Skip to main content
CVMA Bids Farewell to Long-Time CEO after Two Decades of Leadership
October 27, 2022
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is saddened to say goodbye to Mr. Jost am Rhyn who is retiring after more than 20 years at the helm of the organization.
Mr. am Rhyn is a recognized and revered leader in the Canadian animal health sector. He has served as the CEO of the CVMA and the Registrar of the National Examining Board (NEB) since 2002. Mr.
am Rhyn leads the Secretariat for the Canadian Council of Veterinary Registrars (CCVR), sits on the advisory board of the Canadian Global Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (CgFARAD), and was a founder of the Canadian Veterinary Reserve (CVR). He is the
leading force behind the veterinary workforce shortage study in Canada and spearheaded the 2022 Canadian Veterinary Workforce Congress, which included close to 60 stakeholder representatives who, together, identified top national priorities in addressing the veterinary professional shortage and established a collaborative approach to addressing these priorities. He is an advocate for One Health and Climate Change as it relates to the veterinary community and has helped bring about positive change in animal welfare legislation.
“The CVMA is grateful to have counted on Jost’s guidance for the last 20 years,” says Dr. Chris Bell, 2022-2023 CVMA President. “We have significantly benefited from his profound and dedicated leadership. While we will miss him and his tenacity greatly, we wish him the very best in his much-deserved retirement.”
Under Mr. am Rhyn’s guidance, the CVMA has grown and considerably expanded its professional services over the past two decades. Membership has increased by more than 50 per cent and the association’s budget has more than doubled. In 2002, the CVMA launched its business management program which continues providing valuable data to address the economic health of veterinary practices. The Students of the CVMA remain very active, conducting an annual Student Symposium, a new Emerging Leaders session, and “One Voice” events, among many other services. The CVMA Convention has evolved, including signature events such as the Summit, National Issues Forum, and the Emerging Leaders program. Additionally, the CVMA co-hosted a convention with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in Montreal and has brought two world congresses to Canada (WVC 2008, WSAVC 2019). The CVMA is actively involved in approximately 30 national and international groups, representing its members, learning from other stakeholders, and forming alliances to advocate for veterinary causes nationally and globally. Furthermore, the CVMA has raised awareness of veterinary wellness and provides programs like The Working Mind courses and the Togetherall platform offering 24/7 access to members and students. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have been brought to the forefront of key issues and are being included in all segments of CVMA programming.
The CVMA also addressed the veterinary need for antimicrobials by successfully advocating for policy changes, developing Prudent Veterinary Antimicrobial Use Guidelines in 2008 and, recently, making extended Guidelines available online and via an app. At the same time, the CVMA is developing models for antimicrobial use surveillance and has relentlessly advocated for the accessibility of drugs, with recent involvement in managing the Pentobarbital shortage.
The CVMA regularly kept its members and the profession up to date throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with information, advice, and guidance, including its weekly townhall sessions, which were offered for more than a year. The CVMA has conducted a tick awareness campaign for many years and conducted research on the knowledge gap in tick and tick-borne disease awareness and prevention. Changes in regulations to dog importation and humane transportation were a result of the CVMA and stakeholder advocacy and achieved in collaboration with government officials.
Mr. am Rhyn has worked tirelessly to support and promote the well-being and success of the veterinary profession in Canada. Government, industry, public, and international stakeholders’ recognition of the CVMA has greatly increased during Mr. am Rhyn’s tenure.
As he retires, Mr. am Rhyn looks back at a fulfilling career of working with corporate entities followed by 38 years of national association management. His last day with the CVMA will be January 31, 2023. He looks forward to spending more time with his family, including the newest member – his beautiful granddaughter – and continuing his passion of cross-country skiing, hiking, kayaking, swimming, bicycling, and traveling.
The CVMA Executive Committee is currently conducting the search for Mr. am Rhyn’s replacement.