Don McReynolds

Don McReynolds is certified as an Accredited Senior Appraiser through the American Society of Appraisers, this nation's largest multi-discipline valuations group. He serves on the association's Board of Governors and is Regional Governor for seven states and Northern Mexico. Further, he holds Senior designations for Real Property and Personal Property/Automotive Specialties as well as Machinery & Equipment accreditation. He helped found the Tucson's ASA chapter in 1982. By any measure, this valuations industry veteran is supremely qualified to conduct both real and personal property appraisals providing highly credible, accurate reports. Petty and Parnelli Jones collections executives both chose Don to appraise their vehicles.

McReynolds became the fourth generation of carpenters in his family, receiving first pay for such work at age 12. He earned admission to the local Carpenters and Millwrights union at 20. Outstanding woodcrafter skills resulted in Don founding M&M Construction Company which performed home renovation projects and built new houses. As an outgrowth of working on both consumer and commercial projects, Don became an FHA/VA Building Inspector in the City of Chicago.

Don and family followed the sun to Tucson, Arizona, in 1972. He secured a position as an FHA/VA Building Inspector for Arizona traveling statewide. Simultaneously, he joined Cactus Corporation applying his varied tradecraft skills. Further home industry awareness came through a real estate sales course. Providence, speaking through a fellow class member, impressed with Don's intimate knowledge of home-building techniques, and knowing Tucson's lack of qualified appraisers , urged the energetic McReynolds became an appraiser himself. Following due diligence Don joined the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers and became certified to perform such services for real property owners. He'd found his niche.

Don then formed his own enterprise, McReynolds Appraisal & Inspection Service. Within 10 years the company was Arizona's largest, dominating the market with three offices ( Sierra Vista, Phoenix, Tucson) and 42 employees. His three children trained there and now each operate their own appraisal business. Six years ago, wanting to scale down, the successful entrepreneur sold M.A.I.S. and formed Southwest Valuations to concentrate on appraising unique and exotic motor vehicles, plus automobilia - his first love.

McReynolds' passion for unique motor vehicles weaves itself though both his family and social life. His first car was a bright Red 1939 Pontiac convertible. Parallel with busy family and professional duties Don has owned, rebuilt and, raced a various other cars, such as:

1955 - New Chevrolet V-8, 2-door sedan raced in C/Stock class at his local drag strip.

1958 - New Pontiac Catalina 2-door hardtop "Super Stocker" powered by year's most powerful 389-CID, 3-carb, V-8.

1959 - Home-built tube frame dragster, new "slant" 4-cylinder Pontiac engine ran gasoline.

1961 - New "Dragmaster" chassis, added fuel injection to Pontiac engine.

1963 - Built 7/8 scale replica of "Guzler" dragster, Pontiac engine burns Nitromethane fuel.

1968 - Sold dragster and raced motorcycle "enduro" events for two years.

1980 - New Volvo converted to dual service as family car which ran SCCA slalom events.

1986 - 1960 Elva Courier sportscar, right hand drive, raced SCCA Vintage F/Sports.

1990 - 1969 Lotus "61", raced in Vintage Formula Ford open-wheel class.

1994 - 1938 Indianapolis racer, the Lencki-Blue Crown Special, 6-cylinder "Offy" powered. - Vehicle competed in the "500" from 1938-46 and is currently valued at $850,000.

Don drove his legendary racecar at the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed held in the UK.

In 1954, McReynolds wed his life partner Barbara Knippel. It has been a family affair. Don and Barb not only raised their own children, who have further expanded the family to 4 each of grand and great-grandchildren, the couple also embraced 65 foster babies over a span from 1968-78. They opened home, arms and hearts.

After settling his family in Tucson, Don's deep sense of community responsibility led him to volunteer with the Pima County Search and Rescue Service. During his time there he became Medical Training Director and was the "go-to-guy" for perilous cadaver recovery. Don braved going underwater, into caves and repelling steep cliffs to retrieve unfortunate accident victims. Recognition of his scaling and descent talent resulted in Don being asked by the Tucson Police Department to teach repelling skills to their first SWAT team.

Don McReynolds is proudest of three lifetime accomplishments: his professional career as a nationally prominent appraiser; for more than a half-century being able to say, "I drive a racecar"; but most of all, "53-years of life and love with my wife Barb."