2019 Winter Newsletter

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: KALANI COONER

Name: Kalani Cooner

County: Pinellas

What do you do for the PA? My position is in the Tangible Personal Property department as an Ap- praiser 3. I canvass an area for new businesses, process returns, and defend values at the Value Adjustment Board. I also educate the public about assessing tangible property. How long have you been employed by the PA? I have been with the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office for over 4 ½ years. I got my start in Tangible Personal Property in Yuma County, Colorado at the age of 21. I was hired as a temporary clerk

Kalani Cooner

and after 6 months the County Assessor, Roberta Helling, gave me the opportunity to learn many aspects of the job and I became a Tangible Appraiser. I left when the County Assessor retired and ventured into Fee Appraising Real Property. When my second daughter was born, I started to look for a job in the public sector. I interviewed in Pinellas County and was offered the job the next day. Since I started with the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office, my life has taken another path, quite different from where I was born. We have established ourselves in Florida with many friends and now have a new place to call home. I always try to volunteer myself for whatever arises, whether it’s to take trainees out in the field or help any co-worker with a task. I try to lead and guide new em- ployees within the PA office by giving them the advice I give my daughter and those I hold so dear; that is, “Surpass people’s expectations of you and be more than what people think you are. Just al- ways remember potential is a beautiful thing”. What do you like most about your job? What I like the most is assisting the public. I strive to end every conversation on a good note. You can’t make everyone happy, but I sure do try! Where were you born? I was born in a small town called Keala Kekua, Hawaii. I was born and raised in Hawaii and moved to Colorado when I was 16 where my father was attending school. I fell in love with Colorado with its diverse landscape and culture.

Where was your best vacation ever? A trip to California. A close friend in the movie business invited us for a week. We went to Disney- land and rode Space Mountain at least five times. We also went to the House of Blues for a large charity event and heard the band “Big Mountain.”

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Winter 2019 Newsletter of the FCIAAO