AASV Foundation news: May 2008

Dr Rod Johnson, AASV Foundation chair, presented the 2008 Heritage Award to Dr Roy Schultz, Avoca, Iowa. The award was presented during the association’s annual meeting. It recognizes individuals who have lifelong outstanding achievements in swine veterinary medicine.

For nearly 50 years, Dr Schultz has been a leader in swine medicine. It’s often difficult to summarize a lifelong career, but three words best describe Dr Schultz – pigs, people, and passions. It is his commitment to swine producers, their pigs, and the industry that has earned him an international reputation and recognition.

Dr Schultz began his veterinary career as a private practitioner in Avoca, Iowa. For 20 years, he cared for and treated both small and large animals. In the 1960s, when swine practice changed its focus from vaccinating for hog cholera to complete herd health care, Dr Schultz began to direct his career toward swine medicine. He was one of the charter members of the newly established American Association of Swine Practitioners (now AASV). Since 1969, the AASV has been a great part of his life.

In 1998, Dr Schultz turned over his practice to his son, Gary, and partner, Dr Jim Hoffmann, and became a swine consultant, serving both US and international clients. His original research into Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae, later renamed Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, garnered him international recognition and expert status on several international committees. He continues to be a frequent speaker at veterinary and producer meetings.

Throughout his career, Dr Schultz has been a lifelong learner. Having received his veterinary degree from Iowa State University in 1960, he later pursued a master’s degree in veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine (1981). He is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in swine health management (emeritus).

Dr Schultz is a past president of the AASV and has served on numerous committees of the AASV, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the US Animal Health Association. In 2007, he was recognized as one of 10 Masters of the Pork Industry. He received the AASP Swine Practitioner of the Year Award in 1986, and in 1991, the Howard Dunne Award. Also in 1991, he presented the prestigious Howard Dunne Lecture at the AASP Annual Meeting. Dr Schultz was the first recipient of the Science in Practice Award from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Stange Award for Meritorious Service in Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State. He is the only foreign veterinarian to have been named Venezuela Swine Practitioner of the Year.

AASV Foundation announces recipient of Hogg Scholarship

Dr Christa Irwin, Ames, Iowa, was named the 2008 recipient of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Hogg Scholarship. The $12,000 inaugural scholarship was presented during the association’s annual meeting in San Diego.

Established in 2008, the scholarship is named for Dr Alex Hogg, who was a leader in swine medicine and pursued a master’s degree in veterinary pathology after 20 years in a mixed-animal practice. The scholarship, in the amount of $10,000, will be awarded annually to an AASV member who has been accepted into a qualified graduate program to further his or her education after years as a swine practitioner.

Dr Irwin is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State University. She is pursuing a master’s degree in veterinary preventive medicine, focusing on epidemiology. She received her veterinary degree from Kansas State University. Previously, Dr Irwin was a staff veterinarian at Murphy-Brown, LLC, managing the Missouri farrow-to-feeder pig and multiplication operations for 6 years. From 1998 to 2001, she was employed by Pig Improvement Company.

Active in the AASV since 1998, Dr Irwin represented the association on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Animal Welfare Committee from 2001 to 2007. She currently serves on the AASV’s Foreign Animal Disease Committee, the Animal Welfare Committee, and the Swine Health Committee.

She has authored several articles on swine health and is a frequent speaker at national and regional veterinary meetings. Her professional interests include swine livestock health management, epidemiology, pathology, and reproduction physiology.

Big Hairy Audacious Success!

The 2008 AASV Foundation Auction at the AASV Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, was a huge success, surpassing even Rod Johnson’s optimistic forecast! The auction committee, chaired by Rod Johnson and Warren Wilson, established a goal of raising $50,000 to support foundation programs. But success or failure rested on whether or not you, the members of the association, would show up and open your wallets.

That question was answered in an astounding way on Monday night. You showed up in record numbers to participate in both the silent and live auctions. Tom Burkgren threw his auctioneering skills into high gear (even sucking on limes to “crisp up his voice”) and you responded. When it was all said and done, the foundation raised over $70,000!

One of the highlights of the evening was the auctioning of a handmade quilt presented to the foundation by Mary Ann Curran in memory of her husband and AASV member, Dr Bernie Curran. The quilt was purchased by a consortium of members and returned to Mary Ann for her and her family to enjoy.

It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work, but well worth it. Special thanks go to those who worked behind the scenes, including Sue, Harry, Tina, Pat, Karen, and Tracy for organizing the items and collecting the monies. And a super special thank you to Lee Schulteis. Lee was responsible for driving the van loaded with all the auction items and meeting materials 30 hours from the office in Perry and then helping to move the items around, pack them back up, and drive them all back to Perry to be shipped out or picked up.

The foundation would especially like to thank everyone who donated items or made a financial contribution to support the auction. And, most of all, thanks to each of you who participated and made the night a huge success!