About Us - History of A.L. Wagner Appraisal Group A.L. Wagner & Co. was founded in 1914 by Alvin Louis Wagner, Sr. as primarily a real estate sales, consulting, mortgage banking, and development firm. Al Senior and his brother Percy was involved in land development on the south side of Chicago and the Southern Suburbs. In 1930, during the Great Depression, the brothers parted ways as Percy E. Wagner began a successful Real Estate Appraisal career and Alvin Senior remained a builder, developer, and real estate sales. Percy earned his MAI designation from the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers in 1934, and was the national president in 1964. A. L. Wagner & Co. closed upon Alvin Senior's death in 1965 and was reopened solely as a real estate appraisal and consulting firm by son, Alvin L. Wagner, Jr. in 1970. Al started in the real estate appraisal field in 1955 while in high school under the training of Frank Muriello, a prominent Chicago area appraiser and his uncle, Percy E. Wagner, who was Senior Vice President of Oak Park Federal Savings and Loan. Upon graduation from college in 1962, Alvin Jr., went to work for Beverly Bank in Chicago, IL as a real estate loan officer and chief appraiser. Alvin first became active in corporate relocation appraising in 1965. In 1967, Al went to work for C. A. Bruckner & Assoc. as an associate appraiser where he remained until 1970 when he reopened A. L. Wagner & Co. as an appraisal and consulting firm. Al's son, Alvin "Chip" III, began his appraisal career similar to his father. He co-signed his first appraisal report before he had a drivers license. Chip worked for the family business throughout his high school and college years where he was trained by his father. Upon graduation from Bradley University in 1990, Chip joined the firm full time. On the national scene, Al has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the relocation industry for more than twenty-five years. Son Chip has built his own reputation in the appraisal and relocation industry. Chip was the 2001 President of the Chicagoland Corporate Relocation Council (CRC) and was the 14th appraiser to earn ERC's Senior Certified Relocation Professional (SCRP) designation in 2001. He is a past board member, officer and past President (2004) of the elite Relocation Appraisers and Consultants (RAC), a national organization of appraisers specializing in relocation. Chip is the 2008 Secretary for the Chicago Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. In 2000, Al began enjoying his retirement, spending winters in Fort Myers fishing and golfing, and summers back in Flossmoor playing more golf.  He remains on as a consultant. Effective January 1, 2001 we announce the name change from A. L. Wagner & Co. to A. L. WAGNER APPRAISAL GROUP. This appraisal firm has served Chicagoland since 1970. Ownership in the firm has been passed on from the founder Alvin L. Wagner, Jr., SRA, RM, SCRP to his son, Alvin “Chip” L. Wagner III, SRA, ASA, IFA, SCRP. Chip has been operating the firm since 1999.   Alvin L. Wagner, Jr., SRA, RM, SCRP Founder, Consultant Al is Founder of A.L. Wagner & Co. (later known as A. L. Wagner Appraisal Group) and had over 43 years invested in the real estate appraisal discipline at his retirement, dating back to 1957. While active, Al's professional affiliations included the Appraisal Institute (previously affiliated with both the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers as an RM Member and the Society of Real Estate Appraisers as an SRA Member before the 1991 merger of the two organizations), the Employee Relocation Council (E-R-C), and was a founding member of the Relocation Appraisers and Consultants (RAC - formerly Relocation Appraisers Consortium), National Association of REALTORS (NAR), Real Estate Appraisal Section of the National Association of REALTORS, Illinois Association of Real Estate Boards, Lambda Alpha national land fraternity, South/Southwest Association of REALTORS, and the Corporate Relocation Council (CRC). In 2000, Al stepped aside from day to day operations and turned over the business to son Chip. He no longer accepts fee assignments and is available in a limited consulting role as he enjoys his retirement. See Alvin L. Wagner, Jr.'s resume