Michael Costin Professional Services Manager Animart Inc. Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

What education are you bringing with you to this position?

  • Creighton University, B.A., history, 1995
  • Seattle University, B.S., general science / pre-med, 1999
  • Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, DVM, 2003
  • University of Wisconsin, MBA, 2014

Please describe your agricultural background.
I was a city kid. I grew up in the city of Chicago. My mother grew up on a dairy in Maryland. When I was young, we used to spend summers at the farm with my grandfather. That is where I developed the passion for agriculture.

What territory will you cover?
My current territory is northeast Wisconsin. I am privileged to work with some of the most progressive dairies in the country. My clients are always looking for ways to improve their operations, and I find this both challenging and exciting.

What are your new responsibilities?
My new role at Animart as professional services manager puts me in a position to lead our veterinary and veterinary technician staff. Although we all have our own territories, we work together as a team and are constantly pushing each other to develop new and better services to provide to our clients.

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What previous positions have you held?

  • Associate veterinarian, Athens Veterinary Service, Athens, Wisconsin, 2003-2004
  • Associate veterinarian, Waupun Veterinary Service, Waupun, Wisconsin, 2004-2006
  • Partner, Waupun Veterinary Service, Waupun, Wisconsin, 2007-2012
  • Professional services veterinarian, Animart Inc., Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, 2012-2014

Who has made the biggest impact on your career?
There are four people who have truly influenced my career.

My father, Larry Costin, is the hardest working, most detail-oriented person I have ever met. He instilled in me a work ethic that has served me well. He told me to never stop setting goals for myself, striving for and achieving them. If you are not constantly challenging yourself, driving yourself to new heights, you are merely wasting not only your own time, but the time of those around you.

Jim McCutchan, DVM. McCutchan was the veterinarian who inspired me to become a dairy veterinarian. I rode with McCutchan every Saturday for over two years while I was completing my pre-vet requirements. He showed me the joy and satisfaction that could be achieved with a career in veterinary medicine, specifically working with America’s dairy farmers.

Monty Belmer, DVM, and Paul Wardin, DVM. These two veterinarians had the biggest impact on my veterinary career. I first met them my last year in veterinary school when I did an externship at their practice. I later had the privilege of working with them as both an associate veterinarian and a partner. These two men are the most well-rounded, intelligent veterinarians I have ever met, and they taught me how to be a veterinarian. I can only aspire to be as good of a veterinarian as they are.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
My job as a veterinarian is to help my clients be as successful and profitable as possible while looking out for the best interest of the animals. I do this by focusing on animal health and making unbiased recommendations. These recommendations are unbiased because working for a distributor, we represent all product lines. My recommendations for product usage are based off what is the best fit for that operation’s health concerns, management practices and financial impact. I can also collaborate with other veterinarians when needed to always bring the best service possible to the producer.

Why did you choose this company?
I feel that the nature of veterinary practice is changing. As the dairy industry continues to consolidate and the farms become more efficient at both preventing disease occurrence and treating what does occur, the role of the veterinarian on the farm is going to transform. Farms are going to need a veterinarian that can help them make decisions about their operations based off an understanding of both the animal health as well as the financial implications those decisions will have. For this reason, I decided to pursue my MBA. Animart offered me the opportunity to engage in the changing world of the dairy industry.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
I would like the Animart veterinary team to continue to develop new services that benefit both our clients as well as the local veterinary community so that the dairy industry as a whole sees us as a valued partner in their continued success. PD