The veterinary profession of Australia and New Zealand lost an outstanding leader and professional when Frazer Allan died last week. I knew Frazer for about 32 years and have always found him to be the same person, regardless of his station, which moved from being a junior staff member and postgraduate student to Head of Institute at Massey, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Victoria University and Head of School at Sydney University. He always was open, friendly, humble, cheerful and most of all enthusiastic. His enthusiasm was to me his greatest and most admirable distinguishing feature. He enthused about the profession and its future, the Black Caps, wine, food, his family and his cycling. His openness, cheerful smile and gregarious nature made him a pleasure to be around. I have no doubt that his future would have led on to bigger and brighter things than his already stellar achievements if he had lived on.
Frazer demonstrated his academic leadership in energetically preparing the Massey Veterinary School for its re-accreditation. He put an enormous effort into preparation and said to me once that he didn’t think that he would be up to doing it again. However, subsequently, he repeated that dedication in leading the University of Sydney Veterinary School to its reaccreditation last year. I witnessed this repeated dedicated preparation as the Chair of a Mock Accreditation Team that he assembled to assist in the preparations.
The world is less bright after his passing. He will be missed.