The North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) marks the beginning of the veterinary year in conferences. My first conference was fourteen years ago. It was 1995 and after creating the campaign, I orchestrated the press launch of “Dogs Need Dental Care, Too!” a campaign that quickly morphed into “Pet’s Need Dental Care, Too!” Together with Dr. Bob Wiggs, the expert spokesperson in veterinary dentistry, we logged thousands of miles flying around the country spreading the word through the media about dental care for pets. Now, the campaign is in its 13th year (14 counting the dog campaign!) and continues to educate the public and veterinarian on the importance of proper dental care, prevention and treatment for pets.
In 1998 I decided to launch my own firm, Germinder & Associates, Inc. In 2000, we launched this web site at the height of the first dot.com era. We’ve come a long way since Pet’s Need Dental Care, Too! We’ve gone on to create many more web sites and successful award-winning campaigns in animal health — over 100 in number in fact.
In 2008, the anniversary of Germinder & Associates, we decided to pledge $10,000 under our Germinder Giving Back program. We have finalized our pledges and will be reporting on those organizations in the next few weeks. Finally, I earned my Fellow designation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), an important personal milestone for me.
Now as we start 2009, no organization is quite certain what the future will hold, but perserverance, resilience and staying true to our core mission and values will be key to not only surviving but succeeding. Hope reigns and we are ready to face the challenges. Speaking of someone who faces challenges head-on is this year’s Mark L. Morris, Sr. Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Dr. C.A. Tony Buffington. Buffington has contributed a lifetime to both feline and human health scientific breakthroughs and we are proud to assist Hill’s Pet Nutrition in honoring him at this year’s NAVC conference.
Also this year at NAVC, Germinder & Associates, is coordinating a press briefing for the relaunch of Virbac Animal Health’s dermatological Glycotechnology brand. Glycotechnology is patent pending anti-adhesive technology that inhibits the adherence of bacteria to a pet’s skin. Dermatology is an area of veterinary practice you will be sure to hear more about. The issues aren’t new, but the options for treatment are.
As 2009 unfolds, you will hear more from us about our work with Pfizer Animal Health, new topics in veterinary medicine, and new areas we are exploring as the convergence of traditional media and the Internet continues to be our area of interest and expertise.
Best Regards,
lgerminder@germinder.com
Lea-Ann Germinder, APR, Fellow PRSA
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