MAA President's Message
November/December Message
Wow! It’s finally here, my final President’s letter. The year 2025 has been full of personal and professional challenges for me; from my first-born graduating high school, to overseeing the actions of this Association and helping plan what turned out to be one of our best attended conferences in recent years.
I have to say, reflecting on the close of this year I find some relief, but also great satisfaction. Sometimes life comes at you fast, and it’s helpful to have the support of those around you at home and at work to help make it through the days. To that end, I want to share an excerpt of my speech from the Annual Banquet at Conference for those of you who were not in attendance:
“ I have been a member of this association since 2006 or early 2007, and if you’ve heard me speak at all in those years, you’ve heard me pontificate about the value of a professional network. I can’t count the myriads of times and topics I’ve called, texted, and emailed my peers to ask if they’ve encountered something that’s showing up on my desk, and how they handled it within the laws and scope we’re allowed.
We’ve been blessed, as a profession, to have positive relationships developing with the State Tax Commission over the past 10 years or so. Further, to keep communication channels open between our organization and the Michigan Tax Tribunal and other important organizations close to legislative influence in our field. Knowing we’re all here because we care about doing our jobs well, fairly, and equitably, helps bring the conversations and professional relationships to a human level.
Several years ago, I heard Past- President Meyaard say something compelling during his banquet speech. He said, “My success is borne on the back of my wife.” Likewise... My every success is due to the support of my husband and family. My children who watched mom every night at the kitchen table finishing her college degree. My husband who worked night shift as a K9 and Special Response Team police officer, and who I couldn’t be prouder of. We are a close-knit family that we joke “travels in a pack.” I am grateful for the pack we’ve built and the support we provide each other. To that end, I think there is something incredibly special about having a professional association such as ours that, really, rather provides you with a professional FAMILY. ”
In addition to presenting my President’s Awards to the ever-deserving Kim Liberati, Sharon Raftary, Stephanie Boerman, Stacey Bassi, and Bill Brandon, I was blessed to bring home the Zangerle Award from the IAAO Conference and present it to its rightful recipient, our MAA Magazine Editor Chris Boggus.
We also made the current President-Elect of the IAAO, Bill Healey, an honorary Michigander and presented him with a Pewabic plaque. Overall, conference was a superb event, and we couldn’t have done it, or frankly anything on a daily basis, without our professional family.
Thank you all for being a part of that family for me, and for supporting me this year. I look forward to continuing to support the Michigan Assessors Association through the remainder of my term, next year as your Past-President in support of the 2026 Board of Directors, and in the future in whatever capacity the Association finds suitable for me.
Your friend and kinsman, Liz
Elizabeth A. Tobias, MAAO (3)
2025 President, Michigan Assessors Association