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Mr. Riggs was much sought-after as a keynote speaker on real estate investment and market trends at conferences and seminars throughout the U.S. and Europe over the past 30 years. From 2006 to 2019, he was the market trends presenter at the University of Chicago’s Annual Real Estate Conference. From 2011 through 2021, he spoke at the Deloitte Dbriefs Real Estate Series, which attracted up to 7,000 listeners. In addition, he has addressed, among others, National Associations of Realtors (NAR) Annual Conference; NCREIF; Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM); the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA); Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE); Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA); Urban Land Institute (ULI); and The Counselors of Real Estate®. All told, Mr. Riggs has given several hundred speeches to industry groups and private companies, with the audience size ranging from 50 to 7,000 or more professionals over the past 30 years.

Mr. Riggs has been active in the most recognized industry organizations during his career, earning many professional designations along the way. As 2012 chair of the Counselors of Real Estate®, one of Mr.Riggs’ major achievements was leading the effort to establish the European chapter of The Counselors, thereby strategically extending The Counselors’ vision beyond North America. The new chapter was initially based in Vienna, and Mr. Riggs worked closely with members from Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, the Czech Republic, Serbia, and the Netherlands, as well as the U.S. and Canada.

Mr. Riggs’ valuation experience has been diverse, ranging from completing independent appraisals, valuing portfolios of properties, and using valuations for fair value reporting, along with litigation support to underwriting for equity or debt investments.

He has valued the traditional core assets that include office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties. In addition, Mr. Riggs has provided valuation services on non-traditional assets such as data centers, storage facilities, and student housing, as well as specialized facilities for grain storage and processing. The property interest has involved fee simple, leased fee, and leasehold, and he has valued debt interest and partial interest. In addition to providing valuation of assets, Mr. Riggs has been intensely involved in valuation management of various quarterly funds and funds that were marked to market on a daily basis. During his career, he has valued in excess of $1 trillion of property interests. Mr. Riggs’ valuation experience spans 40 years, during which he has helped boards navigate through many business cycles due to his keen insights of cyclical impact on properties.

RERC was the independent fiduciary for the TIAA Real Estate Account (REA) from 2006 through 2021, and RERC has continued in this role since Mr. Riggs retired. This account required an independent fiduciary to oversee the account due to a requirement by the Department of Labor (DOL). Mr. Riggs served as the lead professional for the TIAA REA for the identified period. This included oversight of the valuation process and other aspects of the account and reporting to the board, which established a special subcommittee to oversee this account. The account as of 2021 was approximately $25 billion invested into a diversified property portfolio with over 5,000 retired participants as investors. On the behalf and best interests of the participants, Mr. Riggs was instrumental in guiding the account through the global financial crisis (GFC) and the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Riggs has served on the National Real Estate Advisors LLC (NREA) investment committee since 2009 and continues in 2021. In this role, Mr. Riggs, along with three other investment committee members, reviews and approves major aspects of the investment advisors’ role. The investment committee meets monthly and represents participants from major unions. Mr. Riggs has been able to assist in NREA’s mission of delivering solid, long-term returns on investments.

Mr. Riggs served as Chair of The Counselors of Real Estate in 2012, and has served on the executive committee, strategic planning committee, and many other committees with the organization over his 25-year involvement. The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) is an international organization of high-profile property professionals which include principals of prominent real estate, financial, legal, and business advisory firms, as well as recognized leaders of government and academia. In addition to a strong American base, The Counselors has expanded its global reach, with a vibrant, international presence including 20 countries.

Mr. Riggs served as a board member and executive committee member of The Appraisal Foundation between 2003 and 2005. The Appraisal Foundation is (TAF) the nation’s foremost authority on the valuation profession. TAF boards are responsible for setting congressionally authorized standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers and provide voluntary guidance on recognized valuation methods and techniques for all valuation professionals.

It is our mission to advance the valuation profession by setting standards of excellence, promoting education, and upholding the public trust. The Appraisal Foundation is a resource for appraisers, regulators, and consumers alike.