| |
President's message
 Jump on our backs!
Whew! The 2006 AASV annual meeting has finally drawn to a
close. What an experience! Great attendance, a challenging program, and another
stellar performance by the AASV office. Many thanks to Tom, Sue, Tracy, Karen, and
Tina for all the hard work. Regarding the program, Gregg BeVier's Howard Dunne
Memorial Lecture was outstanding. He gave us ideas and trends to clarify the frame
of the future, along with his thoughts on essential tools we could use to invent
our future. Drs Steve Pollmann, Gary Louis, and Jim Lowe then built upon Gregg's
vision and gave insight into the challenges, changes, and opportunities they see
forthcoming in their respective segments of the industry and in the role of the
veterinarian. Finally, Dr Roy Schultz inspired us with
the words of his timely Founder's Message, drawing the morning session to a
successful close.
Congratulations to the award winners, particularly Angela Delks from Purdue
University for her outstanding performance in the veterinary student competition.
Dr Sandy Amass gets a great deal of credit for mentoring Angela, along with
organizing this superb program with Dr Tom
Fangman. Congratulations to Dr Cate Dewey (Meritorious Service award), Dr Jim
Collins (Howard Dunne award), and my old classmate, housemate, and party mate,
Dr Mark FitzSimmons (Swine Practitioner of the Year award). My favorite moment
of the evening was seeing all the members of the FitzSimmons family entering the
room, one after another, and the smile on Mark's face. I have a special place in my heart
for the FitzSimmons family, especially Mark's dad, Mr Robert FitzSimmons. I
spent many days on their farm in Good Thunder, Minnesota, learning about swine
production and management and getting to know this great family.
The only bad news I received during the meeting was the passing of Kirby
Puckett, the Hall-of-Fame outfielder for the Minnesota Twins. Puckett was a great talent and
a true leader. I will never forget the 1991 World Series, which featured the
Minnesota Twins against the Atlanta Braves. After winning the first two games, the Twins
lost three straight in Atlanta. Prior to game six, spirits were down in the Minnesota
clubhouse. The players had lost their confidence. Not Kirby! After assessing the situation
and seeing the need for leadership, with a big smile he announced to his shaken
teammates, "Jump on my back! I'll carry you today!"
The players' spirits were lifted. They knew they were not alone. Kirby truly put
his money where his mouth was that night. All he did was make a game-saving catch
and hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the
11th inning. The Twins won the World Series, but without Puckett's
leadership at a critical moment, it would not have happened. Kirby truly rose to the
occasion and assisted his teammates when they were in need.
As I see it, the same goes for all of us as AASV members. We are a team, and
each of you is an important member of this team with a role to play and valuable opinions
to give. The ability of the AASV to function as a team will be very important as we
take on the challenges of our industry and try to promote change. A perfect example is
the eradication of PRRS from North America. Without a doubt, there will be
numerous bumps in the road and obstacles to overcome along the way. Re-infections will
occur and emotional and economical conflicts will arise as eradication attempts
fall short of stated goals. Each of us will need help from the team, somewhere along
the line.
Never fear, you are not alone. Members of the AASV Executive Committee, the
board of directors, and those involved in all of our outstanding committees are there
to help at any time. Jump on our backs! That's what we're here for. I am proud
that collectively and individually, our membership has this spirit. As long as I have
been associated with the AASV, members have always been willing to help each
other, both in good times and in bad. Therefore, as you get back to the day-to-day
challenges of swine veterinary medicine, keep the spirit of Kirby Puckett alive and
never be afraid to say to a colleague in need, "Jump on my back. I'll carry you today."
Thanks for being part of the team.
-- Scott Dee
|
|
