Georgia Veterinary Medical Association

What Georgia Veterinary Medical Association does

Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1948 (per the historical record of past presidents) and headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, serving approximately 75% of licensed veterinarians in the state — roughly 2,200-2,600 individual practitioners — through paid memberships, continuing education, regulatory advocacy, wellness benefits, and career services. The association is governed by a volunteer board elected from three geographic districts and staffed by fewer than 10 employees led by Executive Director Dr. Keri Riddick, who has held the role since 2022.

GVMA's core product is the membership bundle, structured in tiers ranging from $180/year (Early Career, first three years post-DVM) to $585/year (Premier, including one veterinarian plus all support staff), with discount tiers at $195 (government) and $220 (retired/out-of-state). Bundled benefits include state-board-approved continuing education programs (LEAP CE, webinars, hands-on labs, the annual VetSouth Fall conference), five exclusive digital practice handbooks (OSHA, Regulatory, Practice Owner, Large Animal, Recent Grad), the V.I.T.A.L. regulatory newsletter, the Career Center job board powered by YM Careers, the Compass wellness program (with BetterHelp therapy access), and the GVMA Foundation's spay/neuter grants administered in partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Adjacent certified revenue lines include the Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) program delivered through the Patterson Veterinary Academy LMS, RAD 101 radiological safety certification, and GA Vet Magazine advertising reaching ~3,000 readers.

Recent strategic activity has centered on productizing the member value proposition: in 2023 GVMA launched the MentorVet Leap early-career mentorship partnership with Merck Animal Health sponsorship; in 2024-2025 it supported the passage of HB 1408 and Senate Bill 105 expanding LVT and telemedicine scope of practice; and in 2026 it rolled out a Member Store, a Legal Assist benefit via VetLaws, and a DVMSuccess-powered AI Assistant trained on GVMA regulatory content, alongside corporate financial dashboards and a Profit Defender pricing tool. The technical stack is a partnership-led architecture — Auth0 authentication, third-party LMS (Patterson), job board (YM Careers), mental health (BetterHelp), and AI (DVMSuccess) — rather than proprietary infrastructure.

Name

Georgia Veterinary Medical Association

Legal name

Georgia Veterinary Medical Association

Website

https://gvma.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Georgia Veterinary Medical Association is a nonprofit professional membership association headquartered in Norcross, GA that serves approximately 75% of licensed Georgia veterinarians through tiered memberships, state-approved continuing education, regulatory advocacy, practice handbooks, wellness programs, and certification offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-site/Corporate Group Operations Platforms (Franchise/MSO Tools, Standardization) (HLAMAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services (AFAEANAB)

Keywords

• Veterinary association
• Continuing education
• Membership dues
• Veterinary advocacy
• Professional certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $180/year for early career veterinarians to $585/year for Premier membership (includes all support staff). Government and retired discounts available.
2. Continuing Education Programs: State-board approved CE programs including LEAP CE, hands-on skills labs, webinars, and annual conferences. LEAP CE is free for Premier members, discounted for Individual members, and charged for non-members.
3. GA Vet Magazine Advertising: Print magazine sent to approximately 3,000 veterinarians, technicians, students, and industry leaders. Premium ad placements range from $800 to $1,550 per issue.
4. CVA Certification Program: Certified Veterinary Assistant Program with Level I (hard-copy textbook and exam at $169-$249) and Levels II & III (online via Patterson Veterinary Academy). Annual renewal fee of $30 plus 5 CE hours.
5. Practice Handbooks and Guides: Digital practice handbooks (OSHA, Practice Owner, Regulatory, Large Animal, Recent Grad) sold through member store. Available free to Premier members.
6. Radiology Safety Training: RAD 101 online radiological safety certification at $75/person for members (with additional group discounts). DVD training available at $150 for members.
7. Career Center Postings: Job posting platform powered by YM Careers. Free job postings available for members who select 'No Relocation' option; otherwise member benefit discount applies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) is a nonprofit professional membership association serving veterinarians and veterinary practices in Georgia. Its core offering is tiered annual membership (Early Career, Basic, Premier, Government, Retired) bundled with state-board approved continuing education, regulatory compliance handbooks, legislative advocacy, wellness resources through the Compass Program, a Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) certification program, a Career Center, and the GVMA Foundation's animal welfare grant programs.

Product overview

GVMA is a professional association offering a unified platform of membership-based products and services for Georgia veterinary professionals. The core offering is membership (Individual, Premier, Team) which provides access to continuing education, regulatory resources, advocacy, and wellness support. Key products include the Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) Program (powered by Patterson Veterinary Academy), Practice Handbooks (Digital Guides), the Compass wellness program, and the Career Center job board. Foundation programs provide community support through PAWS, C.A.N., and Spay/Neuter grants. New AI tools through the DVMSuccess partnership enhance practice management capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Compass Program: Wellness support program providing mental health resources, legal assistance, financial counseling, and life support services for members and their families.
• Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) Program
• Spectrum of C.A.R.E. Program
• MentorVet Partnership
• GVMA Foundation

Products and services

• GVMA Membership Programs Annual membership subscription tiers for Georgia veterinarians and veterinary practices, providing access to CE programs, regulatory handbooks, advocacy representation, wellness resources, career services, and member discounts on partner offerings.
• Continuing Education (CE) Events State-board approved continuing education including LEAP (Georgia laws, rules, professionalism), webinars, hands-on skills labs, and annual conferences for veterinarians, technicians, and practice staff to fulfill license renewal requirements (30 hours/2 years for vets, 10 hours/2 years for techs).
• Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) Program Three-level certification program for veterinary assistants. Level I uses hard-copy textbook and proctored exam; Levels II & III are online video-based courses delivered through Patterson Veterinary Academy. Includes skills validation, work experience requirements, and certification exam with LinkedIn badge.
• Compass Program Wellness support program providing mental health resources (including BetterHelp therapy), legal and financial counseling, family planning guidance, and 24/7 assistance for GVMA members and their families at no additional cost.
• Practice Handbooks (Digital Guides) Searchable digital guides covering Regulatory Handbook, OSHA Handbook, Practice Owner's Guidebook, Large Animal Handbook, and Recent Grad Handbook. Regularly updated, free for Premier members and sold through the member store.
• GVMA Foundation Programs Foundation-administered programs including PAWS (Providing Animal Wellness Support), Spay/Neuter Grant Program with Georgia Department of Agriculture, C.A.N. Colleague Assistance Program, Community Memorial Fund, and Pet Memorial Fund.
• Radiology Safety Certification Online 6-hour radiological safety certification course via RAD 101 partnership plus DVD training option. Required for veterinary support staff assisting with x-rays; members receive 20% discount with additional group purchase discounts.
• Career Center Job board platform powered by YM Careers where veterinary practices post openings and professionals find employment. Free postings for GVMA members selecting no-relocation option.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of Georgia veterinarians are GVMA members
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MentorVetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2023GVMA partners with MentorVet to provide 10 full sponsorships for recent graduate members to participate in the MentorVet Leap program - a five-month virtual mentorship and professional development program offering peer support, coaching, education, and mentorship for early-career veterinarians.
• Patterson Veterinary Academy (PVA)coreTechnology or IntegrationPatterson Veterinary Academy provides the Learning Management System powering GVMA's Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) Program. Levels II & III of the CVA certification are delivered through PVA's online platform with video-based coursework.
• Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGVMA Foundation collaborates with GDA's Spay/Neuter Program to extend program reach through GVMA's network of member veterinarians. GDA manages funding and compliance while GVMA Foundation acts as grant applicant and agent. The 75% member penetration enables broad statewide impact.
• BetterHelpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership provides GVMA members and their families access to BetterHelp's network of 30,000+ licensed therapists for online mental health support. GVMA covers all expenses for member access to this Compass Program benefit, available 24/7.
• Atlanta Humane SocietyminorOthersDr. Keri Riddick, GVMA Executive Director, serves on the Atlanta Humane Society Board of Directors, creating connection between GVMA and animal welfare initiatives.
• Georgia Agribusiness CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Keri Riddick serves on the legislative committee of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, strengthening GVMA's agricultural community connections and advocacy reach.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Animal Hospital Association: National professional association focused on companion animal practice accreditation, standards, and member resources. Adjacent to GVMA in veterinary professional services space but with different specialization (accreditation vs. advocacy/CE).
• American Veterinary Medical Association: The national professional association for veterinarians in the U.S., offering overlapping CE, advocacy, and member resources. GVMA members often hold dual memberships, and AVMA is the national-level counterpart to GVMA's state-level scope.

Direct peers

• California Veterinary Medical Association: State veterinary medical association serving California veterinarians with comparable membership, advocacy, and CE programming structure to GVMA, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association: State-level veterinary professional association offering similar membership, CE, advocacy, and member benefit services to NC veterinarians — directly comparable operating model to GVMA's.
• Florida Veterinary Medical Association: Direct peer as a state-level veterinary medical association serving Florida veterinarians with comparable membership tiers, CE programs, advocacy, and member benefits structure similar to GVMA's Georgia model.
• Texas Veterinary Medical Association: Large state-level veterinary medical association serving Texas veterinarians. Operates with similar membership tiers, CE programming, and legislative advocacy functions as GVMA, but at larger scale.

Others

• DVMSuccess: Technology partner providing GVMA's AI Assistant, financial dashboards, and Profit Defender pricing tool. Functions as an enabler/integrator extending GVMA's digital capabilities to members.
• Patterson Veterinary: Major veterinary distributor and technology provider that powers GVMA's CVA certification through Patterson Veterinary Academy LMS. Adjacent enabler of GVMA's training programs rather than a competitor.
• Banfield Pet Hospital: Large corporate veterinary practice chain where GVMA President-Elect previously served as Chief of Staff. While not a direct peer in the association space, Banfield represents the corporate veterinary employer segment that GVMA serves through Premier team memberships.

Emerging players

• VetBloom: Online veterinary CE and training platform offering RACE-approved courses across the profession. Represents an alternative CE channel that could compete with GVMA's member CE offerings over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georgia-veterinary-medical-association
• Xx.com/gvmassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Georgia Veterinary Medical Association