Alumni updates are submitted by your fellow alumni. Read what they are up to below or submit your own update.
Mark Heule ’76 DVM, retired and sold his practice, Veterinary Center on Main in Osseo, Minn., in 2021.
Mark Peterson, DVM ’76, DACVIM, has received one of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) highest honors. Peterson was named the recipient of the 2021 AVMA Lifetime Excellence in Research Award. The award recognizes a veterinary researcher on the basis of lifetime achievement in basic, applied, or clinical research. Recipients are selected based on the total impact their career has had on the veterinary or biomedical professions.
Gary Neubauer, ’78, DVM, has received the National Mastitis Council’s (NMC) 2021 Award of Excellence for Contribution to Mastitis Prevention and Control for his work with dairy cattle. This award recognizes an NMC member who has provided sustained contributions to mastitis prevention and control through research, extension and/or education, clinical practice, or service to dairy producers.
Eileen Thacker, '78 DVM, PhD, and Brad Thacker, '78 DVM, '82 MS, '85 PhD, were recently awarded with the Science with Practice Award at the Iowa State University (ISU) James D. McKean Swine Disease Conference in Ames, Iowa. ISU's College of Veterinary Medicine recognizes their rich contributions to research and practical application of veterinary swine medicine including Eileen's research on the control of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Brad's knowledge of disease control and elimination.
Andy Johnson, ’76 DVM, was inducted into the Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame for his dedication, influence, and leadership in the field of cattle production veterinary medicine in September 2019.
Llewellyn C. Peyton, ’74 DVM, was inducted into the hall of fame at his undergraduate alma mater, Alcorn State University, for his contributions and leadership in the field of veterinary medicine in August 2019. Peyton was the first African American to graduate from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and is one of two African American men to graduate from the CVM.
John Howe, ’77 DVM, was featured in Profiles for his role as Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association president, as well as his plans to run for American Veterinary Medical Association president. Read more about the impact Howe hopes to have on the organization and veterinary medicine here.
Jagjit S. Brar, DVM, ’77 MS, was recently honored with the Lifetime Merit Award by the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) at the CVMA annual meeting on December 12, 2018, in Oak Brook, Ill. Brar has been a veterinarian for more than 55 years. He has owned Dorchester Animal Hospital in Chicago for more than 37 years and Palos Pet Clinic in Palos Hills, Ill., for 14 years. He has served as secretary, vice president, and president of the CVMA. Now, he is the veterinary board president of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations. Brar was executive board member of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association for three years. He was also a member of Cook County Executive Board University of Illinois Extension and chair of the nomination committee for four years.
Mary Olson, ’76 DVM, and Jennifer Schurrer, ’06 DVM, ’07 MS, won the President’s Award from the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA). The MVMA President’s Award recognizes those who have contributed significantly to the veterinary profession and the MVMA, and that have promoted the human-animal bond, animal health, and welfare or public health. Olson and Schurrer have led Minnesota's prescription monitoring program, VetPMP. The pair created VetPMP to help control the current opioid crisis and prevent misuse of controlled pain medications.