Saguaro Chapter 73, IRWA

Board Member Spotlight. Let’s welcome Sara Baker, MAI, SRA as IRWA Chapter 73’s Second Year Director for 2020/2021. Sara is a Partner in the real estate appraisal firm of Baker, Peterson, Baker & Associates, based in Tucson. She appraises all types of properties including residential, commercial, vacant land, easements, and partial acquisitions; and she specializes in preparing eminent domain and litigation appraisals. Sara continuously serves her profession and the community through volunteer work. She was the President of the Appraisal Institute’s Southern Arizona Chapter during 2014 and our Chapter 73 President for two terms, July of 2016 through June of 2018. In addition to her efforts within our organization this year, she is currently serving at the regional and national levels of the Appraisal Institute, and is also on the Board of the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona. Sara, we thank you very much for sharing some of your positive and boundless energy with us!

Board Member Spotlight. Meet Desirae Bruening, Chapter 73’s Education Chair for 2020/2021. She’s a newer IRWA member, and one to watch as her career is on the rise! Desirae is a Right of Way Agent with Sonoran Land Resources, LLC, a Tucson Company specializing in right of way acquisitions and regulatory permitting. Desirae has already proven her skills in permitting for various energy and telecommunication projects, and she’s in the final stretch for obtaining her Arizona Real Estate license. Desirae possesses excellent communication and management skills and provides top-notch customer service. She is sure to have a positive impact on our Board and in the right of way industry. Welcome, Desirae, and thank you!

Board Member Spotlight. Past President of IRWA Chapter 73, Jeff Teplitsky, will serve as our Membership Chair for 2020/21. Jeff is a certified general real estate Appraiser and licensed real estate Broker in the State of Arizona. He moved to Tucson in 1977, and has spent almost 40 years successfully filling various roles within this community’s real estate industry - from Real Estate Investor to Developer, Property Manager, General Contractor, Appraiser, and even briefly as an Acquisition Agent.

The bulk of Jeff’s experience, over 26 years, was focused on preparing private sector real estate appraisals with an emphasis on public project acquisitions – including easements and condemnation valuations. That work prepared him well for the 5 years he spent as Pima County’s Appraisal Supervisor, and now in his current position as the Manager of the Real Property Services Division of Pima County’s Public Works Department.

Jeff served on the Pima County Real Estate Research Council in 2019, and is an active member, and past board member, of the local Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. Thank you, Jeff Teplitsky, for your many contributions to our community in general, and to right of way industry specifically!

Thank you for serving as our President this year, Myrlene Francis, SR/WA!

Tierra is proud to announce our Right of Way Manager, Myrlene Francis, SR/WA, was elected and has begun her term as IRWA Chapter 73 President! Myrlene has worked in the Right of Way industry since 1996 and is excited to use her 24 years of experience in the industry as she leads this IRWA Chapter. Great work, Myrlene! Visit the IRWA website for a list of Chapter 73 officers: https://lnkd.in/eMu4e3i

Board Member Spotlight. A bit about Jim Rossi, IRWA Chapter 73’s Treasurer 2020/2021.

In the early 80’s, Jim accepted a temporary job as a document runner for a local title company. He had no idea that decision would lead to such a rewarding and successful career in Tucson real estate and right of way. Within a year he was running the Customer Service Section, where his passion for research grew. Two years later, Jim was supervising a title unit handling a large volume of title examinations for the City of Tucson’s road improvement and other infrastructure projects. When a Real Property Agent position opened at the City, he applied, was hired, and quickly transitioned into the problem-solving environment in the City’s Real Estate Division.

During Jim’s 30 years with the City of Tucson, he worked on all aspects of real estate acquisition and property development. Jim retired from his position as City Real Estate Administrator in 2018, but continues his commitment to public service today as the Real Property Services Acquisition Supervisor for Pima County and as the IRWA Chapter 73’s Treasurer for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

Thank you, Jim Rossi, for your ongoing contributions to the right of way community!

Board Member Spotlight. Please welcome Stella Samorano, SR/WA to Chapter 73's Board, as Secretary for the upcoming year 2020-2021. Or, we should say, Welcome Back! Stella has served on the Board in 4 previous years, as Secretary, as Vice-President, and as President. She's a Land Agent for Trico Electric, and has been an active member of the IRWA for 18 years. Thank you, Stella, for remaining committed and supportive of our organization!

Come meet IRWA members from all over Region 1 and find out what's going on in the national organization next weekend, March 20th and 21st. Chapter 73 is proudly hosting the Region 1 Spring Forum at the Reid Park DoubleTree Hotel on Alvernon, south of Broadway. Meet and Greet Mixer is in the Javelina Cantina 6:00-8:00 pm. Business Meeting is Saturday, March 21st, from 8:00 am-5:00 pm.

Did you know?

The Olympic Stadium has a capacity of 80,000.

It is the lightest Olympic stadium ever built.

The fourteen lighting towers are needed to provide HDTV freeze-frame coverage for these Olympic Games, the first to capture the action with this technology.

Part of the supporting structure of the roof is formed from 2,500 tons of steel tubing that was recycled from old gas pipelines.

Winner of Chapter 73's Employer of the Year with 4 or fewer right of way employees in the Tucson area is El Pasa Natural Gas. Bill Biggs, SR/WA accepts this award on behalf of this super supportive sponsor of our efforts. Thank you El Paso Natural Gas Company!

Randye Ferrick, Founder and CEO of Tierra Right of Way Services, accepts Chapter 73's "Employer of the Year" award for organizations with 5 or more right of way employees in the Tucson area. Thank you Tierra Right of Way Services for your constant and generous support of all of our endeavors!

Congratulations to Mack Dickerson, SR/WA, who received his SR/WA certificate from International President, Randy Williams, SR/WA, MAI, at this year's Education Conference in Seattle, WA.

April 14th - Chapter 73's Newsletter, the Saguaro Sentinel, was awarded Region 1's "Newsletter of the Year" for Chapters with fewer than 100 members! Congratulations and many thanks to our Co-Editors, Michelle Colby, SR/WA and Patricia Blackmon!