Pass it Back, Ags! By: Jennifer Gauntt Dr. Mark Vara ’83
DVM alumnus Mark Vara pays forward the gifts of his family and Texas A&M through service to the university, students, and his community.
Some of the most important lessons Dr. Mark Vara has learned throughout his life have come from two of the things that mean the most to him—his family and Texas A&M. The 1983 biomedical sciences (BIMS) and 1987 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate’s earliest lessons stemmed from his humble beginnings in San Antonio, where, as the son of a nurse and a World War II veteran/government worker, Vara and his two brothers lived a dichotomy of attending a private Catholic school while making ends meet with few of life’s luxuries. “We grew up without air conditioning. For family vacations, we’d load in the station wagon and that became both our means of travel and our overnight accommodations; we didn’t sleep in a hotel,” Vara said. “I remember one Christmas getting a washing machine and then the next Christmas we got the dryer. “My dad and my mom, who grew up in the depression, learned to live off of cash, no credit—that was their motto. We’d have one ketchup bottle; there’d be a little bit of ketchup left in the bottle, and my mom would add water and shake it up,” Vara said. “Even though it was watery, she would say, ‘Well, we’re not getting a new one until you finish this.’ My parents were very, very frugal with their money, but they did so well. We were happy as a clam; we didn’t want for anything.” They did so well, in fact, that when it came time for Vara to attend college, his father made him a deal—Mr. Vara would pay for his son’s education, but Mark had to pay him back, by making sure that his own kids’ education would one day be covered. It was the first of many lessons Vara would learn about giving back. The next happened at Texas A&M, where Vara served as a Fish Camp counselor and chairman, student senator, resident adviser, veterinary class president, spoke around the state for Muster, and joined John Koldus’ leadership program. “There’s an old saying that sports don’t build character; they just reveal it. It’s the same about A&M. A&M doesn’t build your character; it just reveals it,” Vara said. “Dr. Koldus had a big influence on me. One day, I needed a favor and he said, ‘I’ll do it under two conditions: you give back what and when you can, and you do something for someone when you get a chance.’” Following his DVM graduation, Vara started the next chapter of a life that would meet both of those conditions, and perhaps go beyond. He accepted a position in a mixed animal practice, where he worked for four years, until he decided to purchase his own practice. Today, he is the CEO of the San Antonio–based Vanguard Veterinary Associates, a company that has three brick-and-mortar locations across the state and employs more than 100, including 45 veterinarians. Professionally, he began giving back to the community through an association with H-E-B that brings affordable pet vaccinations and preventative care to communities through weekday and weekend clinics at H-E-B stores around the state. It is also a point of pride that Vara hires Texas A&M graduates and interns in his franchises. At Texas A&M, Vara’s giving goes further. The active Aggie participates on the 12th Man Foundation, as an Athletics Ambassador, with Fish Camp, and on the veterinary school and BIMS boards. He recently finished a term on the 12th Man 48 | CVM Today