People
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1995:
Esther Mechler, founder of the
low-cost neutering referral service Spay/USA
and the Focus on Animals video library, has
won the first annual Geraldine R. Dodge
Humane Ethics in Action Award, a prize of
$10,000 to be used as the winner sees fit.
Begun in 1990, Spay/USA made circa 1,500
referrals a year through 1993; taken over by
the North Shore Animal League in mid-1993
and now run as part of the NSAL-affiliated
Pet Savers Foundation, it made 8,640 refer-
rals, resulting in 14,002 neutering opera-
tions, during the first three months of 1995.
Dennis White, former head of the
American Humane Association animal pro-
tection division, has left, after 19 years, for
undisclosed personal reasons.
Margaret Eldon, president of the
American Anti-Vivisection Society s i n c e
1992, retired and was succeeded on March
29 by Sue Leary; Tina Nelson was named
executive director, a post vacant since 1992.
Former Humane Society of the
U.S. vice president for companion animals
and field services Ken White has left to
become head of animal control in Phoenix.
His exit follows those of HSUS field office
heads Kate Rindy, now executive director
of the Santa Fe Humane Society, and Jim
T e d f o r d, now executive director of the
Louisiana SPCA in New Orleans. Arriving
as HSUS director of animal care and shelter-
ing is Samantha Mullen, former public
affairs and programs administrator for the
New York State Humane Association. Also
leaving HSUS was former director of devel-
opment Arthur Keefe III. Also reportedly
incoming, apparently to do community ser-
vice (HSUS president Paul Irwin i g n o r e d
repeated requests for specifics), is attorney
Deday LaRene. A longtime friend of HSUS
vice president for investigations David Wills,
LaRene represented Joey Giacalone during a
1975 grand jury probe of the disappearance
of Jimmy Hoffa, and in 1988 won the acquit-
tal of former Michigan Ku Klux Klan grand
dragon Robert Miles on sedition charges.
LaRene was recently released from federal
prison after serving a year for helping
Giacalone hide $410,000 from the IRS.
The Animal Protection Institute
has accepted the resignation, effective June
30, of Robert Hillman, program director
for domestics, exotics, and animals in enter-
tainment since 1987.
Former American SPCA e n f o r c e-
ment officer Anne Polster was in April
awarded $70,000 in settlement of a sexu-
