CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF MAJOR VETERINARY CONSOLIDATORS

One good way to judge a corporate-owned veterinary practice is by the person who is leading the corporate consolidator or hospital group that owns and operates the practice. There are currently more than 70 corporate consolidators operating in the U.S. — REFER TO LIST BELOW.

Study conducted by CARE for Pets™ reveals that the majority of veterinary consolidators are led by non-veterinarians. It’s estimated that 1 out of every 3 general veterinary practices in the U.S. are now owned by corporate entities such as veterinary consolidators and hospital groups.

KEY FINDINGS:

  • The majority of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) that lead the major veterinary consolidators and hospital groups are non-veterinarians — this trend has rapidly accelerated over the last few years.
  • Many of the CEOs have extensive experience with corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and high growth companies.
  • Some of the executives were previously partners at private equity (PE) firms which raise funds and manage these monies to yield favorable returns for shareholders, typically with an investment horizon of between four and seven years.

The CEOs stated below include a link to their corresponding LINKEDIN Profile page which will provide additional details regarding their previous employment history. Our analysis reveals that several veterinary consolidator websites fail to disclose a complete job history of their executive leadership.

  1. Alliance Animal Health | Matthew Sussman (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  2. Altano Group | Dr. Victor Baltus (CEO) –LinkedIn
  3. American Veterinary Group | Craig Niebur (CEO) –LinkedIn
  4. AmeriVet Partners Management, Inc (AmeriVet) | Jason Heffelfinger (CEO) –LinkedIn
  5. Animal Dermatology Group, Inc. (ADG) | Steven Mrha (CEO) –LinkedIn
  6. Apollo Veterinary Medical Hospitals | Dr. Steve Whatley (CEO/FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  7. Associated Veterinary Partners (AVP) | Dzmitry Miranovich (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  8. Avanti Equine Veterinary Partners, LLC | Andrew Clark, DVM (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  9. Banfield Pet Hospital | Mony Iyer (PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  10. Blue River PetCare (BRP) | Dan Blumenthal (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  11. BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital | Nicholas Nelson, DVM (PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  12. Bond Vet | Garrett Lewis (CEO) –LinkedIn
  13. Cara Veterinary | Dr. Peter Brown (PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  14. CareVet | Greg Siwak (CEO) –LinkedIn
  15. Chewy Vet Care | Sumit Singh (CEO) –LinkedIn
  16. CityVet | David Boguslawski (PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  17. Community Veterinary Partners | Kevin Ruff (CEO) –LinkedIn
  18. Companion Pet Partners | Nicolas Laperriere (CEO) –LinkedIn
  19. COVE Animal Health (Pieper Veterinary) | Tessa Olson, MBA (CEO) –LinkedIn
  20. Curo Pet Care | Jonas Pilkauskas (CHAIRMAN) –LinkedIn
  21. CVCA Cardiac Care for Pets | NOT DISPLAYED – PREVIOUS: Katie Brooks, LVT, CVPM (CEO) –LinkedIn
  22. Destination Pet | Dr. Jennifer Strickland Fowler (CEO) –LinkedIn
  23. Doppler Veterinary Network | Derrick Kraemer (CEO) –LinkedIn
  24. Easyvet | Tim Schoenfelder (CEO) –LinkedIn
  25. Encore Vet Group | Bo Iler (PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  26. Ethos Veterinary Health | Ames Prentiss (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  27. EverVet Partners | Len Podolsky (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  28. Family Vet Group | Chase Michalek (PRESIDENT/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  29. Galaxy Vets | Dr. Ivan Zakharenkov (CEO) –LinkedIn
  30. GoodVets | Ryan Joseph (CEO) – LinkedIn Profile not available.
  31. Heart + Paw | Dave Lasus (CEO/COO) –LinkedIn
  32. Heartland Veterinary Partners | Greg DeAtkine (CEO) –LinkedIn
  33. Heritage Vet Partners | David Gnad (CEO) – LinkedIn Profile not available
  34. Hippo Veterinary Group | Dr. Bill Langhofer (CEO) –LinkedIn
  35. Innovetive Petcare | Mark Ziller (PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  36. Inspire Veterinary Partners | Kimball Carr (CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  37. Lakefield Veterinary Group | Mollie Hoff (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  38. Lovet Pet Health Care (AZPetVet) | Robert A. Fontana (CHAIRMAN/CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  39. MedVet | Dr. Linda Lehmkuhl (CEO) –LinkedIn
  40. Mission Pet Health | Jay Price, DVM (CEO) –LinkedIn
  41. Mission Veterinary Partners (MVP) | Michael Aubrey (CEO) –LinkedIn | MERGER
  42. Modern Animal | Steven Eidelman (CEO/FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  43. My Pet’s Vet Group (MPVG) | Bob Singleton (CEO/FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  44. National Veterinary Associates (NVA) | John G. Bruno (CEO) –LinkedIn
  45. Nave Veterinary Group | NOT DISPLAYED
  46. Noah’s Animal Hospitals | Dr. Mike Thomas (PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  47. Northeast Veterinary Partners | Dr. David McGrath (CEO/FOUNDER) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  48. O’Brien Veterinary Group | Greg O’Brien (CEO) – LinkedIn Profile not available.
  49. Old Brown Dog | Joseph Marchell, DVM (CEO) –LinkedIn
  50. People, Pets & Vets | Chris Strong (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  51. Pet Paradise | Alex Miller (PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  52. Petfolk | CO-CEO/CO-FOUNDER: Audrey Wystrach, DVM –LinkedIn / Michael Wystrach –LinkedIn
  53. PetMedic Urgent Care | Dan Espinal (CEO) –LinkedIn
  54. PetSmart Veterinary Services (PVS) | J.K. Symancyk (CEO/PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  55. PetVet Care Centers | Eric Enderle (CEO) –LinkedIn
  56. PetVet365 | Tommy Macdonald (CEO) –LinkedIn
  57. PetWellClinic | Sam Meisler, DVM (CEO/FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  58. Rarebreed Veterinary Partners | Dan Espinal (CEO) –LinkedIn
  59. SAGE Veterinary Centers | Gina Del Vecchio (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  60. Small Door Veterinary | Florent Peyre (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) –LinkedIn
  61. Southern Veterinary Partners | Jay Price, DVM (CEO) –LinkedIn | MERGER
  62. Suveto | Marc Nathan (CEO/CO-FOUNDER) – LinkedIn | CRUNCHBASE
  63. Thrive Pet Healthcare | Tad Stahel (CEO) –LinkedIn
  64. United Veterinary Care | Joseph M. Garcia (CEO) –LinkedIn
  65. Valley Veterinary Care | Wesley Godwin (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  66. VCA | Patty Wu (PRESIDENT) –LinkedIn
  67. Veritas Veterinary Partners | Kenneth Gardner-Smith (CEO) –LinkedIn
  68. Vet’s Best Friend | Jeff Wilson (CEO) –LinkedIn | COMPANY ACQUIRED
  69. Vetco Total Care | Joel D. Anderson (CEO) –LinkedIn
  70. VetCor | Chris Strong (CEO) –LinkedIn
  71. Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) | Dr. David Bessler (CEO) –LinkedIn
  72. Veterinary Innovative Partners (VIP) | Chris Bishop (CEO) –LinkedIn
  73. Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP) | John McDonough (CEO) –LinkedIn
  74. Veterinary United | Thomas Bankstahl, DVM (CEO) –LinkedIn
  75. VetEvolve | Catherine Howell (INTERIM CEO) –LinkedIn
  76. VetnCare | Matthew J. Kirchner (CEO) –LinkedIn
  77. Vets Pets | Steve Thomas (PRESIDENT/CEO) –LinkedIn
  78. VIP Petcare | McCord Christensen (CEO/CHAIRMAN) –LinkedIn
  79. WellHaven Pet Health | Justin Scambray (CEO) –LinkedIn
  80. Western Veterinary Partners | Carollee Brinkman (CEO) –LinkedIn

RECENT NEWS:

National Veterinary Associates Names New CEO, Effective Immediately (9.14.25)
https://www.pets.care/news/2025/09/nva-names-john-g-bruno-new-chief-executive-officer/

  • National Veterinary Associates (NVA), one of the largest consolidators of animal hospitals in the U.S., announced that its Board of Directors has appointed John G. Bruno as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

RELATED:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Targets Private Equity Company for Consolidating Veterinary Sector, Raising Costs (8.16.24)
https://www.pets.care/news/2024/08/senator-elizabeth-warren-targets-private-equity-company-for-consolidating-vet-care-raising-costs-for-pet-owners/

  • Corporate consolidation of veterinary care and an accompanying rise in prices represents a major issue for American consumers and a life and death issue for their pets — senators urged the FTC and Congress to take stronger action against consolidation in the veterinary care industry.

Will Corporations Own Everyone? (2.5.19)
https://www.vetpartners.com/practice_edge/will-corporations-own-everyone/
Refer to archive.org to access copy of article — no longer displayed on corporate consolidator’s website.

Written by Rich Lester – Founder & CEO of Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP)

  • Consolidation in the veterinary services market is driven by a number of factors including steady and stable growth that is recession-resistant, doctors with high student loan debt seeking better work/life balance, and an abundance of investment capital in a low interest rate environment for private equity firms to invest.
  • Valuations are good for practice owners that are nearing retirement — it is not good for younger DVMs that want to buy a practice.
  • The pace of consolidation will likely slow in 6-8 years because there are not enough private practices left to acquire.
  • The ‘end’ of consolidation starts to happen when the corporate consolidators start buying each other.
  • The market will likely see 5-7 longer term ‘survivors’ after the veterinary consolidators buy each other.