ST. PAUL, Minn.—Craig Giles, a veteran wholesale optical laboratory executive, passed away at his home here on Jan. 1, 2020. Giles joined Soderberg Ophthalmic Services in 1982, serving as executive vice president/general manager until 2014. When Soderberg merged with Walman Optical in 2005, he joined Walman and served in senior management roles until his retirement in 2015. He was a member of Walman’s board of directors from 2005 to 2016, and also served as vice president of the board of directors of Global Optics from 2011 to 2015, helping manage the company’s daily operations.

He served as president of UMOGD Sight Preservation Foundation from 2003 up until the time of his death. In 2016, Giles was inducted into The Vision Council’s Optical Lab Division Hall of Fame.

A full obituary will be published in an upcoming edition of VMAIL.