Swine veterinarians challenged to ?Build on Our Strengths?

October 10, 2007 — Kerry Keffaber

Attendees at the 39th annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) will explore the concepts of developing and building on individual and organizational strengths during presentations addressing the theme "AASV: Building on Our Strengths." The meeting is scheduled for March 8-11, 2008 in San Diego, California.

Dr. Kerry Keffaber, AASV president-elect and the meeting's program chair, explains, "in his three most recent bestsellers, First, Break All of the Rules, Now, Discover Your Strengths, and Go Put Your Strengths to Work, author Marcus Buckingham makes the point that each individual has specific talents, knowledge and skills that compose his or her strengths. Certainly weakness exists, but one needs to focus on building on an individual's or organization's strength and manage around the weaknesses. The theme for the 2008 annual meeting, 'AASV: Building on Our Strengths,' challenges us as individuals and as a professional association to utilize our natural strengths as the basis for our future growth. A thorough knowledge and understanding of disease is a swine veterinarian's biggest strength. Our members strive to build on this unique understanding to better serve their clients, insure the health of the animals in their care and enhance public health." Using this theme, the 2008 program planning committee has developed a program that not only challenges but tries to answer the major questions facing swine veterinarians today.

The centerpiece of the meeting, the Monday morning general session, opens with the prestigious Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture. Dr. Keffaber selected Dr. Tim Loula to give the 2008 presentation. In explaining his choice for the lecturer, Keffaber remarks, "Tim is best qualified to review the past, and present a vision of the future successful practitioner. His impact on disease, our organization and the swine business has been significant. He can share ideas and data on how decisions are made, what has or has not worked and recognize challenges for the future. His history exemplifies the theme of 'Building on Our Strengths.'"

Dr. Keffaber chose Dr. Mike Terrill to present the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture. In only its second year, the lecture series honors the late Dr. Alex Hogg. A former president of the association, Hogg was known internationally for his expertise in swine disease. "Mike is a perfect example of building on one's strengths to take your career down a different path," notes Keffaber. "He has a great story to tell about his evolution through production, finance, and management to become a leader in an integrated food company, PFFJ, and the food industry. Mike can help us understand how we identify these other strengths and encourage our members to explore their passions in roles that may not have yet been defined."

The Monday morning general session rounds out with a presentation on viral ecology from Dr. Dave Benfield. This scientific presentation is then followed by a panel of practitioners discussing the practical challenges associated with addressing viral diseases in swine practice.

Monday afternoon offers three concurrent sessions, with presentations on respiratory diseases, controlling feed costs and sessions on PRRS and PCV2. Likewise, on Tuesday attendees can select from three additional concurrent sessions targeting enteric diseases, influenza and the challenges of managing the gestating sow.

Pre-conference seminars on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning provide attendees with the opportunity to obtain in-depth information on specific areas of interest. The poster session begins at noon on Sunday and offers veterinary students and commercial companies another venue for sharing information. The Sunday afternoon schedule includes the popular Student Seminar in addition to the Industrial Partners and Research Topics sessions.

Registration is limited to veterinarians and veterinary students. Registration materials will be mailed and online meeting registration will be available by late December. To make hotel reservations, contact the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina at 619-291-2900 or online by visiting the AASV 2008 Annual Meeting website. For more information, contact the AASV: Tel: 515-465-5255, Fax: 515-465-3832, E-mail: aasv@aasv.org.

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Kerry Keffaber, AASV president-elect