Thankful Thursday: Wrapping Up Summer with Appreciation

August 15, 2024

We are so proud of our team members and the dedication they show every day to their team members. Together we deliver the quality care our patients deserve.

Kalissa Grabowski from Pet Vet, Deerfield Beach, Florida, wants to recognize Anthony Gonzalez, Hospital Manager: "Anthony has been a great addition to our hospital. From his first day, Anthony was ready for anything whether it be a lending ear or IT guru support.  We all so appreciate him and all the skill and experience he brings.  Anthony brings leadership, mad tech skills, a passion for inventory, calm wisdom, and bear hugs. I would also like to thank the entire staff of Pet Vet for all their hard work and dedication."

Kelly Davis from Tender Loving Care Animal Hospital, Baldwin Park, California, wants to recognize Paris Seigneur, Hospital Manager: "Paris was given a huge amount of responsibility and has had to adapt and learn in a short amount of time. She has done an amazing job stepping into this role and has kept a positive mindset throughout all of the changes. Thank you so much for all your hard work Paris, I look forward to working together!"

Michelle Skinner from Crofton Veterinary Center, Crofton, Maryland, wants to recognize Gracen Kreider, Technician: "So proud and excited that Gracen passed her VTNE! She has been a wonderful addition to our already awesome team."

Suzi McDonnell from Vista Pet Hospital, Portland, Oregon, wants to recognize Karissa Raya, Veterinary Assistant: "Queen of the flex! Thank you for helping out in so many areas of the hospital! It is so appreciated!"

Kelly McNeely from Heartland Niagara Animal Hospital, Niagara Falls, Ontario, wants to recognize Sharon Dawson, Technician: "Sharon is such a vital part of the Heartland team. She has so graciously taken on the chaos of pet exports, and worked tirelessly to navigate the complex (and constantly changing) policies for transporting a dog across the border. Sharon is a valued help with tech scheduling, system logistics, supply management, and maintenance needs, and she's a fantastic tech to boot! Thank you for all your help, Sharon!"

Destiny Rodriguez from Medina Veterinary Clinic, Medina, Ohio, wants to recognize Rachel Basset, Veterinary Assistant, and Jake Hudson, CSR: "Rachel is one of our veterinary assistants and comes in ready for business. She is always on the ball and keeps staff and clients smiling. Amanda is also one of our newer veterinary assistants and recently transferred to us. She always has a positive attitude and does an excellent job with clients and their fur babies. We appreciate all their hard work!"

Ryan Walczak from Kindness Animal Hospital, Port St Lucie, Florida, wants to recognize Kim Trimble, Hospital Manager: "I am so very grateful for Kim as my HM. We worked together before we were acquired in 2018 by Vetcor and together, we have worked so many hours and have had sleepless nights, through acquisitions, COVID, turnover, and innumerable forms, to transform our hospital from a good vet hospital to the BEST vet hospital. I don't know what I would do without her."

Elysia Mignelli from Brookside Veterinary Clinic, Auburn, New York, wants to recognize Patty Tankus, Hospital Manager: "Thank her for her continued hard work! When times got tough, she stuck with us through it all and I will be forever grateful. I personally am so blessed to be working with someone who genuinely cares so much about our patients & clients."

Aubrey Mills from Helping Hands Veterinary Clinic, Lynnwood, Washington, wants to recognize Cherie Guidry, DVM, COS: "Dr. Guidry is so good at helping me stay positive and focused and helps make sure my self-care is a priority as well. She is so supportive and helpful and we are a lucky team!"

Katelin Arrellin from West Phoenix Veterinary Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, wants to recognize Gureetpal Grewal, DVM: "Helping patients in every way he can providing excellent service. He is very hard-working and very attentive. Happy to help staff with all questions and provide for the team."

Kelley Shifflett from Earlysville Animal Hospital, Earlysville, Virginia, wants to recognize the entire staff: "I want to recognize our entire team for always pulling together and offering the absolute best care of all of our clients and patients. We have had numerous employees on vacation recently and had days that have been short-staffed, but we never turn patients away. We always work tirelessly to help them all.  Thank you for going above and beyond, even putting your lunches on hold and leaving late for the betterment of the practice and those who depend on it."

Michelle Skinner from Crofton Veterinary Center, Crofton, Maryland, wants to recognize the entire team: "I want my team to know how important they are to our doctors, our patients, our clients, and me. Without them working together, we would not be able to provide the quality of care that our patients deserve. I'm going to sound like a proud parent, but I have enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) seeing each individual's skills develop and watching them grow as a person. I am thankful to be able to work with this fantastic group, celebrate their successes, and coach through struggles."

Angie Boatwright from Carthage Animal Hospital, Carthage, North Carolina, wants to recognize Morgan Smith, Regional Manager: "Morgan is just awesome! She is always there to answer any silly questions that I might have and more importantly, always there for advice when I ask."

Jessie Nelson from Sugarloaf Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia, wants to recognize Ayana Cuica, DVM: "Thank you for being you!  You are an amazing DVM and a great team member.  We are so thankful you chose SAH.”

Randall Dugal, COS from Community Animal Hospital of RPB, Royal Palm Beach, Florida, wants to recognize our whole team: "Thanks to all for doing a great job after my hernia surgery.  Our team did all the "Heavy Lifting" until I was cleared by my doctor.  I so appreciate their help."

Megan White from Lake Parkway Animal Hospital, Humble, Texas, wants to recognize the following people:

Mayte Thomas, CCS: "Thank you for always being a team player. You communicate so well with your coworkers which makes everything run so smoothly. I appreciate you always having a positive attitude. Thank you for all that you do up front!"

Ashley Foerster, CCS: "Thank you for always giving 100%! You always walk through the door with a smile. I appreciate all your hard work and always striving to be a team player."

Tish Lovell, CCS: "Thank you for always being a team player. Thank you for always being positive and working hard with all the tasks at hand at the front desk. You are appreciated more than you know!"

Madison Rollyson, CCS: "Thank you for truly being an amazing receptionist. You communicate with the staff so well. You are always in a positive mood which makes staff morale amazing! You are always willing to lend a hand where needed which is amazing teamwork. Thank you for being you!!!"

Marisa Vest from Camden Pet Hospital, San Jose, California, wants to recognize Jessica Daniels, Regional Manager: "I would like to give a huge thank you to Jessica for being a huge support system for me as I entered the HM role. She has given me so much guidance and I couldn't do it without her."

Marisa Tardiani from Weymouth Cat Clinic, Weymouth, Massachusetts, wants to recognize the whole staff: "I work with the best group of cat lovers that a person could ask for! Transitioning to a leadership role this year has come with its challenges.  My whole staff has been extremely supportive throughout the process. We are all constantly praising each other's triumphs and supporting each other's lows.  We are lucky to be in a caring environment taking care of the creatures that we love so much. My team brings the same warmth to my heart as seeing all of the Olympic athletes with their support system and sense of sportsmanship. Thank you so much to WLCC!"

Spence King from the OPS team wants to recognize Jillian Craig, Human Resources Generalist: "I'm very appreciative of Jillian Craig for her dedication in helping me navigate some difficult situations.  She has always made herself available and taken the time to thoroughly talk through all the details of a situation to make sure we are achieving the appropriate outcome.  She has been diligent in making sure we are correct in our decisions and following up with any further needed advice.  I am so grateful to have such a caring and knowledgeable resource for guidance on tough situations.”

Stefanie Reed from Center For Animal Health, Edwardsburg, Michigan, wants to recognize Stephanie Murphy, Hospital Manager: "We are a newly acquired Vetcor practice that just reached our one-year anniversary. Stephanie has been instrumental in providing a smooth transition. In doing so, she has been huge in helping our practice work to its full potential and grow through this new journey."

Melanie Benson from Penny Paws Animal Clinic, Richland Hills & Fort Worth, Texas, wants to recognize the whole team at Richland Hills and Fort Worth: "I want to thank both my teams at Richland Hills and Fort Worth for bearing with me while I transitioned to managing both clinics and figuring out a good schedule - everyone has been very patient and has really allowed me to find my flow - I am excited to lead both teams to great success."

Kelli Connors from Service Center, Norwell, Massachusetts, wants to recognize Jenny Driscoll, Central Support Supervisor: "Jenny goes out of their way to make sure that all the folks who work in Norwell and their pets are welcomed, loved and cared for. They order our favorite snacks, keep the fridge stocked with my beloved Diet Coke, and are always willing to drop what they are doing for a chat or to help troubleshoot an issue.  They keep us all laughing and smiling throughout the day, and I just think they deserve all the accolades in the world!"

Tasha Larsen from Wasatch Animal Clinic, Heber City, Utah, wants to recognize Sierra Duke, Technician: "Sierra leads by example in all ways at the clinic.  She is an extremely hard worker and is a super kind person.  Sierra leads by example and not by authority.  She is one of a kind and we are so extremely grateful to her."

Sherry Thompson from County Line Animal Hospital, Ontario, New York, wants to recognize Laurel Taft, LVT: "Laurel has been doing the work of 2 technicians since she started with us. She is a super nice person, and great to work with. I'm very glad that she is a part of our team."

Lucy Smith from OPS team, Saint Louis, MO, Saint Louis, wants to recognize Franco Milza, Practice Support Coordinator: "Our St. Charles, IL - Animal House location had their AC unit get picked up in high winds and get toppled across the roof. The staff walked in on Monday morning to severe damage and flooding caused from the holes in the roof. Franco was on the phone and helping coordinate all the necessary steps right away. They were back up and running by the next day. Thank you Franco for stepping in and helping in this crazy act of nature!"

Sherry Thompson from County Line Animal Hospital, Ontario, New York , wants to recognize Madi Sanduski, Veterinary Assistant: "Madi has made animal medicine her career. She is in college now for animal behavior and plans to utilize this degree here with our own clients, as well as potentially additional pets. She recently became Low Stress Handling Certified Silver, and is proactively teaching the team members to practice Low Stress and Fear Free techniques with our patients."

Lucy Smith from OPS team, Saint Louis, MO, Saint Louis, wants to recognize Jennifer Stolzner, Hospital Manager: "Jennifer walked into a disaster a couple of weeks ago. Their AC unit had toppled across the roof creating holes in the roof along with flooding and damage throughout the hospital. Jennifer came in on her day off, kept a cool head, rescheduled appts (special shoutout to the North Aurora location for taking most of the appointments), and started picking up the pieces. They were able to get back up and running by the next day. Way to keep a cool head and get through the disaster! Thank you!"

Katrina Guell from Scottsdale Cat Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, wants to recognize Megan Jones, CCS: "I wanted to give a long overdue shout-out to Megan! She is a passionate, hard-working, knowledgeable, and dedicated client service representative. Megan can handle anything that is thrown at her. She is great with our clients and truly cares about all their fur babies. She has a true passion for what she does! Thank you Megan for being you!"

Jennifer Bridgers from Coastal Animal Hospital of Hatteras Island and Coastal Animal Hospital Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, wants to recognize teams at both locations: "For all their hard work, positive attitude, and adapting to any change with patience since we joined Vetcor. I have the best team who I appreciate."

Brittany Klopp from Central Animal Hospital, Petaluma, California, wants to recognize Carley Boyd, DVM: "Dr. Boyd started with us a little over a month ago and we could not be happier. Not only is she such a kind, compassionate, and dedicated vet but she has the best can-do spirit! We are honored Dr. Boyd chose CAH to work at and we are excited to continue to watch her grow! "

Audry Helburn from Zippivet Arboretum, Austin, Texas, wants to recognize Cheyenne Talbot, CSR: "She has done such a great job in general lately and has worked extra hard helping to train new staff. She is also great about knowing when to ask questions and her questions are always well thought out and smart. We are very lucky to have her on our team!”

Kimberly Makowski, DVM from Cedars Veterinary Hospital, Brick, New Jersey, wants to recognize the amazing team at Cedars Veterinary Hospital: "To Ashley, Christine, Kristin, Lynne, Suzy & Margie, the very best team a veterinarian could ever possibly hope for  ~ I simply could never thank you enough for all that you have done over the course of my time at Cedars. You are the heartbeat of this practice and our clients and patients are blessed to have you. I am forever grateful for each of you and will carry the memories we have made together in my heart always."

Devinne Yoder from Turkeyfoot Family Pet Center, Akron, Ohio, wants to recognize Jenni Heid, DVM: "I am so grateful for her positive attitude and dedication she puts towards our patients and team!  Her efforts do not go unnoticed. Thank you for everything, Dr.Heid!”

Liz Hall (RM) from Clarkson-Wilson Vet Clinic, Chesterfield, Missouri, wants to recognize Erica Immel, Hospital Manager: "Erica has done a great job managing a remodel for her hospital.  It's been a lot of extra work for her, but she's handled it wonderfully!"

Liz Hall (RM) from Barry Road Animal Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, wants to recognize Oliver Brunhoeber, Hospital Manager: "Oliver is new to Vetcor, but is fitting in wonderfully and doing a fantastic job managing his hospital!  His hospital has been operating with only relief coverage and he has done an amazing job at juggling all the relief coverage.  Awesome job, Oliver!"

Jolene O’Brien from Berrien Vet, Baroda, Michigan, wants to recognize Krystal Kolberg, Veterinary Assistant: "Krystal has been an incredibly caring and compassionate veterinary assistant at our clinic for the last 24 years. She has a calming presence with the animals and the clients love her too.  I am so happy to get to work with her in surgery every week. Great job Krystal! Thanks for all you do."

Chad Harris, DVM, Veterinary Leadership wants to recognize Ashlyn Casaldi, Regional Manager: "Ashlyn did a phenomenal job at the Austin regional meeting. It was a pleasure working with her!!!!"

Dr. Harris also wants to recognize Carlos Gonzalez, Regional Manager: "Carlos has been an amazing addition to our team. He is extremely responsive, a phenomenal leader, and is hilarious! Thank you, Carlos!"

Jessica Addis from St. Francis Animal Hospital, North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Alex Elizeus, DVM: "I am thankful for having a great veterinarian to work with each day! She is an awesome team player and a very caring veterinarian!"

Jon Perchick from Rose City Veterinary Hospital, Portland, Oregon, wants to recognize Kayla Brentley, Kennel Assistant: "Kayla works as a kennel assistant at the hospital, where her primary responsibilities include providing care for boarding patients by feeding them, ensuring they have fresh water and clean bedding, and providing them with timely bathroom breaks. Additionally, Kayla is responsible for general cleaning of the clinic, management of the never-ending pile of laundry, and most importantly being the minister of happiness. Kayla brings her passion for animals and science to work every shift. Kayla has a very positive energy and her personality blends well with the practice culture to make all her colleagues smile around her. She is inquisitive about cases and often asks thoughtful questions about individual patients and their disease processes. Last week at 6 pm on a Saturday, Kayla astutely recognized that one of the boarding patients was in distress. Kayla immediately alerted a team member who assessed the patient (Vickie the Labrador) and then brought the entire situation to my attention. The patient was found unable to stand with a fever of 104. Additionally, this patient had an altered mentation and some difficulty breathing. After a few hours of supportive care, this patient improved and continued to improve over the following days. I am convinced that if it were not for Kayla taking the extra time to look at the boarding patients, Vickie would have not gotten the timely intervention that she needed and would most likely have passed that evening. Kayla saved a life by going above and beyond. For that, she deserves a shout-out."

Hunter Reed from Animal Medical Center, Ontario, Ohio, wants to recognize Angelia Novak, Technician: "Angelia exemplifies dependability, hard work, and great teamwork. Her dedication and care for the practice shines through in her work. It's individuals like Angelia who elevate our practice and deliver exceptional care. Thank you, Angelia, for all you do!"

David Gagnon from Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, wants to recognize Karen Juno, LVT: "From the day she started, Karen has been a hard worker with a good attitude. She is always up to the task and is a valued member of our team. Her positivity and work ethic elevate those of us who work side-by-side with her. We're currently in the midst of a renovation project, which brings its own stresses, but she has remained constant in her good attitude, and she somehow knows where everything is, even when no one else can find it. We thank her for all she does!"

Julie Hogue from Windermere Animal Hospital, Fishers, Indiana, wants to recognize Anna Fields, RVT: "Anna was so gracious to change her schedule to accommodate another staff member.  She went above and beyond and I really appreciate her selflessness!"

Chloe McTighe from Animal & Bird Clinic of Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, California, wants to recognize Ana Soria, LVT: "I wanted to thank Ana for being such an amazing mentor. She shares her knowledge as an RVT with me and is so patient with me when I am learning or practicing a new skill. She has been so supportive of not only me but all of our staff. Thank you Ana!!"

Elizabeth Dewhirst from Tara Animal Hospital, Colleyville, Texas, wants to recognize Brad Brockman, IT Support: "Thank you Brad for going above and beyond and getting us a new dental laptop quickly! We would have lost out on thousands of dollars in revenue without your quick action. Thank you!"

Alannah Labesky from the OPS team wants to recognize Laura Houle, Hospital Manager and the entire team at North East Animal Hospital: "Laura and her team recently went through some challenges but also has been able to celebrate by adding their new associate on board as of 8/5! This team has really stepped up and I'm so proud of everyone!"

Amanda Enochs from Eastown Animal Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa, wants to recognize the following people:

Rhonda Bolin, Receptionist: "Rhonda is reliable and kind. When we are short-staffed, or a co-worker needs their shift covered, she is there to help. She offers her time as needed to our schedule, and we are grateful for her flexibility."

Emma Hall, Veterinary Assistant: "Emma is thorough and efficient in her work and is a team player. She accepts many responsibilities here at Eastown. She brings a positive energy and creates a lighter atmosphere. We appreciate her making us laugh."

Emily Woodard, Veterinary Assistant: "Emily works hard behind the scenes to make sure our day will run smoothly. She's a restocking champion, is ready to hold an animal when needed. She takes time with the clients to get to know them, make them feel comfortable, and make them feel welcome."

Laura Wiklund, Reception/Assistant: "Laura is an excellent floater. She can help at reception, she can help assist in the back. She is an eager learner, and is willing to help wherever she can. She often asks what she can do to help."