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“ ... the basis for my outlook on life. It can be summarized with a quote by a philosopher named Huston Smith, which states: “Infinite gratitude for all things past; Infinite service towards all things present; Infinite responsibility towards all things future.”
Roger K. Mahr, DVM
July 12, 2026...
Dr. Roger K. Mahr, past AVMA President and iconic One Health leader, was awarded the coveted and prestigious AVOHS “K.F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Headed Cane” at the 2026 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – Annual Convention in Anaheim, California.
A prominent American veterinarian who served as the 2006–2007 president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and is widely recognized as a visionary pioneer of the global "One Health" movement. During his AVMA presidency, he championed the "One World, One Health, One Medicine" concept, advocating for an interdisciplinary approach to link human, animal, and environmental health. His leadership directly led to the formation of the One Health Initiative Task Force and the subsequent establishment of the One Health Commission in 2009, where he served as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
- Dr. Mahr received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1971. A small animal practitioner for over 35 years, in 1974 he founded and operated the Meadow View Veterinary Clinic in Geneva, Illinois.
- Served as president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA).
- Honored with the prestigious AVMA Award in 2019 for outstanding contributions to the advancement of veterinary medicine and organizational leadership.
- Philanthropy includes having endowed the Dr. Roger and Marilyn Mahr Professorship in One Health at Iowa State University. This provides continued training for future generations in multi-disciplinary health collaborations.
See notable presentations:
Quick Links
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Please see MONOGRAPH in Veterinaria Italiana
“One Health – One Medicine”: linking human, animal and environmental health
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History of the One Health Initiative team and website (April 2006 through September 2015) and the One Health Initiative website since October 1, 2008 … revised to June 2020 and again to date February 2021
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Vaccines for zoonoses: a One Health paradigm
SciTech Europa Quarterly (March 2018) – Issue 26
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Pan European Networks SciTech Europa Quarterly
SciTech Europa Vaccines for zoonoses: a one Health paradigm – Pages 227-229 (Read PDF) “One of the One Health Initiative team’s co-founders and leaders is an internationally-recognized eminent physician…
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