Originally published in the October 3, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

The William S. Harps DEI Award honors an Appraisal Institute Member who truly exemplifies the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the valuation profession and has actively worked to make the profession reflective of all the communities we serve. It commemorates the legacy of William S. Harps, MAI—the first African American to earn the MAI designation (1960), former president of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers (1981), and a leader in breaking barriers in the appraisal profession. Harps passed in 2009.

Originally published in the October 3, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

Recently, an outside group attempted to send messages that mimicked an official Appraisal Institute dues notice. While our systems remain secure, we want to remind members to stay vigilant when reviewing emails that appear to come from the Appraisal Institute or any other organization.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown last Thursday for NCAI's Q3 Chapter Business Meeting. We had a great meeting and we got a lot accomplished: we discussed chapter news and events, we recognized industry achievement, we connected with old friends and industry peers, and we enjoyed a presentation by an outstanding local leader!

(L-R): Real Estate Valuation Conference Committee Residential Chair Nathan Pippin, SRA; Government Relations Committee Chair Shep Overton, MAI; President Kelli Mayhew, MAI, SRA; Treasurer Brian Crowder, MAI, SRA; and Women’s Initiative Committee Chair Linda Nelson

Our membership keeps growing. We're thrilled to introduce the following new members of the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute:

Associate Member

• George H. Williams, McLeansville, NC

Affiliate Member

• Lloyd Barron Van Dyke, Arden, NC

Thank you for joining, and we're excited to have you as a part of the NCAI community!

The Appraisal Institute is proud to announce the reopening of applications for the Pathways to Success scholarship, funded by The Appraisal Foundation and administered by the Appraiser Development Initiative (ADI). This scholarship provides full financial support for individuals pursuing licensure through an approved Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program - offering a flexible and accessible pathway into the valuation profession.

The 2025 program year has already awarded 42 Pathways to Success scholarships supporting a pipeline of future appraisers.

The Appraisal Institute Education and Relief Foundation (AIERF) is seeking nominations from AI members for the Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award. The deadline for nominations is July 31st. Nominate Today

The Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award recognizes one or more worthy individuals who have made a distinguished contribution to the appraisal profession during the immediately preceding year. The Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award is open to both Appraisal Institute members as well as those who do not belong to the Appraisal Institute. Nominators should provide a letter of recommendation and brief biography of the nominee to [email protected] by July 31. For more information on AIERF and the awards, please visit the AIERF website.

Make a Nomination Today

NCAI Past President Claire Aufrance, MAI, was elected Chair of the North Carolina Appraisal Board (NCAB), during the June 24th meeting.  Formerly the Vice Chair, Claire’s term as Chair began on July 1, 2025, and will run through June 30, 2026.  Claire is the first woman to hold the position of Chair in NCAB history.

Among her many professional accomplishments, Claire has served as President of the NC Chapter of the Appraisal Institute in 2016, Chair of Appraisal Institute Region V in 2021 – 2022, and as a member of the Appraisal Institutes’ national board of directors between 2019 – 2022.  Claire has been the recipient of multiple Appraisal Institute honor’s including: the President’s Award in 2022, the Women’s Initiative Spotlight Award in 2022, and as a Volunteer of Distinction also in 2022.

By Emma Abraham, Membership Programs Manager, Appraisal Institute

Virtual Designation Requirement Overview Webinar

We recently hosted an hour-long pilot webinar (via Zoom) entitled “Designation Requirement Overview” with the Chicago chapter and intend to host several more this year. The webinar, targeting Candidates and Associate Members, covers the policies and processes of Experience, the Comprehensive Examination, and the Demonstration of Knowledge. If you have a Candidate who has questions about these requirements, please mention that they should keep an eye out for these webinars. Advisors are welcome to attend these sessions to brush up on their knowledge of the requirements. If your chapter or region is interested in hosting one, please let me know.

Our membership keeps growing. We're thrilled to introduce the following new members:

Associate Member

The Main Point
The Appraisal Institute is facing a crisis. In this message, you will learn about the events that have occurred to date, how the fallout has impacted us, and what we can do to move forward.

Background
On Thursday, May 8th, the New York Times published an article titled “Appraisal Trade Group Accused of Covering Up Sexual Harassment and Test Flaws.” You can read it here. Many disturbing allegations were made in the article including wrongful termination and sexual harassment claims by a former employee.

On Monday, March 31^st, NCAI President Kelli Mayhew, MAI, SRA; Vice President Erica Butler, MAI; and Treasurer Brian Crowder, MAI, SRA, presented to the Chapter Presidents’ Summit about three of the North Carolina chapters’ most successful events.  Erica Butler covered the creation of our newest event, Valuation Law Symposium; Brian Crowder presented how our Real Estate Valuation Conferences are produced successfully year after year; and Kelli Mayhew addressed how we use our NCAI Connect series to keep our members informed and engaged.

The focus of the summit was sharing chapter successes so that other chapters can benefit from the lessons we’ve learned.  The participation of our leadership team allowed NCAI to shine on the national stage, and the feedback received from participants was positive. NCAI leadership also brought home new ideas for educational offerings and networking opportunities to consider implementing this year.

The NCAI Scholarship Committee awarded six chapter members a total of $5,255 in scholarships for 2025.  With the approval of the Board of Directors, the total invested in scholarships for 2025 was increased to allow all six qualified applicants to receive tuition credit for Appraisal Institute courses.

Scholarship winners included:

Scholarships - Appraisal Institute Education Relief Foundation

Course Scholarships are awarded to Associate Members active in real property valuation who need financial assistance to complete Appraisal Institute courses leading to state certification or the MAI, SRA, AI-GRS, or AI-RRS designations.

College Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate or graduate students who concentrate on or demonstrate an interest in real estate appraisal and/or valuation.

Learn More

The North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute would like to congratulate Barry Grant Hitchner, Jr. for earning the prestigious SRA designation. Mr. Hitchner is a graduate of Appalachian State University (Go Mountaineers!!) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Real Estate and Urban Analysis. He obtained his state appraiser’s license and real estate broker's license while still in college. He later became state-licensed in 1990 and state-certified in 1993. Mr. Hitchner is the owner of PGI Appraisals, which was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Mooresville, NC. His work primarily focuses on Iredell, Mecklenburg, and Cabarrus Counties, and the entire Lake Norman market. 

Mr. Hitchner and his wife, Jennifer, are both native residents of Charlotte and currently reside in the Mooresville area. They have two adult sons: Jackson, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, who resides in Houston, TX, and Greyson, who holds appraiser certifications in North and South Carolina and resides in Charlotte, NC. As a native Charlottean, Mr. Hitchner enjoys the Hornets and the Panthers. When not working or subjecting himself to Charlotte professional sports torture, he and his wife enjoy spending time on Lake Norman.

Welcome to our newest #NCAI members! We're thrilled to introduce the latest additions to our community:

• Evan Beale
  Associate Member
  

NCAI Honors Leaders for International Women's Day

Saturday, March 8, 2025

In honor of International Women’s Day, the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute would like to recognize the women in past and present leadership.

As a Chapter, expanding our inclusion of women and encouraging leadership makes us stronger. We would like to highlight those that are currently serving in Chapter leadership positions along with the NCAI Presidents that came before us.

View Video

The North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute would like to congratulate David Wortman for earning the prestigious MAI designation. Mr. Wortman is located in Hickory, NC, and is part of the Infrastructure Practice Group with Cushman & Wakefield. His work is focused on right-of-way and eminent domain appraisals in North Carolina and beyond. His wife, Tammy, is also an appraiser trainee with Cushman & Wakefield. Mr. Wortman and his wife were both teachers before moving into the appraisal world full-time.

Mr. Wortman was in attendance at the NCAI Q1 Chapter Business Meeting, held March 12th at HopFly Brewing Company in South End. As part of the business meeting program, Mr. Wortman, along with our recent designees, was recognized for earning his MAI designation.