Ryan Cavanah Announces Candidacy For Assessor Of Property

Ryan Cavanah

Ryan Cavanah is a candidate for Assessor of Property in the Republican primary election to be held on March 1, 2016. Ryan is a lifelong Jefferson County resident. Born and raised in White Pine, he currently lives there with his wife of 12 years, Jennifer, and his two sons Brenden (9), and Davis (7). He is the son of former Property Assessor, Bob Cavanah, and retired public teacher, Judy Cavanah.

Cavanah has 13 years of experience working for the State of Tennessee, Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments. During that time, Cavanah worked in 42 different Tennessee counties. Cavanah explains, “Every county I went into, I tried to observe different work methodologies and practices to add to my expertise. From my varied experiences, I learned first-hand what works well and what does not. Some of my greatest insight came as I learned about different technologies that are available, technologies that could save the taxpayers of Jefferson County money while enhancing the county’s ability to ensure accurate and fair appraisals.”

Furthermore, during Cavanah’s time with the Division of Property Assessments, he led multiple successful reappraisal projects as well as audited different facets of the Assessor’s office. He shares, “I know, when elected, the citizens of Jefferson County will gain an Assessor who has the experience to ‘go to work’ on day one.”

Cavanah obtained multiple designations while working for the State of Tennessee, most notably the Tennessee Certified Assessor and Tennessee Master Assessor. Cavanah also obtained two professional designations, the Residential Evaluation Specialist (RES) and the Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE), from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), the organization that accredits Governmental workers around the world in the assessment field. The CAE is the highest designation that IAAO recognizes.

Cavanah served as the President of the Tennessee chapter of IAAO in 2015. He currently remains on their Executive Board and serves on IAAO’s Uniform of Standard of Appraisal Practices Committee.

While working for the Comptroller’s Office, Cavanah also instructed IAAO and County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) certified appraisal courses. He has written and conducted continuing education seminars for the Comptroller’s Office, as well as County Board of Equalization seminars. Cavanah states, “There is no doubt that I am qualified for the position of Assessor of Property.”

While highly qualified to be the next Property Assessor, Cavanah considers himself civic minded as well. He served on the White Pine Town Council from 2006 thru 2010 and currently serves as the Chairperson of the White Pine Industrial Development Board. The Cavanah family is a faith-based family who has been active members of the First United Methodist Church of White Pine for many years where Ryan serves as the Chairman of the Finance Committee; or you might see him driving the church van picking up children on some Sundays. Cavanah cites, “I must say that my most crowing civic achievement has been my work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dumplin Valley. I was honored to serve as President of the Board of Directors from 2012 thru 2015.”

Cavanah’s time with the Division of Property Assessments undoubtedly gives him unique work experience, and his multiple professional designations make him the most qualified. Thus, he stresses, “I am asking for your vote, I need your vote.”