Payne appointed Banfield president; Campbell continues on as board chairman

Portland - 07/05/2007- John Payne was named president, chief operating officer and acting CEO of Banfield, The Pet Hospital, succeeding Scott Campbell, DVM, who is retiring as CEO after 22 years.Campbell will remain Banfield's Chairman of the Board.A formal search will be undertaken for the CEO position, the company reports.Since joining Banfield more than 2-1/2 years ago, Payne was credited with helping Banfield grow through numerous initiatives, including his involvement in veterinary recruitment, strengthening industry partnerships, development of a new digital X-ray technology, development of the Hannah Pharmaceutical line, and streamlining the practice's logistic processes with MWI Veterinary Supply. "With over 33 years experience in the pet healthcare industry and a record of surpassing profit and quality goals in growth environments, John is a great asset to our practice," Campbell says. "With John's leadership and strong commitment to strategic partnerships, we look forward to great things and continued growth for Banfield."Prior to joining Banfield in 2005, Payne served as president of Bayer's Animal Health Division for North America. "I am proud and honored to follow in Dr. Campbell's footsteps and serve as the President/COO and Acting CEO of Banfield, the nation's premier pet hospital," Payne says. "The future has never been brighter for the practice, as we continue to focus on strong industry partnerships, with one of my main priorities being a focus on our strategic partnership with PetSmart."Campbell's role will focus on building key industry and professional relationships around the world as well as leadership development, better use of Banfield's medical records database, and the development of emergency and referral centers.