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Our Focus Is On You!

By Jon Cunnington posted 09-30-2014 11:40

  

As I write this I am just returning from our Annual Meeting and Conference in St. Louis. The week was yet another reminder of how intelligent, resourceful, industrious and wonderful VHMA members are. About 150 business management professionals came together to participate in continuing education events, make new connections and celebrate old friendships. The conference center buzzed with ideas, leads, tips, new approaches to old problems, and mutual encouragement. In addition to those present in St. Louis, approximately 60 people joined us via live-streaming video. If you were not able to join us in St. Louis, we really missed you and hope to see you at another event.

Just in case you did not notice, we made a few changes to this year's conference and planned upcoming educational events based on member feedback that I would like to highlight. The VHMA Board of Directors and committees rely on your input and we pride ourselves on being responsive to your needs. What we are not so great at (but are working on) is the follow up and letting our members know why we made the changes we did.

First, member feedback dictated that we change the days of the Annual Conference from a Friday-to-Sunday flow to a Thursday-to-Saturday flow. This was a welcome change for many because it can be more cost effective to fly on Saturday than on Sunday. From a personal standpoint, I can't tell you how refreshing it was to end the conference at noon Saturday knowing that I wasn't expected back at my hospital until Monday morning. Flying back to California wasn't a chore on Saturday night and I still had Sunday to unwind and unpack. I know this sentiment was shared by many attendees.

Additionally, members indicated a strong desire for additional meetings that are more regionally based. After careful consideration, and a fair amount of old-fashioned roll up your sleeves kind of work, the VHMA is delighted to present the first few in a series of Regional Workshops in Orlando, Florida on October 10 and Seattle, Washington on November 13. Our plan is to present three to five regionally based workshops annually. The mission for these events is to create an information-rich, interactive learning opportunity for veterinary business professionals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a VHMA event. Regional events help us serve a larger number of our members and others interested in these educational experiences. Future educational events will be reflective of how members respond to these events.

Another major change you may have noticed this year is a website overhaul. We heard the members feedback that the site was not as intuitive as it could be. We hope that members can now find it much more efficient and effective to navigate.

I continue to be very proud of the VHMA and its evolution over the past 33 years. The association's leadership continues to listen to its members, and though we might not always tell you what we're working on and why (again something we are working on...), we welcome your continuous feedback!

​Jon Cunnington, MBA, CVPM
VHMA President

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