An estimated 75 million pets in the U.S. may not have access to the veterinary care they need by 2030, with an important factor being a critical shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Further, with nearly 90% of veterinary professionals identifying as white, the need to not only increase the number of veterinary professionals but also to diversify the talent pipeline is critical for the industry.

Banfield Pet Hospital recently teamed up with actor and comedian Kenan Thompson to launch a new national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America that encourages high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in veterinary medicine. Plus, Banfield announced its hashtag#NextVet internship, giving 15 high school students across the country an immersive experience, providing insight into what it’s like to work in the veterinary industry.

This is all part of a nearly $10 million commitment to help veterinary professionals realize their full potential while creating accessible pathways for individuals that aspire to follow in their footsteps. Read more here: bit.ly/3m7FZYv

At Banfield, we are constantly evaluating how we can make a lasting impact on pets, people, and society. I am driven by our purpose to make a better world for pets. As leaders, we need to constantly drive our discussions and decisions back to how can we improve the lives and realities of everyone in our care.

Striving to be a beacon for how a company ought to behave comes with a tremendous responsibility. As organizations come together to advocate and make change, meaningful collaborations are essential. I'm very grateful for our recently launched BANDtogether Roundtable and the progress these discussions will support.

Together, we can ensure that we are doing our part to make an impact and elevate societal wellbeing.

Creating a culture of belonging requires us, as leaders, to not only listen to the individuals in our community but take timely, actionable steps towards positive change.

The power of advocacy and action can be seen in the exceptional work of Banfield’s PRIDE Diversity Resource Group, a team of leaders who are unwavering in their dedication to making Banfield an increasingly inclusive, equitable, and welcoming workplace for all. Their work has been incredibly impactful for our community, and an inspiration to us all!

Happy Pride, everyone!

Knowing that the future is unpredictable is one thing, experiencing how unpredictable it can be is something else altogether.

The past year has presented us all with challenges we never could have predicted and for which there were no plans, procedures, or how-to guides for how best to adapt to a new normal. For Banfield, our success in adjusting to the pandemic is owed--in large part--to the ingenuity, insight, and collaboration of our Associates.

Banfield’s culture of communication, inclusion, and empathy was key in helping our organization not only survive 2020 but thrive.

After a year of working from home, the human animal bond has strengthened and evolved--leaving many pet owners concerned about how they and their pets will adapt to post-pandemic work.

Luckily, employers and employees alike are finding new ways to build pet-friendly routines as they look to get back to in-office work! I’m so excited to see the start of incredible progress in pet-friendly workplaces, and am proud that Banfield will hashtag#bhere to support pets and clients as the transition to a post-Covid world continues!

With each of us moving quickly to put last year in the rearview, I’m proud that we’re taking time as an organization to truly celebrate solidarity and giving back in a year that felt like one obstacle after another. It’s tough to think of a better day than hashtag#NationalLoveYourPetDay to launch the 2020 Banfield Pet Hospital Corporate Social Responsibility Report and the Banfield Foundation Impact Report!

Both reports tell powerful stories of what’s possible when our associates and teams leverage our size and scale for good. I continue to be deeply grateful for everything we accomplished in 2020 and how we came together to be there for each other and the pets and communities that count on us. As 2021 takes shape, we’re eager to do more to further our societal impact.

The pandemic caused many shifts in the way we interact. The client experience must continue evolving too. Digital innovation, ease of access, and personalization will come to define customer-centric service.

I’m excited about steps Banfield is taking to support even more meaningful client experiences and increased access to care. How are you meeting your customers where they are, in ways that work for them?

2020 has provided a necessary shift in perspective and encouraged us all to be more thoughtful, kind, and unified. As we reach the finish line of this particularly challenging year, looking forward to Banfield’s future is a great source of inspiration and hope.

As a leader, I am deeply grateful to the people who helped keep Banfield moving forward despite all obstacles: our associates. We are more committed than ever to continue investing in our associates through Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity initiatives; educational opportunities; an emphasis on health and wellbeing; and increases in wages and benefits.

Together with our associates, we are ramping up our focus on innovating and personalizing the experience of our clients in 2021. I’m confident this will allow us to move closer to achieving our purpose, creating hashtag#ABetterWorldForPets.

As we reflect and celebrate how the challenges of 2020 have pushed all of us to adapt, two important takeaways motivate our growth: a focused culture of recognition and the empowerment of associate voices. Since I started with Banfield, creating this environment has been our #1 priority. The perspective and value of every associate voice has such an influence and impact on how we deliver on our promise to build a better world for pets. I’m grateful for how this enthusiasm continues to unlock our future.

Being informed and staying connected has been critical to empowering our people. I strongly believe that maintaining our culture through this crisis has positively impacted each area of our organization.

As essential businesses face this global pandemic; open, honest and consistent communication with our teams is paramount. Each and every day I remain committed to being here for associates in innovative ways so, together, we can continue to hashtag#bhere for each other and our clients, pets and communities.

This week marked our unofficial 2020 kick-off at Banfield as we hosted our National Field Leadership (NFL) meeting, bringing together 700 associates from across our practice to connect, learn and celebrate recent successes.

Today is National Love Your Pet Day, and while one could argue we celebrate that every day here at Banfield Pet Hospital, it’s the perfect moment to highlight how much we also love giving back to pets, communities, society and each other! hashtag#banfieldgivesback

Throughout my career I’ve received a range of advice from good to ground breaking. One seemingly simple piece of advice – listen more than you speak – has been essential to my success.

When I joined Banfield Pet Hospital I made it a priority to meet and listen to as many of our associates as possible. In my first six months alone, I visited 140 hospitals. And while I continue to spend time in our hospitals whenever I can, I also make it a priority to use social media to share, listen and engage with thousands of our associates daily on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Last week, we announced a partnership with Appalachian State University to strengthen the pipeline of licensed veterinary technicians and create a more sustainable future for the veterinary profession.

To lead a company into the future, we first have to examine the past. So as 2018 draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the changes our practice has made this year. We have big ideas about how we want to help advance pet care, associate health and societal wellbeing. I’m excited to share how we took action on some of those ideas this past year. I also get inspired by what others are doing, so I’d love to hear about some of your own ideas you put into action in 2018.

When something is custom-made, it fits perfectly. Find out how Banfield is helping make veterinary care a better fit for the changing world we live in.

At the Veterinary Innovation Summit last weekend, we unveiled the groundbreaking, data-driven Pet Insight Project with the goal of giving pet owners a tool to play an even more active role in their pet’s health and wellbeing. Read more about how we’re aiming to disrupt the future of pet health.

My first year as president of Banfield Pet Hospital offered powerful examples of our capacity to positively impact the lives of people and pets in every community we serve. Join me in celebrating just a few of our collective successes from 2017.

Before we learn to talk, we learn to listen. From then on, the real skill is knowing when to do each.