LSU names distinguished advocates of the year

Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine announced in a university release,¹ the 2023 recipients of the LSU Vet Med Distinguished Advocate of the Year Award. This is the inaugural year for this award and recipients of this award lend their name and time to advocate on behalf of LSU Vet Med in many ways to different constituent groups.

Lt. General Russel Honoré and Eric Sunstrom are this year’s recipients and will work with the administration to plan new and innovative ways to help LSU Vet Med move forward in its missions to teach, heal, discover, and protect.

Dean of LSU Vet Med, Oliver Garden, BVetMed, PhD, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, said in the release, “I am truly thrilled to be able to celebrate and honor the impactful service of these two friends of LSU Vet Med in their advocacy for the school and the veterinary profession. The expertise and commitment they bring to the school has allowed us to advance our Grand Challenges in a way that would otherwise have been impossible.”¹

Lt. General Russel Honoré

Russel L. Honoré is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and the current chair of the LSU Vet Med Dean’s advisory council. Honoré was raised on a subsistence farm in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana and entered the US Army as an Infantry Officer for the United States Army Combat Development Command in 1971.

Following his retirement from the military in 2008, Honoré declared that he would spend the rest of his life committed to creating a culture of preparedness in America. Honoré has published many written works including his 2009 book, Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family from Disasters.¹

Honoré is the recipient of numerous military and civilian awards, including 6 honorary doctorates from several universities. He currently lives in Baton Rouge with his wife and has thoroughbred horses that make a monthly stop at LSU Vet Med for medical care.

Eric Sunstrom

Eric M. Sunstrom is the founder and president of The Chesapeake Group, representing business and trade associations throughout the state and nation. According to the release, Sunstrom has years of experience working with a broad spectrum of clients, from tourism to mental health, and has appeared before every standing committee in the Louisiana Legislature.¹

Sunstrom holds a bachelor of political science degree from LSU and was a former member of the Hunting and Fishing Advisory Education Council. He now resides in Baton Rouge with his wife and their dog, Hera, a Cane Corso. Sunstorm frequents LSU Vet Med with his dog and donates often to LSU Vet Med. Sunstrom serves as co-chair of the LSU Vet Med’s Dean’s advisory council and chair of the communications committee for the school.

Reference

LSU Vet Med announces Distinguished Advocates of the Year. News release. The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Published February 16, 2023. Accessed February 20, 2023. https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/news/2023/distinguished_advocates.php