End of an era for clinic head marks new chapter for vet club

End of an era for clinic head marks new chapter for vet club.

Stepping down from his role heading one of New Zealand’s oldest veterinary club practices leaves Ross Harris with many good memories and a business looking forward to a new chapter in its future.

Ross departs from his role as chief executive of FVC Veterinary Services as the practice merges with Waikato based Anexa Animal Health, to become Anexa FVC.

It is a move Ross helped engineer, and one he sees as a natural progression for one of the country’s longest running veterinary club practices.

The Anexa FVC merger comes after Ross headed up FVC for 15 years, helping develop the five clinic Hauraki based service into a highly regarded regional practice.

His departure is more than just a personal milestone, it also marks a break with his past.

Ross’s grandfather joined the practice as a very early member only a couple of years after the Vet Club was formed in 1923, followed by his father who joined in the late 1940’s.

Ross himself also became a member, joining as a keen young sharemilker back in 1969, moving on to become a Board Member in the practice for a short term, prior to a career change.

He had no idea then that many years later he would return in 2000 to run the practice as chief executive.

That farming experience and time spent working in the local dairy co-operative industry helped set his approach to running FVC.

“Over the time spent working in the dairy co-operatives I experienced three mergers, finalising with the merger of Waikato Valley with the NZ Dairy Group in the early 1990s.

“I learned to value the advice and mentoring of two men, Barry McLaggan and the late Ben Edwards. They were dairy industry stalwarts who retained their integrity through a very tough, tumultuous period of takeovers and mergers.”

Well aware of the sensitivities and impact mergers can have, Ross believes the union between the two well respected veterinary club practices that was official in June, comes with a high level of respect and trust between both parties.

“If you look at the values of the two practices you would almost think the same person had written them, they are so similar with their emphasis upon service, respect and valuing our customers. This is largely driven by both practices being Vet Clubs and therefore has farmer input into what is important to them. It says a lot about the merger that ‘FVC’ has been included in the new business name.”

The merger brings Anexa’s established veterinary and research business alongside FVC’s established long serving veterinarian base through the Hauraki region and highly respected companion/small animal team in Thames.

Bringing the two together creates a veterinary practice that covers the spectrum of animal health needs from small animals to production animals, consulting services and includes a world renowned research division, Cognosco.

Under Ross’s management FVC has enjoyed an enduring level of stability within its staff, with the majority of vets and the support team having been with the practice for at least 10 years. The longest serving vet, Louise Coates has been with FVC since 1984.

“We have managed to build a really positive culture across the business, and found each clinic has its own culture that develops from a team of people who get on well and become close through their work.”

A jewel in the FVC crown has been achieving Best Practice Accreditation at the Thames Small Animal clinic, and also having practice nurse Wendy Jarnet awarded Vet Nurse of the Year this year.

“On the farming side it has been satisfying to see ongoing growth in the number of farmers using FVC as their vet. We have noticed a huge improvement in milk production and a reduction in heifer mastitis during early lactation with the use of teat sealants over the past 15 years.”

Ross is confident this level of excellence will continue under Anexa FVC’s chief executive Terry Youngman and the Board.

Focus from Terry and the Board includes moving with changes in farmer and pet owner needs.

For farmers this includes continuing to develop the practice’s consulting services to ensure vets are part of a farmer’s team of trusted advisors, rather than simply the “ambulance” at the bottom of the animal health cliff, in addition to providing on-farm solutions to achieve the farms goals.

“Being a relevant, beneficial and affordable partner is what Anexa FVC aims to offer our clients.”

Meantime Ross’s only regret is he will not be there to see the merged clinics continue to advance, although he remains a local, and will keep in touch with the team.

“We always kept the door open to good ideas from anyone, and I am sure that positive, energetic team environment will continue as the practice mores forward.”

ENDS

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