AlpacaGram 10.13 | 2023 James G King Award Recipient

the 2023 James G. King Industry Award winner is ...

Bonnie Potter, Fair Winds Alpacas

This award, created in 2012, was named in honor of Jim King, a longtime member and Board Member of both the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) and Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI) who passed away unexpectedly on April 5, 2012. The James G. King Industry Recognition Award is awarded by the Alpaca Owners Association, Inc. (AOA) Board of Directors to a person who has given of themselves exceptionally and consistently toward the betterment of the alpaca industry.

Bonnie Potter has shown and continues to show generosity of spirit and kindness along with a dedication to the industry and our beloved alpacas. Locally, she has always been ready to assist alpaca owners. At area shows she has been a regular and dependable ring steward. At the affiliate level, she joined the UC Davis Camelid Symposium Committee after its first offering in 2006. She, Jan and Dale Davis, Joan Clappier, and others were instrumental in the Symposium’s 10-year success through the final offering at UC Davis in 2016. Bonnie met with the UC Davis Dean of Veterinary Medicine to advocate for camelid research and camelid education. She then directly supported the research efforts by allowing her alpacas to be used to study antibiotic dosing, camelid antibodies, and the optimization of pain relief during routine castration.

Bonnie has served nationally, first on Government and Industry Relations Committee (GIRCom) and then on the ARI and AOA Boards. Bonnie continues to serve on GIRCom. With AOBA President Libby Forstner, ARI Executive Director Darby Vannier, and our attorney Sheri Visani, she steered the two organizations through the merger process and then served as AOA’s first president.

The first woman physician to become a flag officer in the military. Bonnie became a one-star Admiral in 1997, and a two-star admiral in 2000. Bonnie continues to serve the military through extensive activities with the Navy League on the local and national levels.

Please congratulate the 2023 James G. King Award recipient, Retired Rear Admiral, Dr. Bonnie Potter!