The American Veterinary Medical Association has named Dr. Stuart Brown, vice president of equine safety at Keeneland, as the winner of the 2021 AVMA Meritorious Service Award.
Established in 2001, the award recognizes a veterinarian who has brought honor and distinction to the veterinary profession through personal, professional, or community service activities that are conducted outside the scope of organized veterinary medicine or research. The AVMA Board of Directors selects the recipient.
"With his long, exemplary, and ongoing record of service, Dr. Stuart Brown epitomizes everything that the AVMA Meritorious Service Award represents," said Dr. Douglas Kratt, president of the AVMA. "Throughout his career, Dr. Brown has established himself as a difference-maker in equine health and safety and proven himself more than qualified for this distinguished award."
Dr. Brown has mentored countless veterinarians, served on numerous industry and veterinary boards and committees, and represented veterinarians on the national level. His recent appointments include serving as chairman of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation, trustee for the AVMA Insurance Trust, American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates, director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA), and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (KTOB), member of the AAEP's Public Policy and Welfare Council, AAEP liaison to the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, board chairman of the University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, board member of the Thoroughbred Club of America and member of The Jockey Club.
Prior to joining Keeneland in June 2020, Dr. Brown served nearly 30 years at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, first as an intern and then as an associate veterinarian and a partner. With a primary focus on thoroughbreds, his areas of concentration included equine reproduction, foal evaluations, private/public purchase evaluations, herd health, and preventative medicine, federally required import/export protocols, and issues affecting the welfare and safety of equine racing athletes.
Dr. Brown, who received his DVM from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, has previously been honored with the 2014 Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year, the 2017 AAEP President's Award, and the 2019 Terry Mobley Philanthropy Award from the University of Kentucky.
