A New Wpa Board Begins Their Work

LEADING PET INDUSTRY experts comprise the WPA Board of Directors and bring their collective expertise together for the benefit of the industry. Coming from various pet companies, they’ll serve in these positions for at least the next full year. The new board of directors are:

CURRENT WPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman: Michael Lou
CFO/Vice Chair: Heather Coots
2nd Vice Chairman: David Dieter
Secretary: Micah Kohles
Member: Lorin Grow
Member: Mark Dunn
Member: Jennifer Larsen
Member: Keryn Rod
Member: Sandy Moore
Member: Sarah Goldberger
Immediate Past Chair: Jeff San Souci
Past Chair: Chris Clevers

Board position changes

Here’s a breakdown of board members who’ve taken on new duties:

• Michael Lou, owner of Patchwork Pet, previously served as CFO and now transitions to chairman.
• Heather Coots, president of King Wholesale, moves from 1st vice chair to CFO/vice chair.
• David Dieter, senior director of Zoo Med, shifts from secretary to 2nd vice chairman.
• Micah Kohles, DVM, MPA, owner of Woodland Animal Hospital/Odyssey Consulting, transitions from 2nd vice chair to secretary.

New to the board

The 2024-25 WPA Board welcomes two new members: Natural Pawz COO Lorin Grow and American Kennel Club Executive Vice-President of Registration Mark Dunn. WPA CFO/Vice Chairman and President of King Wholesale Heather Coots says the board is incredibly fortunate to welcome these two exceptional individuals to the WPA and finds their presence this year truly exciting.

She explains, “Lorin’s years of expertise in retail and the pet industry make her a valuable addition, bringing immense knowledge and passion to our board. Meeting

Mark through the nomination process, it was evident that his prior experience seamlessly aligned with our organization’s programs and initiatives — he felt like a seasoned veteran from the start.”

Coots extends heartfelt congratulations to both Grow and Dunn on this well-deserved opportunity. Here’s a more in-depth look at the two new board members:

Grow’s distinguished career blends military, entrepreneurial and corporate achievements. She served in the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence before going on to earn dual bachelor’s degrees in business/marketing and psychology/science. Grow’s entrepreneur experience is extensive: She owned and sold three retail businesses, managed half of Europe and earned multiple awards for a German wine company, and later oversaw Southeast Asia for Bose. She spent five years with the Nevada Gaming Commission before entering the pet industry to run an award-winning pet supply store in California for 20 years. Grow joined Texas-based pet store Natural Pawz, now with two locations, as director of training, education and customer engagement in April 2023 and became COO in July 2023.

Jeff San Souci, WPA immediate past chair and director of marketing at Rolf C. Hagen, says, “Retail stores are the heart of our industry! We are an emotional industry that relies on personal connection between the pet parent and front-line retailers like Lorin. Lorin is a pet community veteran, who made it clear to us that she wants to continue to serve and give back to our industry. We are so pleased that Lorin can join our Board and help us better understand and serve the pet retailers.”

David Dieter, WPA 2nd vice chairman and senior director of Zoo Med Laboratories, agrees that Grow’s life as a pet store professional is undeniable. “She brings a level of passion and expertise that will help WPA provide solutions for the stores that fuel our wonderful industry,” he says. “With Lorin’s drive, organizational abilities and vision for the future, WPA is very fortunate to have her join the board.”

Dunn is the executive vice president of registration for the American Kennel Club (AKC), the oldest all-breed dog registry in the U.S. and the largest in the world. He also serves as managing director of AKC Reunite — the AKC’s lost pet recovery service — and was formerly on the board of the Pet Leadership Council, a community of national companies and organizations committed to assuring the care of companion animals.

Dunn has lots of experience working with pet industry leaders and international registry organizations. He passionately believes that sustainable and responsible growth in pet ownership is vital to our society and that the pet industry can do more to help. Before joining the AKC in 2009, he was director of engineering and quality at Qualex, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak. Dunn has more than 20 years of experience leading operations, engineering and business development teams, plus an MBA from Michigan State University.

WPA Board Member and Segrest Farms President Sandy Moore knows Dunn will be a great addition due to her interactions with him in industry advocacy organization the National Animal Interest Alliance. She says, “He is tremendously respected in the dog-breeding community and is plugged into the larger pet-breeding community through this organization. He brings passion, professionalism and a lifelong dedication to the animals and the people who care for them to our board.”

Dieter looks forward to learning with and from Dunn, who he says has an unbelievable knowledge of the pet community and an understanding of how we all can make this industry better for the pets and the people who live in it. “Mark’s level of expertise within the boardroom will help WPA grow into the even more collaborative force that we are focused on being,” he says. “The future for WPA is even brighter as we have Mark join the WPA board.”

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