This is Bill Garber’s first job in the settlement services industry, although he has always been interested in real estate issues.

As director of government affairs, Garber advocates on behalf of Appraisal Institute members before Congress and federal agencies. With lawmakers poised to aggressively pursue legislation that could have a profound impact on appraisers, Garber is a central figure in the battle to ensure valuation professionals’ interests are protected. It’s likely he’ll spend plenty of time on Capitol Hill in the coming months.

Garber is an active participant in Appraisal Institute conferences and fraud summits. He also works closely with the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisals, American Society of Appraisers and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

In a past life, Bill served as a lobbyist for local and regional economic development organizations. Many of those issues involved real estate appraisals, and he eventually came to know about the Appraisal Institute. When an opportunity opened at the Institute, he jumped at it, and the rest is history.


I love big-picture thinking and formulating a plan to address public policy concerns. I enjoy representing the interests of individuals before Congress and government agencies. Government is sometimes viewed as large and intimidating, and with good reason. Many of the actions of policymakers wind up impacting the daily lives of individuals, including real estate appraisers, who are one of the most heavily regulated industries going. Giving them a voice, or providing guidance to direct their voice effectively, is very satisfying at the end of my day.

Teaching my 5-month-old son how to sleep through the night.

Seeing talented people within the organization grow into leaders.



Don’t let the classroom get in the way of your education. That’s from a bumper sticker I saw somewhere a long time ago, but it points to the fact that there are learning opportunities everywhere.



In my prior job as a lobbyist, I helped coordinate efforts to pass a bill in Congress that lied dormant for nearly 20 years. The bill reauthorized an economic development program in the Department of Commerce, one that had been on the chopping block numerous times since the early 1980s. The association I worked for was devoted to ensuring the longevity of the program, and part of that involved reauthorizing the program so that it could continue and not be faced with the threat of being shut down at a moment’s notice.

After years of helping build the case for reauthorization before Congress, it finally passed a five-year reauthorization bill of the program in 1999, and the program still stands strong today.

I hope to accomplish a similar result with the issue of mortgage fraud and appraiser licensing reform in the current Congress.



Being blessed to have great support from family and friends, especially my wife, Kerry, who puts up with frequent “Larry David” moments.



George Washington – is this what the Framers intended when they formed our government?



I hate roller coasters, but love white water rafting.



"The Man Who Knew Too Much", by Albert Hitchcock. This is an often-overlooked film when compared to "North by Northwest," "The Birds," or "Vertigo," but it stands out in my mind as being one of Hitchcock’s best for its use color and style, and it’s great score.



If hinging your mental health on the outcome of your alma mater’s performance on the football, basketball and baseball fields is considered “relaxing,” then I do that with the Oregon State Beavers nearly year round.


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