I hope health, happiness, and professional success for you this new year.  For those of you that have made New Year's resolutions and at the time of reading this have stuck to them, great job and keep it up!    For others who have made resolutions but despite good intentions have not been able to keep to the commitment, give it another try.  Resolution success is not easy but is doable.
As I write this last column for my year as MVMA President, I'd like to put focus on the upcoming 115th MVMA Annual Meeting to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis and share a thought on this past year. 

This year's annual meeting will again bring out value that I seek from being an MVMA member.  It is February 2 – 4, 2012 and it comes at a great registration rate with a different and great hotel for the meeting.  This meeting allows me to connect with colleagues, learn and obtain CE, and sit in on committee discussions or talk to colleagues that are on committees about issues / concerns on our horizon that need monitoring or attention.  I can attend this conference and in 3 days come away more informed and have a different sense of awareness on topics and issues that may not always be obvious.  Additionally, if I'm a practice owner and interested in highlighting my business, associates, and veterinary technicians to legislators in my area in 2012, this meeting gives me a firsthand opportunity to interact and discuss with other veterinarians and MVMA office staff how to best go about doing this.  This program has been popular and successful in establishing relationships with legislators in St. Paul and gives voice to veterinary medicine.  Please put on your calendar for 2012 the MVMA “Day at the Capitol” scheduled for February 22nd.  This ½ day event at the capitol will give you an opportunity to visit with legislators and other key government officials.  Please contact the MVMA office to let them know that you plan to attend.

What's on the meeting agenda?  I'll no way be able to detail as completely as what you have seen in your mailbox or on the MVMA website but I can tell you that topics range from Assisting Clients and Colleagues with the Grief of Pet Loss to Practice Management to presentations and discussions pertaining to health and welfare of many species of animals.  I guess what I'm saying is that I have no doubt there is something that will interest and be of value to you, your associate, technician, practice manager, colleague, client and practice.  Furthermore, the Saturday luncheon I believe will be something you won't want to miss.  The featured speaker is Dr. Temple Grandin.  Dr. Grandin is an author and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. As a person with high-functioning autism, Dr. Grandin is also noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the squeeze machine designed to calm hypersensitive people.  Dr. Grandin speaks on animal welfare and is the focus of a semi-biographical HBO film, titled Temple Grandin (Wikipedia). I believe Dr. Grandin's presentation will be unlike any other you may have seen.  In addition to her being the featured speaker, Dr. Grandin will also be a speaker during the bovine sessions.  Please plan on attending this annual meeting as well as encourage a colleague that might not be an MVMA member to attend.  Bring your family and make it a great weekend getaway.  Please let the office staff know early that you will be present in order to accommodate meals and enough seating for Saturday's noon luncheon.  I hope to see you there.

Lastly, at least relative to the annual meeting, please consider donating and / or giving generously to the silent auction.  The money raised at this auction goes to the MVM Foundation and supports scholarships and grants that support veterinary activities.

As I mentioned above about this being my last column, I'm thinking over the course of the past year and realize how much I've learned and the number of wonderful people I've met and had the pleasure of working closely with representing this great association.  These are veterinary students, veterinarians, technicians, non-veterinarians, and the MVMA office staff who all have shown great commitment to the MVMA for our betterment and ultimately for our clients and patients by being involved.  You are many.  To all of you and for all you do I say a heartfelt 'Thank you.'  

Finally and as always, the MVMA staff is capable and ready to help, the website is informational and up-to-date and everyone on the Board is only a phone call or email away.  Please contact us and let us know what you think.