About CPPAO
Jim Snider
PRESIDENT, CAI, CPPAO
Jim grew up in the auction business and joined his father’s auction business as an auctioneer in 1978. A fulltime auction and appraisal services business known as Sydenham Auction Services served the Owen Sound/Grey-Bruce market areas across a wide spectrum of auction types including: Farm Equipment and Livestock, Estate, Antiques, Collectibles, Business, Industrial and Real Estate. Jim’s family members have all been instrumental and very involved in the Auction /Appraisal business. Two of his sons have purchased the family auction business including the 10,000 square foot Rockford Auction Centre and all associated auction and appraisal activities. Another son has 20 years of auction/appraisal experience working for leaders in the heavy equipment and transportation auction industry and his daughter, a licensed Real Estate sales person, has attained her personal property appraiser designation from the CPPAG.
His auctioneering experience allowed him to travel across the country and he has worked at and conducted auctions in BC, AB, MB, ON, QC and NS in the sale of standardbred horses, fine arts, heavy equipment and automobiles. In addition to taking over and managing and expanding the family business, Jim worked as a contract auctioneer for some of North America’s largest auction companies including: Manheim, Adesa and Ritchie Bros. From this diverse experience of selling a wide range of items, he became a trusted source and provider of appraisal services for local professionals including: estate and family law lawyers, bankers and lenders, trustees in bankruptcy, insurance agents and the general public.
He graduated from the Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) at Indiana State University in 1998. He served as the president of the Auctioneers Association of Ontario for 2 terms and was a member of the Board of Directors for several years.
In 1995 Jim co-founded Canada’s first appraiser training and accreditation organization known as the Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group (CPPAG). Up until the dissolution of CPPAG in the summer of 2025, the CPPAG organization trained and accredited more than 2200 appraisers across Canada with members from all provinces and territories.
The Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Organization (CPPAO) was founded in 2025 to provide for a transition to former CPPAG members holding the CPPA™ designation so that Canadian appraisers will continue to benefit by holding a Canadian made appraiser designation.
The CPPAO training and accreditation program has been updated and developed with adherence to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) – the standards which major appraisal organizations in North America and beyond, both real property and personal property appraisers comply with. The CPPAO Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are closely modelled after the USPAP standards.
One of the leading reasons for the success of the CPPAO program is the exceptional quality of our experienced instructors who have decades of practical experience and formal appraisal related educational credentials.
For persons who are already providing appraisal services in their respective industries and related business services who do not have a recognized appraiser designation or accreditation, the CPPAO designation will gain you recognition among the professional business community and enhance your report writing and appraisal presentation.
Mission Statement
CPPAO is a Canadian-based, nationally operating organization dedicated to the training and accreditation of personal property appraisers. Through a robust network of accredited appraisers across the country, CPPAO delivers specialized training and certification programs designed to uphold industry standards. Our membership includes professionals from diverse sectors such as auctioneering, insurance underwriting, antique and fine art valuation, seniors downsizing services, heavy equipment appraisal, museums and curators, legal and accounting services, and financial institutions involved in asset-based lending and risk assessment.
CPPAO's Objectives:
Establish a Uniform Standard
Develop and maintain consistent reporting standards for personal property appraisals that are widely recognized and trusted by end-users.
Promote Professionalism
Represent CPPAO appraisers as qualified, accredited professionals within the personal property appraisal industry.
Uphold Ethical Standards
Ensure all CPPAO graduates adhere to and actively practice the CPPAO Code of Ethics.
Grow a Diverse Membership
Expand the organization’s national network by attracting members from a broad range of professional backgrounds and areas of expertise.
How CPPAO Will Achieve These Objectives:
Mandatory Training & Examination
Require all Members in Good Standing to successfully complete comprehensive training seminars and pass the certification exam.
Personal Disclosure Requirement
Require all applicants for Member in Good Standing status to submit a Personal Disclosure Form outlining any potential fiduciary responsibilities to clients.
Annual Renewal & Commitment
Enforce an annual membership renewal process, including a reaffirmation of each member’s commitment to CPPA0’s standards and ethics.
Ongoing Communication & Education
Engage members through newsletters, special bulletins, continued education opportunities, and access to curated research resources.
Our History
1995
Jim Snider and his co-founder and their qualified instructors conduct their first Canadian Personal Property Appraiser training and accreditation course in June 1995, in Calgary, AB.
2002
Canadian Personal Property Appraiser training and accreditation has now reached over 500 members in Halifax, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
2009
The instructor team surpasses 1000 Graduates with members now from all 10 Canadian provinces and the Yukon Territory.
2015
At the Toronto seminar in March 2015 Jim Snider and the instructor team exceed 1500 Graduates from coast to coast to coast.
2020
In November of 2020 the first online program is delivered via Zoom due to Covid-19 restrictions.
2022
In February of 2022, in a Zoom virtual classroom setting, the total number of Canadian Personal Property Appraisers trained surpassed 2000.
2025
In the summer of 2025, the Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group (CPPAG) partnership was dissolved and Jim Snider formed the new organization The Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Organization (CPPAO). The Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Organization (CPPAO) was founded to provide for a transition to former CPPAG members holding the CPPA™ designation so that Canadian appraisers will continue to benefit by holding a new Canadian made appraiser designation.
