Mr. Mark Sonderby, ARA

National Appraiser,

USDA-NRCS

Area of Expertise

Senior Appraiser with over 38 years of valuation expertise in commercial, industrial, agricultural and recreational property. Valuation specialty in minerals, water rights, easements, special use and partial interests for a variety of clients and partners. Remotely located in Sheridan, Wyoming and am National Appraiser for the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Services easement programs. Previously Chief Appraiser for Department of Veterans Affairs Construction and Facility Management in the Office of Real Property, the National Cemetery Administration, and Leasing for Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Health Benefits. Previously worked for Valuation Group within Lands and Minerals, Southwestern Region [AZ-NM] of US Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM. Previous to that I worked for Rocky Mountain Region [Denver] for 22 years completing consulting, review and market studies on nationwide projects for the US Forest Service. These involved special use, mineral, water rights, timber, leased fee, leasehold and partial interests [easements] under “Yellow Book - UASFLA” standards to USPAP. Completed special assignments for the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice. Recipient of several awards for many special projects during career. Prior to my work for the government, I owned my own appraisal firm [5 stakeholders] that completed appraisals on a variety of recreational and commercial property all over WY, East half of MT, and parts of SD. Past President, Vice President, and Chair of committees with the Wyoming Appraisal Institute. Past President, board member, and past Chairs of Membership, Education, Review and Ethics of the Wyoming Chapter of the ASFMRA, a great organization of professionals.

Bio

Mark Sonderby started his appraisal career July of 1986 and owned a successful appraisal firm with a staff of five stakeholders in Sheridan, Wyoming. He was awarded the Accredited Rural Appraiser (ARA) designation November of 1995. July of 1999 he was Qualified Review Appraiser before becoming Senior Review Appraiser for the USDA Forest Service. He was one of many 2004 recipients for the USDA Forest Service Chief Lands Award for West Lake Creek Land Exchange. This project protected four very significant parcels, and the historic mining town of Independence, which is just below Independence Pass and above Aspen, Colorado. Sonderby received numerous other awards for significant appraisal contributions to the USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Department of Justice. He has specialized UASFLA appraisal and review experience in minerals, water rights, timber, water storage reservoirs and ski areas. In 2001, while working for the U.S. Forest Service; he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and later an MBA with honors from Regis University (2007). As part of his MBA he was awarded a life membership in Alpha Sigma Nu, a nationally recognized Jesuit fraternity, for his individual service to academics and local community. He has completed appraisal assignments in California, West Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana. Special assignments include easements for wetlands, right-of-ways, construction, utility, scenic, avigation, pipeline and conservation. Mr. Sonderby has served as an officer, chair, board and committee member at both national and chapter levels for the ASFMRA and the Appraisal Institute. He is Past President for the Wyoming Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, and the Wyoming Chapter of the ASFMRA. He has been an instructor for appraisal and wildland fire training courses-seminars for the Forest Service and the ASFMRA since 2000, and has more than 300 hours of teaching experience. Mark is married, enjoys time with family and friends, airplanes, fishing, and volunteering time within his church, a Jesuit fraternity, his local community or his own neighborhood.

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