I am proud to announce we are moving forward with a proposed merger of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapters. Many volunteer hours were spent putting together the details of the merger proposal and analyzing its potential results. I want to thank all our board members for all the hours they put into considering and debating the proposal. A special thanks goes to the Massachusetts Exploratory Committee members that created the plan that included besides myself, Karen Hanlon, vice president, Kenneth Dicks, secretary and David Cary, Jr., board member. I also want to thank all the members that participated in the electronic vote.
Of course I am also thanking our Massachusetts chapter sponsors - CBRE, Joseph J. Blake and Associates and Integra Realty Resources whose financial support helps sustain all our chapter programs.
The merger and branch affiliation were born out of necessity. The Rhode Island chapter faced financial and organizational challenges mostly as a result of its smaller membership size together with the administrative requirements imposed by the Appraisal Institute (AI). In May, the Board of Directors of the R.I. chapter approved a motion to pursue the process of becoming a branch chapter.
In June, Gregory Accetta, MAI, president of the Rhode Island chapter, made a presentation to the members of the Massachusetts chapter Board of Directors proposing a potential chapter merger and creation a Rhode Island Branch chapter. Based on that presentation, the Massachusetts Chapter Board of Directors voted to create an Exploratory Committee for potential Branch affiliation of the Rhode Island chapter. In September the Exploratory Committee presented to the Massachusetts board a recommended Plan of Merger to take effect on January 1st, 2013. The Rhode Island Exploratory Committee presented the same plan to the Rhode Island Board of Directors at that time.
Ultimately the purpose of the merger is to maintain an active, relevant, and meaningful Appraisal Institute presence in both the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. By creating a branch chapter in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island members will be able to continue the heritage, identity, and fellowship that they have come to expect while at the same time not being held to the administrative requirements of a chapter. For the Massachusetts chapter the merger brings long term sustainability with the benefit of an additional 79 members and an expanded territory for educational outreach.
The boards of both chapters recommended the plan for approval by the membership and in October, the membership of both chapters overwhelming approved the plan by electronic vote. The chapters are now awaiting a recommendation by the Board of AI Region 4 and the National Board of Directors. If approved, the new chapter will be called the Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapter. The Rhode Island chapter has about 79 members. The Massachusetts chapter has about 411 members.
We expect Region 4 Directors will recommend the merger at the November regional meeting and the proposal will be voted on in turn by the National Board of Directors at their meetings on November 15th and 16th. I will get the word out on the National Director vote as soon as I hear the results. Once again thanks to all that have been a part of this process.

Barrie Gaman is the 2012 president of the Mass. Chapter of Appraisal Institute and vice president at Bank America, Waltham, Mass.