VetPartners, the Association for Veterinary Practice Development, has honored Dr. Jack Stephens, pioneer in the pet insurance industry and founder of Pets Best Insurance, with its Pioneer Award for his significant contributions to the veterinary community.
Boise, Idaho- February 7, 2012- With a mission to serve and advance the veterinary profession with innovative, relevant, valuable and ethical practice development solutions, VetPartners association gives the Pioneer Award to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the VetPartners and/or the field of veterinary business consulting and advising. Pioneer Professional Member honorees are individuals who are deemed pioneers in the profession have been chosen by the Board of Directors to be honored for their service to the profession of Consulting or Advising Veterinary Medical Practices.
Award nominations come from nominations made by VetPartners’ members. Fellow member Kent Kruse, DVM PurinaCare Insurance Services, nominated Dr. Stephens. An excerpt of his nomination is below:
In the early years Jack organized Economic Summits on an every-other-year basis and provided veterinary management consultants with two days of continuing education, fellowship, food, and fun. These learning opportunities were provided at minimal expense to the invited guests. Gathering distinguished individuals who devoted their professional lives to assisting veterinarians in the management of their practices became the very basis for the VetPartners. I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of the Pioneer Award.
Dr. Stephens, the original founder of the US pet health insurance industry in the US, was presented with the Pioneer Award on January 13, 2012 at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center at the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Florida.
“This award is special to me for two reasons. First, the idea for VetPartners was initiated during the annual leadership summit that I use to sponsor for the veterinary profession for many years. Secondly, VetPartners is about helping veterinarians become successful in practice so they are better able to focus on the health and well being of animals. A successful practice allows veterinarians to reinvest into the profession with new technologies to diagnose and treat pets, attract qualified staff and help care for more animals.”
Former VetPartners President, Dr. Peter Weinstein deems Dr. Jack Stephens as a visionary leader who saw the need to help pet owners with the cost of care for their pets and to help eliminate pets going untreated due to financial constraints of their owners. As a practicing vet in Southern California, Dr. Weinstein saw firsthand how Dr. Stephens advocated the benefits of pet health insurance for pets, pet owners and veterinarians and brought it to life. “It was truly visionary and paved the way for the profession as a whole and the way we go about doing business.”
“If you look up the definition of pioneer, that is Dr. Jack Stephens. Look at what he has done for the profession. With pet insurance being his tool, he really changed the way people look at care for animals”, he concluded.
With the goal of reducing economic euthanasia and his commitment to the safety, health and well being of all pets, Pets Best Insurance leader, Dr. Jack Stephens, founded pet health insurance in the United States in 1981*. A true industry visionary, Dr. Stephens today leads the Pets Best Insurance team with his passion for quality pet care and his expert veterinary knowledge. The Pets Best Insurance team, in turn, is a group of pet lovers who strive to deliver quality customer service and value.
For more information, visit Pets Best Insurance or phone 877-PetsBest (738-7237). You may also follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/petsbestinsurance.
About Pets Best Insurance
Pet insurance plans offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company, a Delaware Insurance company. Independence American Insurance Company is a member of The IHC Group, an insurance organization composed of Independence Holding Company, a public company traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and its operating subsidiaries. The IHC Group has been providing life, health and stop loss insurance solutions for nearly 30 years. For information on The IHC Group, visit: www.ihcgroup.com. In states in which Independence American Insurance Company’s new policy form has not yet received regulatory approval, Aetna Insurance Company of Connecticut will underwrite policies. Each insurer has sole responsibility for its own products. To determine the applicable underwriter in your state visit www.petsbest.com/underwriter or please call Pets Best at1-877-738.7237.
