AVMA News

AVMA honors Kinnarney, Meyer for service with Trust

Drs. Joseph H. Kinnarney and Thomas F. Meyer, former presidents of the AVMA, received recognition on July 14 for their contributions to the AVMA Trust during the President’s Reception at AVMA Convention 2023 in Denver.

The American Veterinary Medical Association Trust family provides professional liability insurance, life insurance and other coverage and products through AVMA PLIT and AVMA LIFE. During their tenure, the AVMA Trust began offering a retirement plan option to practice owners and self-employed veterinarians and introduced the return of a health insurance program for AVMA members.

Drs. Joseph H. Kinnarney (center) and Thomas F. Meyer (right) accept awards from Dr. Lori Teller (left), 2022-23 AVMA president, for their service with the AVMA Trust.
Drs. Joseph H. Kinnarney (center) and Thomas F. Meyer (right) accept awards from Dr. Lori Teller (left), 2022-23 AVMA president, for their service with the AVMA Trust. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Dr. Kinnarney (Cornell ’80), has served the veterinary profession for more than four decades, including as North Carolina’s delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD), District III representative on the AVMA Board of Directors (BOD), director of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), and 2015-16 AVMA president. Dr. Kinnarney was appointed chair of the AVMA Trust board in 2018 and will end his term in August.

Dr. Meyer, (Washington State ’78), has held several leadership positions in organized veterinary medicine. He is a past chair of the AVMA Board and AVMA House Advisory Committee (HAC), is a past president of the Washington State VMA, has served as Washington state’s delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates, and was 2016-17 AVMA president. Dr. Meyer has served as secretary-treasurer of the AVMA Trust since 2018 and will end his term in August.

2022-23 AVMA president Dr. Lori Teller said: “Dr. Joe Kinnarney and Dr. Tom Meyer have dedicated years to making the AVMA better and stronger, through their volunteer leadership, their vision, and their drive to serve our members. Nowhere is this dedication more apparent than in their tireless work in helping steer AVMA LIFE and AVMA PLIT through what was a transformative period of growth and revitalization.

“Drs. Kinnarney and Meyer served invaluable roles in transitioning LIFE and PLIT into a singular operational structure that will serve our members long into the future, sponsoring programs for insurance and other products specifically designed for veterinarians, their families, and their practices. The AVMA, the Trust, and our more than 100,000 members are indebted to Drs. Kinnarney and Meyer for their service, passion, expertise, and vision, and we will always be grateful for all they have done.”