Dr. Michael Archinal, BVSC, IVAS (Cert), PTC (Hons)
Canberra Veterinary Group CEO
Dust, Dingoes and Didgeridoos: Working with aboriginal dogs in outback Australia

Dr. Michael Archinal led one of the largest and most prestigious animal hospitals in Australia. What was a five-doctor practice when he arrived quickly developed to the point where the Canberra Veterinary Hospital Group now has five practices with 31 doctors and over 70 support staff. It is at the forefront of equine and companion animal practice in Australia, and has won many prestigious national awards. Three of Dr. Archinal's practices are in the top 15 most profitable veterinary businesses in Australia

Dr. Archinal has been recognized as an international expert in the human-animal bond and has spoken around the world, from Reno, Nev., to a six-city lecture tour in Japan. He is a highly sought-after spokesperson, and appears regularly on national television and radio. He also writes columns in Australia’s top pet magazine. He lives in Canberra with his wife, three sons, and a tribe of poorly behaved animals.

Dr. Archinal's presentation will include:

• Corporate responsibility: Establishing a culture of philanthropy and volunteerism in the workplace
• Culturally sensitive approaches: What to do when you don’t speak the language
• Maintaining standards in challenging environments: “What do you mean, my surgical kits have gone missing?”
• Sustainability: How to fund almost anything

Marty Becker, DVM

Dr. Marty Becker, "America’s veterinarian," has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. For close to 20 years, Dr. Becker has been the popular contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America. He is a founding member of the Dr. Oz Show’s Core Team Oz and a member of the Dr. Oz Medical Advisory Panel. In 2012, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association named him recipient of the annual WSAVA Hill’s Excellence in Veterinary Healthcare Award. He is the Chief Veterinary Correspondent for the American Humane Association, and a member of the AHA Board of Directors.

Dr. Becker has written 22 books that have sold more than 7 million copies, including three New York Times best-sellers. He has been a contributor to Parade Magazine, Reader’s Digest, and AARP.com.

Dr. Becker is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, WSU, as well as CSU and the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He has lectured at every veterinary school in the USA, and has been named Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year by the AVMA/Delta Society. He also serves as an honorary board member of Pet Partners and the Human Society of New York.

Dr. Becker practices at two veterinary hospitals in northern Idaho because he loves veterinary medicine, pets, and the people who care for them. He is also an active supporter of four animal shelters in Northern Idaho.

Dr. Becker's presentation will tell veterinarians all his exam-room secrets, including:

• How to gain needed client visits, nearly instantaneously, and forever.
• How to obtain bonded clients who will visit more often, refer many others, and say "yes"  to your recommendations.
• About the need for a Fear-Free practice environment, and why it's a critical linchpin to quality veterinary healthcare delivery.
• What to do when you grab the doorknob of the exam room door and before you walk in.
• What you do upfront that takes an average of 45 seconds but will increase client acceptance dramatically.
• Which ear to speak direct your voice to when doing the assumptive close.

Thomas E. Catanzaro, DVM, MHA, LFACHE
Diplomate, American College of Healthcare Executives

Dr. Tom Catanzaro (or Dr. Tom Cat, as he is known by most of the veterinary profession) is well-known for his publications, which have altered the veterinary practice management paradigms of this profession over the past 25 years. His 1991 board certification in the American College of Healthcare Executives was a first for a veterinarian; he must recertify every three years. In 1996, he was selected for Fellow; fewer than 10 percent of the more than 30,000 members of the American College of Healthcare Executives are bestowed this honor.

With 15 texts, 30-plus monographs, and over 300 periodical and proceeding publications, he has moved veterinary practice leadership and team-based healthcare delivery to the forefront of veterinary operational systems. With three of his texts being architecturally-based, Tom Cat has actively pursued facility redesign to support team-based healthcare delivery; he averages two to five pre-architect floor plan redesign and flow reviews a month for clients around the world.

Dr. Catanzaro has staffed 19 week-long leadership courses and written three separate leadership syllabi in the past 25 years; only one was for the veterinary profession. In 2004, the AVMA selected Dr. Catanzaro to roll out the new wellness surveillance programs for practices, the "Think Twice for Life" program, and his initial presentation content template was used for the 2005, 2006, and 2007 presentation upgrades of the AVMA/FDAH program. In 2012, he received the AVMA Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year, which he calls "a very humbling honor."

In 2007, he reorganized his consulting firm into Veterinary Consulting International®, expanding his North American consulting services, team-based healthcare delivery, and wellness surveillance concepts "down under," starting 34 consulting partners in Australia and 14 in New Zealand.

Over the past 25 years, Dr. Catanzaro has assisted over 2,000 veterinary practices around the world, and states that every one has taught him something new, usually from the staff members of the practice. In his spare time, he has actively supported Boy Scouting programs on the local and national level. He also squeezes in speaking engagements as time allows. The most recent two texts have been electronically published by VIN, a first in management or leadership texts. They are The Practice Success Prescription: Team-based Veterinary Healthcare Delivery – and Promoting the Human Animal Bond in Veterinary Practice.

His presentations will include:

• Human Animal Bond: Emerging client-pet-practice partnerships and implantation techniques.
• Your Team: Veterinary extenders = enhanced harmony and greater liquidity.
• SOC Hints: The power of written Standards of Care starts with a single standard.
• New KPIs: Using patient procedure counts as benchmarking indices.

Todd Hammond, DVM, MS, ACVO

Todd Hammond, DVM, MS, ACVO, was an affiliate faculty member in clinical sciences at the CSU veterinary teaching hospital from 1982-1987. In addition, he has presented at national and regional meetings and has had articles and book chapters published.

Dr. Hammond has remained in a private referral practice since graduation and does equine and small animal practice.

His presentation will be "Ophthalmology: What is Your Diagnosis?"

This will be comprised of two sessions linked together for one presentation.

In the first 45 minute session, 26 photos of common ophthalmic conditions will be presented.

Participants will have one minute to study the photos, then three questions will be asked one minute apart.

After a brief break, everyone will return to discuss the questions and answers. These photos are of cases which a general practitioner is likely to see in their everyday practices.

Pat Kennedy, DVM, CVFP
Hospital Director, Jefferson Animal Hospital and Regional Emergency Center

Dr. Patricia Kennedy Arrington is passionate about veterinary medicine, and especially passionate about teaching and sharing professional talents with her community in Louisville, Ky. Graduating from Auburn University in 1971, she was blessed to be able to enjoy practice in a three-county rural Kentucky community, and loved working with dairy, beef, and pork producers in addition to small town companion practice.

Working in rural Kentucky is an interesting way to start practice, but it instilled a desire to teach pet owners and farmers about best health practices to insure positive long term health in both companion pets and farm animals.

Dr. Kennedy has been honored by NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) as Woman Business Owner of the Year, by the Kentucky Better Business Bureau as winner of the Torch Award for Professional Business Ethics, and by the KVMA as Kentucky Veterinarian of the Year. She is active in AAHA, KVMA, JCVMA, NAWBO, local student Entrepreneur Academy, Boy Scouts of America Exploring Veterinary Post, and works diligently within social media to teach and educate our clients and our community.

Dr. Kennedy also volunteers as a surgeon for ACA (Alley Cats Associates), a feral cat SNR (spay, neuter, release) program. As chair of the Practice Management Seminars at the annual Kentucky Mid-America Conference, she organized the first Regional History Symposium of the AVMHS, in addition to producing a book chronicling "100 Years of Compassionate Care-History of Kentucky Veterinary Medicine."

Dr. Kennedy is currently certified in Family Practice by the AVFP (Association of Veterinary Family Practitioners), and is actively working with AVFP to create a veterinary specialty in Family Practice.

Her presentation will include:

• Creating a Family-Friendly Practice: Inviting the entire family for every visit and making it fun!
• Teaching your entire neighborhood about the importance of preventive medicine
• Why does veterinary medicine need a family practice specialty?
• Why "pet-friendly" means "client-friendly" (Our patients do arrive with two legged critters!)
• Interested in 24-Hour Practice? We can show and tell you how to accomplish your goals.
• Great practices require great doctor and staff teamwork (which requires great training and mentoring programs).

Steve Noonan, DVM

Dr Steve Noonan graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1983. By 1986 he and his wife and classmate, Dr. Diane Corlett, owned three clinics. With interest rates exceeding 20 percent, Dr. Noonan very quickly learned how little he knew about business.

Thus began an almost 30-year learning odyssey that continues to this day. Dr. Noonan has studied practice management continuously, mentoring under the likes of Dr Tom Catanzaro and Dr Jim Stowe, visionary and founder of LifeLearn.

He has been involved extensively with veterinary politics at every level including the AAHA Council of 100, and chaired  veterinary economics committees overseeing extensive economic surveys of the profession and implementation of fee guides.

Twenty-five years of clinical practice culminated in the formation of a 12 hospital partnership and the directorship of an ultramodern 15,000 square foot hospital.

For the last 6 years he has consulted and coached private practitioners and business people. He is a certified life and executive coach with the prestigious Coaches Training Institute (www.thecoaches.com), a process that took 18 months. He has studied stress extensively, partaking in 18 days of workshops in the U.S. with physicians from all over the world. 

Dr. Noonan is also an avid student of positive psychology, a branch of the science that studies methodologies to improve the human condition and help people flourish.

He has applied for a Master’s degree in positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania under famed psychologist Martin Seligman. He says, "After almost 50 years of continuous learning since kindergarten, I continue to realize there is so much more to learn."

He shares his life with beloved classmate and wife of 30 years, Dr Diane Corlett, daughters Amy and Katrina, both successful equestrian coaches,  eight small animals, and many large ones. They include three Boston Terrors, German Shepherd Miss Vicki, four cats of questionable background, one of whom, is older than Methusela, along with enough horses to ensure the need for another 30 years of consulting and coaching.

Greg Robinson
Sparkline Scorecard

In the 1980s, Greg founded RxWorks, an international practice management software company that is now sold in 18 countries and developed in three languages. Greg has an extensive 30 year knowledge and experience of both the veterinary industry and practice management systems from around the world.

Using this experience, Greg has now developed the Sparkline Scorecard, an independent and in-depth report system that analyses practice performance direct from practice management system data.

To grow your practice you must measure the major revenue drivers on its performance.

Our industry is well known for missed charges, discounted fees, and missed reminder opportunities.  In fact, leading industry analysts believe that up to 5 percent of revenue can be missed. It's not ideal when you have paid for your vets, staff, rent and your drugs, but you  hasn't been paid.

With a case study, we will share ideas on how use your practice management system to its best potential to alleviate these problems. We will also illustrate ways to monitor vet surgeon activity in areas that make a difference to revenue performance, including procedure counts and revisit and client retention rates.

Key topics:

• If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. 
• Too many steps in a process leads to error. Error = missed charges.
• Configuring your software correctly to capture reminders. Reminders = footfall.
• At last, procedure counts by vet surgeons.

Nanette Walker Smith, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT

Nanette Walker Smith is a Colorado native. In addition to a number of degrees, her veterinary experience includes the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (as an undergraduate); Sacramento Veterinary Surgical Services in Sacramento, California; Pinedale Animal Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Wyoming; and teaching at the AVMA accredited Brevard Community College Veterinary Technology Program (now Eastern Florida State College).

As a volunteer member of the Veterinary Support Personnel Network (www.vspn.org), Nanette was asked by Paul Pion and the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) to help revitalize VSPN in 1993 and then, with the help of the VSPN team, re-launch VSPN in 1996. In 2000, as a VIN employee, she and her fledgling team launched online CE for support staff through VIN, which has since grown to over 50 courses per year incorporating all levels of veterinary medicine and practice management.

Nanette was employed by VIN for over 15 years, growing VSPN membership from 30 (yes, just thirty members) to over 40,000 members, facilitating resources, content, discussions, and much more for the veterinary support community.

In addition to helping those in the profession realize their dreams and realities, Nanette has been extremely active in veterinary technician and veterinary medical association functions. She served 12 years in the Sacramento Valley Veterinary Technician Association Board and the California Veterinary Medical Association-RVT Committee; a term as Vice President of the North American Veterinary Technician Association (NAVTA); co-founded and served on the Board of the Wyoming Veterinary Technician Association; served on the Florida Veterinary Technician Association (FVTA) Board; and maintains active membership in NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, AVTE (Association of Veterinary Technician Educators), and several state associations: CACVT (CO), WyVTA, CVMA (CA), and AVTA (AK). She has been continuously involved the veterinary field for over 25 years and maintains her credentials currently in California (RVT since 1988), Wyoming (CVT since 2000) and Colorado (CVT since 2009), and Alaska (LVT since 2005).

She, husband Dave, and two daughters live in Colorado on their mountain top with a rescue Great Pyrenees, two rescue cats, and assorted fish.

Her main points will include:

• Upending the pyramid theory: Is the peak of the pyramid always the one and only way?
• Benefiting the total workplace: Creating a team of stakeholders instead of a team of paycheck receivers
• Mentoring your managers and mentoring the team
• Supporting the team educationally and collectively reaping the benefits

One-on-One Faculty
(Not speaking in seminars, but available for one-on-one discussions)

Dr. Vern Reif

In keeping with our goal of a diversified faculty, we have Dr. Vernon Reif, a large animal veterinarian in Dalhart, Texas. Dr. Reif did his undergraduate studies at New Mexico State University and received his DVM from Colorado State University in 1974. He worked for the Texas Animal Health Commission as Area Director for 16 months in the early 1980s. Since that time he has consulted several feedlots and worked cattle livestock auctions and practiced general large animal practice.

Dr. Reif has been a member of the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, AVMA and Texas Veterinary Medical Association. He lives in Dalhartand enjoys his weekends and time off at his ranch in Northeast New Mexico.

Richard (Rick) Arrington
CFO, Marketing Director, Jefferson Animal Hospital

Rick Arrington, entrepreneur, visionary, business and marketing guru, married Dr. Patricia Kennedy in 1977. Utilizing his marketing background, he created a business study of the Louisville area to determine the best location for a new hospital.

Using statistics of population, household income, and number of veterinary practices within a 3-mile radius of large shopping malls, he found an area in southeast Louisville that was under-served. The business model unfolded and a strong marketing plan was put in action.

The new hospital location was across the street from the largest shopping mall in the state. The projected highway system made the location easy to reach with a substantial traffic flow. And the rest is history.

Opening in 1978 in a small house as a companion medicine practice, in 1980, Jefferson Animal Hospital initiated a 24-hour, 365-day, full-service veterinary hospital, the first in the state and the region; they have maintained their AAHA certification since that date.

Quickly outgrowing their space, JAH built an 8,000 square-foot hospital, and the practice has not stopped growing yet.

Rick was born in the Chicago area and has a business marketing degree. Beside talents in business marketing, he is highly skilled in the financial aspects of running a successful veterinary practice, has excellent skills and expertise in investments, balance sheets, CPA and bookkeeping requirements, creating short term and long term budgets and monitoring the key points of a practice such as payroll, inventory, purchases, equipment loans/leases and balancing the practice financials.

Potential one-on-one topics may include:

• Working with your CPA and bookkeeper to prevent audits
• Keeping percentages in line and what should your profit margin be
• How to create a month-to-month budget and achieve the figures you desire
• Successful practices are always targets for the IRS, local regulatory agencies, etc.; how to prevent those unwanted visits.