Veterinary Awards

Waddell, O'Sullivan and Halbur Honored for Contributions to Swine Health

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) recognized three outstanding veterinarians for their contributions and service to the swine industry during the AASV annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

2025 Howard Dunne Memorial Award
John Waddell, DVM , received the Howard Dunne Memorial Award for his important contributions and outstanding service to the association and the swine industry.

“It is both an honor and at the same time, very humbling, to be recognized by our friends and colleagues,” Waddell says. “To be included on the list of many of my mentors and role models makes it a very special honor. It is difficult to feel worthy of such recognition when it really has less to do with what I could have or would have, had it not been for all the others in our association, many who are yet to be recognized for all their contributions. Of course, my career and everything in life, would not have been possible without the never-ending support of my wife, Carol, my sons and their families and foremostly the blessings from our Lord.”

He was born and raised on a grain and livestock farm in central Illinois where he became interested in veterinary medicine after shadowing his family farm’s local veterinarian. He later spent a summer on a large, by 1976 standards, farrow-to-finish farm where he was introduced to all aspects of “modern” confinement pork production. After achieving a bachelor’s degree and DVM from the University of Illinois, he received an executive MBA at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and completed the Executive Vet Program at the University of Illinois. Following graduation, he entered a large animal veterinary practice in rural Nebraska. In 2011, after 30 years in practice, he joined Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health as a professional services veterinarian where he currently leads a team of five swine veterinarians.

2025 Meritorious Service Award
Terri O’Sullivan, DVM, was named the 2025 recipient of the Meritorious Service Award for providing outstanding service to the AASV.

“It is a profound honor to receive the AASV Meritorious Service Award this year,” she says. “This recognition is deeply meaningful to me, as it reflects my commitment to serving our profession and advancing the field of swine health and production. Thank you once again for this incredible honor. I am truly grateful to be recognized by an organization that has been so influential in shaping my career and supporting the advancement of our profession.”

O’Sullivan earned her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and spent over a decade in rural Ontario, Canada, in private mixed-animal practice with an emphasis in food-animal medicine. She returned to OVC to complete a PhD in epidemiology, then subsequently joined the OVC as a faculty member, where she currently pursues her passion for teaching and swine research. In 2012, she became the executive editor for the Journal of Swine Health and Production (JSHAP) a trusted resource and leading journal in peer-reviewed swine research. Under her leadership of the peer-review process of JSHAP, 270 manuscripts have been published. She also applies skills gained during her recently acquired MA in leadership to develop and inspire future leaders and advance the swine veterinary profession.

2025 Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award
Pat Halbur, DVM, was named the 2025 recipient of the Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award for his demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and service to the swine veterinary profession. Faculty members, graduate students, and researchers are eligible to receive this award.

“I highly value and greatly appreciate the win-win relationship that exists between academia and swine practitioners,” Halbur says. “We recognize the challenge AASV members face serving the most progressive livestock producers in the world. It has been a sincere privilege to work alongside many truly remarkable people at ISU to build educational, research, professional practice, outreach and extension programs of value to AASV members and the swine producers they serve.”

Halbur received his DVM, master’s degree, and PhD from Iowa State University. He currently serves as chair of the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM) and Executive Director of the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISU VDL). Before returning to ISU for advanced degrees in veterinary pathology, he was co-owner of a mixed animal practice in Williamsburg, Iowa. He spent 15 years as a diagnostic pathologist in the ISU VDL before taking on several administrative roles including Director of the ISU VDL, associate dean for Public Services and Outreach, and interim dean of the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine.

He has published over 225 peer-reviewed manuscripts related to food animal health and holds 14 U.S. patents. Halbur was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in 2017 and is the recipient of the Iowa State University Award for Achievement in Intellectual Property. He is a past president of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. Halbur was named to the “Masters of the US Pork Industry” and is the recipient of several other awards including the AASV Howard Dunne Memorial Award. He also served on the AASV Board of Directors 2004-2007 and has contributed to several AASV Annual Meeting Program Planning Committees.

Your Next Read: Myers, Burton and Sponheim Take Home Top Veterinarian Awards

Myers, Burton and Sponheim Take Home Top Veterinarian Awards

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:31:53 GMT

Top veterinarians were honored by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) at its annual meeting on March 1-4 in San Francisco, Calif.

Dr. Bryan Myers

(Sherrie Webb/AASV)

2025 Swine Practitioner of the Year
Bryan Myers, DVM, was named the 2025 Swine Practitioner of the Year. The award is given to the swine practitioner who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service to clients.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award from the AASV. I don’t know if I really belong in this category of true legends of swine veterinarians,” Myers said. “All I really wanted to do was ‘help farmers’. I am very grateful for the team at Pipestone Veterinary Services as well as very grateful for the trust that my clients have put in me.”

Myers earned his DVM from Iowa State University and completed the Executive Veterinary Program in Swine Medicine at the University of Illinois. He is a practicing veterinarian at Pipestone Veterinary Services where he provides health management and consultation for some of the largest swine producers and production systems in the country. AASV says he stands out for his strengths of practicality, communication, “work-horse” attitude, and above all else, relatability. Colleagues and clients praise his drive to share expertise with others.

While his dedication to animal agriculture is impressive, Myers said there is only one thing that matters to him more than veterinary medicine – his family, including Lisa, wife of 35 years, adult children Hannah and Benjamin, and grandchildren Quade and Kya.

Dr. Brandi Burton

(Suidae)

2025 Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year
Brandi Burton, DVM, was named the Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year for demonstrating the ideals of exemplary service and proficiency early in her career. Originally from Mt. Prospect, Ill., she received a bachelor’s degree and DVM from the University of Illinois. After an introduction to animal agriculture in college, exposure to a small family farrow-to-finish farm, and participation in the Swine Veterinary Internship Program, her focus shifted from equine medicine to swine during veterinary school.

After graduation, Burton moved to Iowa to start her career with Suidae, where she splits her time between veterinary services and field research. In January, she began the role of president and managing partner of Suidae Health and Production.

“Words can hardly describe how honored I am to be the recipient of the Young Swine Vet of the Year Award,” Burton said in a release. “This is only possible because I have stood on the shoulders of giants, and I am forever grateful for those people and the opportunities that led me here.”

Burton has been a continuous member and leader of the AASV since joining as a student. She served as chair of the AASV Early Career Committee and was integral in developing new resources for early-career swine veterinarians, including the AASV Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program in which she is a current participant. She has served the association as an annual meeting program planning committee member, speaker, and seminar chair. She currently sits on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Clinical Practitioners Advisory Committee as AASV’s alternate representative. She received the Dr. Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Endowment Scholarship in 2021, the Boehringer Ingelheim Award for Advancing Research in Respiratory Disease in 2020, and she completed the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association Power of Ten Leadership program in 2021.

Dr. Amanda Sponheim

(AASV/Sherrie Webb)

2025 Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year
Amanda Sponheim, DVM, received the Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award for her unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in delivery of veterinary service to her companies and clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.

“I am truly humbled and honored to receive this award that is reflective of the people who have invested in me throughout my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to support the collaborative, progressive, science-driven veterinarians and pork producers we work with,” she said.

Sponheim received her bachelor’s degree and DVM from the University of Illinois. She completed the Executive Veterinary Program at the University of Illinois in 2016. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Minnesota under faculty advisor Maria Pieters. As a senior key account veterinarian in the swine division at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health (BIAH) USA Inc., Sponheim provides technical support to strategic U.S. swine accounts, oversees field trials, investigates disease outbreaks, presents technical information to veterinary audiences, and manages veterinary student interns. A servant leader and tremendous resource for students, she has mentored more than 20 veterinary students during swine internships.

She has been an AASV member since joining as a veterinary student. She has served on the AASV Student Recruitment Committee and as the committee’s National Pork Industry Foundation’s internship chair. She has also assisted the organization as a member of the Hogg Scholarship Committee, after receiving the scholarship in 2018.

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U.S. Animal Health Association Presents Honors at Annual Meeting

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:22:06 GMT

Recognizing the efforts of two longtime U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) members, the 126-year-old USAHA awarded the prestigious Medal of Distinction to Dr. Annette Jones, California State Veterinarian, and Dr. Boyd Parr, retired South Carolina State Veterinarian, at their annual meeting. The award is given to members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, provided exemplary service, and made significant contributions to USAHA.

Dr. Jones has served as California State Veterinarian and Director of Animal Health and Food Safety Services Division since 2010. She was elected treasurer of USAHA in 2011, serving on the Executive Committee for eight years providing leadership wherever needed. Her background in business was key in the further development of USAHA’s financial practices for a continued sound financial standing, with transparency and common-sense guidelines. Dr. Jones’ experience as State Veterinarian also helped the USAHA Executive Committee address issues arising during her term. Her balanced and fair-minded approach was key in asking the tough questions and seeking the best solutions for all members.

Dr. Parr’s contribution to USAHA came through both the national leadership role, serving as president in 2016-2017, and through the regional Southern Animal Health Association. He served South Carolina as the State Veterinarian from Clemson University for 17 years before retiring this past year. Known for his broad and deep institutional knowledge of USAHA, Dr. Parr has helped many committees with both advice and hard work. His keen eye for detail and organizational aptitude has been invaluable to USAHA, committees, and the regional associations. Mentoring new members and new state veterinarians, one of his shared gifts, encouraged them to join USAHA to further their work in serving livestock producers.

Dr. Dusty Oedekoven, USAHA President and Chief Veterinarian at the National Pork Board, said, “Honoring these two outstanding longtime members for their contributions is both an honor and privilege. Both gave to the organizations with varied skill sets to help us grow and meet the needs of the both the organizations and the industries we serve. We appreciate their contributions.”

In addition to the Medal of Distinction awards, USAHA’s Federal Partnership Award went to Dr. L. Mia Kim Torchetti, Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer for the Diagnostic Virology Laboratory: Avian Section Head for the National Veterinary Services Laboratory. She has consistently contributed outstanding service to the betterment of animal health in the US, most notably during the 2015 and 2022 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks. Her work with state officials and industry partners is appreciated by all. Dr. Torchetti has also been recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as a laboratory expert for avian influenza, swine influenza, and Newcastle disease.

Other awards presented at the event were the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator Award and the National Assembly of State Animal Health Official’s Service Award. Paul Zajicek, executive director of the National Aquaculture Association was presented the Administrator’s award by APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea. The National Assembly of State Animal Officials presented Dr. Valerie Koenig, Epidemiology Officer for New England with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services, NASAHO’s Service Award.

The United States Animal Health Association develops and promotes sound animal health solutions for public good. For more information about USAHA, go to www.usaha.org .