Our People

Mark Gilmour, Chair

BVSc Massey 1978
VPIS Chair
VPIS Board since 2007
Species: Production animal

What does your background bring to the job? I was in a mixed practice in the Rangitikei for 33 years - initially at the Marton Vet Club and since 1980 am a partner in Southern Rangitikei Vet Services. Since 2011 I have been self-employed and provide consultancy services to several companies. I assess claims involving production animals such as sheep, beef, deer and some dairy.

I know from my time in practice, and as a manager, that as vets we face some unique challenges and risks. So, when my fellow Board member Vince Peterson suggested I put my name forward for the VPIS Board it was a great opportunity for me to give something back into the profession.

What do you enjoy about your Board role? The cases VPIS has dealt with gives us a real insight to many aspects of practice and allows us to have a perspective managing risk in the profession. We have used this to provide guidance on things like scanning and pregnancy testing, technician employment, certification for transport, raw milk and associated legislation.

Final word: While the primary role of VPIS is to provide indemnity insurance to the profession, what I think gives us our point of difference is the genuine focus and passion for the well-being of vets, and the standard of the profession, of every Board member past and present.

Paul Fraser

BVSc Massey 1977
VPIS Board since 2011
Species: Equine

What does your background bring to the job? I spent forty years in equine clinical practice at Cambridge Equine Hospital before retiring from full time work in 2017. Since then, I've continued to work for them on a consultancy basis and occasionally locum for other practices. I assess claims predominantly involving equine.

What do you enjoy about your Board role? My passions are helping young veterinarians develop their careers and trying to come up with innovative solutions for problems, both veterinary and non-veterinary, by looking at things from slightly "outside of the box".

My greatest satisfaction is working to ease the anguish of our insured vets when they are subjected to the stress of legal action when things go wrong.

Final word: Whether the vet is in the right, or in the wrong, is of little consequence. Our job is to guide them through the process of rectifying the issue in a way that minimises the negative impact it may have on them personally, and on their professional future. If I can achieve that, I have done my job.

Eric Judd

VPIS Board since September 2023

I am an actuary by profession. I have almost 40 years experience in the insurance industry, including in risk management and time spent in senior roles in life and general insurance companies and in the public sector. My time as an animal lover and frequent user of veterinarian services has created a strong interest in this role and I look forward to playing a part in the future growth and development of VPIS.

Alexander James (Jim) Rhynd

VPIS Board since 2014
New Zealand Veterinary Clubs Association (NZVCA) representative

What does your background bring to the job? I'm an experienced dairy and beef farmer in Northland, the Chair of the Northern Wairoa Veterinary Club and the farmer representative for the New Zealand Veterinary Clubs Association (NZVCA) on the VPIS Board.

What do you enjoy about your Board role? While I'm not an Assessor, you could say I provide a practical view from a farmer perspective.

Final word: The services that rural veterinarians provide are essential to a productive and efficient agricultural sector. Insuring with VPIS provides a safety net when things go wrong for both farmers and veterinarians working together.