Teamwork!

Thanks again for stopping by to say hello. We are all back in the groove in this fall of the year. School is back in session at every level. The baseball playoffs are just getting started, college football is on every channel every day and many NFL teams are in mid season form. As I think of this time of the year it reminds me of the teams we have in our affiliated hospitals and the coordination and leadership that is necessary at every location. One also realizes that attitude, morale and spirit play a big part in outcomes and are many times the difference in the results of a tough medical case. As I go from practice to practice for stop by visits I continue to be proud of our teams and moved by their dedication to their profession . The “quarterbacks” that deliver the medicine are soundly supported by the “blocking” and “tackling” of the technicians and the staff at the front desk are still the gatekeepers of the medicine and the business. And probably since we have so many more females than males in our hospitals this football analogy is likely to be coming antiquated. In any event our teams are working well and we are poised for the addition of one more team this year in Florida and then some robust additions in 2010.

Speaking of our teams I want to welcome some new leaders to Pet Partners. Dr. Lisa Murray has just joined the team at Boone Animal Hospital in Western Springs, IL. Lisa has joined us as Medical Director there and has replaced our loved and admired Dr. Kathy Fauth who has gone back to school for nursing (human). Kathy will stay in touch by taking a few shifts but she has turned the reigns of the leadership role over to Dr. Murray and Lisa is off to a great start. Welcome Lisa Murray!

Dr. Rosalie Jorgensen is a seasoned veteran who has joined a great staff at Smoky Hill Veterinary Clinic in Aurora, CO. I just recently had a great conversation with Dr. Jorgensen and what a breath of fresh air she is for Pet Partners and Smoky Hill. Welcome Rosalie!

And the next generation of Pierce’s has joined Pet Partners at the North Ridge Veterinary Hospital in Madison, OH. Dr. John Pierce even sounds like his Dad on the phone and it is sure comforting to me to have him as part of that great staff. I am told his surgical skills are strong and with that desire he could not have a better mentor than his father and one of our great leaders Dr. Robert Pierce. Welcome John Pierce!

With the fall in full swing we have a lot of plans for furthering our teams with a training program for all team members that will be coming to fruition January 2010. This newly created program will allow all of our teammates to better understand their role, the rules of the game and make everything we do more defined and more fun. We have a lot going on but it is all good and best of all – people are still spending money taking care of their pets. That sure makes our business shine in these tough economic times.

Best regards,

Ted Sprinkle, DVM, Cofounder and CEO Pet Partners, LLC