September 12, 2008

Dear Friends:

The most interesting part of my job is the diversity of professionals I meet in the course of my work. This past week, I met with members of the food and lodging industry at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, members of the Pari-Mutuel Wagering industry at a workshop on instant racing machines, and veterinarians at the Board of Veterinary Medicine meeting. Through meetings like these, I continually learn new things about the industries and people we serve.

The Board of Veterinary Medicine is comprised of professional and consumer appointees who volunteer their valuable time to protect the profession and the public. Dr. Bob O'Neill, the Chairman, exudes a passion to promote integrity within the profession through education and the maintenance of high standards.

I was impressed as I watched Chairman O'Neill and the Board take on difficult discipline cases ranging from cat de-clawing to selling prescription drugs and from inadequate record keeping to issuing a drug to a racehorse. The Board often toiled with the discipline in order to ensure that education was included. One educational tool is requiring the offender to attend future Board meetings in order to learn by listening to various cases. As the Board moved through the agenda, it became clear that they are proud of their profession and feel honored to serve their colleagues in this capacity.

Earlier in the week, I attended the FRLA Show in Orlando, where our Department had a booth representing the Division of Hotels & Restaurants, the Hospitality Education Program, and the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. Staff distributed posters and information that hotels and restaurants are required to display, which we learned was invaluable to those licensees without computer access.

The highlight of the visit was the Salute to Excellence luncheon, which Hotels & Restaurant Director Bill Veach and I attended. This is the event where student scholarships are awarded through the School-to-Career Program, a program established between the Hospitality Education Program and the FRLA. More than 30 scholarships, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, were awarded and will assist students who are pursuing a higher education in the hospitality industry. I hope that soon we will be able to serve the recipients as licensees.

I would like to close by inviting licensees and customers in Northwest Florida to meet with me on Wednesday, Sept. 17, between 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for "On the Road to Better Business." The meeting will be held at Gulf Breeze City Hall, located at 1070 Shoreline Dr., Gulf Breeze, Fla. You may reserve available time slots by e-mailing Communications@dbpr.state.fl.us.

Sincerely,

Charles W. Drago
Secretary

Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Customer Contact Center:
850.487.1395
www.MyFloridaLicense.com

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