AABP Announces New Executive Vice President, Dr. Fred Gingrich

April 13, 2016 — 

For the first time in 11 years, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) will have a new Executive Vice President, Dr. K. Fred Gingrich, II, when Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, Jr., retires at the end of December 2016. Riddell stepped into his current role with AABP in 2005 during a transitional time after former Executive Vice President Dr. James A. Jarrett passed away.

Under Riddell’s leadership, AABP has led a membership of over 5,000 beef and dairy veterinarians into a new era where animal welfare, judicious drug use, regulations and consumer perceptions have taken center stage in shaping livestock production.

In March 2015 AABP formed a search committee made up of a diverse group of AABP members with a long history of service and leadership to AABP, in addition to hiring an executive search consultant for extensive surveying and interviewing of candidates. The search committee carefully developed a timeline for the nomination, selection and interviewing of candidates for the Executive Vice President position from May through December, 2015, with the final selection made by the AABP Board of Directors in February, 2016.

Gingrich, who is the current AABP president, has had a long association with the organization since he graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. Gingrich currently is a mixed-animal practitioner and owns Country Roads Veterinary Services, Inc., in Ashland, Ohio. Gingrich will leave private practice to become the full time AABP executive vice president on January 1, 2017.

AABP plans to have a six-month transition with both Dr. Gingrich and Dr. Riddell on staff from July through December 31, 2016. During this time, Gingrich will set up an office and support staff in Ohio. Gingrich will step down as AABP president July 1, and Immediate Past President Dr. John Davidson will return as AABP president for July, August and September 2016 up until the 49th Annual Conference September 15-17 when President-Elect Dr. Mark Thomas will become the AABP president.

Gingrich will be the fourth AABP executive vice president following Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, Jr., Dr. James A. Jarrett and Dr. Harold E. Amstutz, respectively.