Royal Canin, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., announced Heather Pasquale as the general manager of the U.S. Vet Business Unit of its North American business unit, effective July 1. Pasquale succeeds Jean-Lin Pelatan, who was named general manager, Global Business-to-Business Platform at the Royal Canin global headquarters in Aimargues, France. She will serve as a member of the Royal Canin North America leadership team.
In her new role, Pasquale will be responsible for growing the Royal Canin North America veterinary business by strengthening relationships with veterinary customers, expanding product offerings, and providing educational opportunities for veterinary partners.
“I am confident my experiences across Mars and those roles prior to joining Mars prepared me for this great honor and challenge,” said Pasquale. “With the amazing team already in place, I know we are going to make a tremendous impact on pets and the people who care for them.”
Pasquale joined Mars in 2017, where she gained experience across the veterinary industry as she led a region of nearly 200 hospitals for Banfield Pet Hospital. She joined Royal Canin in 2022, leading Vetsource International, where she developed an independent vet pharmacy online derived from the Vetsource U.S. model and deployed it in new markets.
Prior to these positions, Pasquale held multiple roles of increasing responsibility, ranging from Registered Pharmacist to Regional Healthcare Manager, District Manager and Regional Sales Manager with CVS Health, managing up to $1.5 billion in sales.
“Our business and our partners will benefit greatly under Heather’s leadership, which will leverage her vast experience across the veterinary industry both regionally and globally,” said Daryn Brown, regional president Royal Canin North America. “She not only understands our current business and industry, but she has a keen understanding of future trends and will help our customers prepare for upcoming needs in pet care. Heather is committed to making A Better World for Pets and the veterinary industry as a whole.”
Pasquale holds a bachelor of science degree from Albany College of Pharmacy.
According to Petfood Industry’s Top Pet Food Companies, Mars Petcare is one of the top two pet food companies on Earth. Its nearly 50 pet food brands include five, billion-dollar brands. The company is increasingly looking to diversify its revenue streams. Mars Petcare also owns the BluePearl chain of emergency and specialty veterinary care clinics Banfield and VCA animal hospitals.
