Klausner, former AMC leader, joins Banfield

PORTLAND, ORE. — Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, former CEO and president of New York City's Animal Medical Center (AMC), accepted a position with Banfield, The Pet Hospital.

Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, who resigned from AMC in December after less than two years on the job, serves as the vice president of professional relations and government affairs for Banfield.

In his new role, he is responsible for building and strengthening relationships with universities and national veterinary organizations such as the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), among others.

He also leads Banfield's evidence-based medicine initiative.

For more than eight years, Klausner was dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He was responsible for implementing the nation's largest veterinary public-health program.

Klausner declined to say much about his departure from AMC except that, "It revolved around the board and I. We had different views about what was needed to move AMC forward into the future. Their view and my view were not on the same track."

Klausner remained on AMC's payroll until March 15 and remains in negotiations over severance.

He started his new post with Banfield April 6.

"As a medical professional and academic leader with more than 25 years' experience, Dr. Klausner's education and business leadership background will be a valuable asset in Banfield's efforts to advance the quality of medicine throughout the practice and the veterinary profession," says John Payne, Banfield's CEO.