Profile
GEORGE E. ROBINSON III, D.V.M., M.S.P.H.
Board of Directors
George E. Robinson III, D.V.M., M.S.P.H., (Veterinary Medicine, ’81) is one of the newest members of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors but a longtime supporter of his alma mater. He endowed one of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s (SVM) first scholarships for under-represented students, motivated to relieve financial strain for promising scholars and promote diversity. In the spirit of LSU’s Fierce for the Future Campaign, Dr. Robinson shared that he is fierce for leveraging philanthropy to strengthen LSU’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, benefiting the university and society as a whole. “Companies that are mindful and intentional about diversity tend to have better results and an overall better working environment,” Dr. Robinson said. “If we plant those seeds at LSU, ultimately, our graduates will carry that Photo by Andrea Laborde Barbier message and those values with them wherever they go.” Dr. Robinson, who was the first African American student from Louisiana to attend the LSU SVM, was named its 2018 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year and gave the school’s commencement address that May. “It sent chills down my spine because it felt full circle. After I graduated, I spent a lot of time working to influence minority students to attend the LSU SVM,” Dr. Robinson said. “I think one of the gaps is exposure and mentorship. A lot of folks don’t have a black veterinarian to look to in their community and say, ‘I want to be like Dr. George’ ... That puts a kind of social responsibility on me, too.” Based in Chicago, Dr. Robinson is the chief executive officer of Heartland Veterinary Partners, a growing, $100 million+, “vet-centric” company that owns and manages nearly 100 veterinary practices. The company’s goal is to lift the burden of administrative functions from veterinarians so they can focus on their true passion: practicing medicine. “With my experience in upper management and running my own practice, I realized I could build a business that resonated with veterinarians looking to improve their practices,” Dr. Robinson explained. “We provide equipment and continuing education for doctors while creating a positive experience for the pet-owning public.” As an LSU Foundation board member, Dr. Robinson looks forward to applying the fundraising skills he honed while serving as chair of the Southern University Foundation and on several civic and governmental boards in New Orleans, where he practiced for many years. “Philanthropy has always been a part of my life,” Dr. Robinson said. “Schools that are considered great have alumni who give back; I’ve been raising funds for the LSU SVM since the day I graduated. Supporting LSU is a way to create a legacy of service and caring.” lsufoundation.org/board lsufoundation.org/nationalboard
2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
DIRECTORS
Clarence P. Cazalot Jr. | Houston, Texas Chairperson of the Board & Director
Mark K. Anderson | Monroe, La. J. Herbert Boydstun | Baton Rouge, La. Deborah A. Elam | New Orleans, La. Keith J. Evans | Shreveport, La. Beau Fournet | Dallas, Texas T. Cass Gaiennie | Shreveport, La. Bradie James | Fairview, Texas Roger W. Jenkins | El Dorado, Ark. Gary L. Laborde | New Orleans, La. Charles A. Landry | Baton Rouge, La. David B. Means III | Mansfield, La. Dr. Mary T. Neal | Bellaire, Texas Roger H. Ogden | New Orleans, La. Sean E. Reilly | Baton Rouge, La.
Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III | Houston, Texas Chairperson-elect of the Board & Director J. Bryan Benchoff | Baton Rouge, La. LSU Foundation President and CEO Laura L. Dauzat | Marksville, La. Corporate Secretary & Director D. Martin Phillips | Houston, Texas Corporate Treasurer & Director
Jack Rettig | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. George E. Robinson III | Chicago, Il. Elizabeth H. Ronn | Palo Alto, Ca. John F. Shackelford III | Bonita, La. Jyric E. Sims | Fort Worth, Texas Jeffrey N. Springmeyer | Houston, Texas Robert M. Stuart Jr. | Baton Rouge, La. Immediate Past Chairperson of the Board Sue W. Turner | Baton Rouge, La.
EX OFFICIO F. King Alexander LSU President
WINTER 2019 AND SPRING 2020 CORNERSTONE
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