Donald Morgan honored as Veterinarian of the Year
By MARIANNE KLINGEL
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007  |
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| Dr. Donald Morgan |
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BELLEAIR BLUFFS – Dr. Donald Morgan, owner of the Bluffs Animal Hospital, has been awarded the 2007 Florida Veterinary Medicine Association Veterinarian of the Year award.
Morgan was honored for his work by hundreds of colleagues and friends at an awards dinner on Sept. 7 at the FVMA conference in Orlando.
Morgan has a long history of service to the veterinary community and its professional organizations.
He served as chairman of the FVMA’s Political Action Committee for eight years, bringing attention to the veterinary field’s concerns at the legislative level. He was president of the Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association in 1997, its grievance chairman in 1998-99, and elected secretary three times, a post he continues to fill today.
Currently, Morgan is the District 4 representative to the FVMA Executive Board of Directors. He has helped develop a disaster preparedness team and trucks equipped with generators, laboratory equipment and medicines; the teams are ready to respond and function for four days to help animals impacted by hurricanes and other events.
Born in Greenville, Ala., Morgan grew up on a rural farm with what he describes as “every type of animal – mules, horses, cows, chickens, you name it.”
His childhood experiences with animals led him to study veterinary medicine at Auburn University. After graduating in 1964, Morgan joined the Air Force, where he was a captain in the Veterinary Corps for three years.
He came to Pinellas County in the late ’60s, and joined Dr. Gerald Lee as partner and co-owner of Bluffs Animal Hospital in 1971. During his 43 years as a veterinarian, he has developed a close bond with the innumerable clients, friends and neighbors whose pets he has cared for.
“The best things about working in this community are the long-term relationships with so many good people, and their children, and now sometimes their grandchildren,” Morgan said. “I have been fortunate to grow older along with many friends. We enjoy talking about our pets, families, jobs, changes we see ... especially about the Largo community that we all have worked so hard together to make a better place for us to live and work.”
Just a sampling of Morgan’s many volunteer activities in Largo and surrounding communities include being past chairman of the Greater Largo Chamber of Commerce and serving on its Board of Directors for 10 years. He is past president of the Largo Jaycees, and a member of the Largo Medical Center Board of Trustees. In 1997, Morgan was awarded the Greater Largo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award.
These days, Morgan has three veterinarians and a staff of 20 helping out at Bluffs Animal Hospital. When asked to sum up his job, he said, “Different every day. I never get tired of it and it’s never the same thing twice.”
His advice to young people who dream of becoming veterinarians is, “volunteer at an animal hospital, farm or zoo in order to learn what to expect.”
A former intern who is now a Bluffs Animal Hospital veterinarian himself, Doug Spiker, DVM, said that working with Dr. Morgan is an invaluable experience.
“To come right out of school and work with someone who has seen it all in his career and is such an excellent teacher ... it’s been a great asset to me,” Spiker said.
When not busy with the animal hospital or his civic work, Morgan enjoys spending time with his wife of 10 years, Dianne, and their five children. His hobbies include singing with the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church choir, visiting his eight grandchildren, and gardening.
One thing Morgan hasn’t done is travel just for fun. He thinks there may be a cruise to the Caribbean in his near future. When asked about possible retirement plans, Morgan paused thoughtfully and said, “Nothing definite yet, although I imagine it will come in a few years. But even when it does, I’ll still be here working!”
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Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007
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