| I was born and raised on a relatively small farm in ND. It was a diversified farm on which we raised wheat, corn, oats, barley and flax plus all our own hay. Even though I didn’t really expect to be a veterinarian, I was the one who always cared for sick animals. I had two brothers and two sisters, but they were not interested in this part of farming. If my dad had had his way, he would have immediately put the weak and poor to sleep, but he let me have my way to try to nurse them back to health. In probably 75% of the cases (or more) my dad was right, but I did save a few of them. I didn’t think either of my brothers would stay on the family farm so when I started college, I enrolled at NDSU in Fargo taking courses that would help me out if I went back to the farm. At the beginning of my junior year in Ag. Education, a classmate and I started talking about going to veterinary school. That Christmas I was talking to my dad’s brother, and he mentioned to me that my dad had indicated to him that I was thinking about being a veterinarian. That was all it took! I thought that if my dad really thought that was okay, that is what I wanted to do. Still thinking that I would possibly end up on the family farm, I completed my undergraduate degree in Ag. Education and applied to veterinary colleges in Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma. I was accepted at all four, but decided to go to MN, which was my first choice all along. After graduation, my youngest brother decided to take over the family farm, so I started at a large animal practice in Ellendale, ND. I was then called in for my pre-induction physical to the army. My wife was doing an internship in dietetics in Seattle, so I decided to look for work in Seattle. I took a job with Dr. Ward at the Alderwood Veterinary Clinic on Nov. 1, 1965, and 35+ years later I am still there. I had a great year as president. I was reluctant to run for president, as my children were of the age that I really thought I should spend more time at home. In 1979 there was, for the first time in many years, more than one candidate for the position, but I decided to accept the challenge and throw my hat in the ring. Thanks to one of my very closest colleagues, Dr. Dennis Dinkla, and his campaign efforts, I was elected. It was a very challenging year, in that this was the first (and last) time in almost 36 years that the practice act was opened. Veterinary technicians were becoming popular, and it was decided upon to open the practice act to allow them to be more than just a glorified kennel cleaner. Most of the veterinary professions were all for this, but with any change, there will be resistance. I knew one veterinarian who was very opposed to the act, so I thought I would go by the old saying, “Don’t fight them but join them.” I, therefore, had the bright idea to put this individual on the veterinary technician committee, thinking that with the help of fellow committee members, we could make him see the light of how important technicians could be. I was wrong. Instead of seeing the positive side, he made it almost impossible for the committee to get anything done. At the public hearings in Olympia before the legislature, he spoke strongly against the Practice Act change. He had college students stay at his clinic all night and he wanted to maintain that they could “Practice Veterinary Medicine,” with his telephone (sometimes) instructions, instead of having to go down to the clinic. As a result of my poor judgment of placing him on the committee, I also had to remove him. I’m not sure, but that was probably the first and last time that a president of WSVMA ever had to do that. REWARDS, the Practice Act did pass. The most pleasant memorable happening of my term in office was the “HONOR AND PRIVILEGE” of being able to present the Veterinarian of the Year Award to Dr. Leo Bustad. He will always be one of my “IDOLS” of our profession. Overall it was a great and very enjoyable year in my veterinary career. As I have said so many times, this profession and WSVMA have given me FAR, FAR more than I have ever given back! |
