Alumni News

Homecoming 2021

The College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated Homecoming with a variety of activities including a meeting of the Veterinary Medical Alumni Association with a presentation by Dr. Dan Grooms, the Dr. Stephen G. Juelsgaard Dean of Veterinary Medicine. Photos: Tracy Raef

Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Alumni Receptions

January 16, 2022

Veterinary Medical Expo The Pub @ Pointe Orlando 9101 International Drive, Suite 1003 Orlando, Florida 7-9 p.m.

March 7, 2022

Western Veterinary Conference Las Vegas, Nevada

July 29, 2022

AVMA Convention Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

IN MEMORIAM

Notices of recent deaths are available online at vetmed.iastate. edu/alumni/memoriam. If you know of a recently deceased CVM alumnus, faculty or staff member please send the notice to dgieseke@iastate.edu.

Dr. Bill Switzer (1927-2021)

Dr. William “Bill” Switzer passed away July 16, 2021 in Ames.

Switzer joined the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1948 and he worked at the college for 42 years. He was awarded the rank of Distinguished Professor and made many contributions to research, including swine respiratory diseases. He served as the associate dean of research and continued his research efforts after retiring from Iowa State.

The William P. Switzer Award was created in 1998 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society and the college.

Mile High Reception

The College of Veterinary Medicine hosted an alumni reception last summer in the Denver area. Dr. Jim Noxon (far right), Morrill Professor of veterinary clinical sciences, attended along with, from the left, Dr. Jeff Wells (’88); Dr. Mike Kuhn (’83); and Dr. Arden Larsen (’88). Photo: Deb Calderwood

CVM Alumni Recognized by ISU

Two graduates of the College of Veterinary Medicine were recognized during the 2021 Homecoming with university alumni awards.

• Dr. Katherine Polak (‘10), who works for FOUR PAWS, an international charity active in 15 countries where she manages a variety of stray animal care programs throughout Southeast Asia, received the ISU Alumni Association Alumni Humanitarian Award. See Page 9.

• Dr. Dustin Loy (‘09), associate professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, received the ISU Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumni Award. See Page 33.

Dr. Katherine Polak (’10)

Dr. Dustin Loy (’09)

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Dr. Tahseen Abdul-Aziz (PhD ‘83 veterinary pathology), has been named the recipient of the Lasher-Bottorff Award from the American Association of Avian Pathologists. Abdul-Aziz is a veterinary pathologist and diagnostician at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.

• Dr. Gary Althouse (‘94) has been named the Theriogenologist of the Year by the American College of Theriogenologists. He is a professor of reproduction and swine health, chair in animal reproduction and associate dean of sustainable agriculture and veterinary practices at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

• Dr. Amanda Dykstra (‘03) has been named to the editorial advisory board of dvm360. Dykstra is the owner of The Gentle Doctor veterinary clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee.

• Dr. Steven Hansen (‘85), president and CEO of the Arizona Humane Society, has been elected the treasurer of the American College of Animal Welfare.

• Dr. Cheryl Hedlund (‘77), professor emeritus of veterinary clinical sciences, is the 2021 recipient of the Al and Carolyn Schiller Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). The Schiller Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated unusual and meritorious service to the ACVS.

• The Iowa Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA) has announced recipients of its annual awards.

› Dr. Elizabeth Holland, (‘08), Veterinarian of the Year. Holland is the owner of Adel Veterinary Clinic.

› Dr. Ryan Shuey (‘16), Rising Star Award. Shuey is an associate veterinarian at Southern Hills Veterinary Services in Corning. › Humboldt Veterinary Clinic, Healthcare Team Service Award. Dr. Aubrey Corday (‘14), is the owner of Humboldt Veterinary Clinic.

› Dr. Dale Risius (‘70), President’s Award. Risius is the president, Risius & Associates Veterinary Service in Long Grove. Dr. Dale Risius (‘70), President’s Award. Risius is the president, Risius & Associates Veterinary Service in Long Grove.

• Dr. Marcus Kehrli, Jr., (‘82), retired director of the USDA National Animal Disease Center, has been awarded the Alumni Award of Merit by the Iowa Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society of agriculture.

• Dr. Laura Molgaard (’91) has been appointed the dean of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine after serving in an interim role since August 2019.

• Dr. Kristin Obbink (’11), lead public health veterinarian for the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, has been elected vice president of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.

• Dr. Jim Roth (’75), Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Xiang-Jin Meng (PhD ’95), University Distinguished Professor of Molecular Virology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, gave two of the three AAAS Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lectures.

• The South Dakota VMA presented its 2020 and 2021 awards at the organization’s annual meeting this summer in Sioux Falls. The recipients included:

› Dr. Heidi Hanson Nantke (’99), 2020 Veterinarian of the Year. Nantke is the managing veterinarian at the All City Pet Care Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Sioux Falls.

› Dr. Julie Ann Williams-Wagner (’82), 2020 Distinguished Service Award. Williams-Wagner operated the Mid River Veterinary Clinic in Chamberlain. She passed away in March 2020.

› Dr. Russ Daly (’90), 2021 Distinguished Service Award. Daly is an extension veterinarian and professor in the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department at South Dakota State University.

• The following board members were elected for the South Dakota VMA: Dr. Carolyn Geis (‘15), Pierre, president; Dr. Matt Stork (‘93), Sioux Falls, president-elect; Dr. Heather Lerseth-Fliehs (‘07), Groton, vice president; Dr. Anna Braunschmidt (‘09), Garretson, District I representative; Dr. Heidi Sorensen (‘91), Watertown, District 2 representative; Dr. Chris Chase (‘80), Brookings, AVMA delegate; and Dr. Chanda Nilsson (‘11), Groton, past president.

• Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown (‘85), senior vice president of food safety, quality and live operations at Perdue Foods, has been named a governor of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

• The Veterinary Medical Alumni Association (VMAA) has announced its 2021 awards including:

› Dr. Darwin Schipper (‘71), Outstanding Service Award. Schipper retired from Preston Veterinary Clinic.

› Dr. Brian Hargens (‘78), Outstanding Mentor Award. Hargens is the owner of Hudson Veterinary Clinic.

• Dr. Janet Whitlock received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA). Whitlock is the founder of Beneva Animal Hospital in Sarasota. She also helped establish an emergency clinic in Sarasota County. She is a past president of the FVMA and the Southwest Florida VMA.