The U.S. veterinary industry’s two largest conferences have wrapped up for the year, but not before announcing a variety of awards. The NAVC Conference, organized by North American Veterinary Community, named its Speakers of the Year. They are: Equine: Amanda House, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, a clinical associate professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Exotics: Doug Mader, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP, the owner of Marathon Veterinary Hospital in Marathon, Fla. He won for the third year in a row and sixth time overall. Food animal: Cindy Wolf, DVM, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Practice management: Andrew Roark, DVM, MS, of Greenville, S.C. Small animal: Justine Lee, DVM, Dipl. ACVECC, Dipl. ABT, the CEO and founder of VETgirl. Veterinary technician: Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS, of Wamego, Kan. NAVC was held in mid-January in Orlando, Fla., and drew record-breaking attendance of 17,328. Taking place in early March in Las Vegas was WVC, formerly known as Western Veterinary Conference. Honored at the 88th annual WVC meeting were: Randall G. Ezell, DVM, a past WVC president, treasurer and board member, who received the Conference Program Dedication Award. Richard Simmonds, DVM, who accepted the Special Recognition Award for his service to WVC. Five postgraduate students, who acquired the Dr. W. Bruce Wren Food Animal Incentive Award. They are: Amos K. Peterson of Washington State University, Emily R. Snyder of the University of Georgia, Leslie F. Wagner of Oklahoma State University, Bryan M. Weaver of the Alvarado Veterinary Intern Program and Joshua A. Ydstie of Iowa State University. Thirty-three veterinary and two veterinary technician students, who collected Dr. Jack Walther Leadership Awards for their school involvement and leadership potential. They are: Rachel Maloney of Auburn University; Devona Demorest of Brown Mackie College (technician); Jonathan Yashari of Colorado State University; Anastasia Handwerk Breidenbaugh of Cornell University; Cassandra Klostermann of Iowa State University; Nathaniel Kapaldo of Kansas State University; Ariel Fowler of Louisiana State University; Mark Ben Paulino of Michigan State University; Cameron Volpe of Mississippi State University; Macallister Harris of North Carolina State University; Livvy Jones of Oklahoma State University; Rebecca Lulay of Oregon State University; Jordan Beauchamp of Purdue University; Devan Barger of Purdue University (technician); Erin Black of Texas A&M University; Paulynne Bellen of Ohio State University; Sarina Selleck of Tufts University; Jacqueline Elliott of Tuskegee University; Joseph Raleigh of the University of California, Davis; Geoffrey Zann of the University of Florida; Crystal Gergye of the University of Georgia; Matt Holland of the University of Illinois; Samantha Gardner of the University of Minnesota; Brian Jochems of the University of Missouri; Tierney Roche of the University of Pennsylvania; Amber Futrell of the University of Tennessee; Martin Granick of the University of Wisconsin; Alexander King of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine; Nathan Whiting of Washington State University; Anthony Nitido of Western University of Health Sciences; Blythe Sola of the University of Calgary; Jared Louw of Ontario Veterinary College; Sophia Skoulikas of the University of Montreal; Ruby Wong of the University of Prince Edward Island; and Kayla Bisborrow of the University of Saskatchewan. WVC also announced the appointment of Darwin R. Yoder, DVM, MS, to vice president and the election of board members Gary D. Weddle, DVM, of Henderson, Nev., and William Wright, DVM, of Elko, Nev. Attendance at the 2016 WVC rose by 10 percent from the previous year, to nearly 15,000, organizers reported. The veterinarian count of 6,285 was an increase of 15 percent. WVC also reported that conference participants came from all 50 states and six continents, that 1,078 continuing education hours were offered through 317 speakers and instructors, and that more than 500 companies were represented in the exhibit hall. The 2017 NAVC Conference will take place Feb. 4 to 8 at the Orange County Convention Center. The 2017 WVC conference is set for March 5 to 9 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
