COLUMBUS, OHIO — MARCH 8, 2024 — Dr. Mike Dyer of Proctorville has been honored as the 2023 Ohio Veterinarian of the Year. The award was presented by outgoing Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) president Dr. Eric Gordon during a special ceremony at the annual Midwest Veterinary Conference (MVC).
Veterinarian of the Year is considered the Association’s highest honor and is given to one individual annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to veterinary medicine and the animal kingdom.
A 1993 graduate of The Ohio State University (OSU), Dr. Dyer co-owns eight veterinary hospitals in the tri-state area of southern Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky and holds a master’s in animal science and reproductive physiology. He is a member of the Stanton Foundation Advisory Board at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a co-founder of Mountwest Community and Technical College School of Veterinary Technology. The Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Business Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 and Business of the Year in 2017.
During the same ceremony, Dr. Gordon also presented the Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Melvin Wenger of Orrville in recognition of his dedication to the profession.
Dr. Wenger is a 1981 OSU alum who serves as CEO and past president of Veterinary Wellness Partners, Inc. in Orrville. His veterinary interests include food animal medicine, food animal surgery and small animal orthopedic surgery.
During the Association’s annual business meeting, also held at the MVC, Dr. Gordon reflected on his year as president, much of which was spent searching for a new executive director.
“Serving as your president has been one of the most rewarding and gratifying experiences of my professional career,” Dr. Gordon said. “It was my pleasure to have the opportunity to serve the membership and lead the board.”
Before the meeting concluded, he passed on the presidential gavel to his successor, Dr. Diana Cron of Cincinnati.
“At each step along my path to this role,” Dr. Cron said, “I have had the opportunity to work with an amazing collection of dedicated and talented vets that have given countless volunteer hours serving this organization and profession.”
A longtime OVMA Board member, Dr. Cron is co-owner of Glenway Animal Hospital with her husband Brian and an educator at House Rabbit Society. She served as president of the Cincinnati Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) in 2014. Prior to her veterinary career, she worked as a high school science teacher and a clinical chemist for the Cincinnati Health Department.
###
ABOUT OVMA
The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) is a non-profit trade organization providing services to its members in the areas of continuing education, public outreach, advocacy, and professional resources. Known for hosting the fifth-largest veterinary convention in North America, OVMA represents more than 2,800 veterinarians practicing in various fields and specialties and 600 veterinary students. The OVMA’s principal purpose and mission is to foster lifelong learning, stewardship, compassion and community in veterinary medicine.
