I’m having a hard time putting into words just how much this means to me. In 2020, I was named VMX Practice Management Speaker of the Year, and I’m beyond grateful to share that I’ve earned this honor again in 2026! 🥹

A mentor once told me, “Success is the biggest deterrent to getting better.” I’ve carried those words with me ever since. Earning this recognition in 2020 only made me want to work harder and be better at what I do.

To everyone who has ever spent an hour of their time listening to me speak, THANK YOU! I know how valuable your time is, and I never take it for granted. I work incredibly hard to make sure what I teach actually works. I don’t teach something just because it sounds good on paper or because I read it in a book. I teach it because I’ve seen it work, tested it, and validated the results. That’s where my passion and energy come from. I get to see these ideas in action every single day, solving real problems in veterinary medicine. And to the amazing veterinary practices I have the privilege of consulting with through Tapir, thank you for trusting me to work alongside your teams, put these ideas into practice, and learn from your successes and challenges. You make me a better educator every single day.

And to my incredible family, thank you for putting up with all the travel, late nights, and time away. I couldn’t do any of this without you.

I love what I do, I love this profession, and I hope I never stop finding ways to get better at serving it.

Six years later, this means just as much, if not more, than the first time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 💚

Eric D. Garcia

📸 Proudly Human-Made Graphic by J. Shuck | Tapir