The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine has recognized Dr. Dennis Summers as the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Summers is Chief of the Division of Animal Health responsible for protecting and promoting the health of Ohio livestock and poultry.

Dr. Summers was born and raised in Muskingum County and earned a bachelor's degree in animal science at The Ohio State University followed by the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2006.  In 2019, Dr. Summers was certified as a member of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

Dr. Summers serves as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve as an Army Medical Officer.

Following graduation, Dr. Summers practiced in Vermont and Pennsylvania with a concentration on dairy medicine before joining the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

On his appointment as State Veterinarian, Dr. Summers commented that one of his responsibilities would be to support the poultry industry and protect it from disease.  The Ohio Animal Diagnostic Laboratory has functioned at a high level of efficiency in past weeks following numerous outbreaks of HPAI with six large commercial farms impacted requiring depopulation of close to 4 million birds.