NEWS & ARTICLES

Dear AAIV Members, As we begin a new year, I am honored to serve as president of the American Association of Industry Veterinarians. January is a natural time for reflection and renewal, and an opportunity to look ahead with intention—both as individuals and as an organization. Our focus for the year ahead is clear: growing our membership and meeting the evolving needs of our members through meaningful education and effective advocacy. Industry veterinarians play a vital and increasingly visible role across animal health, research, regulatory affairs and innovation. Ensuring that AAIV remains a professional home for this diverse and expanding community is one of our highest priorities. Growing our membership is not simply about numbers. It is about strengthening our collective voice, expanding our professional network and ensuring that veterinarians working in industry—at every career stage—see AAIV as relevant, welcoming and indispensable. Education remains central to that commitment. AAIV will continue to focus on high-quality educational offerings that are practical, forward-thinking and responsive to the real-world challenges our members face with professional development, leadership and interdisciplinary perspectives that support success in industry careers. Equally important is advocacy. AAIV exists to represent and advance the interests of industry veterinarians and we take that responsibility seriously. Through our seat in the House of Delegates of AVMA, AAIV is the voice of industry veterinarians within the AVMA, we will continue to advocate for policies and practices that support our members and the important work they do. I would like to personally invite you to join us at the AAIV Networking Meeting during the VMX Conference. This gathering is an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues across industry sectors, welcome new members, strengthen the professional relationships that make our association thrive and share your feedback about what you want from the AAIV. Whether you are attending VMX for the first time or are a long-time participant, we encourage you to stop by, reconnect, and bring a colleague who may be interested in learning more about AAIV. None of this work happens without the dedication of our board, officers and volunteers who contribute their time, ideas and expertise. I am deeply grateful for their commitment and inspired by the energy and vision they bring to our association. As we move into the year ahead, I invite you to stay engaged, share your perspectives and help shape the future of AAIV. Together, we will continue to build a strong, connected and forward-looking community for industry veterinarians. I look forward to seeing many of you at our WVC networking event and/or connecting with you in the year ahead. Respectfully, Carolyn Luther, D.V.M. President, American Association of Industry Veterinarians (AAIV)

y Deb Nickelson, D.V.M., M.B.A, AAIV Delegate to the AVMA HOD The House of Delegates for the AVMA met during the Veterinary Leadership Symposium Jan. 8-10 in Chicago. The weather was surprisingly nice. Since Dr. Tim Smaha could not attend, Dr. Wendy Weirich joined me for the first HOD session and the Reference Committees. Please send any comments or questions to AAIV at industryvets@aaivet.org . As always, thank you for your support. We are here for you. One of the Veterinary Information Forum topics (near and dear to us) was about HOD Membership Criteria. It was obvious how much value people consider the allied organizations as I have never seen our 6 a.m. Allied Caucus Meeting so crowded, standing room only. On the house floor, I spoke about the value of AAIV being a member of the House of Delegates and the challenges with membership. In the end, there will be a working group established to evaluate criteria for new and existing allied organizations (I volunteered to participate) and there will be a grace period for the Allied Organization to meet the existing criteria during the working group’s task. The other Veterinary Information Forum topic was about Veterinary Technician Training and Education. There are 217 AVMA CVTEA accredited programs with six additional programs in the works for accreditation. While some people spoke about the lack of career advancement for veterinary technicians, I reminded the House the veterinary technicians have many opportunities in the animal health industry, that we offer programming about such careers at VMX and veterinary technicians are welcome members of AAIV. Resolutions There were two resolutions brought forward to the House of Delegates for review. Resolution 1: Animal Training and Early Exposure got a lot of interesting discussion and I learned quite a bit about camels. The idea for this resolution was to cover all species in all cases and it was just too broad and did not serve any purpose, so it was referred back to the Board of Directors. Resolution 2: Camelid Castration was approved after some amendments regarding reason for castration and AVMA recommendations for anesthesia and analgesia. I learned even more about camels. By-Law Amendments #1: House of Delegate Votin g This amendment passed to clarify that an absentee vote (when an entity does not vote "yes" or "no") is not counted as a "no" vote; it is not counted at all. #2: Board of Directors Voting This amendment passed to clarify that the one non-voting members of the Board of Directors was the treasurer. #3: Membership Voting This amendment passed to clarify that the majority of voting members present and voting at a meeting shall be the act of the members. #4: Definition of a Veterinarian Changed to “Voting membership may be granted to any individual who has earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M./V.M.D.) degree or substantive equivalent as determined by the Board of Directors or its designee(s) from school or college of veterinary medicine and has met membership qualifications and application requirements.” This passed to accommodate veterinarians from foreign schools. #5: Clarification of Referral Authority This amendment passed to clarify how the House of Delegates may refer matters to the Board of Directors. #6: President duties This amendment passed to clarify what is already being done in that the AVMA president performs the ceremonial activities and functions throughout the annual convention since the HOD meets before the convention starts. #7: Board of Directors Qualifications With a 73% vote, this one was referred back to the Board of Directors because one possible qualification for serving as a District Directors was to have serviced as an officer in a Principal Veterinary Organization or Constituent Allied Veterinary Organization for at least 3 years. Every organization has different ideas of what an officer means, such as president, secretary, Organization Board of Directors etc. and the qualifications needed. Candidates and Elections Dr. Robert Knapp is running for AVMA President-Elect Dr. Elizabeth Boggier is running for AVMA Vice President Dr. Mahmoud Abouraya was appointed to represent Clinical Pharmacology on the Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents Dr. Nicole Dickerson as appointed on the Council on Veterinary Service Unfortunately, no nominations were received for two positions on the Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, one of which was to represent Clinical Pharmacology. AAIV would be happy to nominate a member who is interested in serving. House Advisory Committee There are four positions open on the House Advisory Committee or HAC. The HAC members lead the reference committees, certifies the credentials of candidates for president-elect, vice president and nominees for councils, committees and task forces. Two of the people who currently serve may run for a second term. One of them will do so and I heard the other one will run for a Board of Directors position. I know of one person who campaigned last summer will campaign again. I officially submitted my application and paperwork in December for the election during the AVMA summer meeting. I have the support of Dr. Sandy Willis, our AAIV liaison and AVMA Board of Directors Chair and I certainly appreciate your support.

AAIV’s sponsor, Total Planning, would like to share some frequently asked questions. Make sure to mention you are an AAIV member as members receive a discount! What is Disability Income insurance? It’s a financial safety net that helps replace a portion of your income if a serious illness or injury prevents you from working. How does Disability Income insurance work? You make scheduled payments just like you do with other types of insurance. Then, if you ever get a serious illness or injury that prevents you from working, you receive a monthly benefit that helps you pay everyday living expenses. Think of this insurance as protection for your income (disability insurance is sometimes known as “income protection”). How much does Disability Income insurance cost? It depends on a few factors, such as your income and age. Why is Disability Income insurance important? Your income is your financial foundation. It pays for immediate needs, like groceries and your mortgage or rent, and it helps you save for the future. That’s why protecting it in the event of a disability is so vital. Disabilities are more common than you might think. The word “disability” may make you think of accidents, like back injuries or severe falls. But most disabilities come in the form of common, long-term illnesses, like cancer or Parkinson’s disease. Supplement what you have through work. Already have disability insurance through your employer? That’s a good start. But it typically only covers about 60% of your income—also when you leave a job, that coverage doesn’t come with you. Individual Disability Income insurance can help protect more of your income, and it’s 100% yours. Focus on healing. No one wants to think about getting too sick or hurt to work. But if it happens, Disability Income insurance lets you worry less about your finances, so you can focus on getting better. Contact Total Planning Veterinary Services for more information- 352-373-3000 or https://www.tpvetservices.com/ Make sure to mention you are an AAIV member as members receive a discount! Insurance products issued by Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392. This is a summary of the benefits disability insurance provides, but there are limitations and exclusions. For cost and coverage details, Total Planning Veterinary Services. David Lerner Total Planning P: (352) 373-3000 F: (352) 373-9887 4881 NW 8th Ave Suite 4 Gainesville FL 32605

When I made the decision to step into the world of business, I never imagined the depth of lessons I would learn along the way. Science and business are not two separate worlds; they are intertwined, each feeding off the other, creating something much bigger than the sum of their parts. In my early days, I relied heavily on my scientific background, thinking it would be enough to navigate the business world. After all, science is grounded in evidence, logic and experimentation. What could go wrong? But soon, I realized that business isn’t just about data! It is about people, communication, style, relationships and creativity. It’s about knowing how to apply the scientific principles to create real-world value. So, the data in the paper is not enough if it is only a theory. Lesson #1: Science Without Business Is Incomplete Science is big and it is powerful alone! But this does not mean you can always translate science into success in business. I could analyze data, interpret results and create solutions, but I had to learn how to communicate scientific ideas effectively. Business taught me that understanding customers’ needs, developing a strategy and managing resources were at least as necessary as the scientific results. In other words, if you don’t understand the market, the regulatory environment and how to build the brand, even the most groundbreaking scientific discovery can fall short. Take science as the foundation and create the business as a structure – they are good together! Lesson #2: Failures Are the Best Teachers It took a decade for me to accept failures as opportunities! In my early career days, any failure felt like the end of the world, at least the product or project. Then I looked back one day and realized that my failures have been my greatest teachers. After that day when something went wrong, I just saw it as an opportunity to adjust, learn and grow. Remember that failure isn’t a reflection of your capabilities but a part of the journey. Enjoy and welcome them when they happen, then learn from, correct and proceed. Lesson #3: Small Steps Lead to Big Wins One obvious outcome from my two decades of experience was: “Success rarely comes in a single leap. It usually is a series of small, intentional steps.” You can see how they become giant strides by taking small steps every day. Consistency is the key! Even a little something becomes a great buildup with consistent work, leading you to significant achievements. Lesson #4: Build Strong, Meaningful Relationships If you cannot be the queen or king of networking (like me, thanks to ADHD), immediately find one for yourself and love them so much! Focusing only on research, results and data is easy and enough in the scientific world. But in business, relationships are everything. I learned that the success of my company was not just about the science behind the ideas and products; it was about the people I worked with, the connections I made and the networks I built. Don’t make a big collection of new business cards! Focus on the collection of meaningful relationships with the people who challenge you, support you and push you to grow. And be grateful to them – they are your true assets. Lesson #5: Adaptability Is Key to Survival If you ask me about a similarity between science and business, I say things will not go as planned, every time! An experiment might fail, but this is the beauty of science, right? We call it the ever-evolving process of learning and adapting! The same is true in business. No matter how carefully you plan, there will always be unforeseen challenges. The key is adaptability. When the market shifts or regulations change, being able to adjust your strategy is crucial. Thus, you must be flexible and open-minded, not to fear changing directions when necessary.