Simmons Southwest

Dr. Doyle Watson provides the vision and leadership for Simmons & Associates’ corporate office and operates our Southeast regional office. He is well respected among veterinary colleagues as an expert in appraisal and brokerage. Dr. Watson earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia and established two small animal practices in Georgia.

In 1985, he purchased half interest in Simmons & Associates and established and managed our East Coast office. Dr. Watson later fully acquired Simmons & Associates nationwide in 1990 and set up our regional network of 12 offices to serve veterinarians throughout the United States and Canada.

To share the latest clinical and management information with our profession, Dr. Watson founded Veterinary Forum, a national veterinary journal. After leading the publication as its president and CEO, he sold the journal in 1996. Dr. Watson is a licensed real estate broker in seven Southeastern states and a licensed veterinarian in Georgia and Florida. In addition to veterinary association memberships, Dr. Watson belongs to the American Society of Appraisers and Institute of Business Appraisers. He lectures on veterinary practice sales and valuations nationwide.

Dr. Watson prides himself in the assemblage of a professional, talented, multi-functional staff and is confident in their ability to perform every function and service we provide. His primary job is the initial contact with prospective sellers and personally performing each practice appraisal to ensure an accurate value, price (which may often be different figures), and terms of financing. Additionally, he is in direct contact with every buyer who has visited a practice and expresses an interest in the pursuit of ownership. He spends hours over the telephone, detailing the precise methodology of his appraisal process and how he arrived at the value or price. In that discussion, he also details the various terms available and what the buyer can expect as personal income after all expenses have been made.

Although you will find him often with a sense of humor, most often you will appreciate the sound business advice and unofficial tax and legal advice he offers in all aspects of the business of contract creation, practice sale, purchase, ownership, and management.

Sean brings a decade of experience working with Veterinarians. Having previously spent his entire professional career in banking Sean started working with Veterinarians exclusively when he went to work for Bank of America’s Practice Solutions Group. There he focused on the New England and New York Veterinary lending market. He focused on helping associates become owners via either acquisitions or through start-ups. From this role, he left to join a Fintech start-up that specialized in lending to doctors. In his role at Provide, Sean was tasked with building the brand for Provide in the Veterinary lending market. During this time, he continued his working relationship with Simmons & Associates. Jim approached Sean regarding his own transition plan. And in 2021 Sean took over the Simmons & Associates market for New England and New York.

Sean is excited to bring his experience on what he has learned on the buy-side of the transaction to help owners navigate their transition. He has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars in his career. And there is a high probability you have attended one of these seminars or have met him at a trade show over the last decade.

Sean was born in Connecticut and grew up in Central New York. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. He currently resides in Milton, MA just across the line from Boston. With family spread throughout all New England and New York, there is not a part of his territory that he hasn’t traveled to. When Sean is not traveling you can find him spending time with his wife, son, and crazy lab. If he can occasionally sneak in 18 holes of golf, he is very happy.

Having worked with Simmons Southeast for 21+ years, Sheila prides herself in multi-tasking in all facets of our services. She is very knowledgeable and experienced in the industry. One very important function is to dovetail with Dr. Watson in contract negotiations. However, her most challenging function comes into play at the point of contract, getting financing together and orchestrating all closing details amongst both parties, their professional advisers, and the lender all the way to the closing table. Unpredictable, unique, and apparently insurmountable challenges surface with almost every transaction. She is the ramrod, foreman, and problem solver and is great at it. For this reason, we just do not lose our contracts once made. Sheila also manages the day-to-day structure and operations of the Southeast office. If anyone needs assistance, Sheila is the helper.

Sheila is very business-oriented and knowledgeable yet buoyant, personable, and approachable. Married with two sons and a daughter-in-law, she enjoys family time. She spends her free time in her church, entertaining family and friends, and traveling in the family’s motor home (especially to Athens for football games and to their 2nd home in the Blue Ridge Mountains). Regardless of which service we are providing you, Sheila is in the mix; you will get to know her very well.