Additional Information The Southern California Chapter of the Appraisal Institute warmly invites you to join us at the 2023 Heritage Night Dinner. This year we are proud to celebrate three distinguished honorees: Beth B. Finestone, MAI, AI-GRS, FRICS, CRE Ms. Finestone has been active in appraisal since 1981 and currently specializes in valuation and consulting services for public agencies and right-of-way clients and is active in the valuation of land to be acquired for conservation or mitigation purposes. She also has expertise in special purpose properties. When Ms. Finestone began her career, she specialized in investment grade properties. She was previously a principal of Integra Realty Resources – Los Angeles and Integra Realty Resources – Orange County. This year, Ms. Finestone and her business partner sold their Integra offices to CBRE, Inc. and Ms. Finestone is currently an Executive Vice President for CBRE’s Valuation & Advisory Services group. Prior to that Ms. Finestone had her own company, Finestone & Associates. She began her career at Cushman & Wakefield and rose from being a staff appraiser to the Manager of the Downtown Los Angeles office. At that time, she was the only woman to manage a major profit center for the Company. Over the years, Ms. Finestone has mentored many junior appraisers. Past recognitions have included the Los Angeles Business Journal 2009 Nominee for Executive of the Year – Women Making A Difference in 2009, as well as Real Estate Southern California’s 2006 Women of Influence. She has been a featured speaker with the Appraisal Institute and the International Right of Way. Ms. Finestone served as the 2019 President of the SCCAI. Paula Konikoff, JD, MAI, AI-GRS Ms. Konikoff started her career in advertising, before moving to law in the late 1970s. Her practice area was focused on corporate governance, real estate, mergers & acquisition, municipal finance and commercial lending. The 1980s were focused on valuation work for institutional and corporate clients nationwide as President of the Hudson Group and later as Director of National Real Property Valuation at KPMG. In 1993 Konikoff began a sole practice specializing in arbitration & litigation support, strategic community development, pension fund services, and compliance work. In tandem with a private practice, she served for 12 years as an adjunct professor at New York University, which was followed up with ten years as an adjunct professor at New York Law School. Paula Konikoff is the 2023 Vice President of the Appraisal Institute and serves as the Finance Committee Chair. Her service record with the Appraisal Institute is exemplary and includes chairing the Professional Standards and Guidance Committee and the Women’s Initiative Committee. Ms. Konikoff is an author, educator, and a reviewer/contributor to the Appraisal Journal. Prior awards have included the AI President’s Award, and the Louise Lee Lum Award. Gilberto A. Valdez, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS, AI-RRS Mr. Valdez entered the appraisal profession in 1983 following prior experience in the construction and brokerage world. His earlier appraisal years were spent within financial institutions as a staff appraiser, reviewer, district and regional manager. Following that, he owned and operated a valuation firm, and focused on the lending and litigation communities. He received his MAI designation in 1999, his SRA in 2010, and made history as the first AI-GRS Designation recipient in 2014. Shorty thereafter, he achieved the AI-RRS designation. Past service with the Appraisal Institute includes volunteer screener service from 2000-2010 and a SCCAI Board of Directors tenure from 2007-2010. From 2010-2016 Mr. Vandez was a contract screener for the Appraisal Institute. In 2016 he retired from valuation practice and became a full time Chief Screener for the Appraisal Institute. Mr. Valdez is a past author and educator. He is a U.S. Army Veteran, proud father and grandfather. | 
