Kansas State University has selected Dr. Steven C. Henry, Solomon, Kan., as the 2010 Alumni Fellow in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Henry was selected to receive this award for distinguishing himself as a successful veterinarian and industry leader through his accomplishments in swine medicine and production with the Abilene Animal Hospital veterinary group in Abilene, Kan.
The K-State Alumni Fellows program, sponsored by the Dean’s Council, the President’s Office and the Alumni Association, will present its Alumni Fellows awards to Dr. Henry and the recipients from K State’s eight other academic colleges during a banquet on Feb. 25, at the Alumni Center in Manhattan. He will participate in a variety of activities on campus and in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
"This is great honor and I am delighted to have been chosen as one of this year’s group of Fellows," Dr. Henry said. "Veterinary practice, with care for individual animals and populations, is my avocation and passion. Our College of Veterinary Medicine pushes us out the door at graduation with the tools and the stimulus necessary to make a difference for our clients and patients. And the support of our college is there for us throughout our careers if we will only access it. Thank you for this honor and the chance to share time and stories with students and colleagues."
"Dr. Henry has a tremendous reputation in the swine industry as well as in the veterinary ranks," said Dr. Ralph Richardson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "He is a highly sought expert and practitioner, yet has managed to maintain a strong, valued relationship with our college. As an Alumni Fellow, he was an easy choice as someone who has thoroughly earned our respect and admiration."
Dr. Henry, a Longford, Kan., native, received a bachelor’s degree in 1970 and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1972, both from K-State.
Following graduation, Dr. Henry practiced in Illinois before returning to Kansas in 1976. Since, Dr. Henry has become president and partner with the Abilene Animal Hospital PA in Abilene, and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology at K-State.
While serving as a general practitioner, Dr. Henry’s primary interest is in swine health and pork production efficiency. He works with all sizes of client farms and companies throughout the world. His focus is pathogen control and elimination from farms, regions and countries. Dr. Henry and his veterinary partners provide services to pork producers in the central United States and consultation to the pork production industry throughout North and South America. He is also a close collaborator with researchers at K-State and abroad.
Dr. Henry has written extensively on swine health topics for professional journals and magazines. He has contributed chapters for the textbooks, "Diseases of Swine" and "Large Animal Internal Medicine." Dr. Henry is a frequent speaker at pork producer meetings and veterinary conferences.
Dr. Henry, through committees of the AVMA and the AASV, has participated in work on regulatory issues involving drug and vaccine usage in animals. He has served on the Food and Drug Administration’s Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, various Pork Producers Council committees and Department of Agriculture committees. Dr. Henry has served as chairman of the drug availability committee of the AVMA and as chair of the Expert Panel on Canine and Feline Vaccines. He is a member of the pharmaceutical-issues and foreign-animal-disease committees of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
Dr. Henry has served as president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, was named Practitioner of the Year, and won the Howard W. Dunne Memorial Award. His other honors include the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award and the K-State Veterinary College’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is a member of the National Academies of Practice, a fellow of the Morris Animal Foundation, and a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Swine Health Management.
Dr. Henry is married to Vangie and has three children: Eric, Adam (both K-State graduates) and Quinlan. He is also a cellist, performing for more than 30 years as a member of the Salina Symphony Orchestra.