The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) honored five members for their contributions to the association and the swine industry. Dr George Charbonneau, 2016 AASV president and 2020 Awards Selection Committee chair, introduced the recipients during 51st AASV Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia on March 9.
Swine Practitioner of the Year
Dr Joel Nerem was named the 2020 Swine Practitioner of the Year. The award is given to the swine practitioner who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service to clients.
A West Union, Iowa native, Dr Nerem received his BA from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and his DVM from Iowa State University. Dr Nerem began his career as a mixed-animal veterinarian at the Postville Veterinary Clinic in Postville, Iowa in 1996, before joining the Harmony Veterinary Clinic in Harmony, Minnesota. He recognized a passion for swine veterinary medicine and in 2001 went to work for Christensen Family Farms in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. In 2006, he joined Pipestone Veterinary Services where he currently serves as the Chief Veterinary Officer, instilling a culture of veterinary leadership and service to the 46 veterinarians he leads.
Many recognize Dr Nerem’s proficiency and effectiveness in his delivery of veterinary services. He is well respected by both colleagues and clients. Dedicated to the profession, he is frequently sought after for idea-generating discussions, collaboration, and second opinions. Listening carefully, asking questions, and communicating effectively to reach goals ensures Dr Nerem builds and establishes trust with everyone he works with. He uses critical thinking to make evidence-based and data-driven decisions to provide the best outcome for pig and producer, always considering the well-being of both.
Dr Nerem exhibits a passion for key issues facing the swine industry and an unmatched ability to transform those issues into new initiatives to address animal and public health concerns. For example, Dr Nerem is a strong voice in promoting responsible antibiotic use in swine and decreasing antimicrobial resistance. He oversees the Pipestone Antimicrobial Resistance Tracker initiative, which was developed to engage the Pipestone System and Pipestone Veterinary Services customers in the areas of antimicrobial resistance surveillance and antibiotic use.
Asked to comment about receiving this award, Dr Nerem replied, "I am truly humbled and honored to be named the 2020 Swine Practitioner of the Year. This award is reflective of the great people who have invested in me throughout my career: mentors, farmer clients, business partners, colleagues, family, and friends. I am truly blessed by the opportunity to do what I do every day, and I would not be the person I am today were it not for the impact these people have had on my life."
Dr Nerem lives in Edgerton, Minnesota with his wife, Denise, and three children: Emily, Hannah, and Maren.
Howard Dunne Memorial Award
Dr Glen Almond received the 2020 Howard Dunne Memorial Award, which recognizes an AASV member who has made important contributions and provided outstanding service to the association and the swine industry.
With a personal mission of improving pig health and production through education, research, and service, Dr Almond has provided outstanding service to the AASV and the entire swine industry for decades.
He has been a member of the AASV Annual Program Planning Committee, helping to prepare the educational program for at least seven annual AASV meetings. An active member of the AASV Collegiate Activities Committee, he continues to advocate for swine curriculum and students with swine interest. Dr Almond’s efforts to enhance the knowledge of swine veterinarians are evident through his service on the Journal of Swine Health and Production editorial board, his participation on the Pig Welfare Symposium steering committee, and the countless scientific abstracts, journal articles, and book chapters he has authored.
Dr Almond has participated on the North Carolina Pork Producers Council’s Board of Directors and the National Pork Board’s Welfare Committee. His service as a veterinary consultant, ad hoc reviewer for numerous international scientific journals and institutional publications, and a member of service committees within his department, college, and university help describe his commitment to the industry.
Perhaps Dr Almond’s most notable contribution to AASV and the swine industry is his commitment to swine-interested students world-wide. He is a professor of pig health and production medicine at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and advises veterinary students, summer interns, international students, and graduate students. Extremely generous of his time devoted to students, his open-door policy demonstrates his drive to help others succeed. As a mentor, he is highly supportive of students and continues to advocate for their success.
Dr Almond credits his own success to the success of his students. "Perhaps the most important individuals who contributed to my career are my current and past students. Their success is my success. I am genuinely proud of their success and contributions to the AASV and the pork industry."
Today, his mentees provide care to one-third of the US swine breeding herd.
Dr Almond holds a BS from the university of Guelph, a DVM and an MS from the Ontario Veterinary College, and a PhD in reproductive physiology and immunology from North Carolina State University. He also thanks his wife, Dr Judith McLaren, and son Christopher.
Meritorious Service Award
Dr Lisa Tokach was named the 2020 recipient of the AASV Meritorious Service Award. The award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service to the AASV.
Originally from Barnesville, Minnesota, Tokach grew up with beef cattle, quarter horses, and a few pigs raised for home consumption with the understanding that animals were a priority and must be cared for first. Milking dairy cows through high school and college, she expected she would become a dairy veterinarian. She has been ever passionate about production agriculture, but it was a swine research project at North Dakota State University (NDSU) that sparked her interest in swine production.
Dr Tokach completed her undergraduate studies in animal science at NDSU. She received her doctor of veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1990. In 2001, Dr Tokach was appointed as a diplomate in swine health management to the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and reappointed in 2011.
Dr Tokach’s early service to AASV began at the encouragement of her mentor, Dr Steve Henry. In her first year after graduation from veterinary school, she joined the Public Relations Committee. Dr Tokach has served on the Pig Welfare Committee and represented AASV on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Animal Welfare Committee. Dr Tokach has been integral in AASV’s progress as a professional organization. She helped form new committees, including the Human Health and Safety Committee and the Student Recruitment Committee, helped establish the AASV Foundation, and continues to connect AASV with members by chairing the AASV Annual Meeting Social Media Center. She served two terms on the AASV Board of Directors representing District 7 and was the 2002 AASV president.
She continues to support AASV through all endeavors that help support the pig, the producer, and the swine veterinarian, even joining a new committee and chairing the Foundation Board this year. She has been a mentor to countless students early in their veterinary medicine paths trying to understand the balance of a successful professional career and happy and rewarding life.
Grateful for the association, Tokach stated, "I am extremely honored and humbled by this award. The AASV has given me so much in terms of learning opportunities, networking, and friendships. My involvement is only a small payback for everything I get out of it."
Dr Tokach lives in Abilene, Kansas, where she is a veterinary clinician in general practice at Abilene Animal Hospital, PA. She specializes in swine population medicine and was named AASV Swine Veterinarian of the year in 2008. She attributes her success to her family–husband Mike; three children Sage, Rogan, and Fiona; her parents; two sisters; and her team at Abilene Animal Hospital.
In her spare time, she enjoys backpacking, beekeeping, riding mules, and serving organizations that work to solve world hunger.
Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year
Dr Jer Geiger received the AASV Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award. Established in 2008, the award recognizes swine industry veterinarians who have demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in delivery of veterinary service to their companies and their clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Jer Geiger is the product of a small family farm near Alhambra, Illinois. In addition to six children, the farm also raised purebred Durocs and Holsteins. Involved in selling breeding stock all his life, a career in veterinary medicine seemed like a natural evolution for Dr Geiger.
With two bachelors of science, a master of science, and a doctor of veterinary medicine all from the University of Illinois, Dr Geiger is currently a Health Assurance Veterinarian for PIC North America and resides in Tennessee.
Dr Geiger worked as a private veterinary practitioner for eight years, but since then has served small producers, large producers, and corporate pork production systems. He has consulted in more than 20 countries around the globe.
Described by peers and mentees as a true servant leader, Dr Geiger has provided decades of service to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV). He represented District 10 on the AASV Board of Directors, volunteered as a member of the Program Planning Committee for three annual meetings, served as a member of the Swine Welfare Committee, and chaired the ad hoc Audit Committee. He represented AASV on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Welfare Committee and helped draft the AVMA euthanasia guidelines as a member of the AVMA’s Panel on Euthanasia Food and Fiber Animals Working Group.
With each day’s motivation to both learn and teach, Dr Geiger instilled his mantra to many students and early career veterinarians: "What do pigs need? Feed, water, air, and comfort!"
Upon acceptance of the award, Dr Geiger commented, "This would not happen without the support of a global health team and my family. It means a great deal to us; we are grateful for the recognition."
Dr Geiger considers his greatest accomplishment to be his family–his wife Becky, daughter Rachael, son Nick, and Nick’s wife Kaitlynn.
Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year
The AASV’s Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award was presented to Dr Wesley Lyons. The award is given annually to an AASV member five or less years post graduation who has demonstrated the ideals of exemplary service and proficiency early in his or her career.
From Paris, Tennessee, Lyons grew up in a mixed-animal veterinary life. The son of a mixed-animal veterinarian, Lyons knew early on that he wanted to be a veterinarian. Showing Romagnola beef cattle across the United States, showing livestock in 4-H and FFA, and serving as the Tennessee State FFA Treasurer helped to shape his life and career.
Dr Lyons received a bachelor of science in animal science (2010) and his doctor of veterinary medicine (2014) from the University of Tennessee. A member of the Pipestone Veterinary Services team since 2016, he is currently the regional health director and oversees health and production recommendations for managed sow herds in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
An emerging leader in swine health and production, Dr Lyons has served on the National Pork Board’s Animal Welfare Committee since 2015, participated in the National Pork Producers Council Veterinary Public Policy and Advocacy Program, served as a member of the 2019 Pig Welfare Symposium planning committee, and completed the Illinois Pork Producers Association’s Future Leaders Program.
During October 2019, Dr Lyons shared his story of pork production and delivered the historic 10,000th Operation Mainstreet presentation to nurses at the Northern Illinois Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Fall Forum in Rockford, Ill.
Dr Lyons has been an AASV member since 2011 when he joined as a student. He continues to serve the organization in leadership roles, first as a member of the AASV Swine Health Committee and now vice-chair of the Committee on Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. He has a special interest in pig welfare and survivability.
Nominated for this award by mentors, colleagues, and clients, all considered Dr Lyons’ commitment to clients and veterinary skillset to be exceptional and enhanced by his personality and ability to form lasting relationships. Not only is Dr Lyons an outstanding veterinarian striving to make evidence-based decisions for the best interest of animal and public health, he forms strong connections with clients and colleagues, making everyone feel valued. A client described Dr Lyons as, "A very fine veterinarian, but even better human being."
Upon acceptance of the award, Dr Lyons commented, "I am both humbled and grateful to be selected for this honor. Being a swine veterinarian and getting the opportunity to work with family farmers has been fulfilling beyond expectation. Five years has flown by, and we’re just getting started!"
Dr Lyons lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with his husband, Preston.