Dear Readers,

In our new world of precautious measures to ensure health and safety from the
COVID-19 coronavirus, we find ourselves still preparing for the yearly conferences
we eagerly look forward to attend. But the traditional planning steps have obviously
changed.

Instead of booking flights, making hotel reservations, packing bags and heading out
to the airport to board planes taking us to our intended destinations, we now simply
wake up in our own beds, put on the coffee and go to our laptops to login where
informative sessions and networking opportunities are just a mouse click away.
For its second virtual appraisal show in 2020, Valuation Review attended the
American Society of Appraisers’ (ASA) International Conference one week ago. I
found my experience very enjoyable with the ASA virtual platform easy to navigate.
Perhaps with the new and innovative (alternative) methods of doing things now
becoming a necessity because of the pandemic, maybe things are getting easier for
me and everyone else with Zoom meetings and phone conversations by computer
becoming as normal as driving your car to work and opening a briefcase at the office.
We had the chance to sit in on sessions ranging from appraising in the new world,
reviving a business economic damages report, using and misusing regression
analysis in valuation to the compelling use of business valuation appraisals in
litigation, appraisal processes versus technical knowledge and appraising hotels.
Expert panelists and seasoned veterans in the appraisal profession gathered
virtually to give of their time and knowledge to the attendees tuned into the many
presentations. And while it is a fact that networking may not be as exciting as it
would be in person, people had the opportunity to click on an icon that would take
them to many conversations enhancing their businesses.

That’s just a brief tease of what we saw at this year’s show but you can look
for complete conference stories from the 2020 ASA event soon at
valuationreview.com.

The virtual experience is here for the time being, and perhaps, well beyond
COVID-19. It’s important to embrace and take advantage of this new technology
to help your businesses grow. In the meantime, keep me informed about topics of
interest to you. Stay safe and healthy!

Your valued editor,

Mike Holzheimer
Editor
Valuation Review