From Proof of Concept to Finding the K: KC Animal Health Corridor Delivers

I’ve written several blog posts here about the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, and for good reason. The Corridor is a happening place in animal health and I’ve been so proud to be a part of it. As the Corridor unveils its Fourth Annual Investment Forum, my enthusiasm meter rises all over again. Applications are now being accepted for presenting companies for the program on Tuesday, August 28.  The format promises to be better than ever.  Now with the Center for Animal Health Innovation up and running, the Corridor’s offerings of support for early stage companies — from proof of concept to the Investment Forum providing a platform for raising capital (with a capital “K”) —  is stronger than ever.  If you haven’t checked into this aspect of the Corridor, it’s a great story, all told on the KCanimalhealth.com web site.  Check out the criteria to be a presenting company or register to attend.  It’s going to be a good one this year — as always. Next Corridor post, get ready for commentary on the Homecoming Hoedown, Monday, August 27 with more details to come.

Jack Stephens: Celebrating Pet Insurance, PR & The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Dr. Jack Stephens sent me a note the other day about the 30th anniversary of pet insurance.  It was in April, 1982 that Jack founded an industry and announced the first pet insurance policy for none other than Lassie!  Photo confirmation here  — Jack’s the guy with the mustache!

Being involved in the pet industry and veterinary profession for many years myself, I truly understand the important of pet health insurance.  In fact, I and my teams worked with Jack for a few years while he still led Veterinary Pet Insurance, and then again when he recommended our firm to help further develop the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.   Especially now in this economy, having pet insurance can mean the difference between life and death for a beloved pet or with the new wellness plans, the ability to get needed wellness veterinary care for your pet at all.

What has stood out for me with Jack has been his appreciation for how to reach the public through public relations. Jack combined his passion for pet insurance with a deep, deep understanding of how public relations can help educate and inform.  As a public relations pro, how could I not admire that?

Finally, as an entrepreneur myself, I truly, truly appreciate what Jack did to introduce the concept of pet health insurance, and still does today.  He toughed it out through the early years when I am sure most would have given up.  In the process he both built an industry and helped pets — and continues to do so today with Pet’s Best Insurance. 

When he sold Veterinary Pet Insurance several years ago he could have walked away into a long retirement.  But, Jack being Jack, he founded Pet’s Best Insurance to continue to make a difference.  Congratulations, Jack.  The veterinary profession, and most important of all, pets and people have benefited so much from your accomplishments.

For more on this story, check out the news release link on www.goodnewsforpets.com.

From Like to Love: Switching It Up Again

Do you like your pet or love your pet?  Well, we don’t say pet “likers” do we?  Love, that word once reserved for a select few, now has several interpretations.  Most of us really don’t mind saying we are pet lovers.  And to love something in a written format seems to be the equivalent of “I REALLY like that.” 

The latest is companies and organizations want you to “love” not “like” them on facebook.  I have my theories on why this is so and rather than be busy here, we’ve been busy ourselves in social media channels — and I myself have attended North America Veterinary Conference, the International Poultry Expo, the Western Veterinary Conference, Westminster and Global Pet Expo — with trips to the KC Animal Health Corridor in between. 

We’ve been in the internet aka “digital” space since 1995 with the launch of Pets Need Dental Care, Too, I launched Germinder & Associates in 1998, and launched Goodnewsforpets.com in 2000 – heck we’ve won awards on our work all along the way.  PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence, the AAHA Gold Key Award, the Business Marketing Association Fountain Awards, dozens of GKCPRSA Prism Awards, Women Who Mean Business…you get the picture.  And, even as I and my team tweet and follow, like and now love, I still get an occassional ”we’re going to an agency who had enough business to be in the ‘digital’ space.” Okayyyy now…..not feeling the love there! 

It’s been a phenomenal run, but it isn’t what you’ve done, but where you are going.  From AOL to google+ to whatever is next, we’ve run with it.  The common thread has been good solid communications. We’re not about to change that, but when this most recent response hit and I heard about the like to love theory hit, I decided it’s time  to switch up our presence again. 

So, we will continue to post in this space as appropriate, but you’ll be hearing from me in different ways.  For more on my take on the world of communications, follow me @lgerminder or friend me on facebook at Lea-Ann E. O’Hare Germinder (my professional page).  For more on goodnewsforpets, follow us at @goodnewsforpets.com and friend us on facebook at goodnewsforpets.com.  I’m sure we will switch it up again but that’s the name of the game.  Keep moving. The truth be known, we really not only want you to like us, we want you to love us too!

Westminster: Will the Lab Reign This Year?

If you’ve followed my goodnewsforpets.com blog posts over the years, you know that labs are my favorite breed — in part in tribute to our much loved pet, Randy Jo. Although they are consistently ranked as America’s favorite breed, they have never won Westminster’s Best in Show. Now, with the introduction of Ceva, a black Labrador in training to be a leader dog for the blind, my promotion of labs takes on a broader meaning.  But I’m worried — with several new breeds now in competition, what will that mean for my beloved labs?  Stay tuned!

NAVC and Puppy Love

I called my oldest son from Orlando on Friday to wish him a Happy Birthday and see if he got his birthday present — an assortment of doggie aparatus for his brand-new puppy. 

 The timing brought back memories.  He was twelve years old when I first started coming to the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC), which starts today.  I was launching “Pets Need Dental, Care Too!” campaign for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the AVMA and the AVDS and there was no way I could/would miss his birthday.  So that year my three children, husband and mom joined me in Orlando.  

I’m still in the animal health business and have made many great friends in this wonderful profession.  The dental campaign still goes on.  And my son, he’s a grown man with a wife and now a puppy (so far!)

Speaking of puppies, there’s one puppy attendees will fall in love with at NAVC.  There’s already buzz about Ceva, the Future Leader Dog.  She’s an adorable black Labrador puppy and she’s set to train as a guide dog with Leader Dogs for the Blind.  Ceva Animal Health is sponsoring her, and if you are attending NAVC, be sure to stop by Ceva’s booth #513 at the Gaylord for a photo with her. 

NAVC is always a  good show and I am looking forward to the trade show today.  And a bit of loving that puppy.

New Leadership for the Animal Health Corridor & More

Fall is usually a relatively quiet time as we gear up for 2012. Not so this year. Hot on the heals of the success of its 2011 Homecoming event, the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor confirmed new board leadership this week. The KC Animal Health Corridor Advisory Board voted at its meeting October 5 to appoint Craig Wallace, North America Zone director for Ceva Animal Health, as chair. The board also approved the appointment of Kostas Kontopanos, U.S. president of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. as vice chair. Both positions will be held for one year terms at which point the vice chair will become chair. Read the full story here.

Fall is known as the “second season” for ticks that can spread Lyme disease.   Our guest veterinarian Steven A. Levy, VMD, is president of Veterinary Clinical and Consulting Services, LLC.   Dr. Levy  is a globally known, highly respected researcher & educator and is considered the premier expert on Canine Lyme Borreliosis.   He holds numerous professional memberships and has received countless industry awards recognizing his expertise, his cutting-edge research and his leadership contributions to the veterinary community and beyond.   For the interview with Dr. Levy, click here.

 
The Goodnewsforpets & Planet Dog “On the Go” Fall Contest is underway.  Submit a one minute video or photo enjoying the outdoors with your pet and you may be one of five lucky winners of a collection of Planet Dog On the Go products.  Goodnewsforpets.com will also make a matching donation to the Planet Dog Foundation for each winning entry. Each of the five winning entries will receive a Planet Dog On the Go Snack Sack, Feedbag, Shammy, Food and Water Bowls, and a WOOF sticker. The contest period runs from October 1, 2011 to November 6, 2011. For more details, click here.

Happy Fall!  For more news and items of interest at goodnewsforpets, go to www.goodnewsforpets.com.

Dr. Mary Beth & The Pet Health Insurance Conversation

 One of my very first experiences with AVMA leadership was with Dr. Mary Beth Leininger.  Now that she has joined the Hartville Group, she is ready to have the pet insurance conversation.   To quote Dr. Mary Beth,

“I’ve devoted much of my career to advocating issues that are paramount to the veterinary profession as a whole. I see pet insurance as an important concept for veterinarians to support because it helps lesson cost as a factor in treatment decisions, especially in these challenging economic times.”

To read more about Dr. Mary Beth’s appointment, click here. To contact Dr. Mary Beth directly, professional colleagues and media may contact her at DrMaryBeth@HartvilleGroup.com.

My first experience with pet insurance was with the legendary Dr. Jack Stephens. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting other pet insurance leaders through our prior work with Naphia.    Now it sounds like it is indeed time for a new conversation about pet insurance.  We will be listening.

We Remember

We Remember. We remember who perished. We remember who helped. We remember where we were. We remember how we felt. Good or bad, we remember.

At goodnewsforpets, we are quietly remembering the search dogs that helped. The New York City-based American Kennel Club honors this special breed of hero. We reposted Steve Dale’s Inside Ground Zero column and our beloved New Yorker, the late Mordecai Siegal’s Paw Prints in the Dust. In Canine’s Role in Search and Rescue, FEMA tells us how urban search and rescue dogs are now used.

On 9-11, I remember I was in my office at the Livestock Exchange Building in Kansas City. I was reconfirming a phone interview for a client with a New York City business reporter. My then three school-age children were – in school. And then the world changed for everyone.

Frantic phone calls to my mom who lived just blocks from the World Trade Center – and who loved to frequently go there and to nearby Battery Park. Finally connecting by email. She was safe – thank G — she and her neighbors helping the streams of people coming from downtown as best they could. Calling the reporter who thought the smoke would clear in a bit, and then with shaky voices abandoning our plans. I remember – I just wanted to get my kids and go HOME. We all did. Then, when I knew everyone in my family was safe, I wanted to come to my New York.

Now, on the 10th anniversary of that horrible day, I am in the New York City metro area. My mom has moved but has not forgotten. New York is still her beloved New York. There are loved ones of people where we live that did not come home. So many changes. And while the tributes and memorials come to a crescendo, there are conflicting emotions for New Yorkers who lived it – some want to remember, some do not. We all deal with it in our own way. We remember.

Lea-Ann O’Hare Germinder

Are You Coming Home?

Coming Home.  The traditional interpretation is coming home each Christmas to the ol’ homestead.  But with all the moves people make these days, including me…coming home can now mean a lot of places.  One place for me is Kansas City and a special event, this year’s Kansas City Animal Health Corridor Homecoming dinner Monday, August 29^th.  

 For those of us in the animal health industry, we come home to Kansas City to network.  We come home to celebrate the rich Kansas City animal health heritage.  We come home to hear about all that’s “up to date” in the Corridor.   If you are in the animal health industry, come on home!  Register by this Monday, August 22nd. 

 Tied in with the Corridor’s Homecoming is the next day’s Investment Forum, Tuesday, August 30^th.   The Forum features presentations from early stage animal health companies from around the world.  Register by this Tuesday, August 23^rd. 

Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, dipl. ABVP, is a Kansas State University veterinary school grad and now executive director of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).  Mike is taking the AAHA to new heights.  Read our interview with Mike here.

Karen Miller’s home is a long way from Kansas but it’s in another place I’ve called home — New York City. We wrap up the features on our goodnewsforpets.com 10^thAnniversary winners with an interview about Karen and her Yorkshire Terrier JaJa.  Karen is enjoying the iPad she won and still wants people to know all about the ASPCA, the shelter that received her matching $500 donation. Read more here.

Finally, do you know what state the National Agro-Bio Defense Facility is going to be located in?  Find out here.

Coming home to Kansas City…I can’t wait.  Are you coming home? 

To see more content on goodnewsforpets.com, click here.

St. Louis Celebrations

This Saturday, July 16th , the 148th Annual AVMA Convention  kicks off in St. Louis with a celebration of World Veterinary Year.   St. Louis is special to me as it is the site of my very first public relations conference 30 years ago with a celebration under the Arch.  It’s a great city.

This year, I will be at a different kind of celebration — one of the very few times I will be experiencing the conference from afar.  I will miss seeing so many people until next month at the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor Homecoming Dinner and Investment Forum.   The good news is that for the first time I and many others can receive the conference news online.  I will still have many colleagues with ears to the ground to report back. 

For those attending the conference, check out the new free MapIt APP to plan your schedule.  There are so many interesting meetings and events to attend.  For example, Ceva is offering veterinarians and other AVMA attendee a  flea & tick information session and free lunch from noon to 2:00 PM today, Saturday July 16th.  Speakers include Dr. Phillip McKinney, Dr. Mike Paul and Dr. Mark Setser with moderator Dr. Jim Humphries.

Speaking of another celebration, it’s Christmas in July as we offer congratulations again to Shane Free of  Los Angeles, our latest featured goodnewsforpets.com 10^th Anniversary winner of an iPad and a matching $500 donation.  Shane produced a fantastic holiday video celebrating the special bond with his cat Annie who has a kidney condition.  Shane designated his matching donation to the Los Angeles Animal Services.  Read more about Shane and Annie in his column.

To read more about when formalized veterinary medicine was founded and more pet questions answered, read our Pet IQ.

For those attending AVMA, have a great conference.  I hope those of you who can’t enjoy reading about it.  I hope to see many of you in Kansas City next month.