VIII
EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION / AE / MARCH 2016
Legacy gift repays horse and profession for rewarding career
Dr. Stuart Brown, partner at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., is fulfilling his childhood goal to practice equine veterinary medicine in his native Central Kentucky. From his formative teenage years to this day, the AAEP and its members have been of direct and indirect consequence by offering encouragement, mentorship, leadership opportunities and, when needed most, compassion and support.
When reassessing life’s priorities following a personal loss, Dr. Brown decided to invest long-term in support of the horse and veterinary medicine by pledging a portion of his estate to the AAEP Foundation and becoming a member of its Legacy Society. Dr. Brown recently discussed his bequest and emphasized the enduring influence that planned gifts to the Foundation will have on the welfare of the horse, the profession and AAEP members.
Describe the important role horses have played in your life—both personally and professionally. I have been actively involved with horses since the age of 13 working in the Thoroughbred industry. Through those experiences, I was befriended by several of the principals of Hagyard, Davidson and McGee who took an interest in my path toward becoming an equine practitioner. Coupled with the mentorship of many of the leading central Kentucky horsemen who were clients of HDM, the lessons learned have led to the realization of my goal to practice equine veterinary medicine in that region. Throughout, the sustaining passion for all things about the health and care of the horse has been central to all of my life relation- ships from professional to personal.
Dr. Stuart Brown
Is there an important moment, person or special reason connected with AAEP that may have influenced your decision to include the AAEP Foundation in your estate plans?
I have had the good fortune to be mentored by several of my colleagues through my involvement with the AAEP. These relationships have been the cornerstone of my involvement in organized veterinary medicine and set a course for me toward servant leadership in our profession. When I experienced the sudden loss of my wife Christine, these people from my AAEP family were the ones who provided support and encouragement through that event. Their lessons in support of AAEP and its members go beyond the call.
From your perspective, how has the work of the AAEP Foundation influenced the welfare of the horse? The Foundation has provided the key contributions to timely research needed by equine practitioners to care for their patients. It has assisted in the mission of helping horses around the world through its Equitarian projects. Finally, the support of scholarships continues to allow the AAEP to invest in the next generation of practitioners who will become the future of our AAEP.
What legacy do you hope to leave through your estate gift? My hope is that a planned gift will further the already strong mission of the AAEP Foundation. Its structure represents a sustainable model of engagement by its members, working with a dedicated staff that gives me confidence in its direction and inspires me to support beyond my lifetime. I am also hopeful that my actions might inspire others to consider joining me in incorporating the AAEP Foundation into their estate planning.
If you’d like, talk about the steps, considerations or thought process that went into your planning. Honestly, as I reflected on my personal situation after the loss of my wife, I began to analyze the things important to me in my own mortal life. The AAEP and its Foundation resonated with me and mobilized my thoughts to contribute to its existence for future generations of colleagues. I just wanted to “do my part” to help this organization flourish for years to come.
What advice would you like to share with other members? It would be to encourage others to consider the impact the AAEP Foundation has on horses, our profession and its members when making estate plans. My decision has given me a deep sense of satisfaction and comfort that I have contributed as a part of the Legacy Society.
P.S.: United by our shared passion for the horse, the sincerity of the members of the AAEP as stewards for the horse has shaped the outcome of my life. It is through this realization that I encourage others to join me in the mission of the AAEP Foundation.
Interested in joining the Legacy Society? Contact Jodie Bingham, Foundation development coordinator, at (859) 233-0147 or
jbingham@aaep.org for additional information; or visit
www.aaepfoundation.org.
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