Jack L. Stephens D.V.M.
Founder
Pets Best
Jack Stephens is founder of Pets Best a company
providing the highest value in Health Insurance plans for pets. A former practicing veterinarian,
Stephens is a pet enthusiast, sharing his home with eight dogs and two cats.
In 1981, discouraged by the prevalence of economically-necessitated euthanasia of pets, and with the financial assistance
of over 900 Veterinary colleagues, Stephens founded Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI). After 24 years, having generated over $100 million in revenues, Stephens retired as CEO of VPI. Following his retirement
from VPI, and due to a driving passion for quality pet care and knowledge of the opportunities that
exist in the pet industry, Stephens founded Pets Best.
Stephens distinguished past service to the veterinary profession includes: board member of the American
Veterinary Medical Foundation; president of the Orange County Veterinary Medical Association; president
and board of trustee of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association; and, board of directors
for the Western Veterinary Conference and Animal Health Foundation. He has written and published numerous
articles about pet health insurance and was a contributing author for a leading veterinary trade magazine.
In 2000, Stephens established and is chairman of the board of The Skeeter Foundation, a non-profit organization
dedicated to demonstrating the positive health effects of the human-animal bond. Monies from the Foundation
in turn help support the Skeeter Prescription Team, a national organization developed to provide comfort
and companionship by sharing therapy dogs with patients in hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions.
Stephens received his veterinary degree in 1972 from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary
Medicine, and was named Alumnus of the Year in 1993, and distinguished Alumni for the entire University
in 2003. He received the Benefactor award from the Wild Life Way Station, a wildlife and exotic rescue
sanctuary in Los Angeles County, California in 2004, the President’s award from the American Humane
Association in 1998 and founded six veterinary clinics in Southern California before entering into the
veterinary pet insurance industry.
A Leader of Pet Insurance in the US