November 10 @ 11:30 AM Pacific
Perspectives on Veterinary Practice Consolidation
by John Volk, Senior Consultant, Brakke Consulting
Overview of the current and potential future role of corporate ownership of companion animal veterinary practices in the US.
- Number of practices owned by consolidators
- Attractiveness of veterinary practices to investors
- Trends in practice acquisitions and values
- Impact of corporate ownership on practice management
Participants will emerge from this session with a deeper understanding of the state of corporate ownership of veterinary practices, and the likely impact on the profession.
John Volk
John Volk is senior consultant with Brakke Consulting, the largest consulting firm serving the global animal health, veterinary and pet care markets. He is highly knowledgeable about companion animal, equine and food animal practice.
John is principal author of five landmark studies of the veterinary profession: Brakke Study of Financial and Economic Behaviors of Veterinarians (1998), AVMA-Pfizer Business Practices Study (2005), Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study (2011-13), VPI-Veterinary Economics Financial Health Study (2014), and Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study (2018, 2020, 2022).
He has authored several articles for veterinary journals, and is highly sought after as a speaker at veterinary conferences, especially on topics such as practice consolidation, preventive care plans and pet insurance.
A widely respected executive, John has been recognized numerous times for his professional achievements. In 2019 VetPartners, the association of veterinary practice management consultants, presented its Pioneer Professional Award to John for his “vision and contributions to the business of veterinary medicine.”
Prior to joining Brakke in 1994, John was president of The John Volk Company, one of the leading advertising and public relations firms in agriculture and animal health; he sold that firm in 1992.
John is a graduate of the University of Illinois where he earned a BS in agricultural communications and did graduate work in marketing. He also served on the faculty of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine as communications director.
John currently serves on advisory councils for the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, and for the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, a unique public school for inner city students.