Serving Community Along with Patients is Important to Knapp

By KATHLEEN L. RADCLIFF

Published: Monday, February 11, 2008 5:07 PM EST

If the family dog gets a muzzle full of porcupine quills or the cat has a persistent furball, Clintonville residents have a veterinarian to turn to that is more like a family friend than their pet's doctor.

Paul Knapp, DVM has been selected as the 2008 Business Person of the Year by the Clintonville Chamber of Commerce.

Knapp, along with 2008 Booster Volunteer of the Year Tim McCoy and attache, 2008 Business of the Year, will be honored at the eighth Chamber Awards Dinner and Silent Auction. It's scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22, at the Blackwell Hotel on the Ohio State University campus, 2110 Tuttle Park Place.

The Buckeyes campus is a familiar one to Knapp, a graduate of the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. A lifelong Clintonville resident, Knapp is graduate of North High School.

The Knapp Veterinary Hospital, located at 596 Oakland Park Ave., has been serving Clintonville area residents and their pets since 1945, according to information from the chamber. Knapp Veterinary Hospital was started in 1945 by Paul Knapp's father, Harold Knapp, DVM.

"I think it is an honor to have been chosen," as the Business Person of the Year, Knapp said, as he remembered those who have been selected before, such as Colonial Candy Shoppe owner Melissa Goodrich in 2007.

Previous winners include Brenda Pinnell, of Bernie's Garage, in 2006, Katie Palmer of SoBo Style in 2005, Anand Saha of Mozart's in 2004, G. Scott Smith of Weir Arend Funeral Home in 2003, D Searcy of Terra Cotta in 2002 and Paul Love of Coldwell Banker King Thompson in 2001.

"It feels pretty good -- really good," he said. "It's an honor that people think of me like those who have been chosen before me.

"I've known these people forever."

Knapp is a founding member of Clintonville's Chamber. That was during a time when Columbus Chamber leaders told Clintonville's founding members it couldn't be done because they were in Columbus, according to Clintonville Realtor and fellow founding member Paul Love.

"He is not just a Clintonville business owner and resident, but he is deeply involved in the community," Chamber Dinner Chairwoman Lynne Genter said in a written release.

"From his work with the chamber and the Polar Bear Alumni Association, to Pilot Dogs, to the July Fourth Pet Parade, Paul has always worked to help Clintonville," she said.

"It's a ball, " Knapp said, regarding his annual coordination and judging of the long-standing Fourth of July tradition in Whetstone Park.

Besides the usual dogs and cats, past contestants have included turtles, snakes and a pet tarantula.

Knapp said his family, friends, colleagues and employees -- numbering about 40 -- were pleased to hear he had been selected as the 2008 Business Person of the Year.

"But, I've still got the same home and office duties as before," he said.

"They wanted to make sure my head still fit through the door," he chuckled, adding he and his family, including his grandchildren, will be at the celebration Feb. 22. The one exception is his son, Robert, who carries the love of veterinary medicine into the next generation.

"This year, my son is president of the OVMA (Ohio Veterinary Medical Association), and he can't come because that is the same time they are holding the Midwest Veterinary Conference at the Convention Center," Knapp said.

However, Knapp said his son got his two cents worth in on his dad's award.

"He was very pleased," Knapp said. "He said, 'That's really great, Dad.' "