2009-2010 AASV Slate of Officers

March 11, 2009 — Tracy Ann Raef

Dr. Butch Baker, Ames, Iowa, was installed as the president of the AASV at the association's annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. He succeeds Dr. Kerry Keffaber, North Manchester, Ind., who is now immediate past president. Dr. Paul Ruen, Fairmont, Minn., has ascended to president-elect. The newly elected vice president is Dr. Randy Jones.

Dr. Rodney "Butch" Baker (AUB '78) is a senior clinician in the Food Supply Veterinary Services Unit at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to joining the staff at Iowa State in 2006, he was a clinical associate professor at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Baker's career in veterinary medicine began as a mixed-animal practitioner in Kentucky. After 17 years in private practice, he spent a year in the animal health industry, four years with a pig breeding-stock company and three years as director of health assurance in a large integrated pork production company.

During his term, Dr. Baker plans to focus the membership on political activism and publicity management by encouraging grass-roots leadership on issues facing the swine industry. He has a strong interest in delivering evidence-based solutions from medicine to politics.

Dr. Paul Ruen (MN '92) is a practitioner at the Fairmont Veterinary Clinic in Fairmont, Minn., a predominately swine practice that also provides management services to clients. Active in the AASV since 1988, Dr. Ruen was a district director on the AASV Board of Directors from 2005 to 2008. During the 2002 International Pig Veterinary Society meeting in Ames, Iowa, Dr. Ruen served on the Production and Management Scientific Committee. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer at the AASV annual meetings and the Leman Conference in Minnesota. Dr. Ruen grew up in southeastern Minnesota on a diversified pig, cow-calf, and grain farm.

Dr. Randy Jones (NCSU '85) is the owner and operator of a veterinary practice limited to swine health and medicine in Kinston, N.C. Prior to that, he was a mixed-animal practitioner for nine years. A member of the AASV since 1985, Dr. Jones was serving his second term as an AASV board member representing southeastern United States before his election to the office of vice president. He is a former president of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, and active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Growing up on a cow-calf farm in western North Carolina, Dr. Jones original career focus was bovine health and medicine. But he was influenced into the direction of swine medicine by enthusiastic swine veterinarians Drs. Harvey Hilley and Gary Dial. That influence grew when his employer and mentor, Dr. Charles Randall, took him to his first AASV annual meeting in 1986.

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Tracy Ann Raef, Communications Specialist, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University