Biographies of Key Staff

CYDNEY G. BENDER REENTS, MAI, President - Quality Assurance
Cydney G. Bender Reents, MAI has been in real estate appraising and consulting since 1991. Ms. Bender Reents has a complete understanding of the eminent domain process and how it affects project scope, cost and schedules. Her professional experience in real estate appraisal encompasses a broad range of property types including office, retail, multi-family, mobile homes, park land, elderly housing, condemnation, and residential subdivisions.



  • BRI Principal

  • A graduate of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, majoring in Agricultural Business Management

  • Over 18 years of appraisal experience including expert testimony

  • Construction background (project manager for Sacramento-based general contractor; this unique background enables her to grasp complicated construction issues as they relate to valuation)

  • State of California General Certified Appraiser

  • MAI designation

  • Past President Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the Appraisal Institute

  • President of the Sacramento Valley Conservancy



Qualifications
Email



STEPHEN A. ROSENTHAL, MAI, Secretary/Treasurer
Stephen A. Rosenthal has been continuously active in real estate valuation and related fields since 1969. From early 1991 until 1997 Mr. Rosenthal was an independent appraisal contractor in the Sacramento area, performing appraisal services for a variety of clients on both his own company's letterhead and for other appraisal firms. In 1997 he and Ms. Bender-Reents formed the firm of Bender Rosenthal, now Bender Rosenthal, Inc. Mr. Rosenthal has testified as an expert witness in court sponsored mediation sessions.



  • BS degree (English) from University of Wisconsin and MBA degree from UCLA

  • Forty years of real estate related experience

  • Real estate pension fund advisor to public pension funds (FIA Associates, Inc.; 1984-1991)

  • Mortgage loan underwriter/valuator for IDS Life Insurance Company (national accounts; based in Minneapolis) and a commercial property appraiser for Equitable Life Assurance Society (southwestern U.S.; based in Los Angeles)

  • Valued and acquired fee, leasehold, and mortgage interests in numerous office, industrial, retail, and apartment properties located in various metropolitan areas throughout the United States

  • State of California General Certified Appraiser

  • MAI designation

  • Licensed real estate broker

  • Past President Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the Appraisal Institute



Qualifications
Email



BOB MORRISON, PE, PMP, MBA, Vice President - ROW Project Manager
Bob Morrison brings a unique perspective to BRI. As a Registered California Civil Engineer and an experienced project manager, he provides the detailed insights into the project development process that few other appraisal and acquisition firms are capable of providing. His complete understanding of the project development process allows BRI to expedite the delivery of the ROW phase of the project. In turn, this allows the client to move the ROW project appraisal and acquisition phase off the critical path.



  • BRI Principal

  • Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) and MBA from CSU, Sacramento

  • Over 14 years of project delivery and project management experience on major infrastructure projects throughout California and Michigan

  • Complete understanding of project management principles

  • Oversight and leadership in all phases of project delivery processes including planning, design, environmental review, right of way project management, project programming and project work plan development

  • Specializes in project risk assessment, including risk planning, risk identification, risk analysis, response strategies, and risk monitoring and controlling

  • Served as the Acting Deputy County Director, CalTrans District 11 (San Diego), and as a project manager for URS Corporation

  • Tenure includes over 9 years with CalTrans, and over 3 years with URS Corporation in various project management roles



Qualifications
Email



DAVID B. WRAA, MAI, Vice President
David Wraa has a diverse appraisal background including valuation of agricultural properties, commercial properties, and special use properties. Mr. Wraa’s appraisal career began upon graduation from UC Davis in 1989, and he initially concentrated on agricultural properties, specializing in vineyards, wineries, and large ranches. In 1995 he increased his emphasis on the appraisal of commercial appraisals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area region, and Mr. Wraa achieved the MAI designation in March, 2002.



  • BRI Principal

  • BS degree, UC Davis (Agricultural Science and Management)

  • Over 18 years of appraisal experience including litigation support/consulting and right of way

  • Has performed appraisals for loan underwriting, litigation support, estate planning, and pre- and post-condemnation proceedings

  • Diverse appraisal background including agricultural properties, commercial properties, land, and subdivisions

  • Experienced in appraisal of special use properties such as theaters, health clubs, schools, marinas, and corridors

  • State of California General Certified Appraiser

  • MAI designation

  • Sacramento-Sierra Chapter Education Committee Chair and Board Member


Qualifications
Email



DERWIN DAVIS, Senior Right of Way (SR/WA), Project Acquisition Manager
Mr. Davis’ qualifications include over 20 years of experience with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the ROW function. At BRI he monitors acquisition and relocation activities to insure compliance with the many federal and state regulations that pertain to right of way projects.



  • Assistant Chief of the Division of Right of Way for over 21-years with statewide responsibility for project scheduling and management

  • Wide range of duties at Caltrans including right of way engineering, appraisal, acquisition, condemnation, business and residential relocation, property management, excess land sales, airspace development, railroad right of way, and utility relocation

  • At Caltrans, insured that all projects met the requirements of the State and Federal Uniform Relocation Assistance Program (RAP) and Real Property Acquisition Policies Acts and associated Federal Transportation Authority (FTA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Caltrans regulations

  • Liaison with the FHWA and other federal and state agencies, environmental conservancies, including regional and local governments

  • Experience and qualifications exceed those of CalTrans guidelines for Local Agency Selection of Consultants (Ref. Chapter 17 Caltrans ROW Manual) for ROW Project Management and Turn Key ROW Consultants

  • Senior Right of Way Member (SR/WA) of the International Right Of Way Association (IRWA)



Qualifications
POW
Email




MIKE LAHODNY, Review Appraiser and Right of Way Planner
Mike Lahodny served in a number of appraiser and ROW capacities in his 30+ years with Caltrans. Most recently, Caltrans selected Mr. Lahodny to manage their ROW project delivery activities for the Marysville, Eureka and Redding offices of the North Region and the Stockton office in the Central Region.



  • Over 30 years of right of way and appraisal related experience with Caltrans

  • Engineering background providing full understanding of right-of-way process

  • At CalTrans, oversight of numerous projects in 29 counties with annual capital budgets ranging from $10 to $50 million

  • Advisor and liaison support for local agency efforts for delivery of both on-system and off-system right of way activities

  • Provided appraisal review in North and Central Caltrans regions for all valuations in excess of $10,000

  • Approved instructor for the International Right of Way Association (IRWA



Email



MADISON WIGGINS, SR/WA, Senior Project Manager
Madison Wiggins has been in public real estate and right of way since 1990. He has worked for three different agencies: Caltrans, the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego. Having been involved in all facets of right of way, he previously was one of two local programs coordinators for Caltrans District 3, providing right of way oversight to local agencies for projects utilizing federal funds and projects on the State Highway System.


  • B.S. in Business Administration George Mason University

  • 18 years public agency experience, including acquisition, eminent domain, asset management, and utility relocation

  • 2 years providing Caltrans oversight to local public agencies on all facets of right of way for both on the State Highway System projects, and projects utilizing Federal funds

  • 9 years of retail/light commercial real estate and construction experience

  • 5 years land surveying experience

  • Senior Right of Way Member (SR/WA) of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA)

  • Licensed California Real Estate Broker



Qualifications
Email




JAMES HALLISSY, Relocation Specialist
James Hallissy is a licensed real estate broker with over 30-years public ROW experience with Caltrans (relocation assistance, acquisition property management, and appraisals). He provided direction to Caltrans Division of ROW on all matters concerning the federal and state Relocation Assistance Program (RAP) regulations.



  • Over 40 years public right-of-way experience

  • Instrumental in developing new and revised statewide policy for the proper conduct of the Relocation Assistance Program

  • Responsible for preparing revisions to the Caltrans Relocation Assistance and Housing Procedural Handbook

  • Caltrans liaison in the development of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act for the State of California (Government Code Section 7260)

  • Master's Degree in Public Administration from California State University Sacramento (CSUS)

  • Notary Public of the State of California



Email





STEVE PARENT, MAI, MBA, Senior Appraiser
Steve Parent's broad-based background includes engineering, management, project management, and commercial brokerage. Mr. Parent's appraisal experience involves valuation of commercial property types including retail, office, industrial, multi-family residential, mixed-use, and fractional interest. He has experience with residential subdivision valuation including single family valuation as well as special purpose properties such as churches. Mr. Parent's right of way experience includes appraisals involving partial and full acquistions of fee and easement interest. Mr. Parent's valuation experience has been focused primarily on the Sacramento Region and California's Central Valley.



  • Bachelor of Science- Mechanical Engineering, University of Cincinnati

  • Masters in Business Administration, Finance & Operations Management, University of Cincinnati

  • MAI Designation, Appraisal Institute

  • State of California Certified General Appraiser

  • Licensed CA Real Estate Broker

  • Member, International Right of Way Association (IRWA)

  • Member, Association of Commercial Real Estate Brokers (ACRE)

  • Commercial & Residential Brokerage Sales

  • Experience evaluating and streamlining processes



Qualifications
Email
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