About CPPAG
Jim Snider
PRESIDENT, CAI, CPPA
Jim is a second-generation auctioneer/appraiser and owner of Jim Snider’s Sydenham Auction & Appraisal Services and the Rockford Auction Centre, a full service general auction and appraisal practice. He has experience in all aspects of the industries since 1978. Jim is a co-founder, graduate and member of the Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group since 1995. He graduated from Indiana University and is a graduate and member of the Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) since 1998.
John McKenzie
VICE-PRESIDENT, CAI, CPPA
John has been active in the auction/appraisal industry since 1978. He is the President of McKenzie’s Associated Auctioneers Inc., one of Ontario’s leading commercial/industrial auction companies and operator of Ontario’s largest weekly public automobile auction. In addition, John co-founded the Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group where he’s been a graduate and member since 1995. He is a graduate of Indiana University as well as a graduate and member of the Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) since 1998.
The Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group (CPPAG) was founded in 1995 by Jim Snider and John McKenzie, both auctioneers since 1978. As the business landscape changed in Canada, so did requests for appraisal reports, especially from auctioneers who were a valuable resource for pricing information.
Increasingly, there was a noticeable demand for quality and more sophisticated appraisals from lawyers, financial institutions, governments, estate executors, bankruptcy trustees and the general public. Recognizing this trend, they both enrolled in an appraisal course outside of Canada and soon realized the need for good quality Canadian based appraisal training.
They started to develop a training program compliant with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices (USPAP) – (still the adopted business standard by major appraisal organizations in North America today). They established the Canadian Personal Property Appraiser (CPPA) designation and its Code of Ethics and Standards & Practices modelled after the USPAP Standards.
After recruiting some well experienced instructors, the CPPAG program was launched in June 1995. Since then they have trained over 1,700 course graduates from 10 provinces and 2 territories in Canada that come from a wide array of industries. The CPPAG oversees a current active membership of nearly 800.
Today, the CPPA designation is a highly regarded and sought-after requirement for many users of professional appraisal services.
Mission Statement
CPPAG is a Canadian made, national, personal property appraisal organization comprising a network of accredited appraisers spanning from coast to coast. CPPAG provides personal property appraisal training and accreditation to its members who come from a diversity of backgrounds including: auctioneers, insurance professionals, antique dealers, heavy equipment dealers, lawyers, accounting, banking and lending institutions.
CPPAG's objectives are:
TO ESTABLISH A UNIFORM STANDARD for Personal Property Appraisal reporting that users of appraisal reports will recognize as the necessary standard;
TO PROMOTE A PROFESSIONAL impression as qualified, accredited personal property appraisers;
TO ENSURE THAT CPPAG GRADUATES maintain and practice the CPPAG Code of Ethics; and
TO EXPAND OUR MEMBERSHIP BASE and national network of Members in Good Standing from a diverse area of expertise.
We will accomplish these objectives by:
Requiring all candidates accepted for Member in Good Standing status to complete a Personal Disclosure Form containing information related to potential fiduciary responsibilities to their clients;
Requiring an annual renewal and renewed commitment from each member; and
Communicating to members through newsletters; special bulletins; encouraging continued education; member’s forum & message board and helpful research links.
Our History
1995
Jim Snider, John McKenzie and a number of other instructors conduct their first CPPAG Course and Graduates in June 1995 in Calgary, Alberta.
2002
The CPPAG reaches 500 Course Graduates in April 2002, now having piloted numerous courses in Halifax, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
2009
CPPAG surpasses 1,000 CPPA Graduates at their February 2009 course in Calgary, Alberta, having now taught appraisers from the 10 Canadian Provinces and the Yukon Territory.
2015
At the March 2015 course in Toronto, the CPPAG and its instructors exceed 1,500 Graduates from coast to coast across Canada.
