Honorary Members
The College is very pleased to have awarded the status of Honorary Diplomate to the following members for their exceptional careers and many significant contributions to the field of veterinary ophthalmology:
December 2008
Dr Keith Chartres Barnett
OBE MA PhD BSc DVOphthal DipECVO DACVO FRCVS
(19th April 1929 - 10th March 2009 In Memoriam)
When the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists was founded in 1992, Keith C.Barnett was already one of the brightest shining stars of European veterinary ophthalmology. Being known by everyone in the field and the careful, knowledgeable tutor of several, it was self-evident that Keith should be one of the first Diplomates of the ECVO. He was appointed the first chairman of the Credentials Committee, a very important committee for the college where considerable amounts of integrity and fairness are required by the committee members. Keith stayed in the Credentials Committee for eight years, a period when the committee was busy scrutinizing and evaluating the credentials of the now senior members of the college. Also after leaving the committee work, Keith kept an interest in the ECVO, and continued to share his profound knowledge, strong interest in animal welfare and humanism and was eager to discuss questions that had bearing on veterinary ophthalmology or college business. In 2008, Keith was elected the first Honorary Member of the ECVO by the Diplomates, a recognition so well deserved. Now, the ECVO has not only lost a Honorary Member, but a person who dedicated his professional life to the advancement of European veterinary ophthalmology.
On behalf of the ECVO, April 2009
Björn Ekesten, Ingrid Allgoewer, Ellen Bjerkås, Gill McLellan, Anne-Marie Verbrüggen, Albert Heijn and Ron Ofri
May 2010
Dr Frans Stades
Doctor Frans Stades started his professional carrier as a veterinary ophthalmologist in the early 1970’s at the Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands and in 2006 he retired from the University as an Associate Professor. During this time, Dr. Stades taught Ophthalmology to thousands of veterinary students, and published many scientific publications. In 1983, he obtained his PhD degree on the basis of a thesis entitled “Persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis / Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHTVL/PHPV) in the Dobermann Pinscher”. Doctor Stades still is professionally active and he enjoys an international reputation, both within his profession and in circles of animal owners and breeders.
Dr. Stades is one of the six of ECVO’s “founding fathers”. Since ECVO was established (1992), he has serves as Chairman of the Board, and in several Committees.
In 1996, he was editor and author of a book entitled “Ophthalmology for the Veterinary Practitioner”. This work was printed in seven languages. In the English and German language several version were reprinted. In 2007, the English version was reprinted in an updated and expanded form.
In 2006, The Dutch Queen granted Dr. Stades a knighthood “Officer of Orange-Nassau”. This happened on the basis of his professional achievements, both in The Netherlands and abroad, and his contributions to animal welfare by his activities against hereditary (eye) diseases in animals.