What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I joined VetPartners in March 2016 after 18 years working with medical centre groups in Australia and the U.S. As CEO, it is my responsibility to ensure the company provides the highest service levels to our practices and employees. “Join Us, Stay You” is the cornerstone of a simple philosophy, to identify excellent community and group practices, to partner with or acquire those practices and to successfully integrate them into the VetPartners family. There are a number of commercial and quality benefits to being a large veterinarian services organisation made up of strong independent practices. My job is to ensure these benefits are achieved for VetPartners and the clinics which make up this dynamic group.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

People who work in the Veterinary industry are incredibly passionate about what they do and I have really enjoyed joining a group that celebrates professional independence and excellence in the industry.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I continue to be the Managing Director and an active veterinarian in the Vets4Pets group in Adelaide while taking on this role. Through my broad experience at many levels in the veterinary profession and my experience as a transitioning owner, I see my role as one of support for current and future owners. We have a shared goal of preserving the established successful culture and heritage of our practices. I also hope to contribute to processes that will build opportunities and career pathways for the employees in our group that lead to the continued provision of excellent patient care.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I love the down to earth nature of our profession and the diversity of the people you meet. I feel privileged to be involved in something that will help provide opportunities for the many passionate people in our industry for years to come.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I co-founded the VetFriends group in 2005, and partnered with Sydney veterinarians to grow our group to 15 practices before we joined with VetPartners. As Chairman it’s my job to make sure we’re true to our word: protecting and supporting the employees, cultures and heritages of the terrific community practices that we partner with or acquire. The goal for the group as a whole is to build a long-term sustainable veterinary company that can take advantage of the considerable benefits and central resources available with scale, while staying true to our commitment to each individual practice.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

It’s a privilege working with veterinarians, hospital staff and pet owners building something we can all be proud of. I look forward to the many improvements that scale will afford the profession as we grow.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

In 2006 I co-founded VetStrategy, Canada’s second biggest group of practices and in 2013 I started the Australian Veterinary Owners’ League, which was one of the founding groups in VetPartners. I have helped a lot of practice owners think through their exit strategies, and helped them design approaches that were both comfortable and met their financial needs. I hope to continue to talk to owners who are thinking about selling, and talking through their options with them.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I like the people in this industry. Almost every vet, nurse or receptionist I’ve met in the industry cares deeply about animals, and about their practice. It’s very rewarding to work with people who are passionate about what they do.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As CIO I support the clinics and staff to ensure their technology needs are met, address risk across the many diverse IT platforms and drive process so the IT team focuses on the IT user and their needs. 

At VetPartners I ensure that the IT team have the resources and processes to assist all staff members in a manner that enables them to provide the best possible health care for every patient.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

The best moments I have experienced over the last 10+ years working in this industry have been when I see pets walking out the door happier than when they came in. More than anything I like that we all have the one clear goal of keeping pets as happy and healthy as they can be.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

My career spans over 23 years working, owning and managing veterinary practices in the UK and Australia. As General Manager for Veterinarian Services, based in Sydney, I am responsible for staff training, development and engagement as well as overseeing our internship program.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

In this industry, you are part of a large caring family. Most people who work in the veterinary field see it as a true vocation and they genuinely want to enrich the lives of clients and their pets.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

My role as General Manager of Specialist & Emergency Services at VetPartners is to develop the relationships between our general practitioners and our specialist and emergency teams. My role also involves the coordination of our specialist and emergency services across the group. The aim is to keep our specialist and ECC teams at the forefront of the veterinary profession and to allow for outstanding patient care for our clients and their pets.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

The Veterinary industry is a people industry and everyone has a story which I love hearing from our staff and the clients that we see. I love being able to help and care for our patients as I am so aware of what an integral part of our lives our pets are. I like to make a difference.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As National Regional Manager for Australia, my role is to support the hospitals in delivering exceptional customer care and the highest levels of veterinary medicine. I also support the employees of the hospitals in their role, growth and development, and consult with Vendors on the ongoing Management of their Hospitals ensuring we respect and maintain the legacy of their Hospital. I ensure that during the integration period each and every stakeholder in the Veterinary Hospital feels, supported, heard and treated with the utmost respect, and all stakeholders in the veterinary hospital receive to exceptional service from VetPartners Support Centre.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I love the industry for both the animals and the people. The culture of the veterinary industry is based on compassion and care which attracts like-minded people who are dedicated to the wellbeing of the animals. As an animal lover I couldn’t think of a more rewarding industry to be involved in.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Regional Operations Manager for New South Wales, my role involves supporting veterinary businesses and veterinary teams to grow and develop by mentoring, coaching and encouraging individuals so that they are able to reach their full potential in their career. This allows us to improve veterinary standards so that we are able to provide the best animal care.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I love being able to work with the Veterinary Teams. These teams are keen, dedicated, hardworking and passionate people wanting to provide the best veterinary care. Being involved in these veterinary practices and teams who want to learn, grow and share knowledge and experience so that pets benefit with better care, is what it’s all about.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Regional Operational Manager for South Australia, my role is to share my expertise, knowledge and initiatives from all sites, implement systems and assist new practices to integrate seamlessly into the group. If you work in one of my practices, my job is to make your life easier!

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

The “4 legs” world has always been part of my life. As a young person, I was always attracted to playing and working around animals to build a bond and provide them with a good life. I enjoy helping a clinic team with resources to provide the best possible patient care while managing the critical balance between the administrative and clinical functions in the veterinary health care delivery system.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

My role as a regional operations manager gives me the privilege of working closely with hospital directors and practice managers to support them during both the integration phase and beyond. I help to ensure the practices get the most out of their integration with VetPartners including providing access to novel and proven business development ideas, while still maintaining their autonomy. I am a primary point of contact for practices to draw on the collective knowledge that is VetPartners!

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I've been in the veterinary industry for almost 15 years, initially as a nurse while studying, and then as a vet. I love working with veterinary practices as they are like big families with all the staff working towards a common goal - to make sick animals well. The people are passionate, caring and genuinely there for the animals - I can't imagine working in any other industry.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

The most important part of my role as a regional operations manager is to support and provide assistance to the well-established teams I am involved with.

I am able to achieve this by utilising the wealth of knowledge of our support team at VetPartners which enables me to assist with the processes of running a veterinary hospital and allow the staff to focus on what they do best, providing outstanding patient care.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I have been lucky enough to be involved in this industry as a veterinary nurse and practise manager for almost 20years. During this period numerous peers have given me their time, shared their knowledge and mentored me to gain experience. It is rare to find an industry of professionals who care as much about their colleague’s growth and wellbeing as they do their clients and patients.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to be able to give back to the industry what others have taken the time to teach me.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

Regional Operations Manager – based in the Hawkesbury NSW. Keen equestrian dressage competitor who works and mentors Riding for the disabled and Special Olympics. I have an infectious laugh which means most know I am around before they see me. I have a strong background in IT, training and Business management, having 20 year’s experience in the veterinary industry. I offer honest opinions and support staff and think laterally. VetPartners “join us, stay you” resonates with my philosophies of life and work.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I adore the wonderful diversity of the veterinary industry, from multi corporate to mobile veterinarians, this industry brings so many passionate people together.

Meeting the myriad of animals small and large.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Regional Operations Manager, my role is to act as the liaison between the Victorian veterinary practices and the VetPartners Support Office. I assist with the integration of new clinics, support the development of our workers, assist with HR and spend time in the practices working with the leadership teams to improve the business processes.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I find the range and variety of the operations in the hospitals endlessly exciting and fascinating. Every day is different but the people are universally caring, dedicated and focussed on delivering the best possible care to each patient and their human family. I am passionate about professional development and training and I also enjoy being able to use my experience in small business consulting to add efficiency to the business administration and operations, giving vets more time to enjoy being vets.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I am the liaison and advocate for the staff in the practices back to VetPartners Support Office. I assist where required with higher level management of the practice.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

Our industry is full of compassionate people whose goal is to improve the quality of life of pets and the relationships of pets with their owners. This resonates through everything they do and makes working with them very enjoyable. Being able to support them in this goal and having the resources of VetPartners to facilitate this is extremely rewarding.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

My role involves working directly alongside our fantastic vendors and their teams. I support them in providing the optimal care and attention to the pets in our care and their owners.

I also provide coaching and leadership to the NZ Regional Operations team and am the NZ liaison for our wholesalers and suppliers.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

The best thing about working in the vet industry is that no two days are the same. You also work with the most amazing compassionate caring group of people. The real bonus is you can get as many animal snuggles as you like on a daily basis!!!

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Regional Operation Manager for New Zealand, I am responsible for liaising between New Zealand practices and VetPartners Support Office. I assist with integration of new practices while supporting clinic managers to maintain and develop a sound practice and their individual culture. I also help to prepare annual budgets, establish new and build on working relationships with practices managers & vets and to provide immediate support when needed.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I feel in the Vet industry you can make a difference, to improve the education level of my clients and the quality of life for their pets.

The variety of challenges on a day to day basis keeps you fresh and you continually develop and educate oneself and others.

I have had many opportunities which I have jumped at. Starting as a junior nurse in a small animal practice and working my way up to head nurse then practice manager. My career has allowed me to travel and work all over the world and in some very unusual situations working with large exotics.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I joined the VetPartners family in 2017 as the Human Resources Director for Australia and New Zealand. My department partners with clinics in enhancing their human resources needs within the areas of Performance Management, Industrial Relations, Remuneration, Organisational Planning, Recruitment, Organisation Development, Employment Relations, Workplace Health & Safety, Employee Engagement, and Employee Development.

My motto has always been ‘People Make It Possible!’

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I find it extremely rewarding to work with people within the veterinarian industry that are passionate and dedicated to ensure that the best care is provided for all animals.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Administration Manager for the group, I work to ensure that hospitals have administrative support, covering a broad spectrum including HR, banking, and hospital on-boarding. I also work closely with Payroll and the Regional Operations Managers.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

Having worked ‘hands on’ in Veterinary hospitals it’s always been about the animals for me. I have a dog and 2 cats that I adore and I have always loved being a part of helping people do what is the best for their pets. I also find the staff in vet hospitals are a very special kind of people - how could they not be when their job is to help animals and their owners every day? Even though I now work in the Support Office, I still take every opportunity I can to spend some time with the animals in the hospitals.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

I have joined VetPartners in the role of National Acquisitions Manager and my role is to source, acquire and integrate new practices into the VetPartners family. Part of my role is to assist and support practice owners in knowing and understanding all of their options when it comes time for them to consider an exit strategy or succession planning for their practice.

Our “Join us stay you” approach is a way for vendors to continue practicing the way they always have, but with the benefits of being in a larger organisation.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

My background is in medical centre business development and acquisitions and I’m enjoying exploring and learning about a new industry and meeting all of the interesting and passionate people within the industry.

I look forward to welcoming many more practices into the VetPartners family this year.

What is your role in helping VetPartners practices?

As the Marketing Manager for VetPartners Australia and New Zealand, my role involves providing marketing support to each veterinary clinic to grow their brand, to help them develop their business plans and analyse their marketing strategies to produce the best marketing promotions to help endorse their business. This allows the vets to spend less time on marketing and provide the best animal care to their clients.

What do you like most about being in the veterinary industry?

I love being able to work with the veterinary clinics to create marketing collateral that highlights the high calibre of work that our veterinarian clinics do for their clients. Being able to share in these success stories makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside.