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President’s
message
 Up, up, and away!
I can’t believe it: my last President’s message.
What a year! It went so fast, I can’t believe it’s
actually almost over. It seems like just yesterday that Dr John
Waddell was twisting my arm in a bar in St Paul to run for the
office of vice president. Well, John, thanks for applying that
extra bit of pressure, because I have truly benefited from this
experience in so many ways that I never expected. I feel that I
have grown as a person, developed a broader vision, and learned so
much from so many. Here are just a few examples.
I have come to understand the necessity of
transparency
When I was elected vice president, I received a lesson from Dr
Steve Henry on the importance of transparency and the need to
disclose potential conflicts of interest. Steve taught me that as
an elected official, when I spoke to the membership, I needed to
state my sources of research funds, consulting arrangements, etc,
to build the highest level of trust possible. He explained that
when people have the facts, they can develop opinions that are
based on information, not misinformation. While it felt a little
awkward at first (it’s kind of like dropping your pants in
public, if you catch my drift), I have come to enjoy acknowledging
my sources of support, and the feedback from members and sponsors
has been very positive. I am also pleased to see others adopting
this practice.
I have come to understand the value of taking the high
road
One of the best things about being an AASV officer is the
opportunity (and privilege) to work closely with Dr Tom Burkgren,
our executive director. I have learned a great deal from watching,
listening to, and conversing with Tom over the years. I have always
respected Tom for his ability to “take the high road”
at all times. In other words, to maintain a positive attitude,
avoid “verbal bashing,” and seek to be part of the
solution rather than part of the problem. I readily admit that this
was not one of my strengths when I took office, and I still can do
better. However, as your president, I realized I needed to
represent our organization in a professional manner, and this way
of thinking adds a little luster to my verbal and written
statements. Thanks, Tom, for leading by example.
I have come to understand the importance of patience
This was a tough one. If you know much about me, you realize
that I always want things done yesterday! While this can be useful
for rapid advancement in one’s career, it’s a
double-edged sword when it comes to working with people. I quickly
found out that if I was going to be an effective leader and team
builder, I would have to come to the realization that I am not
busier than any one else, and not everyone can afford to drop their
current obligations to meet my demands. I realized I needed to
understand people’s characteristics and traits, how they
thought and prioritized. To assist me with this change of paradigm,
I reviewed the lessons learned from the Myers-Briggs®
training program that my wise old partner, Dr Rod Johnson, had us
participate in back in Morris, Minnesota. Rod, I know I have said
it before, but thanks for all the wisdom! As you can see, it made
an impact.
I have come to understand the meaning of “from good to
great”
Since I am writing this in January, I haven’t had the
pleasure of listening to Dr Burkgren’s Howard Dunne lecture,
nor have I read the book “Good to Great.1”
However, ever since Dr Daryl Olsen proposed this theme for the 2007
annual meeting, I can see how it applies to our organization. We
truly have grown and expanded our vision over the last few years,
particularly our vision of how an organization adapts itself to new
and difficult problems, such as PRRS and PCVAD. Besides dealing
with the on-farm challenges, we have written a PRRS eradication
position statement and a PCVAD case definition. We are building
PRRS and PCVAD working groups within our membership and across the
industry to manage these problems in new ways. We are being
requested by scientific organizations such as PRRS Coordinated
Agricultural Project (PRRS CAP) to provide input regarding how
research funds will be allocated. We are partnering with industry
to assist in the development and management of tools to better
understand and manage the risk of PRRS at the regional level. We
were even asked by National Pork Board to develop disease
nomenclature (PCVAD instead of PMWS) to improve the public’s
perception of pork. While we still have a lot to do, we are truly
moving from good to great.
As you can see, I have truly benefited from the experience of
being AASV president in ways I never dreamed possible. I would
encourage all of you to consider running for AASV office. I am
truly looking forward to my year as past president and beyond. I
want to continue to be a part of the new initiatives that have come
forward during the last few years, for there are truly exciting
times ahead. To me, our road map to success has been plotted and
the future is bright. Thanks to each and every one of you for
taking the time to work with me, to educate me, and for allowing me
to be your president. It’s an honor I will cherish for
life.
Reference
1. Collins J. Good to Great. New York, New York: Harper
Business; 2001.
-- Scott Dee
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