valuation industry at higher education institutions and college-university supported events.

3. Posture the Chapter as a recognized Upstate New York provider of premiere appraisal education courses.

·         Implement the planned education initiative.

·         Prepare and distribute to membership a tentative “full year” education offering schedule.

·         Achieve a net profit on each course or seminar offering while providing a “fee discount” benefit to members over non-members.  Advertise discount to members and potential members.

·         Develop a greater percentage of offerings as “home grown.”  Investigate and implement, where appropriate, the educational program successes of other AI chapters.

·         Promote course and seminar offerings to all appraisers and potentially interested parties in NYS and Region IV markets.

·         Identify and develop a pool of members and qualified professionals to participate in a “teaching pool” for courses and seminars offerings.

·         Identify advanced courses needed by Chapter Candidates and explore the potential of co-sponsoring a course with surrounding chapters, including Buffalo and Mid-Hudson

4. Promote Chapter members’ interests in the New York legislative and regulatory environments and other local public arenas.

·         Government Relations (GR) chair will outline pending and perspective State issues for the next 12 to 24 months.

·         GR will write two (2) articles for the Newsletter informing the members regarding legislative and regulatory issues.

·         Promote qualified individuals to serve in appraiser positions on the NYS Appraisal Board to ensure protection for the public and fair treatment of the regulated community.

·         Work with the public and other organizations to ensure protection of the public through responsible regulation of the appraisal profession.

·         Monitor legislative activities and actively promote legislative changes.

·         Educate and be a respected source of information for the legislature and executive branch on issues affecting the appraisal profession.

5. Promote the advancement of Chapter Candidates for Designation along their course to designated member status.

·         Utilize the Appraisal Institute’s Candidate for Designation path to advance individuals to designation.

·         Work with Chapter Advisors to identify candidates and monitor and promote progress.

·         Promote the interest in Designated Members in becoming Mentors for Candidates to smooth the path to designation. 

·         Conduct at least one training/orientation meeting for Candidate for Designation members per year.

·         Represent Candidate needs at Regional and National meetings.

6. Expand Chapter membership through member retention and recruitment.

·         Promote benefits of membership, including a request for membership in all correspondence to appraisers at large

·         Promote benefits of membership at all Chapter courses and seminar offerings.  Provide membership applications or requests for membership information to each seminar participant.

·         Recruit all non-member associates/employees within appraisal companies/firms that have Chapter members.

·         Solicit non-practicing associate memberships from local institutional users, frequent prospective users of appraisal services and local vendors of appraisal services.

·         Try to recruit residential appraisers by partnering with vendors such as Al-Amode or Marshall Swift to offer seminars to enable appraisers to learn how to use cutting edge tools. This may draw new AI members who are interested in learning to use new tools to improve their quality as well as reduction in time to complete a report.

·         Explore getting CE credits for any seminar we partner with vendors as mentioned above.

7. Support, communicate and promote the policies, programs and incentives of the Appraisal Institute to its membership.

·         Provide membership with timely updates and Chapter leadership insights on relevant AI policy changes, issues, programs and initiatives.

·         Promote individual Chapter participation on regional and national AI committees.

·         Develop sponsorship support for Chapter seminars from Upstate New York real estate-related businesses

·         Continue providing informative Newsletters to members.