2015 AVMA House of Delegates – Meeting Report
July 9 & 10
Informational Meeting
AVMF – Dr. John Brooks
 This year's event at the Kennedy Library will be the first true “fundraiser” event as opposed to previous
“friendraisers”
 Veterinary Care Charitable Fund (VCCF) – a way for AVMA members to provide care for their clients in
need www.avmf.org/care
 AVMF manages the account of each practice to accept tax deductible donations; 8% of all donations go
to fund the Greatest Need Fund
 Practices can request a withdrawal from their fund for charitable care for their clients
 Over 500 nominations for America’s Favorite Veterinarian – narrowed to 20 candidates – can vote at
AVMF booth
GHLIT – Dr. Dwight King
 Developed a new mission statement: educate, protect financially
 $3.06 billion in collected premiums; $3.114 billion in claims – 58+ years of stability
o Used income off of reserves to fund the differential
 27,283 veterinarians covered today; 69,212 policies in force
 Our partner is New York Life; $39.0 billion in reserves
 2014 total trust reserves and operating funds of $229,187,993 – claims are going to be paid
 Medical claims run-out – done collecting premiums but still paid out claims
o 2014 - $30.3 million with date of service in 2013 and earlier
o 2015 - $300,000 yet to pay out
PLIT – Dr. Janet Donlin
 New brand, new website
 Malpractice coverage for over 60,000 members
 Purchase business and malpractice insurance online; submit claims online
 Stress and wellness resources to be added
 Higher Veterinary License Defense Limit Option of $100,000, doubles coverage from plan 2 for $13 more
per year
 Monthly payment option for professional liability premium available January 1
o No extra fees to pay monthly
 Student support – “Cover your Assets” t-shirts were popular and more student initiatives to be announced
Strategy Management Process
 Began in 2014, now in the process of operationalizing the management plan
 More details available at: newcourse.avma.org
Brand Launch – Mark Lenhart, AVMA with Michael McGuire of 88 Brand Partners
 New look, new communication tools focused on member diversity and value
 AVMA – our passion, our profession
 Information about the new brand and what it means is available at: http://newavma.avma.org
GRD – Dr. Mark Lutschaunig
 Preventing soring act underway
 PAMTA was reintroduced
 Fairness to Pet Owners Act in Senate and will be introduced in House soon
 Fly-in will include veterinarians and students
 GRD Fellows include Dr. Elise Ackley with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill), Dr. Chase Crawford with Senator
Al Franken (D-Minn), Dr. Carrie La Jeunesse in Rep Jeff Fortenberry’s (R-Neb) office
PAC – Dr. Joe Kinnarney
 Best.Video.Ever for the PAC!
 Coming soon at https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/AVMAPAC/Pages/default.aspx
Advocacy Award Presentation – Dr. Ted Cohn
 Dr. George Bishop, California VMA
100 Years of the US Army Veterinary Corps – Brigadier General John Poppe
 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Corps and we will be in San Antonio where the Medical and
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Veterinary Training is stationed
 Another great video!!! http://veterinarycorps.amedd.army.mil/
HOD Communication with AVMA Members – Dr. Kevin Dajka
 Launched in January 2015 to provide messages in a newsletter to AVMA members in coordination with
States and Allied Orgs
 31 organizations interested – 5 selected: Georgia, Indiana, Rhode Island, AABP, AAV for the pilot
 First draft created, edits/comments submitted, and will have a new version delivered to members in those
5 pilot organizations this fall; released to the other 26 orgs that were interested in January 2016
 The newsletter would go to all AVMA members in a given state, regardless of their membership in the
state VMA; the VMA can also send the same newsletter out to their members if they choose; some
members would get it twice
 The newsletter for the Allied groups is under further refinement to determine who should get the
newsletter – only Allied members that are AVMA members, only Allied members, more to come
HOD Roles and Responsibilities
 Shared draft template of roles and responsibilities for HOD members
 Acceptance by the group overall; gave example of having the Delegates take it back to their Orgs for
customization/incorporation
 May be added to the House Manual
Open Discussion
 The HOD members discussed almost all of the resolutions that will be voted on; lots of passion behind
voting transparency and accreditation and most of the discussion revolved around those topics
 The advisory panel pilot project was discussed
 The communication with AVMA was further clarified as Delegates would like a mechanism to
communicate more directly with all AVMA members in their State
HOD Regular Annual Session
Treasurer’s Report – Dr. Barb Schmidt
 Full report was included in our packet of materials
 2014 Operating Budget was used to budget for 2015
o $3,011,074 net revenue before investments and reserves
 2015 Projected Net Operating Income as of April 30 was $290,298
 Investment portfolio $50,630,478 through April 2015
 Total fund balances have grown 56% since 2008
o Projected at $37.3 million for 2015
 Leading from a position of financial strength, Building a strategy focused organization
 Finance is tied to the new strategic plan
o Chair of Finance Reference Committee #4 is now the AVMA Treasurer
SAVMA Report – Jessica Carie
 ALL (Achieving, Leading, Learning) for students program finished 2nd year to the pilot – funded by AVMA,
PLIT, GHLIT. Some examples of the funding include:
o Wellness program at Auburn
o Professional development at Iowa State, Univ of WI
o Leadership development at U Penn
o Community outreach at Tuskegee, Univ of CA-Davis
 Developing a think tank with both SAVMA Delegates and SCAVMA Presidents at this year’s SAVMA
HOD meeting
 #VetStudentUnited was an event in April held in remembrance of the two veterinary students who lost
their lives and it had international involvement
 SAVMA Symposium to be held March 16-18, 2016 at Iowa State University
International Dignitaries
 Canada VMA – antimicrobial resistance legislation has passed and it is up to the veterinary profession to
continue with prudent and judicial use; veterinary practices have been negatively impacted economically
and that is another main focus on the CVMA
 Federal European Veterinarians – represents 240,000 veterinarians is embarking on their new strategic
plan this year too; antimicrobial use and One Health are just two of their 5 focus areas
 World Small Animal Veterinary Association – represents 157,7000 from 96 associations in 77 countries;
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registered in Canada with an executive board of 8 and one administrative assistant; www.wsava.org
 World Veterinary Association – 500,000 veterinarians over 6 continents of which AVMA is a member,
with Dr. Rene Carlson as its president
 International Veterinary Student Association – 30,000 members aimed at raising veterinary education
around the world; committees, development fund; and scholarship fund
Speeches by AVMA Elected Leadership
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Vice President – Dr. Rebecca Stinson
Past President – Dr. Clark Fobian
President – Dr. Ted Cohn
President-elect – Dr. Joe Kinnarney
Candidate for President-elect – Dr. Tom Myers – unanimously elected
Council/Committee Nominations from the floor:
 Dr. Andrew Eischner – COBTA, industry representative
 Dr. Jeffrey Powers – COBTA, at large
Election results:
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Those running unopposed were duly elected
Jessica Light – COBTA, industry exclusive
Grace Bransford, Gay Gira-Lathrop – COVS, small animal exclusive
Kelly Campbell – COVS, recent graduates, emerging leaders
House Advisory Committee (HAC)
o Sandra Faeh (IL)
o Doug Kratt (WI)
o Saundra Willis (WA)
Consent agenda
 Bylaws amendment 4 – Council on Research
 Proposed Bylaws Amendment 4-2015 Council on Research
Bylaws amendment 3 – Terms of BOD
 Proposed Bylaws Amendment 3-2015 Board of Directors
 HAC recommended disapproval due to the discussions last year and the fact that it hasn’t even taken
effect yet; BOD recommended approval because they feel it takes more time to learn and serve;
Reference committee recommends approval
 Passed with 86.4% in support
Bylaws amendment 5 – Board of Governors
 Proposed Bylaws Amendment 5-2015 Board of Governors
 BOD, HAC, Reference committee recommends approval
 Passed with 99.7% in support
Resolution 7 – Random-Source Dogs and Cats
 Resolution 7-2015 Revised Policy on Use of Random-Source Dogs and Cats for Research, Testing, and
Education
 BOD, HAC, Ref comm recommends approval
 Passed unanimously
Resolution 8 – Pharmacist Education
 Resolution 8-2015 Policy on Veterinary Pharmacology Education for Pharmacists
 BOD, HAC recommend approval; Ref comm recommends referring back to BOD with content and title
changes, change this policy to focus on veterinarians, create a second policy focused on pharmacist
education
 Referred back to BOD with 74.8% in support
Resolution 9 – Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics
 Resolution 9-2015 Revised Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics
 BOD, HAC recommend approval; Ref comm recommends referring back to BOD
 Referred back to BOD with 51.5% in support
Resolution 10 – Transparent Voting
 Resolution 10-2015 Voting Transparency
 BOD no recommendation, HAC recommends approval with the amendment to keep election as secret
ballot; reference committee recommends approval once amended
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 Amendment passed to keep elections a secret ballot
 Passed with 86.1% in support
Resolution 11 – Moratorium on All New Accreditation Actions
 Resolution 11-2015 Establish a One Year Moratorium on All New Accreditation Actions
 HAC, BOD, ref comm recommends disapproval
 Failed to have a majority (94.7% against)
Resolution 12 – Create an Accreditation Review Board
 Resolution 12-2015 Establish a Veterinary Accreditation Review Board
 HAC, BOD, ref comm recommends disapproval
 Failed to have a majority (91.3% against)
Resolution 13 – Create an Independent Accrediting Agency
 Resolution 13-2015 Establish a Veterinary Education Accrediting Agency
 HAC, BOD, ref comm recommends disapproval
 Failed to have a majority (76.1% against)
Resolution 14 – Organizational Options for an Accrediting Agency (newly introduced)
 Resolution 14-2015 Organizational Options for an Accrediting Agency
 HAC and Reference comm recommend approval
 Failed to have a majority (71.4% against)
Additional information on the bylaws and resolution discussion is available from the AVMA@Work
blog here:
 http://atwork.avma.org/2015/07/10/house-of-delegates-wrap-up-july-2015/
 http://atwork.avma.org/2015/07/10/house-of-delegates-wrap-up-july-2015-all-accreditation-resolutionsdefeated/
Update on the High Path Avian Influenza Outbreak from Dr. Jack Shere, USDA APHIS
Details on the outbreak can be found at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth?1dmy&urile=wcm%3apath%3a%2Faphis_co
ntent_library%2Fsa_our_focus%2Fsa_animal_health%2Fsa_animal_disease_information%2Fsa_avian_health
%2Fct_avian_influenza_disease
Did you know the HOD Directory, Proceedings dating back to 2010 (including the official minutes of the HOD
sessions), and the 2015 Resolutions and Bylaws can all be found here??
https://www.avma.org/About/Governance/Pages/default.aspx
AVMA 2016 is in San Antonio, Texas
HOD Meeting August 4-5
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Need more info? Please contact us:
Dr. Danelle Bickett-Weddle, Delegate (dbw@iastate.edu)
Dr. Chuck Lemme, Alternate Delegate (isu75dvm@msn.com)
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