Member Spotlight DON MORGAN, DVM rgan and late FVMA
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Dr. Donald Morgan has been an active participant in organized veterinary medicine for over five decades. A pillar in the Florida veterinary community, Dr. Morgan has been a member of the Florida Association of Veterinary Medicine (FVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for over 50 years and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) for over 40 years. Dr. Morgan has previously served as president of the FVMA and retired in March as treasurer. Over his tenure with the FVMA, he has seen great growth in the association – crediting the vision of the FVMA’s late executive director, Phil Hinkle, with many of the strides made.
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“I’m grateful for Phil’s friendship and guidance of the FVMA,” said Dr. Morgan. “His service and dedication to the Association was incredible, and we miss him dearly.”
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In addition to his service on the state and national level, he has served in every office in the Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association (PCVMA) and coordinated its continuing education meetings. He serves as the editor of the monthly PCVMA Newsletter, and currently is the president of the Pinellas Animal Foundation. Dr. Morgan has also held offices in the Greater Largo Chamber of Commerce and served a term as chairman of that board. He was selected Citizen of the Year for Largo in 1977, was Largo Jaycees President, served on the Largo Medical Center Board of Trustees (a HCA Hospital) for six years and was that board's chairman for three years.
I’m grateful for Phil’s friendship and guidance of the FVMA. His service and dedication to the Association was incredible, and we miss him dearly. — Dr. Morgan For his service to veterinary medicine, the FVMA presented Dr. Morgan with the Veterinarian of the Year Award in 2007, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, two Gold Star Awards, and a Distinguished Service Award in 2019.
Dr. Morgan (left) is awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Dr. Alex Steverson (right) at the FVMA Annual Conference in 2019. Image courtesy of FVMA.
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FVMA Advocate
“I think organized veterinary medicine is more important today than ever before,” Dr. Morgan said. “Graduates are leaving college with an enormous debt load averaging 160 thousand to 300 thousand dollars, and having difficulty finding a job that will sustain that debt. With veterinary salaries being the lowest of all medical professionals, their debt to income ratio will remain high. Maybe with good mentorship, increased salary levels and more scholarship funding at the college level, we can help new graduates enter into this great profession more easily and be proud of their accomplishments.”
