RGA and Leading Causes Release White Paper on Paying Appraisers Full Fees

JIM THORPE, Pa., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rick Grant of RGA Public Relations and Jeff Schurman of Leading Causes have released an industry white paper entitled "The Appraisal Management Company Full-Fee Hypothesis." This is the first paper in a series the two plan to write in 2012, while also working with a number of mortgage technology thought leaders to produce other papers.

"I'm very proud of the work we've done on this paper," said Grant. "While the conclusions we have reached are bound to stir up controversy, this is an issue the industry needs to start taking very seriously. I hope we are able to help key industry players carefully consider the actions they need to take to move our industry forward."

"The AMC wholesale, split fee or discounted fee model is 30 years old now," said Schurman, who previously served as executive director of the Title/Appraisal Vendor Management Association. "A lot has changed in the mortgage settlement services industry particularly in the last 5 years. What we offer are 20 self-serving benefits to the AMC industry that result from paying full fees and charging a service charge to the lender. We believe the entire industry will be better served if we adopt this standard."

Grant and Schurman began writing white papers for industry thought leaders earlier this year and are reaching out to a select group of CEOs who may want to publish additional material.

"The government has created a super-regulator in the CFPB that may or may not hear the real needs of our industry," said Grant. "Now is the time to show the government that our executives are thought leaders. If we fail to do so, we can expect the government to continue its relentless hostile takeover of our business and we'll have no one to blame but ourselves."

RGA and Leading Causes are making available many methods by which interested industry leaders can share their thoughts. For more information, visit www.rga-pr.com.

About Leading Causes
LeadingCausesLLC helps organizations align their leadership culture and communicate in ways that allow them to deliver on brand promises. The firm is led by Jeff Schurman, who serves as an advisor and administrator to non-profit and for-profit organizations. Jeff is the editor of the Mortgage Third Party Risk Blog and the author of numerous articles and papers including "The Three-Day Convention in the Real Estate Settlement Services Industry." He is the former executive director of the Title Appraisal Vendor Management Association (TAVMA). Jeff is a frequent conference speaker, panel moderator, and lecturer on topics relating to entrepreneurship, business development, and leading supplier/client relationships. He holds an M.A. in Leadership and Liberal Studies from Duquesne University and a B.S. in Business Administration and Management from La Roche College. He holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives.

About RGA PR
RGA Public Relations (RGA) provides business leaders with customized strategic messaging solutions designed to establish a strong market presence, expand company awareness and significantly increase sales and revenue. Founded by Rick Grant, the Jim Thorpe, Pa.-based RGA team delivers proven results to industry-leading decision makers, continually positioning them ahead of their competitors. With demonstrated experience writing, editing, and developing award-winning marketing and communication strategies for clients, RGA is uniquely positioned to successfully deliver tactical marketing and communications solutions, white papers, and media and public speaking training. To learn more about the company, visit http://www.rga-pr.com.

Contact: Cassandra McSparin, 570-325-2818

SOURCE RGA Public Relations