Megan Sheeley, ARA, of Crown Appraisals in Fargo, North Dakota, is the focus of this Member Spotlight. Megan recently passed her examination to complete her Accredited Rural Appraiser designation, and currently serves as the Chair for the Membership Committee for ASFMRA National. She also serves locally as Chair of the Young Professionals Network Committee for the North Dakota Chapter.
When did you begin your career as an appraiser?I began my career in ag appraisal in 2016. I grew up on a farm in southeast North Dakota and knew I wanted to pursue some kind of career in agriculture. I noticed how ag appraisers who had been in the industry for decades were still constantly learning and doing things for the first time, and that really piqued my interest!
What ag or real estate issues are you most passionate about?I find the sugar industry to be particularly interesting. I grew up on a sugar beet farm, and my family has been involved in the industry for decades. When our firm has the opportunity to appraise sugar beet factories, sugar cane mills, and sugar refineries across the country, I am able to leverage the things I learned growing up with the things I have learned in my appraisal career. It's always interesting to see how sugar policy plays into the economics of the industry.
How does it feel to have earned your ARA designation? What was the most useful thing you learned while obtaining your ARA?It is very gratifying and humbling to join a group of such highly esteemed professionals. The relationships built with students and instructors during ASFMRA classes have been an extremely valuable benefit of pursuing accreditation. I have been able to develop my own network of professionals whom I trust and respect.
Is there any part of your professional experience that has been especially fulfilling for you? Our office has the opportunity to be involved with a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the agribusiness world - big and small. Being involved in M&A work is a real honor, because you know you are a trusted and valued partner when a company is going through a major transition in their business.