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Lloyd, William Eugene

Published onAug 20, 2021
Lloyd, William Eugene
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(October 16, 1924 – April 25, 2017)

Quick Facts

Alumnus, Iowa State donor, and founder of VET-A-MIX, which provided tablets, liquids, and powder to veterinarians and veterinary distributors for animal drug treatment and animal nutrition purposes.


Iowa State University’s Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Richard F. Ross, described William E. Lloyd as a veterinarian “who has been successful in three careers – as a veterinary practitioner, a veterinary toxicologist, and founder of a highly-successful veterinary products business in Shenandoah.” This productive and successful trilogy began with his veterinary medical degree.

William Eugene “Gene” Lloyd was born on Oct. 16, 1924 in rural Villisca, to William Thomas and Reffa Virginia (Altaffer) Lloyd. Thereafter, the family moved to an 80 acre homestead farm northeast of Red Oak. Eugene was studying veterinary medicine at Iowa State College (now University) and enlisted in the Naval Air Force in 1943. Having been put on leave by the Navy he had an opportunity to join the Army and continue his veterinary training.

In 1944 the Army terminated these professional training programs and Eugene was honorably discharged. He would go on to resume his studies at Iowa State supported by the G.I. Bill. On Dec. 28, 1949 Noma Scott and William “Gene” Lloyd were married in the Presbyterian Church, in Burt, Iowa, Noma’s home town.

After working in a small animal practice in Ohio for a year, he located in a general veterinary practice in Essex and Shenandoah, Iowa, for a dozen years.

It was in 1959 that Lloyd founded VET-A-MIX, Inc. a business that earned the Iowa Small Business Exporter of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1990. VET-A-MIX, from its start, provided tablets, liquids, and powder to veterinarians and veterinary distributors for animal drug treatment and animal nutrition purposes. Fifty-five people have been employed in the business that markets its products across the U.S. and in foreign countries ranging from Hong Kong and Australia to Europe, Arabia and the United Kingdom. In 1996, the firm changed its name to Lloyd, Inc.

Lloyd returned to ISU campus in 1965 as a part-time graduate student working toward a doctorate with a major in veterinary pathology and a minor in animal nutrition. After completing his studies in 1970 he became a visiting associate professor of veterinary pathology in the Iowa Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Then in 1974 he became professor of veterinary pathology in charge of toxicology at the Diagnostic Laboratory. It was a post he was to hold for eight years.

Lloyd was married to Linda Lockwood in the Presbyterian Church in Shenandoah on June 21, 1992.  He also was honored with the Iowa State University Distinguished Alumnus Award.

The Lloyds were the lead donors in the expansion and renovation of the veterinary teaching hospital, the largest facility project since the College of Veterinary Medicine facility was constructed in the mid-1970s. The facility is named in the Lloyds' honor. That gift is one of many they have provided to Iowa State and the College of Veterinary Medicine, as they also established the W. Eugene and Linda R. Lloyd Endowed Professorship in Veterinary Medicine and the Lloyd Fund for Veterinary Medicine.

Gene served as an ISU Foundation Governor. The Lloyds are members of the Order of the Knoll President's Circle and have served on two capital campaign committees. Gene served on the ISU Research Foundation board and College of Veterinary Medicine Dean's Advisory Committee. He received the Outstanding Service Award from the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology, was cited by the Iowa Farm Bureau in its 150th anniversary program, "Iowans Who Made a Difference," and was cited as one of 28 leaders in Veterinary Medicine in the United States during the mid-20th century.

Selections of text republished with permission from Iowans who made a difference: 150 years of agricultural progress by Don Muhm and Virginia Wadsley, published by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, 1996.

Selected Source

http://www.hackettlivingston.com/obituary/182874/Dr-W-Lloyd/

"Alumni News," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 26 : Iss. 2 , (1963) Article 13

ISU Foundation, donor profile. https://www.foundation.iastate.edu/s/1463/giving/interior.aspx?pgid=1052&gid=1&cid=6450

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