The Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD) has announced that Chief Appraiser Mike McKibben plans to retire effective December 31.
In the announcement, Hill CAD said, “McKibben’s departure concludes an almost 26-year tenure at the helm of Hill CAD and caps off a remarkable appraisal career built on foundational family values, genuine kindness and unyielding integrity spanning over four decades.”
McKibben’s lifelong passion for his profession began close to home, learning the ropes alongside his parents at their family appraisal firm. It was there, doing insurance appraisals and contracting with Texas appraisal districts starting in 1980, that he developed his work ethic.
That early foundation gave him the unique opportunity to travel the state serving property owners across more than 50 different appraisal districts. He brought that rich, compassionate understanding of diverse communities to the Galveston Central Appraisal District as an appraiser and department supervisor (1987–1995), and later to the Franklin County Appraisal District as chief appraiser (1995–2001), before finding his true home in Hill County.
Hill CAD said that while McKibben brought a “warm, human touch” to the office every day, his leadership also yielded professional results.
Under his guidance, Hill CAD achieved a stellar operational record, consistently passing the State Comptroller’s Methods and Assistance Program (MAP) reviews with never less than a perfect 100% rating. More importantly to McKibben, this meticulous accuracy ensured that no local school district ever lost a single dollar of vital state funding due to invalid appraisals—protecting the education of Hill County children.
“My retirement is filled with bittersweet emotions. Serving the citizens of Hill County and our local community for close to 26 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” McKibben shared. “I am deeply grateful for the wonderful colleagues, lifelong friends and community partners who made this journey so incredibly fulfilling. I have been very blessed for the opportunity to lead, guide and mentor so many in this profession.”
He added, “I hope my vision, hard work, commitment and dedication leave an unforgettable mark on our organization, the property owners of Hill County and our profession in general. More than anything, I am walking away confident that I have always treated people fairly, honestly and with the respect they deserve.”
Beyond his professional achievements, McKibben’s dedication to enhancing the quality of life in Hill County and across Texas is reflected in his extensive civic and leadership footprint.
He represented Hill County at the state level, serving as president of the Texas Association of Assessing Officers (TAAO) and served on numerous committees. He has served as chair of the Institute of Certified Tax Administrators Board.
McKibben also served as a regional director and on several committees of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts (TAAD), and he was a member of the committee for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission regarding local government records.
Locally, he has served as a board trustee for the Aquilla Independent School District and as a board member for Leadership Greater Hillsboro.
He currently serves as a board member for the Education Service Center, Region 12.
His civic involvement throughout the years also includes active participation in the Rotary Club, Lions Club, United Way, Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and the Franklin County Economic Development Foundation.
Hill CAD has retained Guardian Advisory Partners, an executive search firm, to assist the Board of Directors in finding the next chief appraiser.
Mike McKibben
