The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists has been active serving the needs of our members and animal science. Our executive vice-president, Kenneth Cummings, continues to provide leadership and service to ARPAS. Our Governing Council ensures that the professional and scientific needs of members are provided and that ARPAS is financially stable. We thank Jack Garrett for his leadership as President during the past year. It is an honor for me to serve as President and to represent an organization that provides certification of animal scientists and disseminates applied scientific information through publication of a peer reviewed journal.

The 2015 Governing Council Meeting and Annual Business Meeting were held in conjunction with the Joint Annual meeting of ADSA and ASAS in Orlando FL on July 12-16, 2015. The ARPAS Symposium at JAM was “Reproductive Efficiency of Beef Cows – Current Status and New Technologies”. Four beef cattle researchers presented discussions on management practices and techniques to enhance reproductive efficiency of beef cows. The presentations by Drs. Rick Rasby, Rick Funston, Cliff Lamb, and George Perry were excellent and will be published in the Professional Animal Scientist.

During the last eight months the Executive Committee and Governing Council have discussed and evaluated an agreement with Elsevier to publish the Professional Animal Scientist. In August ARPAS signed an agreement with Elsevier and the Publisher will be responsible for publication, promotion and distribution of PAS. Editorial activity of PAS will continue as in previous years and FASS will provide prepress services. This new Agreement will increase visibility and number of readers, allow for nonmembers to publish, and have economic value to ARPAS. We thank Wayne Kellogg and Susan Pollock for evaluation and development of our new approach to publication of PAS.

We applaud the activities of ARPAS Chapters and encourage you to invite animal scientists to become registered and join ARPAS. Also remember the opportunity for professional recognition by Board Certification in the American College of Animal Sciences. 

Best Wishes,
Bob Wettemann, PAS, Dipl. ACAS
President, ARPAS