George Dyck, DVM, MS

Candidate for Vice-President

Dr. George Dyck has owned an equine ambulatory practice in the Los Angeles area for about 25 years. He hosts preceptor students in his office and enjoys the exchange of knowledge. After relocating to California in 1978, Dr. Dyck established several companion animal practices in southern California and sold them to his associates. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the California Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Dyck was President of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association in 1983. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1969, his master’s degree in 1972, and his DVM degree in 1976 from Colorado State University. Dr. Dyck has been a Western Veterinary Conference member and scientific program moderator for many years. He was elected to the board of directors in 2009 and serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. He is an examiner in the equine and bovine sections for WVC's administration of the AVMA Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduate Clinical Proficiency Examination.

Brad White, DVM, MS

Candidate for Vice-President

Dr. Brad White has taught at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2005. His focus is on research and education related to beef production medicine and management. Dr. White works with both students and practitioners to promote programs leading to economically sustainable mixed animal veterinary practice. He has served on convention program planning committees for a number of professional organizations, including the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, and North American Veterinary Conference. Dr. White is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Society for Theriogenology, and Academy of Veterinary Consultants. In 2001 he assisted in the formation of Missouri Verified Beef, an alliance of beef producers committed to the promotion of effective marketing and improved information capture. Dr. White previously taught at Mississippi State University and owned a private practice in southeast Missouri. He received his DVM degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1997 and his master’s degree in 2005 from Mississippi State University.

W. Mark Hilton, DVM, Dipl. ABVP-Beef Cattle

Candidate for Director

Dr. W. Mark Hilton is a clinical associate professor at Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hilton teaches veterinary students in all four years of the curriculum with the greatest emphasis on the third and fourth year students teaching Cattle Production Medicine, Achieving Success in Private Practice (business and communications course) and taking students on food animal ambulatory visits. He also teaches veterinary technology students at Purdue and is a strong proponent of utilizing veterinary technicians in small and large animal practice. Dr. Hilton has served on convention program planning committees with the Iowa and Indiana Veterinary Medical Associations, American Association of Bovine Practitioners and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Dr. Hilton has been a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Bovine Practitioners since his graduation from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. He is also a member of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, Academy of Rural Veterinarians, and Academy of Veterinary Consultants. He is the state coordinator of the Indiana Beef Integrated Resource Management Program and helped to initiate the Indiana Quality Plus Beef Program in 1999. Dr. Hilton was co-owner of a progressive mixed animal private practice in Iowa from 1983 until 1998 when he was recruited to teach at Purdue. He became board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in the beef cattle specialty in 1996 and recertified in 2006. He served as exam chairman of the beef section from 1997-2005. Dr. Hilton’s passion for teaching has earned him numerous teaching awards including the outstanding teacher in the veterinary technology program, the Purdue alumni teaching award, the Weedon faculty recognition award and the award for excellence in engagement from Purdue. In 2000, he was named the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association National Teacher of the Year. Dr. Hilton is active in delivering continuing education programs to veterinarians and veterinary technicians via local, state, national and international meetings where he speaks on beef production medicine, veterinary business and communication topics and educating the veterinary team. He was honored as the Western Veterinary Conference Continuing Educator of the Year for the Food Animal category in 2009. Dr. Hilton and his wife, Denise have been married for 31 years and have two sons, Matthew and Steven.

Denise E. Kobuszewski, DVM

Candidate for Director

Missouri native, Dr. Denise Kobuszewski graduated from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977 and went on to own and operate a mixed animal practice for nearly thirty years. She’s had the opportunity to chair and serve on various committees for the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, received the KVMA President’s Award for Outstanding Service and was appointed by the Governor of Kansas to serve on the Kansas Racing Commission serving as Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer supporting the greyhound and horse racing communities. Dr. Kobuszewski also served nationally as the Chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) for the Quality Assurance and Drug Testing Program. While in practice she worked extensively as a volunteer with the Kansas 4H Dog Program both county and state wide, which led to her involvement with the Kansas Specialty Dog Services. She established the Jefferson County Holding Facility for stray animals and worked in adopting animals in surrounding counties. Dr. Kobuszewski is currently based in Dallas, Texas working as a professional services veterinarian. She participates in trainings, CE lectures and research studies and is a listed author in two published articles written in conjunction with Dr. Michael Dryden, of Kansas State University. Dr. Kobuszewski is the proud mother of two sons, Bodahn, a Registered Nurse and Gates, US Navy Riverine, who has served twice in Iraq.

Clayton MacKay, DVM

Candidate for Director

Dr. MacKay is a 2nd generation veterinarian. He, like his father, graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College. During his undergraduate years, Clayton was Vice President of the University of Guelph Student Union and President of the OTS fraternity. He entered private practice and became a partner in MacKay Animal Clinic. By 1989, the practice had become a 6 doctor, 35 employee, AAHA accredited general and specialty facility offering referral care in surgery, internal medicine, dentistry, behaviour and dermatology. In 1993 Dr. MacKay returned to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the Ontario Veterinary College as their Director. This facility was supported by 50 clinical and teaching faculty and 125 employees. In January 1997, Dr. MacKay became the Director of Veterinary Affairs at Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada, Inc., and remained in that role until January 2010. Here he was responsible for the Hill’s Canada relationships with every veterinary and pet related organization in that country, as well as several international assignments for the global Hill’s business. An abbreviated list of his involvement in organized veterinary medicine include: Board positions including Presidency of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (1980), Board positions including Presidency of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (1986), Board positions including becoming the first Canadian President of the American Animal Hospital Association (1995-6), Board Positions including Presidency of the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics (2008-9), Board Position including Presidency of the Toronto Academy of Veterinary Medicine (2006), Committee member and Chair of the AVMA animal welfare committee (1988-93). During his practice career, Clayton consulted for the pharmaceutical and biological industry (Norden, Smith Kline and Pfizer), Pet Identification (Infopet) and Pet Insurance industries. He was a founding director of the Canadian Human Animal Bond Association and of Pet Trust at the University of Guelph. He also served as the veterinary advisor to the Pickering, Ajax and Whitby Animal Control for 15 years. From 1974 to 1998, Dr. MacKay was involved in a large number of public relations efforts on behalf of veterinarians including newspaper columns, appearances on all major Canadian TV networks and served as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporations veterinary expert on Radio Noon in Toronto from 1986 to 1998. Dr. MacKay currently is an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Companion Animals, Atlantic Veterinary College, Chair of the World Small Animal Associations’ Nutritional Guidelines Committee, Vet Partners Ethics Task Force member, AAHAs’ Task Force on Animal Welfare and their Leadership Identification Committee. In his current role as a consultant to the veterinary industry and private companion animal practice, he maintains membership in many veterinary professional organizations (AAHA, AVMA, CVO, OVMA, SVME, TAVM, Vet Partners, and WSAVA). His career has been recognized with several awards including twice being honoured as Veterinary of the Year (Ontario VMA in 1990 and Massachusetts SPCA and American Humane Education Society 1995), the Leadership Award from the Canadian Animal Health Institute (2009), the Industry Award by the Canadian VMA (2007) and lifetime honorary membership from the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (2010) and Toronto Academy (2011).

E. David Stearns, RVT

Candidate for Veterinary Technician Director

Mr. David Stearns has operated his own marketing and sales consulting firm that specializes in the pet and livestock industry for the last two years. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Globe University in their Veterinary Technology program, where he teaches radiology and serves as the Radiation Safety Officer. Prior to teaching and being an entrepreneur, Mr. Stearns was employed at IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. for over sixteen years. At IDEXX, he managed national sales teams for practice management software and digital radiography systems. After undergraduate studies at Kansas State University and graduation from Colby Community College’s Veterinary Technology Program in 1979, Mr. Stearns worked as a Registered Veterinary Technician in a private, mixed animal practice in Shattuck, Oklahoma and several years as the Hospital Administrator of a small animal practice in Wichita, Kansas. Mr. Stearns is a charter member and was part of the founding group of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). He served as Treasurer Pro-Tem and was NAVTA’s first elected President. He is also a Past-President of the Oklahoma Veterinary Technician Association and the Kansas Veterinary Technician Association and is a current member of the Wisconsin Veterinary Technician Association. Mr. Stearns has lectured and authored several papers on the use of computers in veterinary practice, including authoring a chapter in the Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians, 5th Edition by Dr. Dennis McCurnin. He has served on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee for Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) and was Chairperson of the National Board Exam Committee.