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Past President Honored & District Representatives Elected to the Executive Board
from FVMA Advocate Issue 2, 2020
by FVMA
DR. MICHAEL EPPERSON FVMA PAST PRESIDENT
Outgoing FVMA president, Dr. Michael Epperson, was honored for his year of outstanding service as the 2019-2020 FVMA President during the Annual Awards Ceremony & Installation of Officers on Friday, March 13, 2020. Dr. Epperson will continue to serve on the association’s board of governors, executive board, and as the FVMA Foundation president though March 2021.
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Previously, Dr. Epperson served as the FVMA District VIII representative (serving northwest Florida). He is also active locally as a member of the Miracle Strip Veterinary Medical Society, a group of veterinarians in District VIII who meet monthly to discuss the latest advances in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Epperson is a two-time alumnus of Mississippi State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in animal and dairy science and, later, graduated from the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. His special veterinary interests include dermatology, surgery and ultrasound.
He and his wife, Dr. Heather Hartley, have owned Companion Animal Hospital & Boarding Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Dr. Michael Epperson, 2019-2020
FVMA president, receiving a plaque honoring his outstanding leadership.
since 2008 and acquired Destin Animal Clinic in Destin, Florida in 2018. They are a dedicated team focused on high-quality care, while embracing a strong doctor-patient-client relationship. Their philosophy is to treat each pet like their own and provide the best care and medical treatment possible.
Thank you Dr. Epperson for your year of distinguished service as FVMA president!
Pictured from left to right: Drs. Robert Swinger, Jacqueline S. Shellow and Donald S. Howell. Note: Drs. Christine Storts, Barbara Lewis and John Wight were unable to attend the ceremony.
Four District Representatives and the FAEP Representative to the FVMA Executive Board were nominated by local VMAs and the FAEP Council, and, being unopposed, were certified as duly elected by the Nominating Committee in conformity with FVMA Bylaws. Welcome!
DR. DONALD S. HOWELL DISTRICT IV REPRESENTATIVE
We are honored to have Dr. Donald S. Howell join the FVMA Executive Board as the District IV representative. He will represent the Tampa Bay area and neighboring counties (Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Sumter). For the last 22 years, he has owned and operated Midway Animal Hospital in Largo, Florida. Dr. Howell is a 1981 graduate of Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
DR. JOHN R. WIGHT DISTRICT VIII REPRESENTATIVE
DR. ROBERT SWINGER DISTRICT VI REPRESENTATIVE
Dr. John Wight was elected to serve on the FVMA Executive Board as the District VIII representative. District VIII encompasses Escambia, Oskaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties. After a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps, he received his DVM degree from UFCVM in 1995. Dr. Wight moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida and opened Veterinary Surgery Service Inc in 2017.
Dr. Robert Swinger is now the District VI representative, representing South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties). He was appointed by the FVMA Executive Board to complete the term of president-elect Dr. Marta Lista. After receiving his DVM degree in 2003, Dr. Swinger launched Animal Eye Guys and joined the Hollywood Animal Hospital veterinary team in 2011. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
DR. BARBARA LEWIS DISTRICT VII REPRESENTATIVE
Dr. Barbara Lewis was elected as the District VII representative to serve southwest Florida: Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota. This will be her first full term on the FVMA Executive Board. She remains on the board after serving for one year to complete the term of Dr. Mary Smart who became presidentelect in 2019. Dr. Lewis is very active within her local veterinary community, and she is also an AVMA member. Dr. Lewis is an associate veterinarian at North River Animal Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Dr. Jacqueline S. Shellow will serve a second three-year term on the FVMA Executive Board as the representative of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners (FAEP), the equine exclusive division of the FVMA. Dr. Shellow is long-time FAEP council member, and she served as FAEP president in 2010. She is a partner at Teigland, Franklin and Brokken, DVM’s P. A., of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a specialty practice for pleasure horses and Thoroughbreds. She joined the practice when she graduated from UFCVM in 1987. Dr. Shellow has a master’s degree in Equine Nutrition and is certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and in animal chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.
The FVMA welcomes Dr. Christine M. Storts back to the executive board as the District IX representative. She represents Florida’s Space Coast. Dr. Storts graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She practices at Atlantic Animal Clinic in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Dr. Storts previously served on the FVMA Executive Board as district representative from 2007-2014.
DR. JACKIE SHELLOW FAEP COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE
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