The Burt L. Thornton President’s Award is given at the President’s discretion to a person(s) who is: committed to the organization, currently engaged in its activities, an effective spokesperson, representative at all times, and in touch with both the needs of other AI professionals and the changes that the organization must help its AI professionals to meet.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an AI professional who best demonstrates high ethical standards; contributed to the Appraisal Institute at the chapter, regional, national and/or international level(s); provided service to his or her community; and contributed to the appraisal profession. A minimum of 20 years of service is recommended to be eligible for this award.

The Outstanding Service Award is presented to an AI professional who has contributed ideas, service hours and dedication to ensure a specific program or effort is implemented at either the chapter, region, national and/or international level(s). This AI professional must be instrumental to the success of the program or effort, which also must be far enough along to measure and provide proof of success. Additionally, the program or effort must be beneficial to chapters, regions, national, international, designated members, candidates, affiliates, practicing affiliates and/or the profession.

Contact Joan Barngrover (JBarngrover@appraisalinstitute.org) with any questions.

2014 Burt L. Thornton President’s Award Winners

Richard L. Borges II, MAI, SRA, AI-RRS

Currently Rick Borges is serving as a member of the Appraisal Subcommittee’s (ASC) Advisory Committee. He is also serving as chair of the Advisory committee’s subgroup on temporary practices. 

Richard is also serving as the Appraisal Institute’s immediate past president.  He has served in all four national elected officers’ positions, on the Executive Committee and on the Appraisal Institute Board of Directors. He also has chaired the Finance Committee and the National Nominating Committee, in addition to serving on the Admissions and Designation Qualifications Committee, serving on the General Appraiser Board Admissions Committee, chairing the Demonstration Reports Grading Panel and the Real Estate Appraiser Group Insurance Trust.

Craig M. Harrington, SRA, AI-RRS

Craig has not only been the developer for our current Basic Appraisal Principles and Basic Appraisal Procedures courses, but he has also developed the online 7-Hour USPAP equivalent course, as well as the online 15-hour USPAP course, for the Appraisal Institute. In the last 2 years, Mr. Harrington has also developed the new education for the Review Designation.  His credits include the Review Theory – Residential course, which premiered in 2013, and the Review Case Studies – Residential course, which will premiere in early 2015.

Craig’s contributions to help ensure the Appraisal Institute remains the pre-eminent provider of real estate valuation education include service on the A-I Seminars Subcommittee, the Residential Appraiser Council, the Qualifying Education Committee, the Educational Programs Committee, the Continuing Professional Development Subcommittee and the Curriculum Subcommittee. Craig is also the 2014 Chair of the Education Committee, as well as also currently serving on the Appraisal Institute’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Paula K. Konikoff, JD, MAI, AI-GRS

Paula Konikoff led the Professional Standards and Guidance Committee in developing the Standards of Valuation Practice.  Paula is a recognized USPAP expert who currently serves as chair of the Appraisal Institute’s Professional Standards and Guidance Committee. She has served on the Professional Practice Compliance and Enforcement Committee and on the Appraisal Standards Committee, in addition to serving the Metro New York Chapter by chairing its Bylaws Committee.

Leslie P. Sellers, MAI, SRA

Leslie currently represents the Appraisal Institute as a member of an IVSC work group, and he is a real advocate on the group for the Appraisal Institute.

Leslie Sellers served as the Appraisal Institute’s national president in 2010 and on the Executive Committee for four years, during which time he chaired the Finance Committee and the National Nominating Committee. He has also served on the Appraisal Institute’s Board of Directors.

He currently chairs the Appraisal Institute’s International Relations Committee and serves on the Strategic Planning Committee, the Professional Standards and Guidance Committee, and the Board of Trustees of the Appraisal Institute Education Trust. Previously, he also served nationally on the Audit Committee, the Chapter Services Committee, the Education Committee, and a variety of panels, teams.

2014 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Peter D. Bowes, MAI

Peter Bowes has served the valuation profession for 45 years, and he has mentored many appraisers who have received the Appraisal Institute’s MAI designation. He has served as president at both the national and chapter levels, and his national committee service includes Education and Strategic Planning. He was the 1986 president of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers (an Appraisal Institute predecessor organization), is a current member of the Appraisal Institute’s Colorado Chapter and is a long-time Appraisal Institute instructor.

Reaves C. Lukens Jr., MAI, SRA

Reaves Lukens Jr. has served the valuation profession for a half-century. His contributions to the Appraisal Institute and its predecessor organizations include serving as national and chapter president and on many committees, including in the areas of admissions, bylaws, curriculum, the Appraisal Institute Education Trust, the Appraisers Liability Insurance Program and the Real Estate Appraiser Group Insurance Trust. A current member of the Philadelphia Metro Chapter who served as 1984 president of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers (a predecessor organization of the Appraisal Institute), he is a long-time Appraisal Institute instructor who has lectured at universities such as Temple, Rutgers and Penn State. His community service has included school boards, planning commissions and the Union League.

2014 Outstanding Service Award Winners

Charles J. Lentz, MAI

Charles Lentz’s dedication to the valuation profession spans four decades, including making significant contributions to the Appraisal Institute’s demonstration appraisal curriculum. After starting his career as a teacher in Indiana, he moved to Florida, where he has been appraising since the 1970s. He has served on numerous committees within the Appraisal Institute’s East Florida Chapter and currently sits on its Education Committee. He also has served on the Appraisal Institute’s national committees, including the Admissions and Designation Qualifications Committee and demonstration-related committees. He also has taught many classes over the years, including at the University of Central Florida.

Michael G. Miller, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS

Known for providing education for his employees to further their designation aspirations, Michael Miller has positively impacted careers in his home state of Virginia and across the country. Known as an advocate for the profession within the Appraisal Institute and from outside AI at the state legislative level, he has sat on the Appraiser Regulations Board for the state of Virginia for several years. His service to the Appraisal Institute includes several years on the Admissions and Designation Qualifications Committee, and he has served on demonstration report committees and panels.

View 2013 Awards and Recognition