Dr. Robert Steinkraus of Milwaukee - 1983

Dr.  Robert Steinkraus of Milwaukee - WVMA President 1983

Robert Steinkraus, DVM 

  Photo:  Courtesy of Dr. Bob Steinkraus

       The greatest challenge that I had during my term was my attempt to break away from the traditional meeting in the winter in Milwaukee and chance the site and the time of these meetings.  The challenge mainly originated from our executive secretary, Bill O’Rourke.  It was easier to continue on in the way we have done in the past than to change it.  But we did change it.  The first meeting we had was in La Crosse in fall, and it was just so wonderful.  It just made all my work worthwhile and it makes me feel good now, over the years, when I see the meetings coming up ad they come at different time and in different places.

       The dedication of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine gave me a good opport-unity, not that I had a whole lot of to do with it, but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to represent the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association at the dedication of the veterinary school.   The start of the veterinary school in Madison was surely a highlight.  I did actually push for the school during my term as vice-president as I toured around the state to all of the local association meetings and I was proud to be on the stage at the dedication of the school, being the WVMA President at the time.  During my time as president-elect, I really made an attempt to get the veterinary profession 

to support the school at the local association meetings.   I wanted to make sure that we would have a veterinary school that was classy and lived up to the expectations that we hoped for.

       Traditionally, the annual meetings were held in late January or early February, always at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee.  We suffered through some pretty tough weather.   There was one convention that might even had been snowed out.  With that tradition in mind, we even had trouble going from the Schroeder to the Pfister, not wanting to change.  In fact, it was said, if we do change to the Pfister and don’t find it satisfactory, they won’t let us back to the Schroeder Hotel.  But, we went to the Pfister and everything worked out fine.

Editor’s note:  Dr. Bob Steinkraus offered some small changes to his recorded text, back in 1997, as he   reflected on his presidency, now in 2014.

During my presidency

        The greatest challenge that I had during my term was my attempt to break away from the traditional meeting in the winter in Milwaukee and change the site and the time of these

meetings. The challenge mainly originated from our executive secretary, Bill O'Rourke. It was easier to continue on in the way we have done in the past than to change it. But we did change it. The first meeting we had was in La Crosse in the fall, and it was just so wonderful. It just made all my work worthwhile and it makes me feel good now, over the years, when I see the meetings coming up and they come at different time and in different places.

        The difficulties that I had were not too different from anyone else's. This was a time when we were having some problems with the executive secretary. The WVMA began to think about needing a new person in that position.

Dedication of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine

        I had a good opportunity, not that I had a whole lot to do with it, but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to represent the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association at the dedication of the veterinary school. During my time as president-elect, I really made an attempt to get the veterinary profession to support the school at the local association meetings. I wanted to make sure that we would have a veterinary school that was classy and lived up to the expectations that we hoped for.

Annual and summer meetings

        Our meeting was held in the fall at La Crosse, as I mentioned before. I was too nervous presiding at the meeting to remember much else. The summer meeting was held at the veterinary school.

        Traditionally, the annual meetings were held in late January or early February, always at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee. We suffered through some pretty tough weather. There was one convention that might even had been snowed out. With that tradition in mind, we even had trouble going from the Schroeder to the Pfister, not wanting to change. In fact, it was said, if we do change to the Pfister and don't find it satisfactory, they won't let us back to the Schroeder Hotel. But, we went to the Pfister and everything worked out fine.

Personal information

        I lived about a block away from Frank Gentile's Lisbon Animal Hospital and, as a high school student, I got a job as a kennel boy there. That solidified my interest in veterinary medicine. I went to the University of Minnesota. First, I went to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a semester and then, through an influential Minnesota alumnus, he got me into the pre-vet program at Minnesota. At that time they weren't taking any out-of-state students. I joined Farmhouse Fraternity and got to know some of the professors and got into veterinary school and graduated in 1953.

         Carol and I were married in 1950 and so she got her PhT “pushing husband through” when we graduated in 1953. Our family is grown now. We have four children, two boys, two girls and five grandchildren.