Paws and profits: Underscoring employee advancements and personnel promotions

Outstanding leadership within the veterinary field plays a pivotal role in elevating the standard of pet care and fostering the development of veterinary professionals. By creating an environment that encourages growth and innovation, leaders in this sector can significantly influence the trajectory of pet healthcare. Advancements in veterinary medicine and industry trends not only enhance the well-being of pets but also empower their teams to thrive professionally.

Various veterinary businesses and organizations recently announced new promotions and appointments. The following individuals are among those making career advancements:

Michael Mison, DVM, DACVS, associate dean and chief veterinary medical officer, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Michael Mison, DVM, DACVS, associate dean for veterinary medical center operations and chief veterinary medical officer. (Photo courtesy of UC Davis)

At the start of this month, Michael Mison, DVM, DACVS, was named associate dean for veterinary medical center operations and chief veterinary medical officer (CVMO) of the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Mison is a board-certified veterinary surgeon and also serves as a professor in the university hospital’s soft tissue surgery service.¹

“Dr Mison is a committed surgeon and talented administrator who believes that a positive and supportive work environment enhances patient care and benefits all involved – the animals, clients, staff, students, and faculty,” said UC Davis dean, Mark Stetter, DVM, DACZM, in a release.¹ “He continuously works to improve culture and ensure the well-being of those working in the hospital. We are fortunate to have Dr Mison joining us, and we look forward to his success.”

In his new CVMO role, Mison will oversee all clinical, administrative, and fiscal operations of the teaching hospital, leading a team of more than 125 faculty members. The university hospital currently averages about more than 50,000 patients a year, providing veterinary care to both small and large animal cases.¹

“My passion for veterinary medicine and dedication to excellence motivates me to contribute to UC Davis’ legacy of greatness. I am honored and thrilled to be selected for this role,” said Mison.¹

Brent Kirn, vice president of sales and marketing for BSM Partners

Brent Kirn, vice president of sales and marketing. (Photo courtesy of BSM Partners)

Brent Kirn has been named vice president of sales and marketing for BSM Partners, a full-service pet care research, consulting, and strategy-to-shelf product innovation firm. Kirn comes to BSM Partners with over 30 years of technical sales and service experience in the pet food, equine, nutrition research, and commercial poultry industry. Kirn also received an undergraduate and graduate degree in animal science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.²

"Working closely with BSM's world-class advisors, I look forward to helping companies identify and then achieve their most important strategic goals," Kirn said in a company release.²

"We have long admired Brent's marketing and technical acumen and are thrilled that he has joined our team as we continue to expand our capabilities and footprint," said Nate Thomas, co-founder of BSM Partners. "Brent will bring a high level of rigor and discipline to our efforts, helping us provide meaningful solutions for BSM's clients across the pet care space."²

Pamela Butler, executive director of development at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center

Pamela Butler, executive director of development. (Photo courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)

Pamela Butler was named executive director of development for Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) to advance the hospital’s $125 million expansion plans. With over 30 years of experience as a fundraising and strategic leader, Butler was most recently the vice president for development at Jazz at Lincoln Center and also held senior executive roles for The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park Conservancy.³

“We are delighted to welcome Pamela Butler to our development team and as part of the AMC community, supporting our mission to provide excellent and collaborative care to animals and leading the advancement of veterinary medicine as NYC’s only level 1 trauma center,” said Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA, president and CEO of AMC, in a news release.³

“As a devoted and long-standing pet owner it has always meant so much to me to know that the team at AMC not only offers remarkable care, but that they are always there for us. The extraordinary talent of our renowned veterinary staff who provide care for pets at the highest level possible has established AMC as a vital resource for New York pet owners. I am excited to support their work and expand their impact. I also look forward to working with the Development team and growing it to bring a strategic and data driven approach to our fundraising efforts,” said Butler.³

Fred Jasser, chief financial officer, Alphia

Coming to the North American pet food co-manufacturers with more than 20 years of experience in financial, operational, and strategic leadership positions, Fred Jasser started his role of chief financial officer of Alphia. Jasser’s previous positions included chief executive roles all within the food manufacturing industry.

“I’m excited to be joining Alphia, a best-in-class manufacturer in the exciting pet food category with positive industry tailwinds. I look forward to working with Dave and his team, who have built a culture of operational excellence while always keeping customers and pet parents at the heart of everything they do,” said Jasser in a company release.⁴

“Fred brings to Alphia extensive corporate finance, operational, commercial and strategic experience - we’re thrilled to welcome him to our team as we build out our capabilities and embark on our next phase of growth and expansion,” said David McLain, CEO and president, Alphia. “His track record of executing complex transactions and integrations will be invaluable as we drive both organic and inorganic growth.”⁴

Glenn Cruse, PhD, and Gustavo Machado, DVM, MSc, PhD, NC State College of Veterinary Medicine faculty scholars

Glenn Cruse, PhD, and Gustaco Machado, DVM, MSc, PhD, have been named faculty scholars for the 2024 term at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. The North Carolina State University Faculty Scholars program recognizes outstanding academic achievements and are nominated by individual colleges and reviewed by senior faculty, according to a university release.⁵

Image courtesy of NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.

“We are so proud of Dr Cruse and Dr Machado and the work they do that truly represents our college’s goal for leading life-changing research,” said Kathryn Meurs, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Cardiology), dean of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, in the release.⁵ “They are both also exceptional mentors and leaders as well. I am grateful to the leadership at NC State University for creating the University Faculty Scholars program to help us recognize our outstanding faculty.”

Cruse is a mast cell biologist in the college’s department of molecular biomedical sciences and Machado is an infectious disease modeler in the department of population health and pathobiology. Cruse studies mast cells, which are involved in causing inflammation in asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergies. Machado's research is about studying how diseases spread among food animals and finding new ways to control them to lower the impact of both common and emerging diseases.

“Despite working in a field with a strong human focus, the collaborative culture at the CVM and the amazing faculty have opened my research to veterinary applications and enabled fantastic interdisciplinary collaborations that have truly enriched my research,” Cruse stated.⁵

“This award signifies that our efforts are making a meaningful impact in food animal production epidemiology, especially in enhancing our understanding of swine disease dissemination and the development of new control strategies to improve the health of swine farms in North Carolina and nationally,” said Machado.

References

1. Warren R. UC Davis welcomes Dr. Michael Mison as chief veterinary medical officer. News release. UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. March 8, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-welcomes-dr-michael-mison-chief-veterinary-medical-officer
2. Pet industry executive Brent Kirn Joins BSM Partners as vice president of sales and marketing. News release. BSM Partners. March 5, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pet-industry-executive-brent-kirn-joins-bsm-partners-as-vice-president-of-sales-and-marketing-302080478.html
3. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center announces new executive director of development. News release. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. March 7, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.amcny.org/press/schwarzman-animal-medical-center-announces-new-executive-director-of-development/
4. Alphia appoints Fred Jasser as chief financial officer. News release. Alphia. March 4, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240304479101/en
5. Cruse, Machado chosen as University Faculty Scholars for 2024. News release. North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine. February 20, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://news.cvm.ncsu.edu/cruse-machado-chosen-as-university-faculty-scholars-for-2024/#:~:text=Dr.,State%20University%20faculty%20members%20honored