South Dakota VMA
Event: Annual meeting, Aug. 10-13, Sioux Falls
Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. John Ismay, Sturgis. A 1971 graduate of the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Ismay owns Sturgis Veterinary Hospital and Equine Center. He has served on the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Educational Programs Committee and is a member of the Wyoming VMA. Dr. Ismay holds a patent on a surgical procedure to remove uroliths from the equine urinary bladder. Distinguished Service Award: Dr. James Bailey, Brookings, won this award, given to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through professional and personal achievements and by serving as an inspiration to veterinarians and their clients. A 1946 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Bailey was extension veterinarian at South Dakota State University prior to retirement in 1985. He is a past president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and a past executive director of the SDVMA. Dr. Bailey served on the AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents from 1978-1984. He has also served on the South Dakota Hog Cholera and Pseudorabies Eradication committees and the Livestock Conservation Institute’s Parasite Committee and is a past member of the South Dakota Livestock Foundation. Emerging Leader Award: Dr. Travis White, Wessington Springs, won this award, given to a member who has graduated in the preceding 10 years and has a record of outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, private practice, regulatory services, civic activities, or organized veterinary medicine. A 2009 graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. White owns Springs Animal Health Center in Wessington Springs. He is vice president of the SDVMA and serves on the association’s finance and legislative committees. Dr. White has represented the SDVMA as an AVMA Emerging Leader.
Officials: Drs. Todd Carr, Sioux Falls, president; Christy Teets, Rapid City, president-elect; Travis White, Wessington Springs, vice president; Michelle Jensen, Harrisburg, secretary-treasurer; Tom Rentschler, Tea, immediate past president; Chris Chase, Brookings, AVMA delegate; Cindy Franklin, Yankton, AVMA alternate delegate; Mark Braunschmidt, Sioux Falls, District 1 representative; Chanda Nilsson, Groton, District 2 representative; and Ethan Andress, Hettinger, North Dakota, District 3 representative