Thomas R. Lenz, DVM, MS, DipACT, has been installed as the 49th president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the world’s largest association of equine veterinarians. Dr. Lenz took office December 7 during the AAEP’s recent annual convention in Orlando, Fla.

Dr. Lenz’s involvement with the AAEP includes service as the 2002 program chair for the 48th Annual Convention and chairman of the Owner Education Task Force. Dr. Lenz also currently serves on the Public Policy, Educational Programs, and Abstract Review committees, and is a member of the AAEP Foundation board of directors. He completed his first term on the AAEP board of directors in 1997 and has been a member of the Executive committee since 2001.

Active in the equine industry, Dr. Lenz is a member of the American Horse Council’s Animal Welfare Committee and serves on the Research Committee of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and has judged the AQHA’s Best Remuda Award since 1994. He writes a monthly equine health column for the Quarter Horse Journal and is featured on the AQHA’s TV magazine, America’s Horse. He is also a member of the National Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Veterinary Advisory Committee.

The AAEP, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its 6,500 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.