In Memory of Miles Etter, MAI
Tribute to Miles M. Etter, MAI
Reeves Lukens

I was honored when asked by President Eileen Lynn to help present this tribute to Miles M. Etter, MAI.

I was pleased to be asked, but concerned over my ability to properly honor Miles Etter, now deceased. Miles was truly a distinguished Member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers and later the Appraisal Institute. He was distinguished by his unique commitment to the organization. His entire career was devoted to Real Estate Appraising and his real love was in teaching and working with those who were intent on receiving their designation in the Institute. While we will talk more specifically about that involvement, I thought we should start with a bit of history.

Miles began his real estate career in the mid-1950’s by responding to a newspaper ad for a real estate position with the Equitable Life Insurance Company. Charlie Thomas, Warren Bevan and Dan Dinote, members of our chapter, and others whose names now slip me, were also part of Equitable’s City Mortgage Division here in Philadelphia. I first met Miles about 1958 when I started as a trainee with Jackson-Cross Company.

While working at Equitable, Miles took the necessary courses, met the other requirements and received his MAI designation in 1964. By all accounts he worked tirelessly to be the best appraiser he could be. In 1974 Miles was elected to serve as President of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers - Chapter #9 as we were known in those days. In 1986 he was awarded the designation of Counselor of Real Estate by the American Society of Real Estate Counselors. Miles was a loyal member of both organizations and he was known for never compromising his principles.

Miles Etter ultimately left Equitable to run his own business in Center City, the Miles M. Etter Co. Later, he joined Joe Pasquarella and his team. Miles retired in 1993.

To my recollection, and of this I am quite certain, there was probably never a harder worker, or an MAI more committed to the health and well-being of the AIREA and later AI, than Miles.

He served locally and nationally in the governance of the Appraisal Institute. The man was tireless and relentless in his pursuit of what he believed was right for the organization. At the local level, he went through the Chairs and served as Chapter President in 1974. At the national level he served for many years in the area of admissions. He was THE authority on the admissions regulations – second to none. He was the architect of Experience Rating for the National Admissions Committee. Again, an example of his tireless commitment to the organization.

When I had the good fortune to be elected National President of the AIREA in 1984, I promptly called Miles to see if he would consider serving as National Chairman of Admissions with a corresponding seat on the Executive Committee. Miles decided he couldn’t do it because he had just been elected Regional Vice President. He felt committed to serve the people who elected him and that Regional Vice President had to be his place at that time. While disappointed, I was very respectful of his position. Miles then served several years as Regional Vice President.

In 1991, Miles was awarded the Harrison-Winder Memorial Award for his continued excellence in the appraisal profession as a practitioner, analyst, counselor, teacher and lecturer. After the unification of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers and The Society of Real Estate Appraisers, also in 1991, Miles went on to serve the new organization as well as the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation.

At the same time Miles was volunteering so much of his time and energy to the AIREA, he was also a first class practitioner as head of his own firm and later with Joseph Pasquarella. Joe is here tonight and may have something to add.

By way of review, the following is at least a partial list of Miles’ service commitments to the AIREA. It’s not a complete list as we could not get information prior to 1981.

1981-82 National Admissions Committee
1982-84 National Governing Council
1983 Chair of the Central Atlantic Regional Committee
1984 National Vice Presidents Committee
1985-86 Vice Chair on the Planning and Policy Review Committee
1986 Planning and Policy Review Committee, Past Regional Vice President
1987-1990 Trustee, Real Estate Appraiser Group Insurance Trust
1990 Chair of Real Estate Appraiser Group Insurance

Then, with the Appraisal Institute, he did the following:
1991-94 Trustee, Real Estate Appraiser Group Insurance Trust
1991-94 Admissions Appeal Board, Region VI
1992-94 Director, Trust Fund Committee

Put this all together and you can appreciate the huge investment of time and energy that Miles put into this organization that we are a part of, and which for the most part, has served us all well. I would suggest that at least to some degree, we are all indebted to Miles for his contributions.

Before concluding, I would like to just fill you in on a few things about Miles Etter, the man.

He was born in Philadelphia and, prior to marrying, lived at 3455 School House Lane. It’s kind of ironic since our Chapter is making a donation in his name to Philadelphia University – virtually across the street.

Miles was a Navy Veteran and served in World War II. He elected to get re-stationed in Okinawa hoping to see his brother Charles who was serving there in the Army. Miles placed an ad in the Army newspaper for the whereabouts of Charles Etter. He got a call and was able to meet up with his brother. Miles dressed in army officer’s clothing and they had dinner at the Army Officer’s Club! Just goes to show how much Miles cared about his family.

Miles attended Drexel University and graduated in 1950. He was an outstanding athlete and in 1977 was inducted into the Drexel University Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in Track and Field. He set records in the 100 yard dash and 220 yard dash, and some of his records remain unbroken.

Miles married Jane in 1953. She is a neat lady and always accompanied Miles to the Institute’s national meetings. He was a devoted father to four sons.

All in all, and by way of conclusion, President Eileen Lynn was right when she decided to honor Miles Etter at this meeting. I was in Florida when he died on February 5th and I didn’t know about it until much later. I felt terribly bad about not knowing and not paying my respects to this man and his family. He deserved to be recognized.

Many of you never had a chance to know Miles, but I think we should all stand for a moment of silence and respect for a good and faithful MAI, Miles Etter.