The British Veterinary Assn. recently elected Nicky Paull of Lostwithiel, Cornwall, as president for 2008/2009. The ceremony took place during the Annual General Meeting in London on Sept. 28. “The challenges ahead appear daunting but I guess no one would take this job on and expect it to be easy,” Paull said during the inaugural president’s speech. “And that is how I see it—a job—not an honor—the honor will be at the end of my tenure if the profession can look back and see I have done a good job.” Paull said one of BVA’s biggest challenges is to engage fully with its members as well as with the whole profession, and therefore will be the theme of her presidency: communication and engagement with the profession in the whole of the United Kingdom. During this next coming year, BVA will look into increasing membership, “by providing services and support that members want and by providing the political lobbying that the profession needs.” The association will also tackle the current pets travel derogation, which needs lobbying both in the United Kingdom and Europe, and address hot topics such as the genetics of pedigree dog breeding. Paull has been president of the Cornwall Veterinary Assn. and treasurer and president of the Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons, representing SPVS on BVA Council for four years. Back in 1979, she joined a three vet mixed practice in Lostwithiel, which comprised about 80 percent farm work. She purchased the practice in 1988 and it has now grown to a partnership of three employing eight veterinary associates and 25 support staff. Also at the Annual General Meeting, BVA named Professor Bill Reilly of Glasgow, Scotland, as president-elect. Reilly is a consultant in Veterinary Public Health and a member of both the Food Standards Agency Board and the Scottish Food Advisory Committee. He has been president of BVA Scottish Branch and the West of Scotland division as well as president of the Veterinary Public Health Assn. Nick Blayney has become BVA past-president. Blayney, who has spent a decade working in Herefordshire in mainly farm and equine work, has been involved in BVA affairs for almost 20 years. <HOME>
