Past Presidents
Gazelle Raye Wichner contact info
Past President
Gazelle Raye Wichner, ASA, MAI, CCIM is a real property valuation specialist domiciled in Pasadena, California. She has held a senior Real Property designation with the American Society of Appraisers since 1997 and has served the Board of the ASA-LA Chapter in various roles since 2010, including Real Property Chair, Mentor Chair, Government Relations Liaison, and most recently as 1st Vice President for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 fiscal years. Active in the valuation profession for nearly 30 years, she is currently a senior member of the Collateral Valuations team of First Republic Bank.
Christine (Tina) Lee contact info
Past President 2019-2021
CHRISTINE LEE is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in the valuation of businesses and intangible assets by the American Society of Appraisers. Her past positions for the Los Angeles Chapter included: President (2014-2015) & (2017-2018), Sr. Vice President, (2014-13), Secretary (2013-12), Treasurer (2011-10) and Business Valuation Chair (2010-09). Christine continues to serve on the Board. For the current term, she will continue to focus on Education and focus on Members' educational interests in their discipline.
JOHN A THOMSON contact info
President 2018-2019
MR. JOHN A. THOMSON, ASA, MAI -- KLARIS, THOMSON & SCHROEDER, INC., VICE PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES OFFICE
Mr.John A. Thomson (BSME/MBA) has over 38 years of valuation consulting experience. Mr. Thomson is designated as a Senior Appraiser, ASA, in business valuations and intangible assets, holds a MBA in Finance, he has his MAI in real estate and is a licensed real estate broker in the state of California. In addition, Mr. Thomson has his undergraduate degree in engineering and has been a speaker on numerous valuation topics to various groups in Southern California, CPA firms, Estate Planning Associations and law firms. He has testified extensively as an expert witness on valuation related cases.
CHRISTINE LEE contact info
President 2017-2018
CHRISTINE LEE is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in the valuation of businesses and intangible assets by the American Society of Appraisers. Her past positions for the Los Angeles Chapter included: President (2014-2015), Sr. Vice President, (2014-13), Secretary (2013-12), Treasurer (2011-10) and Business Valuation Chair (2010-09). Christine continues to serve on the Board. For the current term, she will continue to focus on Education and focus on Members' educational interests in their discipline.
George (Mike) Bradford contact info
President 2016-2017
Mike Bradford, ASA, owns a full-service appraisal firm located in Huntington Beach, California. He received his ASA designation in 1978. He started as a security analyst with a major west coast bank, first as a Public Utility Analyst then as Chief Oil Analyst.
His firm provides financial analysis, court testimony, and appraisal services for individuals, corporations, and United States federal government agencies. His firm values businesses, patents, leases, leasehold interests, and other tangible and intangible assets. He also values partnership interests and their underlying assets. He has an MBA from Stanford University.
Mr. Bradford served as president of the Los Angeles Chapter from 1999-2000, having held all other officer positions in prior years. He is currently serving on the Los Angeles Chapter Governing Body and has chaired many committees over the years.
His goal for the Chapter is to continue offering excellent programs for each discipline, assist members with advancement, encourage member’s participation in Chapter events, and help keep the Chapter informed of key legislative and ASA international issues.
Mike Bradford's Qualifications: https://www.appraisersla.com/MemberPage.aspx?id=821
Steve M. Hjelmstrom contact info
President 2015-2016
Steve Hjelmstrom, ASA is a Senior Member of the American Society of Appraisers with a Machinery Technical Specialty designation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. Steve served as a manufacturing engineer for products used by the aerospace industry such as airframe mounted gearboxes, leading and trailing wing edge actuators, and helicopter main and rotor gearboxes. After that, he was chosen as part of an executive management team that worked for capitol venture groups that specialized in acquiring troubled businesses, bringing them to profitablity and selling them to a qualified buyer.
Douglas Nason contact info
President
Douglas Nason, ASA, has been involved in the Los Angeles Chapter since 1993 and is passionate about all appraisal topics especially with regard to integration of the three overarching valuation disciplines: real property, personal property and business enterprise. He has been a real estate valuation/consulting professional since 1982 and holds the ASA designation in Real Property/Urban. Since 1993, he has worked with Wells Fargo's Real Estate Valuation Services (REVS) department, where he presently serves as Appraisal Manager for the Western United States. He is confident the Chapter board will continue to recognize the specialized needs of its members in tackling the technical details of their respective disciplines, and to address those needs through forums where appraisers from all disciplines may network to discuss issues and trends impacting the industry. He encourages all appraisers, users of appraisal services and guests to participate in our Chapter events.
Christine Thomson Lee contact info
President 2014-2015
Christine Thomson Lee is an Accredited Senior Member of the American Society of Appraiser with a specialization in Business Valuation. She has been active in the appraisal business for the past 17 years. She received her undergraduate degree in business from Mount St. Mary College and received her MBA in 1997. Additionally Christine holds a California General Certified Appraisal License.
Analee McClellan contact info
President 2013-2014
Analee K. McClellan is an independent appraiser of Antiques, Decorative Arts, Residential Contents, Popular Culture memorabilia and collectibles. She has served the Los Angeles Chapter in various capacities since 2006. Analee is dedicated to supporting and fostering interdisciplinary educational and networking opportunities as well as the development of relevant programs to assist members in furthering their educational and professional growth goals. Analee is also a Member at Large of the ASA's International Personal Property Committee.
Paul Drooks contact info
President 2012-2013
Paul E. Drooks is an independent personal property appraiser with extensive experience in Antiques, Decorative Arts and other types of Personal Property. His experience in importing, exporting, manufacturing and the auction world is utilized in his practice. The practice encompasses appraisals for insurance and estate purposes as well as litigation support, working with management firms in the entertainment industry.
Paul’s work in the LA Chapter and with the International Personal Property Committee has stressed interdisciplinary education in local chapter events, as well on the national level, initiating the Archives Valuation Program and chairing the 2015 Las Vegas Conference. He is a strong supporter of networking with compeer organizations. Prior to his Presidency, Paul served as Personal Property Discipline Chair and Vice-President in the LA Chapter for multiple terms, helping to develop chapter programming. Under his leadership the LA Chapter developed and revised its current website, and strengthened its association with compeer organizations.
Randall Blaesi contact info
President 2011-2012
I have been in the real estate appraisal business since 1972. My designation is in Urban Real Property. I obtained the designation in 1983. I primarily specialize in litigation support and appraise all types of real property.
I am past president of the Sacramento and San Diego Chapters of the ASA. I have also served as a chapter officer and on several committees in each chapter. I have participated in many chapter presentations, including panel discussions regarding real property appraisals, appraisals of special purpose properties and distressed properties.
Charles Rice contact info
President 2010-2011
Charles Rice has been a participating member of the chapter since 1988. He is a member of the International MTS Committee, has served as secretary, Chair of the MTS Discipline Committee and is currently the president-elect for the 2010-2011 term which starts on July 1, 2010.
Charles is following his fathers footsteps by being active in the LA Chapter.
Charles received his ASA designation in 1992 with a specialization in the valuation of machinery and equipment. He has over twenty-five years experience in the valuation of machinery & equipment and real estate. Charles has performed valuations for arbitration proceedings, ad valorem tax, insurance placement, asset based collateral loans, leasing, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy and privatizations. Prior to returning to The Rice Group, Charles was based in Central Asia for eleven years as an independent appraiser operating The Rice Group Central Asia. During this time he has completed many complex appraisal assignments in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, as well as numerous countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to forming The Rice Group Central Asia, Charles was Director of Valuations for PricewaterhouseCoopers Kazakhstan.
David Eichner contact info
President 2009-2010
I had the privilege to serve as president of the LA chapter in 2009/2010 with a dream team of officers working with me, which made my service easy and pleasurable. Previously, I served as treasurer for four consecutive years. My goal as president was to see that educational programs and exposure to all disciplines as well as a variety of industries was interesting as well as educational. The board work hard and made my vision happen. We have a great group of officers coming up and I am very encouraged by the commitment they have to make the Los Angeles a truly great experience for our membership.
Douglas Nason contact info
President 2008-2009
Douglas Nason has been involved in the ASA Los Angeles Chapter since 1993 and is passionate about property valuation. His presidency focused on providing diverse Chapter activities with multi-disciplinary appeal. Memorable Chapter-sponsored events instigated under Nason's leadership included a fun-filled field trip through the urban electric neon jungle of nighttime Los Angles with the Museum of Neon Art, a dinner meeting slide presentation on Los Angles\' motion picture studio history by Mark Wanamaker, a curators walkthrough of The Night of the Tiki exhibition at the Forrest Lawn Museum (in conjunction with the Glendale Historical Society), and a Real Estate Appraising in a Distressed Market dinner presentation (with respected co-instructor Barry Alperin).
Nason has been a real estate valuation and consulting professional since 1982 and holds the ASA designation in Real Property/Urban. Having worked on a broad spectrum of investment and special purpose real estate through several market cycles, Nason has exercised his zeal for all types of property valuation. Since 1993, he has worked with Wells Fargo's Real Estate Technical Services (RETECHS) department, where he presently serves as Appraisal Director for the Southwestern United States.
Nason has profound respect for past Chapter presidents and thanks, in particular, Noel Burndahl and the late Lee Ackerman for their steadfast dedication. Incidentally, Nason's grandfather served as the Los Angeles Chapter president in 1949. Nason wholeheartedly appreciates the Chapter's dedication to all appraisal disciplines. He is confident the Chapter board will continue to recognize the specialized needs of its members in tackling the technical details of their respective disciplines, and to address those needs through forums where appraisers from all disciplines may network to discuss issues and trends impacting the industry.
He encourages all appraisers, users of appraisal services and guests to attend our Chapter meetings.
Dale Bracken contact info
President 2007-2008
It was a great honor to be President of the LA Chapter. I am more than encouraged seeing the leadership and growth in the past few years. I would like to think that during my year we settled the Chapter and began taking baby steps to the growth and programs we now see. The presidents that followed me had great visions of growth and making the LA Chapter a vital component of the business fabric in Southern California. As the founding chapter of ASA and still the largest Chapter I am proud and humbled to have had the honor of being its President for 2007-2008.
Dale passed away December 19, 2017.
Stan Deakin contact info
President 2006-2007
During the past 25 years, I have held practically all elected offices of the Chapter and several appointed positions including BV Chair, Audit Chair and Newsletter Editor. In addition, I have served on ASA's International Board of Examiners and ASA's Business Valuation Committee. I currently direct valuation services at Mosaic Capital. A more detailed bio is available at: www.mosaiccapital.com/whoweare/deakin.asp
Dennis Webb contact info
President 2005-2006
I have always found our ASA chapter to be fun (what? Fun with a professional association?). I am a member of three valuation organizations, and regardless of which capacity I participate, the ASA gets the prize for the most interesting and engaging membership. We did indeed have a good time on my watch, and put a lot of energy into multidisciplinary programs, which (in my view) are the ASA's greatest strength. Some of that involves discovering and fixing situations where gaps in knowledge can impact appraisal practice. For example, we presented forums on the cross involvement of real and personal property appraisers over art that is part of residential structures, programs focused on business valuation that relies on real estate fact patterns, and the like. We initiated the large-scale (multidisciplinary) IRS Symposia, which gave IRS the platform, something that is a bit unusual in our industry. Smaller activities included extensive tours of the Metropolitan Water District and L.A. Department of Water and Power facilities, which (interestingly) had enthusiastic participation from Personal Property members.
While professional trends have been largely from RP to BV dominance, our chapter has been quite successful in using our multidisciplinary resources to benefit each other. (Super-kudos to Ray Rath for his annual Fair Value programs that have been a huge financial benefit to the chapter. They allow us to take financial risks on other programs that many chapters can't.) The L.A. Chapter has great resources, and continues to have engaged and committed leadership. But it still has as-yet untapped potential to lead the way with important and innovative approaches to multidisciplinary valuation. I encourage (especially younger) members to get involved; your practice and the profession will be the better for it, and you might even (dare I say) have fun!
Ray Rath contact info
President 2004-2005
I am a Managing Director at Globalview Advisors LLC, an independent valuation firm specializing in valuations of businesses, equity interests, debt obligations and financial instruments and intangible assets. I am accredited in Business Valuation, Intangible Asset Valuation and Appraisal Review and Management. I also hold the CEIV® designation. Globalview has offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, London and Boise.
My years serving as a volunteer for the LA Chapter of ASA were rewarding and provided me the impetus to continue my volunteer efforts on the national and international levels. I have served the ASA in a variety of positions. These include Vice Chair, ASA Board of Examiners for Appraisal Review and Management, member, Business Valuation Committee among others. I have organized 14 annual one day valuation conferences focused on fair value topics for the ASA. I was Chair of the planning committee for the 2018 Advanced Business Valuation Conference held in Anaheim. I led the development of the two three-day courses on intangible asset valuations offered by the ASA. I developed the ASA course for the Certified in Entity and Intangibles Valuation (“CEIV”®) designation. Given the importance of these volunteer activities, I have numerous additional volunteer activities to advance the valuation profession.
Kathy Poppers contact info
President 2003-2004
Late 19th - 21st century American, European, Latin American paintings, sculpture, prints, works on paper, electronic media, outdoor monuments and public art. Appraisal reports for Insurance Coverage, Loss and Damage Claims Settlement, Charitable Contributions including 8283 forms, Equitable Distribution, Estate Tax, Asset Management and Consultative reports before you buy or before you sell. Reports conform to the 2010 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). Management of collections including pre-purchase art market research, international provenance research, presentation, negotiation, handling, packing, crating, customs clearance, installation, electronic security systems, lighting installation, and insurance scheduling. forensic evidence analysis management, shipment tracking, art installation mapping, cataloguing and collection archiving, exhibition loans. Experienced expert witness, Legal consulting.
Thomas J. Cuccia contact info
President 2002-2003
Ralph Hubbard contact info
President 2001-2002
Burton Marcus contact info
President 2000-2001
Michael Bradford contact info
President 1999-2000
Paul Thompson contact info
President: 1997-1998
Paul Thompson was an independent jewelry appraiser serving clients in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Palm Springs, Riverside, San Bernardino and the Inland Empire from his offices in Palm Springs, California. Mr. Thompson had over 25 years of jewelry appraisal experience. He was a Graduate Gemologist (GG), an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) and a Master Gemologist Appraiser.
Mark Johnson contact info
President: 1996-1997
Mark Johnson, ASA is principal of Johnson Valuation, Inc. (JVI). He has over 30
years of machinery, equipment, specialized tangible asset appraisal and consulting
experience. He is responsible for and involved in a wide range of valuation
engagements for financial reporting purposes including: ASC 805, ASC 350, and
ASC 360 (SFAS 141, 142, and 144); tax filings; audit-assist appraisal reviews;
fresh-start accounting; asset-based financing; litigation support; condemnation
proceedings; insurance placement; and a variety of other appraisal-related
services.
Noel Burndahl contact info
President: 1990-1991