Accolades
Academia
Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association has selected four 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
Dr. Theresa M. Casey (OKL '82) of Belton, Texas, began her veterinary military career in the Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps, serving as the chief of environmental health services at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. She was one of the first veterinarians to enter this new career field. Dr. Casey continued to move through the military ranks and accomplished many firsts along the way, including her appointment as brigadier general in August 2006—making her the first active duty BSC officer and veterinarian to serve as a general officer.
Dr. Keith Flanagan (OKL '78) of Texhoma, Okla., served two years as a captain in the Army Veterinary Corps and then worked seven years for the Marlow Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Flanagan has spent the past 24 years working in Haiti with the Christian Veterinary Mission. He has held many positions with the organization, including liaison to the Haitian Ministry of Agriculture, co-director of a classical swine fever program, and co-director of the avian influenza program.
Dr. D. Dee Griffin (OKL '75) of Hastings, Neb., is a professor at the University of Nebraska in the Veterinary and Biomedical Science Department, teaching at the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. He serves on the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Beef Quality and Safety Assurance Advisory Board, the Food and Drug Administration's Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, the FDA's Minor Use Minor Species Committee, and the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization's board of directors.
Dr. Kermit W. Minton (OKL '58) of Lindsay, Okla., founded the Lindsay Veterinary Hospital. Through the years, Dr. Minton has seen both large and small animal patients. His wife, Frankie, works as office manager and his daughter, Tammy, joined him in 1993.
Dr. Minton is a lifetime member of the Oklahoma VMA and the OSU Alumni Association. In his community, he is active in the Lions Club and is a lifetime member of the National FFA Organization and the Elks Lodge.
Dr. Gordon D. Spronk of Pipestone, Minn., received in September the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award.
The award was given by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and Pfizer Animal Health for Dr. Spronk's contributions toward creation and dissemination of knowledge for swine health and management.
A university announcement indicates Dr. Spronk is a staff veterinarian and partner at Pipestone Veterinary Clinic, adjunct professor at the Minnesota veterinary college, and advisory board member for the college's Swine Disease Eradication Center. He has performed swine health consultations in at least 10 countries, and he makes presentations connected with swine medicine and production at domestic and international meetings.
Organizations
Dr. Harry Rozmiarek (MIN '62) was elected secretary-general of the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science during the 15th ICLAS General Assembly and Conference, held this June in Istanbul. He will serve as secretary-general from 2011-2015.
Professor emeritus of laboratory animal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and director of laboratory animal medicine at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Dr. Rozmiarek is a former member of the AVMA House of Delegates and past president of several laboratory animal organizations. He is also a visiting professor at the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Rozmiarek retired as a colonel from the Army Veterinary Corps and was a consultant to the Army surgeon general.
The National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners has selected Dr. R. Michael Thomas (AUB '68) of Indianapolis to receive the 2011 NBVME award, presented at the board's July 22 meeting.
Dr. Thomas established Noah's Animal Hospitals, a group of six veterinary hospitals in central Indiana. He served as president of the American Animal Hospital Association in 2001-2002 and served three three-year terms on the NBVME starting in 2001. During his two years as NBVME chair (first in 2005-2006 and again from 2006-2007), the Veterinary Clinical Skills Assessment was pilot-tested and administered for the first time.