STILLWATER, Okla.—The Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is proud to announce this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. As the Veterinary Center celebrates its 60th Anniversary, the traditions that began in 1948 when it opened the doors to the veterinary college continue today. The accomplishments of its alumni signify the successful growth the program has sustained through the years.

Drs. George “Pat” Mayer, class of 1954 posthumously, John King and Louie Stratton, class of 1955, and Charles Montgomery, class of 1963, will be honored at the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. The luncheon will be held at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets may be purchased for $25 by calling the Veterinary Center’s Continuing Education office at (405) 744-7672.

While the accomplishments of the four alumni are too numerous to list, these veterinarians have several things in common. Although King is often heard saying that he holds the record for the shortest career in private veterinary practice (79 days), each worked in a private practice at one point in his career. As involved as they were in their personal careers, they made time to participate in professional veterinary organizations as well as community activities. Each of these men made significant but different contributions to the veterinary medicine profession bringing great pride to Oklahoma State University and its Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

Mayer served on OSU and the University of Pennsylvania faculty. His research in dairy cattle diseases and nutrition is known the world over.



Perhaps the most outstanding attribute of Mayer’s career is his perseverance when he developed Lou Gehrig’s disease. Even though he was critically ill, he continued to work and publish his research so others could benefit from his findings. He unselfishly gave all that he could to veterinary medicine until his premature death in 1979.

King had a phenomenal career on the faculty at Cornell University. He is a world renown veterinary pathologist and has received numerous awards recognizing those skills.



One of his many accomplishments includes a website containing more than 20,000 photo images and commentary of pathologic specimens, which are available for all to use.

Stratton has the distinction of being the first director of the OSU Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. He served on the faculty at OSU’s Veterinary Center for many years.

He stepped up to go where none had gone before him as OSU opened the doors to its brand new veterinary hospital in 1981. The hospital thrived under his direction of eight years.

Montgomery served in the U.S. Armed Forces in several capacities including assignments in Viet Nam, at Walter Reed Medical Center, and the National Institutes of Health.



He also worked extensively in Laboratory Animal Medicine. He is known for outstanding accomplishments in the improvement of the care and quality of animals used in biologic and medical research.

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is one of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The 3,165 alumni bring much pride and recognition to OSU and the Veterinary Center welcomes the opportunity to shine a spotlight on these four distinguished careers. For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

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