Paws and profits: New leadership

Good leadership in veterinary medicine plays an important role in guiding practices and organizations towards achieving positive outcomes and maintaining a healthy and supportive work environment. Leaders are not only responsible for team management, but also for upholding high standards of patient care, ensuring the well-being of both pets and their owners. By managing resources and addressing challenges within the profession, these individuals can contribute to the overall health of their practices and organizations, as well as the well-being of animal patients.

Several veterinary businesses and organizations recently announced new promotions and appointments. The following individuals are among those taking on new roles:

Alastair Child, MA, chief sustainability officer, Mars, Incorporated

Alastair Child, MA, chief sustainability officer, Mars, Incorporated. (Photo courtesy of Mars, Incorporated)

Mars recently announced the appointment of Alastair Child, MA as its new chief sustainability officer. Child is currently the company’s vice president of global sustainability and will assume his new position on February 3, 2025.

In his new role, Alastair will be in charge of shaping Mars’ sustainability strategy, driving the company’s Net Zero goals as part of Mars’ broader Sustainable in a Generation Plan, according to Mars.¹ He will oversee the execution of the company’s Net Zero Roadmap, which includes cutting emissions in half across the full value chain by 2030 and achieving Net Zero by 2050. As part of his new position, Child will oversee a team of 30 sustainability leaders and experts responsible for climate, coral restoration, community initiatives, packaging, and data analytics tasks.

“It's an honor to take on this role. With average global temperatures exceeding 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels for the first time in 2024, it is imperative that we continue to perform on our promises and in doing so prove that sustainability is good for business,” said Child in a Mars release.¹ “I look forward to collaborating with our partners, Associates and stakeholders to ensure we continue to grow responsibly."

Meredith Daly, VMD, chief quality officer, Veterinary Emergency Group

Meredith Daly, VMD, has been appointed Veterinary Emergency Group’s (VEG) new chief quality officer, marking the position’s debut in veterinary medicine. In her new role, Daly manages a team of leaders and regional medical directors that focus on medical strategy, medical leadership development, clinical excellence, quality and patient safety, and medical initiative implementation in 90 VEG facilities throughout the country.

Daly has more than 20 years of clinical experience, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, and has been published in various academic journals and textbooks. Prior to her new role, she was VEG’s vice president of medical operations and quality.

“Becoming veterinary medicine's first chief quality officer provides me with a platform to share quality and patient safety best practices and key learnings from across our profession,” said Daly in a news release.² “Speaking up about medical errors and sharing our patient safety success stories is fundamental to preventing future harm for our patients and our colleagues.”

Bob Riebe, chief operating and sales officer, BSM Partners

Bob Riebe, chief operating and sales officer, BSM Partners (Photo courtesy of BSM Partners)

BSM Partners, a pet care research, consulting, and product innovation company, has welcomed Bob Riebe as its chief operating and sales officer. As part of his new role, Riebe will spearhead and scale the BSM Partners’ growth and global business operations.

Riebe has 30 years of commercial experience with a history in sales, marketing, and supply chain roles. He was the Worldwide Director of Global Business Planning at Colgate-Palmolive, where he oversaw sales and operations planning, commercial analytics, and integrated business planning. In his last role, Riebe was an independent consultant within the CPG and beverage sectors.

“Bob is an accomplished business strategist and manager, and a perfect fit for the firm as we continue to expand our global footprint," Nate Thomas, co-founder and partner of BSM Partners, said in a company release.³

Andrew Ciccolini, DVM, MA, medical director of companion animal spectrum of care services, Colorado State University

Andrew Ciccolini, DVM, MA, medical director of companion animal spectrum of care services, Colorado State University. (Photo courtesy of Colorado State University)

Joining the team at Colorado State University (CSU) is Andrew Ciccolini, DVM, MA, who was recently hired as the medical director for the university’s upcoming student-focused veterinary Primary Care Center for the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Currently under construction, the new center is expected to be completed in 2026.⁴

With the aspiration to become a veterinarian from a young age, Ciccolini earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University and joined the military as a member of the US Army Veterinary Corps after graduating. There, he looked after military working dogs and assisted in running veterinary clinics on military bases. According to a CSU report, Ciccolini worked in leadership roles and on public health and food security across the globe, including in Afghanistan, Africa, Eastern Europe, and South Korea, as well as in Washington state and Colorado during his time in the military.⁴

In a report, CSU asked Ciccolini what excites him about working in his new position. “I really enjoy mentoring other veterinary professionals and helping them become the best versions of themselves,” he said in the report.4 “I’m really looking forward to that aspect of this, developing a program that will really help students be more prepared for private practice or just being a veterinarian in general. That’s really appealing to me. Teaching more spectrum of care is one of the main goals of this clinic, helping educate veterinarians on alternative options when finances are a challenge so that pets can receive quality care.”

Issiah Owens, director of animal health products, D.A.W Systems, Inc.

D.A.W. Systems, a veterinary prescription technology company recently appointed Issiah Owens as director of Animal Health Products. In his new position, Owens will lead the strategic growth and development of D.AW. Systems’ veterinary product portfolio. Owens’ previous roles include member of the executive leadership team at PetMeds Pharmacy and director of pharmacy operations. He also led efforts to optimize prescription workflows using innovative technologies.

"We are thrilled to welcome Issiah Owens to the D.A.W. Systems leadership team. His proven track record of innovation, strategic vision, and operational excellence will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our veterinary solutions and strengthen our partnerships within the veterinary and pharmacy communities.” Adam Forman, chief operating officer of D.A.W. Systems, said in a news release.⁵

“D.A.W. Systems…has a legacy of transforming the human healthcare space with cutting-edge electronic prescribing solutions,” said Owens in the release.⁵ “As someone deeply committed to advancing care for animals, I am honored and energized to lead this new division and bring that same game-changing impact to the animal health industry. Veterinary practices are spending far too much time approving faxed prescription requests and D.A.W. Systems aims to solve that issue by creating a unified platform for practices to approve all outside prescription requests."

References

1. Mars appoints Alastair Child as chief sustainability officer. News release. Mars, Incorporated. January 16, 2025. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mars-appoints-alastair-child-as-chief-sustainability-officer-302352670.html
2. Veterinary Emergency Group names Dr. Meredith Daly as first-ever chief quality officer. News release. Veterinary Emergency Group. January 13, 2025.
3. BSM Partners announces Bob Riebe as chief operating and sales officer. News release. BSM Partners. January 16, 2025. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bsm-partners-announces-bob-riebe-as-chief-operating-and-sales-officer-302352633.html
4. Outcalt C. CSU hires medical director for new veterinary Primary Care Center. Colorado State University. January 9, 2025. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://cvmbs.source.colostate.edu/csu-hires-medical-director-veterinary-primary-care-center/
5. D.A.W. Systems strengthens leadership to advance unified prescription approval portal & network for veterinarians. News release. D.A.W. Systems, Inc. January 9, 2025.