VIRBAC - Key Persons

Pierre-Richard Dick's extraordinary strength of character was rooted in a childhood replete with hardships. In 1940, the loss of his father following injuries to the forehead during World War II left him orphaned and a ward of the State at just three years of age. That same year, his mother is forced to surrender the family home to German troops in Saverne, Alsace. She would raise her son alone, first in Dijon, then in Africa. At 11 years old, in the family sawmill in Schirmeck, Pierre-Richard Dick's ankle is crushed by a logging truck. Another severe blow from which he would once again recover, after nine months of forced immobilization. Even going so far as to travel a thousand miles on foot across the Mauritanian Desert a decade later, during his military service with the Spahis! It was in the face of adversity that Pierre-Richard Dick built a foundation of values that would form a creed for his entire life. Pierre-Richard Dick was and would forever remain a workaholic. He slept very little: three to four hours a night. And demonstrated an insatiable curiosity. He never stopped reading, researching, travelling, and meeting frequently with people, documenting all his observations and ideas in the small notebook that he always had on him. How many times would his employees find a page of his notebook or a scientific article published in other regions on their desk, with a suggestion from him to delve into the subject! For the veterinary doctor, knowledge and curiosity, which are at the root of innovation, as well as audacity and risk-taking, are the foundation of the greatest collective successes. These are the cardinal points of the Virbac spirit that our teams continue to espouse today. Pierre-Richard Dick speaks to a gathering of veterinarians and Virbac employees at a reception at the Nice City Hall at the beginning of the '80s. Pierre-Richard Dick at the helm of his boat during the Swan Cup in 1982. Doctor Dick, his wife and their four children could often be found on board the family boat, sharing simple pleasures. It is at his side that his son, Jean-Pierre, discovers sailing, the pleasures and sensations of the regatta. It was also an opportunity to bond with his father. Campsite in Mauritania: towards the end of the '50s, after his veterinary studies, doctor Pierre-Richard Dick travels more than a thousand kilometers in the desert as part of his military service. He uncovers a budding talent for leadership that will become his strength later in life. Pierre-Richard Dick speaks to a gathering of veterinarians and Virbac employees at a reception at the Nice City Hall at the beginning of the '80s. Pierre-Richard Dick at the helm of his boat during the Swan Cup in 1982. Doctor Dick, his wife and their four children could often be found on board the family boat, sharing simple pleasures. It is at his side that his son, Jean-Pierre, discovers sailing, the pleasures and sensations of the regatta. It was also an opportunity to bond with his father.