Thankful Thursday: Cranking up the Heat on Appreciation

June 20, 2024

This month our network has come up with another amazing set of appreciation notes for their fellow team members.  Way to go Team Vetcor!

Tasha Larsen from Wasatch Animal Clinic, Heber, Utah, wants to recognize Sara Ross, Captain, Lead Technician: "Sara takes pride in her work as one of the lead technicians at the clinic and is always striving to better her skills for her patients. Sara is someone who does not shy away from hard work and helps lead her team each day.  Wasatch Animal Clinic is so lucky to have Sara on our team and we don't know what we would do without her!"

Wendy Kovac from Millcreek Animal Hospital, Shawnee, Kansas, wants to recognize Dr. David Brekke: "He is moving to North Carolina. We will miss him a lot and want to thank him for all the good things that he has done since being with us for 3 1/2 years. Thank you, Dr. Brekke, and good luck."

Danielle Lopes from Tiogue Veterinary Clinic, Coventry, Rhode Island, wants to recognize Karlee Mello, Veterinary Technician: "Karlee is an absolute ROCKSTAR of a technician! She is always willing to help anyone around her, and it has been a pleasure for us to watch her grow and learn! She never has to be asked to do anything, and if you do ask her she is right there with a smile! Thank you for being a part of our team Karlee! Keep shining, growing, and learning!"

Heather Rodgers from Advantage Veterinary Center, High Ridge, Missouri, wants to recognize Mindy Keller, Technician: "Mindy has been attending continuing education courses to improve the clinic euthanasia process. The time and energy she has given are truly helping make a difference in the clinic and each patient she takes care of. Mindy cares about each patient as if they are her own pet.  Mindy’s knowledge and compassion are needed in this world."

Destiny Rodriguez from Medina Veterinary Clinic, Medina, Ohio, wants to recognize Amanda F., Veterinary Assistant, and Abigail Kohut, CCS: "Amanda and Abigail have done a fantastic job of organizing our clinic!"

Gillian Striano-Kaplan from Ramsey Veterinary Hospital, Ramsey, New Jersey, wants to recognize Dana Hubbard, Hospital Manager: "Dana is always going above and beyond to help rectify any problem that arises while keeping a positive attitude. She consistently stays late and comes in on her days off to help make Ramsey flourish. She has a wonderful open-door policy and is approachable with a listening ear at any moment. She is so appreciated by all of us! Thank you DANA!!"

Kadri Uukkivi from Dunnville Veterinary Clinic, Dunnville, Ontario, wants to recognize Katie Bosak, CCS: "Katie is one of the most compassionate & positive members of our team. Her excellent customer service skills are appreciated by all of our clients. She is a team player and gets along well with everyone. Just a smile and "good morning" from her get our days started off right."

Kelly McNeely from Heartland Niagara Animal Hospital, Niagara Falls, Ontario, wants to recognize Cassidy Motyka, RVT: "Cassidy is such a wonderful and valued member of the Heartland team! She's a passionate technician, a social media-running rockstar, and a wonderful teacher, taking new assistants under her wing to help grow their knowledge and confidence. Cassidy is supportive, creative, caring, and such a vibrant spark in the clinic. Thanks, Cassidy, for absolutely everything you do!"

Sharla Seeds from Animal Care Veterinary Hospital, West Haven, Utah, wants to recognize Madison Michaelson, Lead Technician: "Madison is a Rockstar! She always goes above and beyond in her tasks. She is a great leader and keeps our inventory dialed in perfectly. She helps wherever is needed in the hospital with no complaints. She recently stepped back into a lead technician role and is a great example to all the staff she works with.  She helps me lead the practice with integrity, and kindness and is always looking for ways to help our team grow. Keep up the great work Maddie!"

Melissa Chere from Pet Partners Animal Clinic, Sussex, Wisconsin, wants to recognize Jeanne Pepitone, CCS, Erica Neu, CVT, and Dr. Jessica Oliver, DVM: "I would like to thank my team, Jeanne Pepitone, Erica Neu, and Jessica Oliver. We have 2 staff members out on a veterinary wildlife adventure in Africa for 2 weeks, and our small but mighty team has really pulled together. Everyone has taken on extra hours, even extra days, extra work, and put in extra effort. The clinic could not have stayed functioning without their amazing help, willingness to take on challenges, working as a team, communicating, and still keeping positive. I am so grateful to each and every one of them."

Melissa also wants to recognize Ann-Margret Morgan, DVM: "Our whole team would like to thank Dr. Ann-Margret Morgan from Silver Spring Animal Wellness. She has consistently been joining us for Lend a Hand shifts and is such a great person, doctor, and asset to our practice. We are a 1 doctor practice and having Dr Morgan offer assistance, guidance, inspiration, new ideas, more options for our patients, and much more has been truly wonderful. We cannot thank her enough. Thank you to Dawn at Silver Spring too for sharing her with us."

Amanda Paull from Vetsavers Pet Hospital - Carrollton, Carrollton, Texas, wants to recognize Kacy Petersen, CCS: "Kacy comes to work every shift with an extremely positive attitude and always has a smile on her face.  She is very bubbly, and outgoing and always goes out of her way to make our clients feel welcome.  Her customer service skills are top-tier.  Her caring personality and attention to detail always put our clients at ease.  Kacy is a huge asset to our front desk and we are so glad she is a part of our team!!"

Philip Caron, DVM from Rockland Animal Hospital, Rockland, Maine, wants to recognize Patricia Ibarra, Hospital Manager: "Trish goes above and beyond to keep the practice running smoothly and keeping the staff happy. She stays after hours when needed to make sure that there are no loose ends at the end of every day."

Mandy Tinker from Aspen Springs Animal Hospital, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, wants to recognize Dani Shewchuk, ACA/Receptionist: "Dani is a very positive member of our staff. She always works hard and does her best to ensure our patients are comfortable and well taken care of. She is reliable and can be depended on to complete her tasks well and in a timely fashion. She is a very intelligent and valued member of our team. Thanks for all you do to make Aspen Springs Animal Hospital awesome Dani!"

Jordan Klaff from Glen Burnie Animal Hospital, Glen Burnie, Maryland, wants to recognize Olivia Brown, Veterinary Technician: "Olivia has been an asset to Glen Burnie Animal Hospital as a Veterinary Technician. She is always willing to help other staff members and is very welcoming to clients/patients. She is a wonderful employee and person!"

Danielle Mercado from Leland Vet Clinic, Mableton, GA, Georgia, wants to recognize Anna Greenfield, DVM: "Dr. Greenfield has been a mainstay at Leland Veterinary Clinic for over 17 years. She has provided our community with expert veterinary care and has always gone above and beyond to ensure the best care for our patients. Her loss will be felt throughout the clinic and the community. We will never forget her contributions to Leland and the veterinary profession.  Dr. Greenfield is a consummate professional who has dedicated her career to providing the best veterinary care to the beloved dogs and/or cats of our community. She has always been willing to go the extra mile for her patients and their owners. Her compassion, dedication, and expertise will be missed by all who knew her."

Ashley Cogovan from Killewald Small Animal Hospital, Amherst, New York, wants to recognize Rachel Jurewicz, CCS: "So thankful for our awesome CCS Rachel! She's been here for 10 years this June and is such a considerate, kind person. She is always willing to learn and take on a new task, is phenomenal with teaching our new hires & is always making sure our clients and their pets are well cared for. Thanks for being you Rach!"

Dr. Raj Singh, Chief of Staff Advisor from Camden Pet Hospital, San Jose, California, wants to recognize Marisa Vest, Hospital Manager: "Marisa is doing a fabulous job converting from paper records to paper lite and learning the software features to make that happen. She is improving our CS records and safety! I love her enthusiasm for learning and growing our team."

Brittany Klopp from Central Animal Hospital, Petaluma, California, wants to recognize Jocelyn Qian, PCA: "Jocelyn is such a hard worker and picks up on all things so quickly! She just started training in OP and is already on her own and rocking it! Thank you for all you do Jocelyn, we are lucky to have you on our team!"

Shanice Garcia from Ojai Village Veterinary Hospital, Ojai, California, wants to recognize everyone: "I am recognizing this group of women for all that they do! With all the changes in the clinic, they are still going strong! I could not ask for a better group of women to be working with. Thank you all for your patience. You girls are rock stars."

Melanie Worman from Downtown Toronto Cat Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, wants to recognize Dr. Roz Allen: "Thank you Dr. Allen for covering an extra shift last minute when another vet had to call in sick.  You really helped us out, we appreciate your dedication and flexibility."

Olivia Mersicano from Epping Rd Veg Hospital, Exeter, New Hampshire, wants to recognize Kelsey Ehlert, Veterinary Technician: "Kelsey is genuinely such a kind, nice person who is always so positive and just radiates sunshine!!"

Alannah Labesky from Regional Manager, North East, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Sarah Black, Hospital Manager: "I wanted to send a special thank you to Sarah for taking on a second location to manage. She’s made huge positive impacts on the team morale and health of the hospital already.  I appreciate you!"

Paige Strauss from South Bend Animal Clinic, South Bend, Indiana, wants to recognize Holly Bourdon, CCS: "For always going above and beyond without asking. You are SO appreciated & we couldn't do it without you!"

Ashley Merrill from Aspen Grove Veterinary Care, Fort Collins, Colorado, wants to recognize Lex Lawson, Lead Technician: "Lex was promoted to the Lead Technician Role starting March 1st of this year. They have been a Grover at Aspen Grove since May of 2021. Lex has shown admirable patience, leadership, and support to their team. Not only does Lex support their team, they also ensure every client and patient is cared for to the best of their ability in each appointment. They take on any task that is thrown their way with a positive attitude, including tasks to help me as the Hospital Manager. Lex provides treats every Friday for the medical staff, who are very food-motivated, this makes for a nice way to end the week! I am not as familiar with the medical side of the vet practice as I began my journey as a CSR. I am thankful for Lex being there for me to help me learn and grow with my medical knowledge. Historically, Lex has been a stand-up employee. Now watching them grow and thrive in this new position is beyond admirable and we are so grateful for them and their hard work."

Shanell Turner from Allied Veterinary Emergency Hospital, Tallahassee, Florida, wants to recognize Amy Bruce, RVT: "Amy consistently displays kindness and compassion to all. Patients and team members included. She brings good ideas to share with the team and helps to train newer staff members.”

Christina Lazo from Balfour Animal Hospital, Fenwick, Ontario, wants to recognize Dr. Aron Bhan, COS: "I wanted to take the time to thank Dr. Aron Bhan for everything he does for us at the hospitals in the Niagara Region. He has been an amazing mentor to not only myself but also the other Practice Managers. We very much appreciate all your patience and time that you spend helping us!"

Brittany Poulin from Main West Animal Hospital, Welland, Ontario, wants to recognize Raj Singh DVM, COSA: "Dr. Raj is an amazing team member. We are short on veterinarians and he has taken on extra shifts and so many more appointments. He always has a positive attitude and has a true passion for helping pets. Thank you Dr. Raj for everything you have done for Main West!!"

David Gagnon from Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, wants to recognize Rachel Penterman, CVT: "Rachel comes to work every day with a fantastic attitude and sense of humor. She allows us all to take a step back and have a laugh, but she also has the skillset she needs to keep things moving smoothly. She takes good care of her patients and their owners."

Sarah Ganeo from Armitage Animal Clinic, Newmarket, Ontario, wants to recognize Madison Peake, RVT: "Maddie gives her whole heart to her job, our clients, and their pets. Even when she is having a rough day our clients would never be able to tell because she starts and finishes every appointment with such a positive disposition. Maddie is constantly there for the team and willing to lend a hand when necessary. She is such a kind person and we are grateful to have her on the team."

Amy Miller from the OPS team wants to recognize Shelly Buys, Accounting: "Shelley Buys has been absolutely amazing in helping the operations team resolve an accounting issue. She discovered the problem quickly and went above and beyond to do additional research. Thank you so much, Shelley, for your dedication and kindness!"

Amy also wants to recognize Matt Campbell, Regional Manager: "Matt has been a great asset to the operations team. He is kind and attentive to his team's needs. Matt's dedication to supporting his colleagues and advocating for Vetcor has been much appreciated. Thank you, Matt!"

Devinne Yoder from Turkeyfoot Family Pet Center, Akron, Ohio, wants to recognize Logann Saus, Jena Cope, and Hallee Pesl Wayne, CSRs: "They are rocking it in their new CSR positions! Appreciate all you do."

Elizabeth McLaughlin from Epping Road Veterinary Hospital, Exeter, New Hampshire, wants to recognize Mackenzie Hayes, Hospital Manager: "I am not even sure where to start! Mackenzie just recently started at ERVH as our hospital Manager. She has been such a delight to work with in such a short amount of time. She has been a mentor, calming force, and friend to me! She is a true gem guiding our team into greatness. You can count on her for solutions, advice, and education. I am so excited for the future of Epping Road Veterinary Hospital now that Mackenzie is a part of our family."

Justine Wood-Graves from Southern California Veterinary Hospital, Woodland Hills, California, wants to recognize Rachel Davis, RVT: "Rachel gives every day her best, and no job is too big or too small. Rachel goes the distance to make sure everyone is seen, heard, and taken care of, and tries her hardest to do what is best for the hospital and the team at all times. We appreciate you so much, Rachel!"

Todd Ingersoll from VP of Operations, Seattle, Washington, wants to recognize Sean Sornsin, Senior VP OPS: "Sean has done an amazing job leading the operations team.  Sean creates a focus and clarity that promotes efficient and effective leadership among our field support teams.  Sean, through his thoughtful leadership and careful planning, removes obstacles and distractions that might otherwise distract or derail our efforts to drive improvements in the field.  I appreciate Sean advocating for our Regional Leaders and keeping us all focused on the core mission of supporting our hospital leaders and their teams!"

Gabriela Seebinger from Park Animal Hospital & Wellness Center, Denver, Colorado, wants to recognize Theresa Crotty, RVT Lead Technician: "Theresa has been with Park Animal for 10 years this month!! Wow, time flies! We really appreciate her and everything she does for us every day, which is too much to list here!!! It does not go unnoticed, and we couldn't do it without you!"

Mark Allen from the OPS team wants to recognize Morgan Smith, Regional Manager: "I want to thank Morgan Smith for being a shining example of Regional Management. Morgan puts in the time (and overtime) to ensure her practices are supported and flourishing. Keep up the awesome work Morgan!"

Mark also wants to recognize Vanesa Rivera, Procurement Manager: "Vanesa has always been a great resource. I appreciate her support and guidance on so many questions. I really appreciate her willingness to help and positive attitude. Thank you so much, Vanesa!"

Ana Castillo from Caldwell Pet Hospital, Visalia, California, wants to recognize Crystal Amezcua, Veterinary Assistant: "Crystal is the definition of our clinic superstar. She is always willing to step in whenever and wherever she is needed. She always has a positive attitude and is excellent with the pets that come into the clinic, especially with the cats! We are extremely lucky to have her as part of our team! Go Crystal!"

Tamara Sloan, COS from Cat Care of Rochester Hills, Rochester Hills, Michigan, wants to recognize Chad Harris, DVM, VP of Veterinary Leadership: "Dr. Harris stepped in as our COSA when our previous COSA left Vetcor. He's been very supportive and helpful as we navigated some difficult situations. His upfront & practical approach to problems is refreshing. Thank you for all your help!"

Sean Sornsin from the OPS team wants to recognize Shelly Buys, Accounting: "Shelly is a fantastic partner with the OPS team. She's always willing to answer questions, pick up her phone when you call, and provides so much detail for any situation it's easy to get the answer and support you need.  Myself and the OPS team appreciate her a great deal!"

Sean also wants to recognize Jenny Driscoll, Central Support: "Jen is ALWAYS trying to make things better for everyone at Vetcor and trying to Do The Right Thing!  They are so passionate about coming up with solutions for our company as we grow!  We appreciate you, Jen!"

Lastly, Sean wants to recognize Spence King, Regional Manager: "Spence's calmness and professionalism, even in the most challenging and frustrating situations, is outstanding.  He is such a diligent and detailed leader on our operations team and is always striving to make hospitals better, including having the courage to have the needed conversation, even when it will be tough.  I always know Spence is acting with 100% positive intent and making the best decisions in the moment.  I am really lucky to get to work with him this year on the OPS team more directly!"

Jennifer Weitzel from the OPS team, wants to recognize Melanie Mills, Regional Manager: "Melanie has gone above and beyond in handling a challenging situation recently. You impressed me with your calmness, dedication, and support while navigating an unusual circumstance. Your hospitals are lucky to have you and your level of support!"

Jennifer also wants to recognize Taylor Crispin and Jenny Driscoll, Central Support: "Jenny and Taylor are always helpful, kind, funny, and amazing! I appreciate the never-ending support they lend hospitals and the OPS team.  Thanks for being extraordinary!"

Lastly, Jennifer wants to recognize Massillon Animal Hospital: "Massillon Animal Hospital's COS, HM, and Team- I am so proud of you and thankful for your daily impact on your community's pets and people! You have conquered many challenges over the past few years, but wow, you have put that in your rearview mirror, and you, as a team, are making huge strides! Your ambition and positivity have not gone unnoticed!”

Christine Spencer from Dr. Norm's Westside Animal Hospital, Panama City Beach, Florida, wants to recognize Jane Blythe, Inventory Manager: "Jane just hit her 8-year anniversary with Dr. Norm's. She has made a HUGE impact on our success! She is just overall a wonderful human to our team and the animals we treat! She SHINES BRIGHT at Dr. Norm's, and we are grateful!"

Thank you to everyone who participated in this month's Thankful Thursday!