Dr. R. James Claus, Co-Executive Director
The Signage Foundation for Communication Excellent, Inc.

The Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence, Inc. (www.thesignagefoundation.org)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

R. James Claus is a founding member and Co-Executive director of The Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence, Inc., a non-profit corporation organized to provide reliable education and research on signage to planners, appraisers, public officials and related professional communities.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his advanced degree from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a doctorate of philosophy in three areas: Urban Land Economics, Real Estate Finance and Analysis, and Urban Geography. He is an urban/rural land use economist, certified appraiser, and real estate developer who has spent more than 30 years researching variables that affect land value.

Since 1970, Dr. Claus has authored several books, magazine articles research studies and essays on signage-related topics and is considered a leading authority on the valuation and evaluation of a commercial site's visibility component, which includes signage in all its forms and functions. He is credited with coining the term "signage", and with pioneering a site selection and development model that is changing traditional land use planning and locational theories. He also conducts advanced educational seminars for commercial real estate appraisers, and has written a signage appraisal manual "The Value of Signs: A Guide for Property Appraisers, Brokers, Legal Professionals, Sign Users and Municipal Planners", as well as "Unmasking the Myths About Signs" (both available for order in the "Resources" section).

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