GETTING INVOLVED
Regardless of which road we’re on, we are all
appraisers who are passionate about what we do. It
does not matter which state we live in, which career
path we have chosen or which organization we are a
insights on how things could be better. The good
news is, we can all help. Everyone’s insight and
you can get involved, from joining online groups
to being on your state appraisal board. The level of
interests and passion. I’m passionate about helping
people and compliance, so becoming a member of
board member and am honored to serve the people
of Florida.
If you’re considering being a state board member, I
applaud you. This is not an easy position and comes
with a great deal of responsibility. It entails countless
hours of reviewing state investigations on
reviewing continuing education classes for approval,
determining new rules, and many other duties. This
role requires a certain amount of objectivity and
discretion.
Another way to get involved at a state level is to join
a state coalition. There are at least 30 states with
appraiser coalitions that bring a stronger voice to
legislators and policymakers. They provide a unique
opportunity to join a group of peers to advocate for
our profession. If you are passionate about enacting
change in your state legislature, this is the
opportunity for you to act. There are also various
organizations you could join to get involved and
CRISTY CONOLLY
Cristy Conolly is the Vice President of Operations at Pendo Management, a national Appraisal
Management Company serving many of the industry’s largest lenders. Prior to her current position,
Cristy was a Chief Appraiser and Senior Vice President of Quality Control & Compliance for nine years
role from her years of completing appraisals on behalf of lenders, AMCs, servicing companies, and
attorneys. This perspective has allowed Cristy to understand the needs and challenges of all parties
involved in each appraisal order, and to carefully balance adherence to compliance guidelines with world
class customer service for Pendo’s clients and appraisers. Cristy is an active participant with industry
organizations and served on the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board (FREAB) from 2016-2020, a role for which she was
personally appointed by the Florida Governor based on her experience, credentials, and reputation within the industry. Cristy
is also the immediate Past Chairwoman of the FREAB.
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Collateral Risk Network, Inc. (CRN). These
organizations provide you the opportunity to choose
from a group that shares your interests and passions
and have committees and other ways you can
participate in leadership roles.
If you want to get involved but don’t have the time to
commit to an organization, there are countless
appraisal groups on social media and other
platforms. These are typically less involved in
regulations and more involved in providing feedback
and information to each other. Among other things,
appraisers will share ideas and ask for guidance on a
changes. These are just a few examples of how
to your business, especially for appraisers that don’t
have a network around them. It’s also a great way for
you to share your knowledge and experience with
your peers.
So, I’ve covered quite a few ways appraisers can
get involved and make an impact in the industry.
Just how active you are in any organization or group
will vary depending on your comfort level and time.
You could be a member that provides opinions and
insight on changes you’d like to see from the
leadership of the group, or you could become one of
the leaders and take a more active position.
Regardless of the role you play, what’s important is
that you get involved. By getting involved and being
and helping improve our profession. That’s
something we can all admire and strive for.