Attendees at the 38th annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) will examine what it takes to move to the next level of performance during presentations addressing the theme "AASV: From Good to Great." The meeting is scheduled for March 3-6, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. The program is now available online at http://www.aasv.org/annmtg.
Dr. Daryl Olsen, AASV president-elect and the meeting’s program chair, explains, "To write his best-selling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins and his research team extensively studied elite companies that made the leap from good to great versus comparable companies that did not make the change. The theme for the 2007 annual meeting, ‘AASV: From Good to Great,’ motivates us to examine what our association, our profession, and our industry must do to deliver good to great results. Using this theme, the 2007 program committee has developed a program that not only challenges but tries to answer the major questions facing swine veterinarians today."
The centerpiece of the meeting, the Monday morning general session, opens with the prestigious Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture. In explaining his choice for the lecturer, Olsen remarks, "When examining how to take our association from good to great, who better to understand the needs of AASV and our profession than Dr. Tom Burkgren?" Burkgren has served as executive director of the AASV for the past nine years, and will address the theme, "AASV: Good to great."
In addition to featuring the Howard Dunne Lecture, Monday’s general session will initiate a new lecture series in honor of the late Dr. Alex Hogg. A former president of the association, Hogg was known internationally for his expertise in swine disease. Dr. Steve Henry will present the inaugural Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture, titled "Swine medicine: What we must do to have a seat on this bus." Olsen notes, "Steve Henry’s close relationship with Dr. Hogg and his ability to challenge our profession to greatness make him the logical choice for the first Alex Hogg Lecture." Additional presentations by Drs. Beth Lautner and John Harding complete the Monday morning program.
Monday afternoon offers four concurrent sessions, with presentations on finishing diseases, epidemiology of swine pandemics, opportunities or threats to our economic engine, and PRRS. Tuesday, the focus is entirely on porcine circovirus associated diseases (PCVAD), with an introductory general session on the topic followed by three concurrent sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of PCVAD.
Pre-conference seminars on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning provide attendees with the opportunity to obtain in-depth information on specific areas of interest. A poster session – new this year – begins at noon on Sunday and offers veterinary students and commercial companies another venue for sharing information. The Sunday afternoon schedule includes the popular Student Seminar in addition to the Industrial Partners and Research Topics sessions.
Registration is limited to veterinarians and veterinary students. Registration materials will be mailed and online meeting registration will be available in late December. To make hotel reservations, contact the Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando at 407-351-1000. For more information, contact the AASV: Tel: 515-465-5255, Fax: 515-465-3832, E-mail: aasv@aasv.org, Website: http://www.aasv.org/annmtg.