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SAVE THE DATE: 2015 Business Valuation Seminar

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) will hold its annual Business Valuation Seminar at the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel in Plymouth Meeting, PA on Friday, April 24, 2015. The program includes sessions focused on

Unlocking Private Company Wealth
The Implied Private Company Pricing Model
Engagement Letters: Our Biggest Protection
Case Law Developments

Fees. Early Bird fees, which apply when registration forms and payments are submitted by March 13, are $310 for ASA Members, $340 for all others. After March 13, registration is $340 for ASA Members, $370 for all others. The fee includes meals and refreshments, and a copy of Unlocking Private Company Wealth by Z. Christopher Mercer (Peabody Publishing LP, 2014).

To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35 and mail to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello, 8 Terrace Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. Please note that seating capacity is limited.

Credit. The program qualifies for eight hours of Continuing Education Credit (CEC) for ASA members and for members of other professional organizations which recognize NASBA credit.

Brochure. A seminar brochure, including comprehensive information, biographies of the presenters, a registration form, refund and cancellation policies is available on the Chapter website and for download in PDF format.

Questions. For all other questions, including CEC eligibility for your organization, please contact the seminar organizer, Bob Haas at rhaasjr@rmha.com or (215) 887-6500, or Joanne Paciello at asaphiladelphia@verizon.net.

January Breakfast Meeting: Appraiser Fraud & ASA News

The January Breakfast Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 8:00 am at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Plymouth Meeting, PA. The guest speaker will be Gary Snowdon, ASA. Mr. Snowdon is the new Region 1 Governor and Principal Appraiser at the Albany, NY firm of Snowdon Valuation. He will talk about “Appraiser Fraud” and also about “Recent ASA Activities.”

garysnowdon Gary Snowdon, who received his B.A. in Education from William Paterson University and earned a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from Rockefeller College, SUNY Albany, has over 20 years experience appraising commercial and industrial real estate. He specializes in complex commercial, industrial, and vacant land appraisals in the Hudson Valley, Capital, Saratoga, and Adirondack regions for finance, litigation support, estates, eminent domain, conservation, and other purposes.

Mr. Snowdon has served as an Appraisal Consultant to the NYS Department of Transportation and as a Regional Advisor to the NYS Secretary of State. A NYS Certified Appraisal Instructor, he has developed and taught courses and seminars for ASA, the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers and the Appraisal Institute. He currently serves on the ASA Real Property Committee (Education Chair), and the NAIFA Education Committee. He has also contributed to books and journals on real estate topics and writes The Snowdon Report.

Please register early for this educational and informative breakfast meeting which qualifies for 2 hours credit toward ASA reaccreditation..

The Breakfast is FREE for ASA Philadelphia members and $25 for guests. Family members, colleagues, and associates are welcome! To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35. Please RSVP by January 16 to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello by mail to 8 Terrace Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

2-Hr. Pennsylvania Appraisal Law Course

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will sponsor a two-hour Pennsylvania Appraisers/Assessors Law Certification Course on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Plymouth Meeting, PA. The instructor will be Robert J. Luciani, ASA.

2hr pa certification course The class covers required topics of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Appraisers Certification Act and the Assessors Certification Law, and the Regulations of the Pennsylvania State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers. It emphasizes changes to the laws made during the past two years, and offers a refresher on the provisions most relevant to everyday practice.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers requires biennial recertification for State Licensed Appraisers and Assessors, with all certificates expiring on June 30 of odd-numbered years (i.e., 6/30/15). This class meets the specific requirement for two (2) appraisal re-certification hours on the Real Estate Appraisers Certification Act.

Please register early for this mandatory class which qualifies for two (2) hours of Continuing Education Credit for Pennsylvania Licensed Appraisers and Assessors.

Tuition for the class is $45 per person, which includes all course materials, and may be paid by check or online. To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35 and mail, including your name, phone number and email address, to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello, 8 Terrace Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. RSVP by email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

NOTE: Appraisers taking this class may also be interested in attending the March Meeting of the ASA Philadelphia Chapter on the same day, in the same location, starting right after the class at 6:30 pm.

Holiday Charity Event & Happy Hour

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will sponsor a Charity Event and Happy Hour on Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 5:00-8:00 pm in the Hunt Room at The Great American Pub (610-940-0540), 123 Fayette Street, Conshohocken PA. The event will benefit Cradles to Crayons.

Charity Event. Please bring a new or gently-used article of essential children’s winter clothing. The clothing, or a $10 donation instead of clothing, will go to Cradles to Crayons. The charity helps children living in low- income and homeless situations.

Happy Hour. Enjoy a delicious selection of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and an open bar (soda, draft beer, all house wines and liquor), all courtesy of the Philadelphia Chapter.

Registration Required. The event is FREE for Philadelphia Chapter members, but space is limited so please visit the ASA Philadelphia Members Page to REGISTER if you plan to attend.

We’re hoping for a big turn-out for this inaugural service event. Please direct questions about the event to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello, by email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

November Meeting: Cost Segregation

The November Chapter Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Plymouth Meeting, PA. The Board of Directors will meet at 5:00 pm; all ASA members are welcome. The general meeting starts at 6:30.

walter oconnell The guest speaker will be Walter O’Connell, ASA, Senior Consultant at the Wayne, Pennsylvania firm of Porto Leone Consulting, LLC, which provides valuation and cost segregation services. He will talk about “Cost Segregation.”

Mr. O’Connell holds a B.A. in Economics and B.S. in Finance from Kean University, and an M.A. in Economics from Montclair State University. He manages cost segregation studies and tangible asset valuations for Porto Leone, where he has performed and managed cost segregation studies on hundreds of properties. He has also performed tangible asset valuations for tax, book, insurance placement, due diligence, and business planning purposes in a variety of industries.

Walter will explain the meaning of cost segregation and review the basics of cost segregation in relation to commercial real estate depreciation for income tax purposes. He will also discuss the valuation tools used in the development of a qualified cost segregation study.

As seating for this talk is limited, please register early for this educational and productive evening which qualifies for 2 hours credit toward ASA reaccreditation.

Dinner is $35 per person for members and guests. To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35. Please RSVP by Friday, November 14, to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello by mail to 8 Terrace Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

SAVE THE DATE: Holiday Charity Event

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will sponsor a Charity Event and Happy Hour on Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 5:00-8:00 pm. The event at The Great American Pub (610-940-0540), 123 Fayette Street, Conshohocken PA will benefit Cradles to Crayons.

Cradles Crayons Please join us in the Hunt Room at the Great American Pub. Enjoy a delicious selection of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and an open bar (soda, draft beer, all house wines and liquor), all courtesy of the Philadelphia Chapter.

Please bring a new or gently-used article of essential children’s winter clothing. The clothing, or a $10 donation instead of clothing, will go to Cradles to Crayons. The charity helps children living in low- income and homeless situations.

We’re hoping for a big turn-out for this inaugural service event. Please see the event flyer for more information. Please RSVP to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello, by email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

7-Hour National USPAP Update Course

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will sponsor an all-discipline National USPAP 2014-2015 7-hour Update Course on Thursday, November 20, 2014 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The course will be held at the Marriott SpringHill Suites, 430 Plymouth Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 (Phone: 610-940-0400). The instructor will be Robert J. Luciani, ASA. Sign-in starts at 8:30am.

USPAP2014 2015 The National USPAP Update Course from the Appraisal Foundation is a one-day course that focuses on recent changes to USPAP requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance by appraisers. This course, which clarifies several commonly misunderstood aspects of USPAP, will aid appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking updated USPAP competency, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

This course is required for all State Licensed or Certified Real Property Appraisers and Assessors.

The cost of the 1-day course is $135 per person and includes a student manual, coffee breaks and snacks. The USPAP 2014-2015 book is available to attendees at the discounted price of $60. Attendees must either purchase the book or bring a laptop with Internet access to class.

Seating is limited, so please register early for the course, which meets the USPAP continuing education requirements for most appraisers, including the ASA requirement of one 7-hour USPAP update course every five years for accredited (AM, ASA, FASA) appraisers.

To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35 and mail to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello, 8 Terrace Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. RSVP by email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

September Meeting: Private Company Valuation Trends

The September Chapter Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Plymouth Meeting, PA. The Board of Directors will meet at 5:00 pm; all ASA members are welcome. The general meeting starts at 6:30.

The guest speaker will be Bob Wegbreit, one of three partners in the West Conshohocken firm of GF Data Resources, LLC. GF Data provides valuation data on middle-market transactions backed by private equity. He will talk about “Private Company Valuation Trends: 2014 Mid-Year State of the Lower Middle Market.”

Mr. Wegbreit is a marketing and strategy specialist working in categories of printing and publishing, web-based business solutions, home services and channel distribution. He has a B.S. from Boston University, and was a Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Dismar Corporation, a national point-of-sale advertising manufacturer.

Bob will discuss proprietary valuation and cost of capital information from GF Data’s mid-year benchmarking reports. The reports, considered among the most reliable, describe completed acquisitions valued between $10-250 million. They include confidential transaction details contributed by over 220 North American private equity firms.

As seating for this talk is limited, please register early for this educational and productive evening which qualifies for 2 hours credit toward ASA reaccreditation.

Dinner is $35 per person for members and guests. Members: Last chance this season to buy the 5 Meeting Plan for $110 – a $65 saving! To pay online with your major credit card or PayPal go to the ASA Philadelphia Members Page, otherwise please make checks payable to ASA Philadelphia Chapter 35. Please RSVP by Friday, September 5, to Executive Secretary Joanne Paciello by mail to 8 Terrace Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, email, phone (610-277-1366) or fax (610-277-1366).

SAVE THE DATES. This is the first meeting of the 2014-2015 season. Other meetings, all at the Doubletree, are November 19, January 21 (breakfast) and March 18. A May dinner meeting at a special venue is also planned but not finalized.

15-Hr. Personal Property USPAP Course

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will sponsor a 15-hour, 3-day, Personal Property USPAP Course on consecutive Thursdays, September 11, September 25, and October 2, 2014 from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm each day. The course will be held in the offices of DeLage Landen Financial Services, 1111 Old Eagle School Road, Wayne, PA 19087 (Phone: 610-386-5000; map). The instructor will be Robert J. Luciani, ASA.

USPAP2014 2015 This 15-Hour USPAP Course presents an overview of the USPAP 2014-2015 regulations and guidelines, and fulfills the requirements of appraisal societies for designation, and for USPAP continuing education. The course focuses on the USPAP requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance. The course material emphasizes the role of the appraiser, and includes discussion examples relating USPAP to everyday practice.

Seating is limited, so please register early for the course, which meets the USPAP requirements for re-accreditation and continuing education for most ASA appraisers. The cost of the 3-day course is $265 per person and includes all course materials