Awards and Recognition
Foundation President Gene M. Pranzo Receives AAEP's Leadership Award
Mr. Gene M. Pranzo, CEO and President of The Dorothy R. Havemeyer Foundation, has been named the recipient of the George Stubbs Award for leadership of the Foundation and its mission to improve the general health and welfare of horses. The George Stubbs Award recognizes the contributions made to equine veterinary medicine by individuals other than veterinarians.
Mr. Pranzo has been instrumental in developing the Foundation from its inception in 1979 to its role in scientific research, workshops, and publications on equine reproduction, behavior, and infectious diseases and on the creation of an equine genetic map.
“I see it as an award to the Foundation rather than to me,” says Pranzo. “It is, without doubt, a tribute to the work of our Principal Investigators and the outstanding workshops the Foundation has held year after year. And I am particularly pleased that recognition comes to the Foundation in the year of its silver anniversary.”
The award was presented at the Presidents’ Luncheon during the American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention on December 7, 2004, in Denver, Colorado.
Foundation Principal Investigator Sue McDonnell Receives AAEP's Prestigious George Stubbs Award
Ms. Sue McDonnell, Ph.D., a Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation Principal Investigator has been named the recipient of the George Stubbs Award for her “revolutionary equine behavioral research.” The George Stubbs award recognizes the contributions made to equine veterinary medicine by individuals other than veterinarians.
Through her innovative research methods, McDonnell has provided monumental insight into the understanding of equine behavior, physiology, and welfare. As a Havemeyer Foundation Principal Investigator, she maintains a semi-feral herd of ponies at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School at New Bolton Center for the study of equine social behavior and development of undomesticated environment.
McDonnell’s pioneering research in reproductive physiology has enabled her to implement proven methods for resolving problematic behavior in stallions and mares. Continually promoting compassion for horses, McDonnell has worked with the AAEP to address welfare issues related to the pregnant mare urine industry in the United States and Canada.
The award was presented at the President’s Luncheon during the American Association of Equine Practitioners 57th Annual Convention on November 22, 2011, in San Antonio, Texas.
Foundation Principal Investigator Douglas F. Antczak inducted into Hall of Fame
Douglas F. Antczak, Principal Investigator and the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine was inducted into the University of Kentucky Equine Research Hall of Fame on October 25th, 2009 by the Gluck Equine Research Foundation.
Dr. Antczak has served as a Havemeyer Principal Investigator since the early 1980s and has led and participated in numerous Foundation workshops. He actively participated in the Foundation’s Horse Genome Project from the very beginning. Antczak is the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine at the James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, where he joined the staff in 1979. In 1994, he became the director of the Baker Institute for Animal Health, a post he held for 15 years until mid-2009.
Penn Vet Honors Two Graduates with 2023 Alumni Achievement Awards
May 24, 2023; PHILADELPHIA, PA – The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) has announced that two distinguished graduates received two of the School’s highest honors, the Alumni Award of Merit, and the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. The awards are given annually to recognize alumni who are leaders in their fields and who embody the mission and values of Penn Vet. This year’s recipients were honored at the School’s annual Alumni and Reunion Weekend celebration held at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center campus in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The 2023 award recipients are Dr. Eric Lombardini, C’93, G’01, V’01, and Dr. Douglas Antczak, V’73.
“Throughout their careers, Drs. Lombardini and Antczak have contributed substantially to science and public service, important goals of the veterinary profession,” said the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Andrew M. Hoffman, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM. “They represent the best of the School’s alumni and they are role models for all who aspire to have an impact on the world in which we live.”
2023 Alumni Award of Merit: Dr. Eric Lombardini
The Alumni Award of Merit recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to Penn Vet, excellence in the veterinary profession, and community engagement.
Dr. Lombardini earned his BA, his MSc in Viral Epidemiology, and his VMD, al from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an anatomic pathologist, and he holds a PhD in Microbiology from The Open University in the UK. . focused on cerebral malaria. Lombardini achieved the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army, where he served as director of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) in Thailand, the Department of Defense’s largest medical research institute outside of the U.S. He also served on the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand’s executive committee. Lombardini retired from the U.S. Army in 2022, and he now serves as Boston Scientific’s vice president of pre-clinical global, where he leads over 180 scientists, veterinarians, toxicologists, and support staff, specializing in translational research across the lifecycle of Boston Scientific’s medical products and solutions. He is a recipient of the U.S. military’s Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star; the Humanitarian Service Medal in recognition of his meritorious participation in the global COVID-19 response; the Uniformed Public Health Service Commendation Medal; and the U.S. Army Surgeon General’s “A” proficiency designator for his contributions as an expert in the field of Veterinary Pathology.
2023 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award: Dr. Douglas Antczak
The Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award honors alumni who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the veterinary profession.
Dr. Antczak is the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine at the Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. His interdisciplinary research on the equine placenta has achieved international recognition for advances and discoveries in immunology, genetics, and reproductive biology of the horse. Antczak received continuous National Institutes of Health (NIH) support between 1981 and 2010 for his research on equine pregnancy immunology, emphasizing the relevance of this work to human health. From 1994 to 2009, he served as director of the Baker Institute, where he spearheaded new laboratory construction and led the Institute’s scientific mission to advance animal health through research. Through his relationship with the Havemeyer Foundation, Antczak has been a catalyst for cooperative research by way of the Foundation’s Workshop series that he initiated over 40 years ago. He is a principal participant in the international Horse Genome Project, a consortium of over 20 laboratories that produce genetic and physical maps of the horse genome.
Many of Antczak’s former trainees now serve on the faculty at veterinary colleges across the U.S. and abroad. In the early 1980s, Antczak launched a program that has provided research experiences for over 50 veterinary students over the past 35 years. This summer fellowship program now serves as a model for similar veterinary student training initiatives at Cornell University and elsewhere.
Antczak holds the International Symposium on Equine Reproduction’s 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award in Equine Reproduction and the International Union of Immunological Sciences’ 2010 Distinguished Veterinary Immunologist Award. In 2009, he was inducted into the University of Kentucky’s Equine Research Hall of Fame. Antczak received his BA in Biology from Cornell University and his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania. He conducted post-graduate research in England as a Thouron Scholar and received his PhD in Immunology from the University of Cambridge.
“This year’s Alumni Award recipients represent excellence across our veterinary profession, said Penn Vet Alumni Board President Sam Gilbert, VMD. “They share a commitment to service and intellectual curiosity, both of which are core values here at Penn Vet. Iam so pleased that we were able to honor their accomplishments and celebrate among our alumni peers and colleague.”
Workshops
Beginning in 1981, The Dorothy R Havemeyer Foundation began sponsoring workshops of particular interest to equine researchers and clinicians. Dr. Douglas F. Antczak, Havemeyer PI, lead the charge with a series of workshops on Lympoho Alloantigens in the horse.
The superior content and ability of the attendees led to over 145 workshops with more planned for 2022 and beyond. These workshops have enabled summer fellows, veterinary students and residents, clinicians in private practice and researchers from industry to meet on a common ground and learn from one another.
Upcoming Workshops
| Date | Topic | Organizer | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2024 | |||
| May 12-26, 2024 | 14th Annual Genetic Map Workshop | Eric Barrey | Normandy, FR |
| July 21-25, 2024 | Colitis II | Luis Arroyo Castro | Lake Tahoe, CA |
| August 6-9, 2024 | SIRS/Sepsis | Pamela Wilkins | Urbana, IL |
| October 4-7, 2024 | Equine Pain II | Sue McDonnell | West Chester, PA |
| October 17-20, 2024 | ARDS | Daniella Bedenice | Clearwater, FL |
| Year 2025 | |||
| TBD | Diminished Performance II | Robert Keene | TBD |
| TBD | Gastric Ulcers | Frank Andrews | TBD |
| TBD | Regenerative Medicine | Daniella Bedenice | TBD |
| TBD | Tendonopathies | Roger Smith | TBD |
| Year 2026 | |||
| January 14-17, 2026 | Colic II | Diana Hassel | TBD |
| TBD | Strangles VIII | Robert Keene | TBD |
| TBD | Prediction and Prevention of Laminitis | Amanda Adams/Andrew Van Eps | TBD |
Guidelines for Havemeyer Workshop Planning
The Dorothy R Havemeyer Foundation (DRHF) was founded to advance equine health and science. The production of workshops and symposia bring together the greatest minds in the field to exchange ideas and build collaborations to further that mission. To achieve Foundation goals, the following guidelines should be taken into account while planning the workshop.
- The Foundation cannot, by charter, sponsor another organization’s meeting.
- Workshops are made up of 25-30 MAXIMUM invited presenters. Our forty plus years of experience has shown that this number lends itself to an environment that gives attendees the opportunity to get to know one another, give all a voice in the discussion, and form collaborations.
- The meeting organizer traditionally creates a list of attendees that they would like to attend. Then an invitation to submit an abstract for presentation (usually 15 minutes and 5 for questions) Inevitably some won’t be able to submit, so a ‘back up’ group should be prepared.
- The attendees should be a mix of both established and new researchers. This provides new researchers the opportunity to know and interact with those who have led the field.
- Invitees are strongly encouraged to attend the entire workshop and all workshop events.
- DRHF workshops are generally focused on a single topic rather than an overview of a topic. Exceptions to this require approval from the Foundation.
- Scheduling of the meeting and booking of facilities require the approval of the Foundation.
- Budget is set upon approval of workshop. Any expenses outside of the declared budget are the sole responsibility of the organizer. There are no exceptions to this.
- DRHF trustees are participants of DRFH workshops. Their expenses are paid outside of the workshop budget.
- Guests and spouses are discouraged at workshop events. Attendees are encouraged to spend social time and meals getting to know their fellow attendees.
- Meeting planning fees and costs are part of the workshop budget.
- Organizers can obtain sponsorship from individuals or companies to defray workshop costs and provide enhancements to the workshop experience. Any sponsorship monies not utilized by the workshop are the property of the DRHF.
- Sponsorship solicitation should be approved by DRHF. Conditions of sponsorship must not interfere with the execution of the workshop.
- Organizers are required to submit a summary of the workshop to the trustees within 30 days of the close of activities. This meeting summary will be posted on the DRH website
- Organizers are encouraged to produce a white paper from the workshop that is suitable for publication. To maintain the highest relevance, this should be submitted for publication within 9 months of the workshop.
