NVMA fires management firm; funds reported missing

Hastings, Neb.-The Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) fired Gary Management Organization (GMO) after determining more than $125,000 was missing from the group and its scholarship foundation.

Charges have not been filed. Don Ellerbee, executive director of GMO, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

NVMA President Dr. Orval Gigstad says that GMO also managed the Nebraska Turf Grass Foundation, Nebraska Funeral Directors Association and American Embryo Transfer Association. All the organizations report money lost and have since fired GMO, Gigstad says. At press time, accountants and attorneys were working to determine the losses.

Dr. Orval Gigstad

The state attorney general's office is investigating the incident, and criminal and civil actions are pending, Gigstad adds. Phone calls to Assistant Attorney General William Howland's office seeking comment were not immediately returned. Ellerbee's attorney David Fisher refused to comment.

Perhaps the biggest blow to the association is the money missing from the NVMA Centennial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Board members had determined to award $8,000 in veterinary student scholarships. Now the foundation is struggling to keep its promises, Gigstad says.

"We've always tried to save the principal of our scholarship fund and give away the interest each year," he says. "Now we're having to do some fundraising so we can still give out those scholarships."

The door-to-door fundraising effort, dubbed Operation Transfusion, earmarks donations to replenish the foundation's account and pay awarded scholarships as well as the foundation's operating costs.

Moving forward

The scholarship program isn't the only issue of unrest for NVMA. GMO was responsible for putting together the association's meetings, publications and dealing with membership. The group didn't even have its own office.

Severing the ties with GMO forced association leaders to purchase equipment, lease an office suite and hire an administrative assistant to run it. Interim Executive Director Dr. Mike Moore is also now on board. Moore, a 30-year member and NVMA past president, says while dumbfounded by the group's situation, he's certain the association will persevere.

"I have no idea what happened, but I do know we'll come out stronger. With the type of people we have in this association, I know we'll survive."