Cliff began his career in the appraisal profession working in various positions for Canada Mortgage and Housing in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, before relocating to Saint John, New Brunswick, as the Real Estate Manager in 1981.
In 1984, Cliff joined the staff of de Stecher, Miller & Associates Limited and in 1985, he and David Babineau purchased the firm and renamed it as de Stecher Appraisals Ltd.
Cliff served as the President of de Stecher Appraisals Ltd. from 1985 to 2003. From 2003 to 2016, he stepped back a bit and served as Vice-President of the firm and although he sold his shares in 2016, he continued to provide real estate appraisal and consulting services to select clients.
While Cliff participated in a variety of interesting assignments over his career, the work he was most passionate about was assisting in the resolution of long-standing First Nations Land Claims. His ability to conduct historical research and to prepare complex valuation models was invaluable. Cliff had the goal of delivering 110% on every assignment.
In addition to his work as a real estate appraiser, Cliff was very active as a long-term volunteer with Saint John Non Profit Housing. As such, he was an integral part of the team during the development of "Leinster Court", a 52-unit mixed income apartment building. More recently, Cliff was very involved in the planning for "The Wellington", a 42-unit mixed income apartment building being developed on a signature site in the Uptown. In 2009, Cliff received a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club in Saint John for his community contributions.
We at de Stecher Appraisals Ltd. believe there are three words that best describe Cliff and the actions he will be remembered by the most: honest, intelligent and tenacious.
Cliff was, in the words of more than one client, "honest as the day is long." While honest can mean free of deceit and sincere, it can also mean blunt and plain-spoken. Cliff was all of these things.
The word intelligent can be defined as, "having the ability to easily learn or understand things or to deal with new or difficult situations." Seldom, does a definition provide such an accurate description of a person. Cliff was one of the most intelligent appraisers in the profession, and he was always willing to share his knowledge with both clients and colleagues.
The word tenacious, whose synonyms include resolute, firm and persistent, embodies Cliff's spirit. Combined with his honesty and intelligence, he was a force to be reckoned with in both his professional practice and volunteer activities.
While we will continue to miss Cliff, his powerful but quiet presence can still be felt.