Who Is My Veterinary Career ?
The faces behind My Veterinary Career
My Veterinary Career was founded by former veterinary hospital administrator, Stith Keiser.
His team’s goal has been to revolutionize the hiring process in veterinary medicine by introducing
a first-of-its-kind matchmaking service. Facilitating the right match between job seekers and
practices will increase employee productivity, tenure, and job satisfaction. Our clients—veterinary practices—
will experience reduced turnover, increased revenue, and staff cohesion, as well as a means to achieve their
business goals. For more information on the matchmaking process that makes this possible, click here.
Stith is the founder and business manager of My Veterinary Career. He created the firm to address veterinary medicine’s
high rate of turnover and the struggles practices go through to identify and retain exceptional team members. Stith’s industry
experience includes facilitating workshops at the American Animal Hospital Association’s annual conference, publishing articles,
and participating in videos on AAHA’s student website. He also presents at state and national veterinary conferences. In
addition to speaking, he writes for My Exceptional Veterinary Team and Vetstreet’s VetLearn website. Stith also conducts career
development-related workshops for veterinary business management associations, AAHA student groups, and student chapters of the
AVMA at veterinary schools across the country. Stith is a member of VetPartners and serves on AAHA’s New Graduate Task Force.
Stith’s day-to-day activities involve assisting veterinary professionals and practices in understanding the job market, identifying
goals, then screening and selecting job opportunities and candidates based upon those aspirations.
In his free time, Stith enjoys spending time in the outdoors of Wyoming backpacking, fishing, camping, and horseback riding.
Suzanne’s extensive experience in the veterinary field was acquired through positions as first a receptionist, and then a
technician. Her skills eventually earned her roles as a surgery technician at a specialty practice and head technician at an
emergency clinic. After a break to raise her daughters, Suzanne was enlisted to turn around a failing business in downtown
Los Angeles. After four years of hard work, her efforts were rewarded. The gross of the business quadrupled under her co-management
and is on the rise to this day. Ready for a new challenge and armed with a love of business and a solid understanding of the
veterinary industry, she joined the team at My Veterinary Career as a matchmaker. Her great communication skills, understanding of
workplace dynamics, and love of people help her to do an outstanding job of matching our clients with the perfect candidates.
Suzanne, her husband Michael, and their three girls live on a small ranch outside of Los Angeles with their two retrievers: Lexi and Vader,
Midnight the cat, two horses, two ponies, and a cockatoo.
Jim majored in biochemistry at Centre College and graduated as an electrical engineer from the University of Kentucky. He
received his MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been an engineering manager at two nationally known
material handling companies, heading engineering departments with more than 120 employees and major equipment installations
spread across North America. He has also been a power plant operations and maintenance manager, overseeing the daily operations
of 13 combustion turbine and hydroelectric power generators and the highest pressure natural gas transmission line in Kentucky.
He has recruited, hired, and managed the work of more than 100 professional and technical employees working in emergency call-out
environments. These days, his work partner of preference is a miniature schnauzer named Ellie.
He and his wife Martha have two grown sons. On his days off Jim enjoys fishing, boating, camping, back packing, canoeing, and kayaking.
Catie brings years of veterinary experience to My Veterinary Career after serving the veterinary industry as a large animal
veterinary technician and pharmaceutical sales representative. Her in-depth knowledge of the industry, garnered from calling
upon such a wide-range of practices, allows Catie to offer our team insight into different management philosophies, staff
optimization strategies, and hiring/training methods. Catie has called the southeast U.S. home for more than 15 years and
utilizes her familiarity with the area, practices, and professionals to promote MVC’s goal of finding the best match for each of
our clients.
In her free time, Catie enjoys horseback riding, teaching riding lessons, yoga, and volunteering at an equine rescue and
rehabilitation center. Her three-year old son and two dogs also serve to keep her busy.
Darla grew up on a farm in rural Minnesota and received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mankato State
University. She has opened several small businesses from the ground floor, including an employment agency and resume writing
company. Darla has been in the staffing industry for 20 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the My Veterinary
Career team. Her love of animals and her rural background, her ability to read people, her leadership, communication skills, and
genuine concern for her clients and candidates have contributed to her excellent reputation in the staffing and career-counseling industry.
She is a single parent of a daughter in college, and is currently pursuing her certification as a human resource professional. Darla loves
horseback riding, reading, gardening, and boating in her spare time.
Dr. Keiser is a veterinarian and founder of Heartland Veterinary Hospitals in central Kentucky. He has owned and managed multiple
mixed and small animal practices over the last 20 years. In January of 2008, he sold the corporation holding the three small animal,
AAHA-accredited practices in Heartland to three doctors that were working with him. He is involved in many local, state, and national
organizations, boards, and foundations. He has served as chair of the Auburn University Large Animal Hospital Committee, where he
successfully raised $33 million for a new teaching hospital. He is also a current member of AAHA’s Practice Management Advisory Committee.
He especially enjoys helping other veterinarians with purchasing, managing, and selling their practices.
Dr. Keiser’s other interests include tree farming, fishing, hunting, traveling, camping, and training and riding trail horses with his wife Evie.
Bo graduated from Auburn University in 1981 and headed to Wyoming to practice in a five-man mixed animal practice for several years.
Deciding he wanted to try a specialty practice, he headed to upstate New York to work in a four-man dairy practice for two years. He
then relocated to his home state of Kentucky and purchased two practices in Elizabethtown. After 10 years of mixed animal practice and
tremendous growth, he elected to drop the large animal aspects and continue as a small animal practitioner. After 28 years of clinical
experience and owning four practices, he decided to retire, and join My Veterinary Career, knowing too well the difficulties in hiring
exceptional staff. He has been an active member of many professional veterinary organizations, holding several offices. He still maintains
active licenses in 10 states.
Dr. Williamson currently owns, and practices at, a small animal practice in southern Ohio and serves as a medical advisor to the
MVC team to ensure we stay current on medical issues as they relate to allowing our matchmakers to find the right fit for our clients and
candidates.
In his spare time, he enjoys investing in the stock market, veterinary practices, and real estate, as well as home-brewing beer, hiking,
wine tasting, and traveling.
Mike is the East Coast practice liaison for My Veterinary Career. His father, Dr. James F. Wilson, is considered a pioneer
in the industry for helping tens of thousands of veterinarians become successful not just as DVMs, but as businessmen/women as
well.
Mike received an associate’s degree in graphic design before he purchased Rocky Mountain Carriage Company in Vail, Colorado, the
valley’s premiere horse-drawn carriage service. In 2005, he moved back to his home state, Pennsylvania, to pursue his bachelor’s
degree in communication. He then spent three years working with autistic children, focusing on helping the children overcome difficulties
with social and life skills, and educational deficits
Eventually, his father’s influence caught up with him, and he decided to contact MVC. Mike takes deep pride and honor in his role not only
with the company, but his role in being a part of the industry he has watched his father mold and shape over a lifetime. He brings creativity,
enthusiasm, and a desire to listen to a practice’s pains and needs, working with that practice to find a successful resolution.