AABP honors standouts

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In Vancouver, the AABP recognized seven members deserving of the association's top honors.

Dr. Donald E. Williams (TEX '51), Ada, Okla., is recipient of the Amstutz-Williams Award, the top AABP award, which he will receive during the Academy of Veterinary Consultants meeting. While employed at a multifeedlot operation in Guymon, Okla., he developed herd health management programs that became forerunners. Dr. Williams has promoted preventive medicine in feedlot operations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. A past AABP president and initial member of the board, he also chaired a committee that developed a certified preconditioned program for beef cattle health.

The AABP has conferred honorary life membership only eight times. This year, Dr. Eric I. Williams (LON '44), Stillwater, Okla., received the recognition posthumously. Dr. Williams had been notified of the honor and planned to attend the conference but died Aug. 15. A native of Wales, Dr. Williams was professor emeritus of the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. (His obituary appears in JAVMA, Oct. 15.)

Dr. John Ferry Dr. John Ferry

Dr. John Ferry (COR '77), the AABP/Fort Dodge Animal Health Bovine Practitioner of the Year, operates a practice in Adams, NY, with his wife, Diane (NCU '93) that focuses on total dairy management. Over 23 years of involvement, including serving on the board of directors, he has helped shape the AABP's direction. Dr. Ferry lectures and writes on topics from employee management to cow comfort, and has advised many allied industry corporations. Some of the veterinary paths or positions he has taken have run counter to the mainstream, only to become common ideals later on.

Dr. Ken Braun Dr. Ken BraunDr. Ken Braun

Dr. Ken Braun (COR '65) received the AABP/Alpharma Award of Excellence. After holding posts at Cornell University and the University of California-Davis, Dr. Braun was recruited to the new College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida in 1978 to head the food animal program and develop a large dairy herd health program. He also chaired Large Animal Clinical Sciences for 10 years and coordinated a six-school food animal production consortium. Dr. Braun has had a direct influence on the dairy activity of bovine practitioners.

The AABP/Merial Award for Excellence in Veterinary Preventive Medicine goes to a beef practitioner and a dairy practitioner (or practices) who have developed outstanding programs.

Dr. Gordon Jones Dr. Gordon Jones

The dairy award went to Dr. Gordon Jones (MSU '77), Roselawn, Ind., who has practiced in many capacities—as a Wisconsin practice owner, private practice consultant, industry technical services veterinarian, and currently as a large dairy managerial team member for Monsanto. Dr. Jones has hosted many students and practitioners, been an enthusiastic mentor, and championed the profession's role in the care, comfort, and well-being of cows. Presenter, Dr. John Fetrow, said Dr. Jones has raised the bar by which bovine practitioners are measured and then helped them over that bar.

The beef award was presented (in absentia) to Dr. Ben Norman (OKL '60), extension veterinarian emeritus at the University of California-Davis. He had been extension veterinarian in beef cattle, equine medicine, and computer program management, as well as a lecturer in the veterinary school's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Norman has also shared his expertise in South America. A charter diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, he has been active in the AABP, ACVN, and National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Dr. Roger SaltmanDr. Roger Saltman

Dr. Roger Saltman (COR '81), Cazenovia, NY, received the AABP/Pfizer Animal Health Distinguished Service Award. An early practitioner of dairy production medicine, he joined the corporate world in 1987, setting a standard of excellence for technical service veterinarians. Dr. Saltman has served two terms (six years) as AABP treasurer, and according to presenter, Dr. John Ferry, has overseen a transformation of AABP financial policy that makes the association the envy of many other professional and nonprofit associations. He has helped the AABP grow its reserves to $850,000.

Related awards
At the AABP meeting, Dr. Robert J. Schell (MIN '83), Lewiston, Minn., received the Quality Veterinarian of the Year Award, sponsored by Merial in association with the Milk & Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Center, Stratford, Iowa. He practices at Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, which serves 260 herds. One way Dr. Schell assists in improving dairy quality is by monitoring his clients' operations. He inspects the entire milking system to help prevent mastitis, measures reproductive programs, performs herd health checks and ration analyses, and gets dairies involved in the Dairy Quality Assurance Program.

Dr. Dawn E. Morin (OSU '86), associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery, University of Illinois, received the 2001 West Agro Award, July 26 during the American Dairy Association meeting in Indianapolis. Dr. Morin's research has helped define the effectiveness, economic impact, and consequences of commonly employed mastitis diagnostic, treatment, and control methods. She has helped identify factors that affect high-quality colostrum and optimal methods for administering it. And she has developed data on udder health, mastitis incidence, and milk composition in llamas.