AEMV President's Letter from Dr. Chris Griffin, DVM, DABVP - Avian

December 2012

Dear AEMV members,

It is an honor and a privilege to be the President of the AEMV for the next 2 years. As you well know, the AEMV is an organization that is experienced within our leadership and members despite being young in terms of our official association (established in 2000). We are an international organization with members throughout the world, and we are an organization that is still small and friendly so that everyone feels welcomed and respected within our doors.

That said, there is much to do before we rest.

The AEMV is growing. We are 750+ members strong as of last count, and have doubled in size in the past few years. The conference continues to attract both members and non-members alike, and the level of continuing education in the field of exotic mammal medicine and surgery is second to none. Our future is bright, and in a day and age where many things appear to be gloomy, this is something to recognize and strive to continue.

There are many issues that face our organization.

At the top of the list is solidifying the framework that allows the AEMV to function. A review of the By-Laws is underway; this will result in a re-organization of the Leadership Roles of the AEMV and establishing protocols for future work. It is also vital to complete this task as it will help us manage future issues that may arise by having plans in place in case of snags with conferences, leadership participation, economic concerns or other hiccups.

With the election of our former Treasurer, Dan Johnson, to the post of President Elect, the office of Treasurer is currently vacant. Dan will continue to temporarily fill this role as we search for our next Treasurer. Our current leadership has identified Dr. Micah Kohles as an excellent candidate for this position, although all nominations and interested parties will be considered.

Our association has also grown to the point where having one of our own as Executive Director has placed an inordinately heavy burden on Dr. Melissa Kling. For this reason, she has decided, with the blessing of the Executive Board, to help us begin a search for a new Executive Director. There are simply too many tasks to be accomplished for the AEMV by a full time employed veterinarian acting as both Secretary and Executive Director. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to her as it has been under her watch that many of the wonderful aspects of AEMV membership has come to maturity. I am excited for her and grateful to her for her service over the past several years. Click here to read Dr. Kling's letter below.

The 2012 Annual Conference was excellent once again, and we are looking forward to our next few conferences. The 2013 Annual Conference will be in September in conjunction with the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) in Indianapolis, IN. The 2014 Conference is still in the planning stages, and we are considering a couple of different possibilities for that meeting.

As I said above, there is much to do in the coming weeks, months and years. If you are excited about the future of exotic mammal medicine, please contact myself or any of the other Board Members (Melissa Kling, Dan Johnson, Joerg Mayer, or our future Treasurer) or our Committee Chairs and offer to volunteer. We will find something for you to do, and we promise to appreciate the time, energy and effort it takes to volunteer for our organization. If you aren't sure what you'd like help out with, please see the list of our goals at the end of this letter. If you still aren't sure, we'll see if we can find a good fit for your individual skills and interests.

Again, I would like to say that it is an honor and a privilege to be the current President of the AEMV. Now that the national political races are over (for now), it is time to get to the business of running the country, our veterinary practices and organizations like ours.

Thanks again, and I hope to hear from and visit with many of you soon!

Chris Griffin, DVM, DABVP - Avian
President, AEMV 2012-2014
Owner/Medical Director Griffin Avian and Exotic Veterinary Hospital
Kannapolis, NC 28083 (704 932 8111)
Past President, ARAV (2009-2010)

LIST OF FUTURE AEMV TASKS

Here is a list of future tasks that will need to be tackled (I'm sure there will be more!):

1. Maximize the value of membership of AEMV.
2. Expand the membership.
3. Continue to develop our brand.
4. Continue the evolution of our conference and the propagation of positive relationships with like-minded organizations.
5. Continue to improve and strengthen our relationships with non-veterinary animal health and husbandry companies by increasing our membership's involvement in those companies.
6. Increase internet based, social networking opportunities.
7. Continue grants for Exotic Companion Mammal medical research.
8. Continue our (members') involvement in the ABVP specialty-ECM.
9. Continue with the updating and upkeep of the administrative side of AEMV, including review and update of Bylaws, etc.
10. Fill the positions of Treasurer and Executive Director as soon as possible.

Letter from Dr. Melissa Kling, AEMV Executive Director

Dear AEMV Friends and Colleagues:

Yes, it is true that I will be stepping down as the Executive Director of AEMV. I have had the absolute honor of watching AEMV grow more rapidly than we could have ever predicted with members all over the world. AEMV is now recognized as THE source for cutting edge information from the leaders in the field of exotic companion mammal medicine and surgery whether through JEPM or our annual conference.

When I was appointed Executive Director in 2010, it was truly the highest honor of my career and I can only hope I have served the position with the devotion and integrity that AEMV deserves. As with all young associations, the growth and rise to distinction necessitates having an Executive Director with experience and a time commitment that is now beyond my capability. AEMV will be continuing strategic planning for its future that will require the vision of its officers and board along with the guidance of a skillful director.

Please rest assured I will continue in the position until a successor is found. This puts us at an advantage to take our time until we find the best fit for our association. An official search committee has been formed and chaired by our President-Elect, Dr. Dan Johnson. The remaining committee members are Dr. Chris Griffin, Dr. Micah Kohles, Dr. Karen Rosenthal, and Dr. Mike Dutton.

I have met people, been to cities, and had experiences that would have never been possible otherwise. AEMV is simply a part of my life and I hope it continues to be for many years as I uphold my role as Secretary. These are very exciting times for AEMV and I hope you all share in my enthusiasm for our future as an association.

Cheers,
Melissa

Copyright 2012 Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians. All rights reserved.