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The Alabama Veterinary Medical Association (VLMA) named Dr. Hank Lee of Lee Veterinary Clinic the 2022 Veterinarian of the Year.

The award was presented during an annual awards luncheon held in conjunction with the Emerald Coast Veterinary Conference at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Fla.

Lee Vet serves south Alabama, northwest Florida and southeastern Mississippi for everything companion and large animal veterinary related, according to its website.

The clinic is a full-service mixed-animal practice that was established in 2002 by Lee and his wife, Lacey.

Lee grew up on a beef cattle and row-crop farm in Atmore. He received his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in 1996, followed by a DVM from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000.

In 2002 he and his wife, Dr. Lacey Lee, started Lee Veterinary Clinic P.C. They have grown to a five-doctor mixed-animal practice with a 20,000 square foot hospital complete with equine surgical and haul-in cattle facilities. Hank and Lacey have two children, Emily and Gus, who enjoy spending time in and around the practice.

Lee is fulltime large animal veterinarian, with most of his time devoted to equine lameness and surgery. He heads up the equine podiatry section of the practice. Together with the team of hospital farriers, they work together to help area veterinarians and horse owners with their more problematic lameness cases.

Atmore Animal Hospital’s Dr. Steven Shirley said Lee helped guide him down a path to wanting to be a veterinarian.

“I’m glad I know him,” Shirley said. “There’s not another human on the planet like Hank Lee.”