AVC faculty member honoured by P.E.I. Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. Dan Hurnik, professor of swine health management at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), has been honoured by the P.E.I. Veterinary Medical Association (PEIVMA) with the 2015 Prince Edward Island Veterinary Leadership Award.
The award recognizes a veterinarian’s contributions to the veterinary profession, the P.E.I. community, and the health and welfare of animals. Hurnik was nominated by Dr. Greg Keefe, dean of AVC, and Dr. Larry Hammell, associate dean of graduate studies and research for the College.
“Dr. Hurnik has made an exemplary contribution to animal health, his profession and the industry which he serves,” say Keefe and Hammell. “He has balanced a career as a strong researcher and teacher of the next generation of veterinarians, with outstanding service to the swine industry. lndeed, his efforts have brought national and international recognition of the genetics and health status of the Prince Edward lsland pork industry.”
A member of AVC’s faculty since 1989, Hurnik has served the College in several leadership roles, including as an industry research chair, chair of the departments of Health Management and Companion Animals, and interim dean. Recently he again took on the chairship of Health Management.
Hurnik has served the swine industry at all levels—from the local to the international. He is a founder of the Atlantic Swine Research Partnership Inc., which carries out research for the Atlantic Canadian swine industry. His research has supported the establishment of two P.E.I. biotech companies, Progressive Bioactives lnc., and Chemaphor lnc., now operating as Avivagen. He is veterinary consultant to lnternational Genetics PEI Ltd. and lnternational Genetics Ltd., which together market Canadian swine genetics and expertise worldwide.
Hurnik has served as a director on the Canadian Swine Health Board and the Canadian Centre for Swine lmprovement, which manages Canada's national swine genetics program. He has advised the Canadian industry on the development of a national swine farm-level biosecurity standard and a quality assurance program, in conjunction with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and the Canadian Pork Council. He has been a technical advisor to the federal porcine circovirus associated diseases task team and the national swine traceability program. Internationally, he has been a technical consultant to the World Bank on management of African swine fever in regions of Eastern Europe, and he has co-authored a biosecurity guide for pig production for the World Bank, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization—United Nations) and the OIE (World Health Organisation for Animal Health).
In recognition of his leadership in swine health, Hurnik has received numerous awards, most recently the 2014 B.W. Kennedy Memorial Award from the Canadian Centre for Swine lmprovement.
