Cutting edge appraisals

opinion

by Alasdair Whyte

January 19, 2026

Jeff Dunn chose AI to help select the name of his new appraisals business - and his latest hair style.

New year. New job. New hairstyle. Jeff Dunn is starting 2026 hard with his new business: Hawthorne Aero Valuation Services.

Dunn spent the first decade of his working life maintaining aircraft for the US Air Force and then a brief spell in business jet MRO. Keen to keep learning, he became an appraiser and then spent 13 years in aircraft finance.

He worked in various roles including aircraft asset management and as an originator for banks. His resume includes stints at CIT Aerospace Business Aircraft, Citizens, PNC Aviation Finance and JA Mitsui Leasing Capital Corporation.

“I am fortunate enough to have worked at some fantastic banks and so I really understand what they need,” says Dunn. He has already been approached about consulting on asset management for some financial institutions.

He is excited about returning to valuations. Dunn has rejoined the ASA (American Society of Appraisers) and passed the ethics test. “One of the key things is that as an appraiser you do not get paid to give a number, you get paid to give an opinion,” he says.

Back to the haircut. Dunn had been debating whether to shave his head for a while. He used artificial intelligence to show him what he would look like with the new look. Only then did he reach for the razor.

He also used artificial intelligence to develop the name of his company. “One of the hardest parts about starting up a business is finding out a name for it. So we asked AI for suggestions and it came up with Hawthorne,” says Dunn.

“I loved the sound of it immediately. But then when you look into it, it stands for things like being durable, long-lived and resilient. Just like an aviation asset. I love the name both for itself and for the strength of the tree.” He takes offence if you say it works because he is also gnarly and prickly.

But Dunn believes AI will never replace a human appraiser. “I have been playing around with AI for valuations and there are some things where it can definitely play a part – I am keen to build some easy valuation tools – but human intelligence is still key for in-depth valuations,” says Dunn.

He gives the example of an aircraft valuation he has been working on for one of about 20 aircraft that were built. “I went back and looked at the last sale and luckily it was from a broker who I knew,” says Dunn. “He had no problem telling me what it had really traded at and how he viewed the market. I am hoping these relationships are going to pay dividends.”

Dunn suggests a key part of being a good appraiser is building relationships so people across the industry trust you: “Luckily, I’ve been able to build relationships over the years and that is a key piece of what I am doing.” He is also excited to be part of a younger generation of aircraft appraisers.

“I love the appraisal community; I have been lucky enough to work with so many of the leading appraisers including several who have now retired. There is a bit of an age discrepancy amongst appraisers,” he says.

He is excited about going back into valuations full time. “I have been working on my model for 15 years,” he says. “What is fascinating is how what affects an individual aircraft’s value can change over time or how the whole market can change based on different factors.”

Dunn is also happy with reactions to his haircut. “It is one of the best things I have done in ages,” he says. “There definitely is a place for AI.”