Supporting the Veterinary Field Through Strategic Association Management

EisnerAmper’s professionals have partnered with a veterinary medical association since the early 2000s through upgraded strategic investments, long-term collaboration and support, and a relationship built on trust.

Client

The Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA) serves as a professional community for veterinarians across the state. They represent and engage their members through continuing education (CE) courses, advocate on behalf of their veterinarians at the state and federal levels, maintain relationships with the state veterinary school, support veterinary technicians, manage and run a nonprofit foundation that assists the veterinary community during times of disaster, and recognize strong performance in the field through awards.

Challenge

The LVMA was searching for a new, more rigorous management firm with strong decision-making abilities who could have a more direct impact on crafting messaging for meetings and events, better handle their business expenses, provide knowledge and guidance, and increase public awareness with a broader reach. Their primary short-term goal was to optimize their financial operations and drive positive results.

Approach

The association gained a proactive partner that brought polished professionalism, open and candid communication, facilitation, and specialized knowledge to identify problems early and guide decision making. With a dedicated executive director and team of professionals, the partnership deepened into a close connection over the years.

The support from EisnerAmper has been superb. The personal relationships, their ideas, [and] the things that they handle for us make it feel like magic because it's so seamless and easy on our end. I know that it’s not magic, and I know it's a lot of hard work, but that's the feeling that we have. It's just incredible support.

Dr. Pamela S. Mitchell

Immediate Past President of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association

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Growing Relationships

Most recently, the LVMA embarked on a strategic initiative with a facilitator and the help of EisnerAmper that focused on the ‘how:’ how will this initiative be executed and what tactics would the association need to employ to be successful.

One win that stemmed from this initiative came from language itself. By reframing committees as 'working groups,' the LVMA attracted more actively engaged members than in the past, turning a subtle shift in terminology into a measurable boost in participation.

Profitability

Another way the LVMA worked with their EisnerAmper team was to boost techniques related to profitability. By investigating initiatives that were no longer profitable, the LVMA discontinued one of their annual CE meetings as the event’s ROI continued to decrease over the years. They now spend more time focused on their Winter Meeting, significantly improving its quality and ROI. Today, the LVMA operates with a more robust view of what is contributing to their profitability, allowing them autonomy to make similar decisions independently in the future.

EisnerAmper’s experience negotiating contracts also led to higher profitability for the LVMA. The association now benefits from increased sponsorships of speakers and well-negotiated contracts covering crucial event details (hotels, food, and beverages), leading to smoothly executed events.

a man and a woman standing next to a dog

Advocating for the Field

Through state legislative advocacy, the LVMA is now staying ahead of regulatory challenges unique to Louisiana. EisnerAmper’s acumen and hands on actions help the LVMA protect the veterinary community from harmful legislation that could be detrimental to the profession. The LVMA is grateful for the collaboration with the management team and the hard work that has gone into these efforts. All of the assistance in meeting with legislators, attending political events, and monitoring bills have been invaluable in protecting the veterinary profession in the state of Louisiana.

Results

Today, the LVMA operates with improved financial health, stronger governance, and increased confidence in long-term decision-making. The association not only maintained its financial footing during the global pandemic but prepared itself to withstand challenges that could arise during future periods of uncertainty.

Working with EisnerAmper as its liaison, their relationship with the school of veterinary medicine has also been significantly strengthened. The association partners to host events for students and leverages EisnerAmper’s knowledge of logistics to seamlessly lead, manage, and execute these events with the students, faculty, and administration.

What began as a partnership over two decades ago has evolved into a deeply trusted relationship that continues to drive growth, engagement, and stability for the LVMA and the veterinary professionals it serves across Louisiana.

[The LVMA has] just improved and improved every year, and I would say that's based on the relationship growing and truly really meeting the needs. It's a very open candid communication with myself and other members of the board.

Dr. Pamela S. Mitchell

Immediate Past President of the Louisianna Veterinary Medical Association

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Find out how EisnerAmper's association management services helped the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association strengthen financial operations, boost event profitability, advance legislative advocacy, and build a trusted partnership spanning over two decades.