The International Society of Appraisers continues to be the largest professional appraisal organization that consists solely of qualified and credentialed personal property appraisers. Our membership continues to grow with new talent coming from auction houses, galleries, museums and other appraisal-related industries. Our unparalleled methodology, pathway courses, Learning Management System—which allows students to learn online from anywhere in the world—our requalification program, and our culture of camaraderie all continue to gain ISA high industry respect. Our increasing ISA brand recognition with top insurance, estate, law and banking industry professionals, along with our now mobile-enhanced ISA website (including the Find An ISA Member feature) continually help to drive new appraisal assignments to our members.
In this past year, ISA leadership, led by our immediate past President Cindy Charleston-Rosenberg, ISA CAPP, our staff at Sentergroup and many of our dedicated ISA volunteers have listened to their fellow members and have been responsive to their requests and needs. As a result, hundreds of volunteer hours have been spent this last year developing new programs that will directly benefit our members in 2016.
Here are some highlights of those efforts:
- 2015 brought a focus on advancing the ISA brand through strategic partnerships with allied industries to bring recognition and value to our members. The reciprocal webinar series developed with Chubb Personal Insurance, Changing Demographics in Collecting: Covering Passion and Investment Collections, presented by Laura M. Doyle and Melissa Lalka, provided our members with one of our most successful and highly attended webinars. In return, ISA is currently in the process of developing an 11-part series focusing on the connoisseurship of ISA appraisers and collectible assets, to be presented to Chubb’s worldwide network of brokers, agents and collectors. This exchangeable concept, which will build ISA’s relationships with the “gatekeepers of appraisal-related services and referrers of assignments” will continue in 2016 with many more allied industry leaders.
- In an effort to better address the needs of our students and instructors, provide a forum for instructors to exchange ideas, and encourage the development of new courses in our educational offerings, we formed the ISA Instructor Committee. Already, exciting advancements have resulted from exchanges between this committee and the Board. We established a new requirement that ISA CAPP candidates submit a Broad Evidence appraisal report, in addition to passing our rigorous five-hour comprehensive examination in advanced appraisal methodology, practice and ethics. New courses have been added to our curriculum including Asian paintings, screens and ceramic courses; modernism courses featuring design, furniture, decorative arts, prints, multiples and photographs; along with an antiques and residential contents course to be taught in Toronto. There are also more options for taking the USPAP and requalification courses.
- The formation of the Circle of Trust (COT), an alliance between the main appraisal societies (ISA, AAA and ASA) deepened throughout 2015. The mission of the COT is to raise public and industry awareness of personal property appraisal credentialing and to create a demand for qualified personal property appraisers. COT attempts to protect the public from individuals who may be operating with bias, without proper training and who compete unfairly with our qualified appraisers. Press releases went out in November announcing this collaboration and have been picked up by the press as well as promoted throughout social media. Long term, the strength of our message will drive more and more business towards our credentialed qualified appraisers.
The advancement of our educational qualifications criteria, including strict enforcement of our unique requalification standard, has not only assured the public that ISA appraisers remain relevant throughout their careers and are practicing the most current standards, but has also raised ISA’s standing among our peers and The Appraisal Foundation. It is important to stay steady in this course going forward for the benefit of all of our members and colleagues.
- Last but not least, Assets 2015 was a record-breaking annual conference with our highest attendance in history, selling out attendance space and sponsorship tables.
Looking ahead to Assets 2016, coming up April 15-18 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, we are excited to see that registrations are trending ahead of last year. We are welcoming back long-time sponsors of our organization and bringing in new sponsors eager to partner with us.
Our conference theme, Expanding Horizons, focuses on our ever-changing appraisal industry and finding new opportunities for our member’s appraisal practices. Attendees will gain insight into the new directions industry-related gatekeepers are taking with their clients and learn how ISA appraisers can collaborate with these industry trends for increased business. This year’s conference continues ISA’s tradition of bringing leading industry experts to our attendees. Be sure to check our ISA website for program and tour details. Don’t wait too long to register as this year’s conference is already predicting to be another sell-out.
Wishing you all a prosperous 2016,
Christine Guernsey, ISA CAPP
President
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