ALACHUA, FL – When Suzanna (Suzy) Berry, Practice Manager at Pets R Family, located in St. Johns, Fl., made the decision to follow her passion and make a career change at age 40 from retail management to veterinary management, she would have never imagined that she would be named VHMA’s 2023 Practice Manager of the Year (PMOY).
There were over 150 nominations for PMOY, but Berry’s initiative and innovation in developing the SkillBridge Program at Pets R Family stood above them all and earned her the distinction.
The annual award, which is offered by VHMA, recognizes a practice manager who has used their knowledge, experience and expertise to transform his or her practice and improve business operations. Berry’s efforts have resulted in a better workplace for staff, improved care for pets and better return for ownership.
As a PMOY Award recipient, Berry will be recognized at VHMA’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Conference in Glendale, AZ and will receive a complimentary conference registration and $1,250 for travel expenses.
“I am ecstatic and so unbelievably honored to have this award. It was a validation for me in a way, that I made the right decision seven years ago,” said Berry.
From Shelter Volunteer to Practice Manager
Before making the jump from retail to veterinary practice management, Berry discovered a love for animals while working at the Humane Society in Jacksonville, Fl. That volunteer gig led to a customer service position.
“I was so excited when I got the job at the Humane Society that I never even asked what the pay was. Though it was an entry level position, it was definitely all worth it,” said Berry.
After five years in the shelter medicine world, Berry was ready for the next step, and that is when she came across Pets R Family, a family-owned veterinary practice with 65 employees. She said it felt like a perfect fit and was hired as Customer Service Manager for the practice in 2020. The practice, which opened eight years ago, was experiencing rapid growth of 30% annually, yet never had a Practice Manager position. It didn’t take long to recognize that Berry could successfully fill that role. She was promoted to Practice Manager just six months after joining the practice.
“Suzy’s impact on our practice has been nothing short of phenomenal. Transitioning Suzy into a practice management role was the best thing that we ever did. It has absolutely changed the complexity of our practice,” said Practice Owner Brad Deckard.
In fact, it was the initiatives that she implemented that landed her the PMOY award. They follow:
Becoming the First Veterinary Hospital Admitted into the SkillBridge Program
Berry learned about the Department of Defense program, SkillBridge, which gives active-duty service members the opportunity to gain valuable civilian work experience during their last 180 days of service. SkillBridge connects service members with private and public sector organizations that offer internship opportunities to build their resume, explore employment interests, develop job skills and gain valuable work experience that will help them prepare for their adjustment to the workplace.
After conducting research, Berry applied for Pets R Family to be admitted in the SkillBridge program. The laborious application process required Berry to complete “a novel of paperwork and build an entire course curriculum from scratch.” Her efforts paid off and Pets R Family was admitted into the program. Then they learned something even more exciting: they were the first and only veterinary practice accepted into the SkillBridge program.
Calls came flooding in from interested active-duty service members across the country, and the practice now has a waitlist set up for potential candidates. At the end of this calendar year, 12 participants will have completed the program. Their military careers have ranged from nuclear engineers to physicists to munition specialists.
Inspired by their internship experience with Pets R Family, several interns have begun the process of enrolling in or going to veterinary school with hopes of becoming doctors of veterinary medicine.
“Not only are we creating an opportunity for these service members to transition this training into a career, but now, we’re feeding back into the veterinary industry,” said Berry.
Developing the Workplace Culture Agreement and Encouraging the Coffee Talk
While Berry’s initiative with the SkillBridge Program earned her the PMOY Award, Deckard points to other initiatives which have fostered a positive workplace culture. “Before Suzy joined us, my primary focus was on providing outstanding animal care over workplace culture,” said Deckard. Unfortunately, this resulted in absenteeism and conflicts between departments.
Lacking something tangible that acknowledged what kind of workplace culture the team wanted to achieve, and how each employee could positively contribute to that, Berry developed the “Workplace Culture Agreement.”
“We utilize that agreement every day, and it has definitely made a difference in our culture,” said Deckard.
Employees are required to sign the agreement and adhere to the workplace standards that Berry has put into place. Deckard notes that drama is gone and he estimates that absenteeism has declined by roughly 70 percent since the inception of the agreement.
Berry also started hosting a monthly “Coffee Talk.” The open forum gave employees access to Berry’s undivided attention for one hour to discuss whatever topics they would like confidentially.
Company culture was also improved as a result of Berry’s thorough review and redesign of the employee benefits policy, something that had been drafted when the 65-person practice only had six employees. A refreshed approach to paid time off gave employees, following their acclimation period of 90 days, the sick time and mental health days that team members in busy practice so desperately need.
Following their acclimation period of 90 days, employees are entitled to 24 hours of paid time off. After one year, they get an extra 40 hours in addition to the 24 hours, with 64 hours of paid time off available to them.
Berry helped Deckard understand that improving the benefits package would improve the employee retention rate. Deckard was reluctant at first, but says it is one of the best things that the practice has done.
Practice’s Most Valuable Asset
When Deckard hired Berry, he was looking for a manager that would make sure that the different systems are organized and opportunities are being implemented to service employees while servicing clients; however, Berry has gone above and beyond.
“Responsibilities are getting handled without my involvement. When you’re a practice of our size, you’ve got to have the person in place to do that, and that, to me, is one of the keys that Suzy has brought to the table,” said Deckard.
Berry pinpoints one thing that all practice managers must do before anything else, talk to their staff.
“You have got to talk to your staff; your people are your most valuable asset out of any piece of equipment in your building. I was passionate about the same things when I was in a different field, but my people have always been the heart of soul of everything that I do,” said Berry.
ABOUT THE PMOY OF THE YEAR AWARD
The VHMA Practice Manager of the Year award recognizes a practice manager who has used their knowledge, experience, and expertise to transform their practice and improve business operations. Their efforts have resulted in a better workplace for staff, improved care for pets, and a better return for ownership.
Practice owners and colleagues are encouraged to nominate a veterinary management professional whom they feel has transformed their practice for the better. Nominators are asked to detail why they think the nominee is qualified for the award and how they changed their practice.
The award nomination requires an essay of up to 750 words detailing why the management professional should be selected for the award and how the nominee has transformed their veterinary practice. Transformation can be related to a financial, staff and team, practice organization, cultural, marketing, etc. impact. The essay can be submitted by either a nominator or a nominee (self-nomination).
About the VHMA
The VHMA is a nationally recognized thought-leader and innovator in providing training, education, and resources to more than 4,700 members and a trusted resource that the veterinary sector relies on for industry insights, research, and advocacy to assure performance at the highest levels. VHMA's core purpose is to advance and support veterinary practice management professionals by developing professional competence, supporting and encouraging standards through the industry's highest-level certification program, the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM), and providing individuals with a network for professional connection and support. Learn more at www.VHMA.org.