Posted May 2016

Ron Cott, DVM; Retired

Dr. Ron Cott has recently retired as the Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of Advancement for the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri.  He received his DVM from the University of Missouri in 1973.  After spending three years in the Army, he entered into private companion animal practice in the Kansas City, Missouri area for the next twenty-five years.  In 2001 he was appointed Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs for the College of Veterinary Medicine and in 2008, additionally appointed Executive Director of Advancement.  During this time, he served as course director for the college's "Fundamentals of Veterinary Business Management" course and advisor to the Veterinary Business Management Association.  Dr. Cott is a faculty member of the Bayer Animal Health Communication Program, a program designed to teach veterinary communications, and is a certified DiSC Profile facilitator.  He provides consulting services for private practices in the areas of practice management, communications and leadership.  He also continues working part-time for the College of Veterinary Medicine as a consultant.

After more than thirty years of commitment to organized veterinary medicine, local, state and national; he served in the House of Delegates of the AVMA as the delagate representing the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) until retiring from that position in 2009.  He has been recognized as the "Veterinarian of the Year" for the MVMA, the recipient of the "Robert E. Hertzog Leadership Award - 2010", "Alumnus of the Year" for the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri; has received the university's "Gold Chalk Award" in recognition of outstanding achievements in the education, training and development of university graduate-professional students, and the university's "Excellence in Education Award" for educational outreach.

Dr. Cott has been heavily involved with organized veterinary medicine efforts to develop ways to incorporate non-technical skills into the profession.  Knowing these skills help make a veterinarian well-rounded and successful, he has been active in implementing them into the academic setting so that new graduates are prepared as they enter practice and the profession.  Dr. Cott founded the Veterinary Enrichment and Teambuilding (VET) Orientation Program for the College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Missouri in 2005 after becoming a facilitator for the National Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE) where he now serves as a consultant.  Recognizing the power of Servant Leadership and self and social-awareness, his passion to share these attributes remain a primary focus for his involvement in the veterinary profession.  Dr. Cott is married to Jane Cott, his wife of 44 years, and has two children and four grandchildren.