President’s Message
Dear Members,
Thank you all for your continued support of the Metro New Jersey Chapter. It is with sincere gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I accept the role of Chapter President. I am truly honored to serve in this position for a chapter with such a rich legacy.
I want to express my appreciation for the individuals I have the privilege of serving alongside next year. Please congratulate Vice President, Erin Taffera, SRA, AI-RRS, Treasurer, George J. Sopko, MAI, and Secretary, Tammy L. Bucior, MAI, AI-GRS on their new leadership roles. Our new board members for this year also include Francesca T. Danese and Lauren Migliore. Our current board members that will continue their service in 2026 include Andrew M. Beltran, Nicholas Couzzi, MAI, Paul M. Colella, and Stephen Puccio. I also want to thank our past president, Katherine Tantinan, MAI, for her service and leadership over the past year. She has done an incredible job, steering this Chapter and thoughtfully and faithfully, always keeping the best interests of our members at the forefront.
Our 2026 Board represents a remarkable blend of professionalism and dedication to the mission of this chapter. I am genuinely grateful for the commitment they each bring, and I look forward to the year of collaboration and service ahead. Thank you for your willingness to serve and for the energy and perspective you bring to your roles.
As I look toward the year ahead, my goals are rooted in the belief that our chapter is strongest when we draw on all the gifts, experience, and perspectives of those individuals within it. We face a unique moment when fewer new appraisers are entering the profession. It has been challenging to fill roles on the Board and various committees. At the same time, we are fortunate to have a wealth of wisdom among our long-standing members — professionals whose experience, relationships, and knowledge are invaluable.
One of my primary goals this year is to continue strengthening member engagement by inviting our seasoned members back into more active involvement. Those who have served previously, I ask that you consider how you can continue to serve your fellow appraisers. And to those who haven’t yet served, there is no better time to do so. Your participation is essential to ensuring the continued vitality of our chapter and to supporting the next generation of appraisers. I believe our chapter can best thrive when those who helped build it remain connected to its future.
I also hope to continue strengthening our education offerings, making sure that appraisers at every stage have access to the resources they need to grow. And of course, I want to increase opportunities for connection through additional networking and social events. Our work can be demanding, technical, and at times isolating. This chapter provides a place to learn, but also a place to belong — for many of us in this room, it has been a place to build relationships that last decades.
Looking forward, I believe the role of the valuation professional is more important than ever. Markets are evolving. Property uses are shifting. Risk is being evaluated in new ways. And times of uncertainty — as we all know — are when the value of expert valuation professions like us becomes most evident. Our chapter has a crucial role to play in equipping appraisers to meet these challenges with confidence and clarity.
I want to offer a simple but important call to action: stay engaged. Share your experience and knowledge. Invest in one another. Join a committee. Mentor a younger appraiser. Help develop a seminar or educational offering for our chapter members. Ultimately, this chapter is not defined by its events or its committees — it is defined by its people. Your knowledge, your voice, and your participation matter. I look forward to serving this chapter alongside you this year, and encourage you to share your ideas and suggestions with me.
Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility. Together, I believe we can continue to strengthen this chapter, honor its legacy, and build a future that reflects the very best of our profession.
Best regards,
Daniel C. Webb, MAI
President of Metro NJ Chapter 2026
dwebb@webbappraisal.com
