The FVMA welcomes Dr. Alex Steverson as treasurer
Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) members elected Tallahassee, Florida veterinarian Alex “Steve” Steverson as the association’s new treasurer after Donald Morgan stepped down. His opponent was Dr. J. Alex Thomasson, of Inverness, Florida.
“This year the FVMA had the privilege of having two well-qualified members step up and express their desire to serve as the treasurer for our association,” FVMA President Dr. Richard Sutliff says.
Members of the FVMA executive board and administrative office tallied mail-in ballots, and for the first time in the association’s history, virtual ballots, before confirming the association membership’s selection at its March 17, 2022, board meeting.
“Based upon the tally of votes from our general membership, Steve Steverson has become the new duly elected treasurer. The FVMA office and executive board look forward to Dr. Steverson’s term overseeing and guiding the finances of our esteemed association,” Dr. Sutliff says.
With a seven-year tenure on the FVMA executive board where he served as president in 2017, Steverson brings immediate familiarity of the FVMA’s operations.
“Serving on the executive board was an extremely rewarding experience,” Steverson says. “I’m looking forward to working with the staff, the new board, and the officers to continue to develop and implement a vision for the FVMA.”
During his previous stint on the board, Steverson, serving as FVMA Foundation president, oversaw the distribution of disaster relief funds to veterinarians impacted by two hurricanes.
“There are so many things in our state that impact veterinary medicine, from state legislation to exotic diseases to natural disasters. These are all things the FVMA has had to deal with before and probably will deal with again,” Steverson says. “Having been through these issues previously, I feel better prepared for us to address them in the future.”
Steverson owns and works at Bradfordville Animal Hospital and Capital Circle Veterinary Hospital while serving as the managing partner, treasurer and majority owner of the 600-acre Rocky Comfort Ridge farm.
“Managing two businesses and a farm has been invaluable to prepare me to assume the role of treasurer,” Steverson says.
Having been involved in the field since the 1970s, Steverson’s 35 years of serving pets as a veterinarian and animal surgeon adds a deep understanding of veterinary medicine to his finance experience and gives him perspective on the industry’s future.
“I believe we are poised to experience tremendous expansion in veterinary medicine,” Steverson says. “With an outstanding staff, active veterinary membership and great leadership, the best is yet to come for veterinary medicine and for the FVMA.”
His tenure in the industry and alongside the FVMA has led to familiarity with the FVMA’s staff and its new executive director, Jim Naugle, placing him in a position to contribute to both the association’s people and its budget from his first day as treasurer.
“Dr. Steverson was always one of the first people to personally check in on me when he was around,” Jim Naugle, FVMA executive director, says. “I hoped we would see him back on the board someday, and for it to happen in this fashion is just perfect.”
As treasurer, Dr. Steverson says he hopes his experiences and efforts can inspire Florida veterinary professionals to become as engaged with their profession as possible.
“[Veterinary professionals can] support the FVMA by becoming a member and contributing to the FVMA PAC,” Steverson says. Most people don’t realize how hard the FVMA works to protect the practice of veterinary medicine from outside interests that want to dilute what we do and chip away at our practice act. This protection and watch dog effort takes staff and it takes money.