York, PA — Gary Heiland II, MAI, principal, Mid-Atlantic Valuation Group, Inc., has been awarded the Appraisal Institute’s prestigious AI-GRS designation (which stands for Appraisal Institute – General Review Specialist), a designation held by real estate appraisers who are experienced in general appraisal review. The designation was granted in April 2015 and Heiland was honored during a meeting of the Central PA Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. By receiving the AI-GRS designation, Heiland has joined an elite group of appraisers who have met rigorous professional requirements relating to education, testing, experience and demonstration of knowledge, understanding and ability. The AI-GRS designation is received upon the successful completion of a bachelor’s degree program, passage of a comprehensive exam and attaining 4,500 hours of qualifying experience requirements. Also, designees must abide by both the appraisal profession’s Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and the Appraisal Institute’s Standards of Professional Practice and Code of Ethics. The Appraisal Institute established a professional appraisal review designation program in response to the growing and critically important role that appraisal review plays in risk management and mitigation for many clients/users of appraisal services. The new designation program is aimed at providing professional reviewers with the knowledge and skills needed to satisfy issues related to due diligence and risk management often requested by their employers and clients.