RLI Chapter News

Alabama • alabamarli.com

The RLI Alabama Chapter hosted a spring/ summer seminar June 17-18. The seminar was approved for six hours of Alabama Real Estate CE.

Session topics included the basics of conservation easements with Katherine Eddins and J.D. Reg. Forester, Executive Director, Georgia-Alabama Land Trust and Alabama law pertaining to oil, gas and minerals with Ken Davis, P.C. of Equity Title Company.

Colorado • coloradorli.com

The RLI Colorado Chapter’s January marketing session was held virtually with 35 members and sponsors represented. While everyone would have preferred it to be in person, it was still a great meeting with some great, but limited, properties to talk about.

The chapter’s May marketing meeting was held in Colorado Springs with more than 60 in attendance. Some were attending for the first time, and guests from Oklahoma and Kansas attended as well.

The May education session was a coordinated effort with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) Colorado Chapter. The class focused on “Colorado Wildfires – Implications on Land Values and Management” and was offered as a hybrid class. Speakers from USFS and BLM spoke about the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program, Emergency Stabilization & Burned Area Rehabilitation. Others addressed post-fire drainage and timber remediation and rehabilitation; post fire basin flood maps and models; programs and funding available to assist landowners with repairs; the impacts of burn severity and parcel size that can influence value loss and insight on value recovery over time.

It was an information-packed class, and brokers and appraisers were eligible to receive five hours of continuing education credit for attending.

Georgia • rligeorgiachapter.com

The RLI Georgia Chapter is in full swing with live LANDU courses and scheduled networking events for 2021. The chapter presented a successful Land 101: Fundamentals of Land Brokerage course in February with 32 in attendance. The following courses are scheduled for 2021: Recreational Land (May 26-27, Cartersville, GA); Land 101: Fundamentals of Land Brokerage (June 16-17, Columbus, GA); Transitional Land (August 16-27, location TBA). The chapter’s LANDU courses for Fall & Winter 2021 will be posted at rligeorgiachapter.com.

The chapter will host a multi-state event November 11-12 at Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA. The event will offer two 3-hour CE courses, one each day, and multiple networking opportunities scheduled throughout the multi-state event. The Georgia Chapter’s Annual Meeting and installation of new officers is scheduled for December 9 at the Georgia Forestry Association in Forsyth, GA.

Illinois • rliillinoischapter.com

The RLI Illinois Chapter has felt the pains of social distancing within our group and look forward to in-person social events in the near future! In December 2020, the chapter was to offer its annual Managing Brokers Course, with instructor and subject matter expert, Norm Willoughby. With the assistance of IL Realtors and RLI National, the event was rescheduled to be held virtually in March 2021. While it is certain the members would have preferred to meet and connect with other members in person, it was an opportunity to discuss the current market and come together, even if by Zoom.

With local COVID restrictions lifting, the Illinois Chapter will be hosting a networking event for members in June 2021. With no formal education or agenda planned, the chapter hopes to provide a sense of normalcy and provide a space where members can come together to brainstorm and connect.

The chapter is continuously looking to increase membership and engagement and has had several new members this year. The chapter is also reassigning committee appointments, hoping to breathe new life into these groups and engage new members. The Illinois Chapter looks forward to a prosperous and exciting 2021!

Iowa • rliiowachapter.com

The RLI Iowa Chapter held its spring seminar in March in conjunction with the ASFMRA Iowa Chapter. More than 120 people attended the one-day hybrid training event. Topics included Macro-Economic Issues in Farm Transition, Soil Health, real estate pattern changes, the impact of poultry production in Iowa and a weather update. The Iowa Chapter also released their Spring Land Trends and Values Survey results. rliiowachapter.com/rli-land-trends-values

The Iowa Chapter will offer Subdivision Land Development August 30-31 and a Law Update class targeted to land professionals on September 29. Both classes will be held in West Des Moines, IA. More information is available at rliiowachapter.com/education.

Kansas • rlikansaschapter.com

The Chapter was not highly active the first months of 2021, but is looking forward to the second half of the year. Visit rlikansaschapter.com for information about upcoming events.

Oklahoma • rlioklahomachapter.com

The Oklahoma Chapter held a successful Land 101: Fundamentals of Land Brokerage class early in March in McAlester, OK. Tim Hadley, alc, was the instructor and did a great job teaching, as well as promoting the benefits of belonging to RLI. There were 17 people in attendance, and several of those that were non-members have since become chapter members.

The chapter is pleased to announce that it started a scholarship fund in memory of Sherman Shanklin, alc, a beloved chapter member who passed away this past December. If you would like to learn more about the scholarship or donate, visit rlioklahomachapter.com/scholarshipinformation.

Tennessee • rlitennesseechapter.com

The Tennessee Chapter was happy to have a small VNLC21 watch party with friends from the Georgia Chapter in Chattanooga, thanks to our sponsor & event venue, Croy Engineering. Attendees included: President Shawn Massey, alc; Immediate Past President & RLI Director at Large Geoff Hurdle, alc; Chapter Administrator Brittany Hurdle; Chapter Director Thomas Krajewski, alc; Georgia Chapter President Mike Garrett, alc; Georgia Chapter Immediate Past President Raborn Taylor, alc; and RLI legend Bob Hatcher, alc.

The Tennessee Chapter would like to thank RLI again for selecting them as Chapter of the Year & Miss Brittany Hurdle as Chapter Administrator of the Year. The chapter is ecstatic to host the 2021 LANDU Education Week in Murfreesboro, TN and continue to serve not only the Tennessee members but all RLI members through our worldclass LANDU courses and networking opportunities. The chapter truly believes that when you help one person succeed, we all succeed.

Texas • rlitexaschapter.com

The RLI Texas Chapter has returned to offering in-classroom courses and in-person meet-up events!

In April 2021, instructor Ben Crosby, alc, taught a sold-out Subdivision Development course. Thank you to Texas Farm Credit in Brenham for hosting.

Also in April, the chapter held a meet-up featuring guest speaker and attorney Jacob Merkord who presented on navigating and negotiating eminent domain. This event was held at the Historic Moravian Hall, established in 1913 and fitting for the RLI history of the group of farm brokers gathering for the first time in 1920. The event closed with a marketing session.

Join the Texas Chapter for Land Real Estate Site Selection Sept 7-8 in Rockwall, TX and Land 101: Fundamentals of Land Brokerage Nov 10-11 in Georgetown, TX. Register at rlitexaschapter.com and follow the chapter on Facebook to stay up to date for upcoming classes and another meet-up in October.

Upper Midwest • rliminnesotachapter.com

Congratulations to chapter member, Chuck Wingert, alc, for being named 2020 Land REALTOR of America at the Virtual National Land Conference. This is a well-deserved honor.

The chapter held a virtual meeting on January 19, which included chapter news updates and time for member networking and marketing discussion. The next chapter virtual meeting will be held on July 20. The chapter will host its annual meeting on August 11. The chapter board of directors elected to hold another virtual meeting as it was not yet known what COVID-19 safety guidance may be in place. Speakers and schedule are being finalized to give everyone in attendance a great meeting. Everyone is looking to again have an inperson annual meeting in 2022!

After having the chapter’s region expand to include members in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the chapter’s board of directors voted to change the chapter’s name to RLI Upper Midwest Chapter in March with the approval from the RLI National board of directors. The chapter board felt it extremely important that the chapter name be representative of its members.

Wyoming • rliwyomingchapter.com

The Wyoming Chapter used downtime in the first half of 2021 to work on plans for a ranch tour, which was held June 23-24 in the Cody area. Attendees visited several ranches and heard from speakers on the various properties about the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust Conservation Easement Program. An Irrigation District on one of the properties gave an overview of management and operations in conjunction with the Bureau of Reclamation. Contact Maggie Thomas at rliwyomingchapter@ gmail.com for more information about the Wyoming Chapter.