May 16, 2019
Three Veterinary Technicians/Hospital Managers within Southern Veterinary Partners (SVP) have made advancements in their careers and now work at SVP’s ever-growing Home Office.
Since 2006, Elizabeth Stowe worked at Oak View Animal Hospital as a Technician and was promoted to Hospital Manager in 2011. Dr. Jay Price, owner of Oak View Animal Hospital and founder of Southern Veterinary Partners, knew that when SVP started to grow, he needed the skills and knowledge that Elizabeth had. For years she worked a dual role as Hospital Manager for Oak View Animal Hospital and Inventory Manager for SVP, before moving full-time into her role at SVP in 2018.
Elizabeth helps Hospital Managers understand inventory management and is vital to COGS tracking and vendor contract transition. Elizabeth says about her experience at SVP, “I was there in the very beginning when we first started acquiring hospitals. None of us were expecting this to take off so fast, but we are all ecstatic that it has grown in the small amount of time that it has. In that time, one thing has not changed - every employee is valued and treated like family. I am proud to be part of SVP – they are one of a kind company!”
Michelle Gonzales worked as a Veterinary Technician and Hospital Manager at Patton Chapel Animal Clinic since 2015. Having worked in the animal care field for almost 10 years, Michelle was searching for new challenges and was thrilled when she was identified to expand SVP’s Recruiting Department. In 2019, Michelle became the Student Experience Coordinator that organizes SVP’s veterinary student career opportunities such as internship programs and on-campus recruiting. Michelle says, "I am excited and grateful to be in the Southern Veterinary Partners' family. I enjoy seeing the growth that has occurred with this team over the years and look forward to where we are headed. One of the main aspects that stands out to me is how the home office and hospital teams are supportive and collaborative of each other on a daily basis."
Kym Stokes joined Valleydale Animal Clinic as a Technician in 2012 and was promoted to Hospital Manager in 2015. One aspect of her managerial duties was employee recruitment with the assistance of SVP Human Resources. Having used the recruiting software for years, when SVP needed someone to train Hospital Managers on this software, Kym was a natural fit! In 2018, Kym became SVP’s Recruiting Administrator and her experience working on the hospital side brings valuable insight to SVP.
Beyond these advancements, Staci Horne worked as a Licensed Veterinary Technician at Valleydale Animal Clinic for 3 years before wanting to return to the business world, having previously worked as a Marketing Account Manager. When SVP saw a need to develop an Integration Team to guide hospitals through the onboarding process, Staci was top of mind for SVP executives. Her combination of business acumen, technician experience and outgoing personality makes her an asset and wonderful first point of contact for new employees.
SVP also provides career advancement opportunities for veterinarians – including the managers of the teammates mentioned here. Dr. Chase Whitworth was owner of Patton Chapel Animal Clinic and now serves as SVP Regional Medical Director. Dr. Jeff Falone was owner of Valleydale Animal Clinic before joining SVP full-time as a Regional Medical Director and was promoted to Chief Medical Officer in 2018.
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Photo: (l-r)
Dr. Jay Price (Former Owner Oak View Animal Hospital, Southern Veterinary Partners CEO); Elizabeth Stowe (Former Manager/Technician at Oak View Animal Hospital, SVP Inventory Manager); Kym Stokes (Former Manager/Technician at Valleydale Animal Clinic, SVP Recruiting Administrator); Dr. Jeff Falone (Former Owner Valleydale Animal Clinic, SVP Chief Medical Officer); Michelle Gonzales (Former Manager/Technician at Patton Chapel Animal Clinic, SVP Veterinary Student Experience Coordinator); Dr. Chase Whitworth (Former Owner Patton Chapel Animal Clinic, SVP Regional Medical Director)