The Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s executive board has named Jim Naugle interim executive director, effective Sept. 16. Naugle’s appointment follows former executive director René Plasencia’s decision to step down earlier this month.“This change has caused the board of governors, and subsequently the full board of directors, to look within the current office staff for our immediate future leadership,” Richard Sutliff, FVMA president, says.

Naugle, the association’s former associate deputy executive director brings over three years of FVMA leadership experience to his new role. He previously served as director of education and business development and has an intimate understanding of the FVMA’s innerworkings and services. An integral decisionmaker in the association’s rebrand, Naugle not only understands where the association has come from, but where it is going through new membership benefits, educational offerings and industry relation initiatives.

“I am excited about the opportunity to step in and lead this organization during this period,” Naugle says. “We have an amazing staff that understands the importance of serving our members. We are ready to get to work.”

The FVMA executive board is confident Naugle will ably lead the association in the coming months in service to its members and the animals they care for.

“This group of outstanding employees guided our association during Phil Hinkle’s illness and passing and through our successful 2021 FVMA Annual Conference,” Sutliff says. “We again will lean heavily upon these individuals, with Jim at the helm, to move us all forward into our exciting future.”

This post was written by FVMA Communications Team.