Dr. Doyle Watson of Simmons Education Fund (left) with Geoffrey Landau

Geoffrey Landau, a fourth-year student at the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) was named the winner of the Simmons Business Aptitude Award in January during the national Veterinary Business Management Association’s annual meeting in Orlando.

Laundau won the award, and the $15,000 cash prize, as a result of his marketing plan for a hypothetical veterinary hospital that leveraged technology to retain and attract clients. The award reflects the substantial work Landau has put into the CVM business certificate program and the marketing project he submitted. Landau’s submission was selected from among 17 national and international candidates.

"While putting together my marketing plan for the SEF Award competition, it became very clear that today's marketing tools are constantly changing," Landau said. "It is extremely important to track analytics for each strategy and re-evaluate what is most effective for each individual practice."

The award is sponsored by the Simmons Educational Fund, a nonprofit corporation founded in 2002 by Simmons and Associates, a company that specializes in veterinary practice sales, valuations and negotiations. The national award deadline for the 30 regional winners is Sept. 30. (Regional award deadlines are set between the school and the Simmons territory.)

To learn more about the awards process, contact the Simmons Educational Fund. To apply for a regional award, the precursor to the national award, students should check with their Student Affairs Coordinator. 

Photo: Courtesy of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine