SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — The American Veterinary Medical Association named Dr. Ron DeHaven as its new executive vice president to help lead the organization and replace retiring Dr. Bruce Little, who has held the position for 11 years.

Bringing government and agriculture experience to an organization dominated by small-animal practitioners, DeHaven will work with AVMA's Executive Board, House of Delegates and executive management team to develop long-range goals, strategies and policies. Currently serving as administrator of the USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), DeHaven will succeed Little, the AVMA's longest serving officer, who is retiring at year's end.

While no official start date has been confirmed, DeHaven is expected to take the position in late summer. Until then, he is reserving comment about his agenda, goals and thoughts on the position, says Andrea McNally, APHIS spokesperson, despite requests from DVM Newsmagazine.

Search committee members were Drs. Larry Kornegay, chair; House of Delegates representative Michael Whitehair; and Hertzog, James Brandt and Deborah Kochevar as the at-large representatives.

"We did an extensive survey of almost everybody connected with AVMA and determined we were looking for someone who is a dynamic leader with a good understanding of the big picture of veterinary medicine and someone who can lead us into the next century. We felt Dr. DeHaven had those qualities," Hertzog says.

Declining to reveal the total number of applicants or name other frontrunners, Hertzog did say the committee reviewed a number of exceptional candidates.

The executive vice president position is tasked with guiding overall AVMA operations, implementing association policies, motivating and driving the 138 AVMA employees that make up the management teams and general staff and building and monitoring relationships with allied organizations, all while helping to broaden the scope of the veterinary profession and fulfill AVMA obligations, according to the association.

The AVMA currently has 14 allied organizations in the House of Delegates, including the American Animal Hospital Association and National Association of Federal Veterinarians, and 30 organizations with formal liaisons, such as the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and the U.S. Animal Health Association.

Establishing unity in the organization, which is comprised of so many industry facets, will be DeHaven's biggest challenge, says AAHA delegate and DVM Merry Crimi.

During more than 20 years with APHIS, DeHaven oversees a $1.9-billion budget and 8,300 employees. Responsible for protecting U.S. agriculture, natural resources and wildlife and administering the Animal Welfare Act, DeHaven twice received the Secretary's Honor Award for leadership and also received the AVMA Meritorious Service Award for contributions to the profession.

"It is definitely a positive direction for the AVMA," says Dr. Mike Chaddock, director of communications for the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and former AVMA director of its Governmental Relations Division. "He has a thorough understanding of animal care and welfare issues, which I think is needed by the AVMA."

DeHaven will help continue the current focus of AVMA, adopted under President Roger Mahr, DVM — increasing cooperation between human and veterinary medicine, industry, public health and medical and veterinary schools, with the help of a $27.6-million budget for 2007, according to Michael San Filippo, AVMA spokesman.

Time of transition: Dr. Ron DeHaven, left, will replace Dr. Bruce Little, right, who announced his year's end retirement. AVMA affiliates say two of DeHaven's main challenges will be fostering profession unity and sustaining the veterinary workforce.

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