Pet health insurance veteran Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, is stepping down as chief veterinary officer at Nationwide after 13 years on the job.
Her replacement, Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, served as associate vice president of veterinary relations since joining Nationwide, the largest U.S. pet insurer, in September 2019.
The company reported that Dr. McConnell will retire April 2.
“I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done on behalf of Nationwide to promote business education for veterinary students and veterinary practice teams, helping to build organizations such as the Veterinary Business Management Association, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, VetPartners and, most recently, the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association,” Dr. McConnell said. “Over the years, we have educated a whole generation of veterinary professionals.”
Dr. Benson worked in clinical practice before moving into the animal health industry, according to Nationwide, which called him an “experienced animal health strategist with expertise in innovation, start-ups and marketing.”
He earned his veterinary degree from the University of Liverpool in England.
His duties will include serving as “liaison with the veterinary industry, providing education and insight about pet health insurance to veterinary staff and students, and acting as a resource for Nationwide’s entire pet insurance team,” the company noted.
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