In memoriam: Michael Miller, former member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors

Michael Gordon “Mike” Miller, a former member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors from 1998 to 2002, died October 11, 2021. He was 68.

Miller grew up on his family farm in Cumberland County, Virginia, and after graduating from Cumberland High School, he attended Virginia Tech, majoring in Agricultural Finance.

After spending several years working for the Farmers Home Administration in Orange County, Virginia, Miller moved on to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Then, in 1990, Miller founded Michael G Miller and Associates with his wife, Rene. He would eventually sell the commercial arm of the business to Colliers.

Virginia Governor George Allen appointed Miller to the board of the Virginia Housing Development Authority where he would eventually rise to the role of chairman. He was also appointed to the Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board, where he would become chairman four different times.

Miller loved Virginia Tech and saw the opportunity for a top-rated program in real estate at his alma mater. This led to the launch of the Real Estate Program in fall 2013. The program, now known as the Blackwood Program in Real Estate, recently ranked third among the nation’s top 25 real estate programs, according to Great Business Schools. Miller received the Industry Exemplary Service Award in 2017 for his efforts in creating the undergraduate academic program.

“Mike was the person who first proposed the real estate degree at Virginia Tech and brought William Park into the fold,” said Kevin Boyle, director of the Real Estate Program. “Everything has grown from an initial meeting of the three of us at an affordable housing conference in Roanoke. We owe a great debt to Mike’s foresight and perseverance.”

Miller’s list of accomplishments and designations over the years are consummate. He achieved the following designations from various real estate professional organizations; MAI, AI-GRS, and SRA from the Appraisal Institute; CCIM, Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute; FRICS, Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; Realtor Member of Association of Realtors.

He also served several positions with the Appraisal Institute: Chair of the Demonstration Appraisal Grading Panel (2010-2014); Member of the General Demonstration Report Panel (2003-2020); Board of Directors, Commercial Realtors, Richmond Association of Realtors (2009- 2012); VCU Real Estate Circle of Excellence (2009-2020); Property Use Classification System Project Team, Appraisal Institute (June 2010-2014); Admissions and Designation Qualification Committee; Designation Member, Appraisal Institute (2011-2014); Development Team for Litigation Text Community, Appraisal Institute; Charter Member of Advisory Board, Virginia Tech Real Estate Program Professional Standards and Guidance Committee (2018-2020); National University Relations Panel Member for the Appraisal Institute (2014-2020); Finance Committee for the Appraisal Institute (2015-2017); Strategic Planning Panel of the Appraisal Institute (2015); Appraisal Institute - 2014 Outstanding Service Award.

Miller also received the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture Hall of Fame Award 2010 for Outstanding Leadership in their Profession and Service to the University.

Miller is survived by his wife of 30 years, Rene; his daughter, Allison Morris; and two grandchildren, Hailey and Dawson.