A passion for service

ValSpan Inc. brings together years of experience with an eye for details. Our professionals have had years in the business and have serviced hundreds of clients across the country and the world.

Our personnel have combined work experience of over 60 years, and are comprised of Accredited Senior Appraisers (ASA) with the American Society of Appraisers, the world’s oldest and most recognized multi-discipline appraisal organization. Our work complies with the standards and requirements of both the Appraisal Foundation’s Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and the American Society of Appraisers’ Principles of Appraisal Practice and Code of Ethics.

Shawn L. Olson, ASA

Mr. Olson is a co-founder and Principal of ValSpan, Inc., an appraisal and consulting firm specializing in valuations of complex special-purpose properties, including commercial and industrial machinery and equipment, and related personal property, and cost segregation studies. He has been engaged full-time in the appraisal profession since 1986.

Prior Experience

Prior to establishing ValSpan, Inc., Mr. Olson’s career included approximately 7 years with a regional accounting firm, and more than 11 years with a regional appraisal firm. During these tenures, Mr. Olson developed and managed valuation assignments involving real property, machinery and equipment, inventories, intangible assets and other financial interests. In addition, Mr. Olson performed asset valuations and business valuations and regularly executed engagements involving multidisciplinary appraisal assignments. Further, Mr. Olson has managed and performed cost segregation studies on new and purchased buildings/facilities for financial and income tax reporting. Mr. Olson has worked with a wide variety of clients, from Fortune 500 companies, regional and national financial institutions, public utility districts, state and local governments, leasing companies, law firms, and privately held, locally-owned businesses. Purposes include financing, leasing, ad valorem, corporate and estate planning, financial reporting, cost segregation, litigation, insurance and proof of loss, etc. Mr. Olson has appraised a variety of complex, special purpose industrial properties, including electrical distribution facilities, food/beverage processing facilities, wood processing plants, semiconductor plants, automobile and railcar manufacturing facilities, newspaper and printing operations, and others. Mr. Olson’s business valuation background enables him to consider capital stock and financial interests, and he has appraised a variety of professional service businesses.

Education

Mr. Olson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington. He earned his MBA from Portland State University. Mr. Olson has completed all four Business Valuation classes offered by the American Society of Appraisers, has taken several real estate appraisal classes offered by the Appraisal Institute, as well as current Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice classes.

Professional

Mr. Olson earned the Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) designation with the American Society of Appraisers in 1992, with a specialty in Machinery & Equipment, and is currently certified through February 2018 (member #7436). Mr. Olson is a Full Member of the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE). Mr. Olson has testified as an expert appraisal witness in Oregon Tax Court, various boards of equalization in Oregon, Washington, and California as well as bankruptcy court, civil court proceedings, and other related matters.

Download a printable PDF of Shawn Olson’s CV.