By Staff
Monday, November 11, 2019 12:16 AM
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass.—For the tenth year, the
Opticians Association of Massachusetts(OAM) held their annual meeting at the Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center at the site of the former American Optical Company on Nov. 2 and 3. As part of the weekend, a tribute was held at the
Optical Heritage Museum for the late Charles Walsh, where a plaque was installed in his honor. Chuck Walsh, who was the founding program director for the opticianry program at Worcester Industrial Technical Institute and taught there for 32 years, passed away last year. Friends and family attended the event, as did some of Walsh's former students. The students said he was the best teacher they ever had, adding that they now have successful careers because of him, Diane Matuck of the association told VMAIL. "Through education and support of his state association, Chuck dedicated his career to the advancement of opticianry. Dr. William Underwood of the
National Academy of Opticianry awarded Walsh their highest honor, the Hall of Fame award, to his family at the tribute for his contributions to education," she noted.
By Staff
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 7:00 AM
NEW YORK—Time is running out to vote in this year’s 11th annual EyeVote Readers’ Choice Awards—voting will end tomorrow, Nov. 8 at 11:59 p.m. The Readers’ Choice Awards are sponsored by
Vision Monday and
20/20 Magazine. The two Jobson Medical Information publications have teamed up once again to collect readers’ opinions by asking optical retailers’ and ECPs to
identify their favorite products in 16 distinct categories.
By Staff
Friday, October 25, 2019 12:18 AM
CARLSBAD, Calif.—
Spy Optic announced that Joe Freitag has returned to the brand in the newly created role of vice president of brand. Freitag originally joined Spy in 1999 as part of the marketing team. Prior to his return, he held multiple senior level positions in the industry, including general manager and director of product at
Kaenon and global brand director at
Arnette Eyewear. In his new role at Spy, Freitag will be responsible for the guidance and alignment of Spy’s marketing and product strategy on a global level, the company said in a statement.
By Staff
Thursday, October 24, 2019 12:21 AM
PORT CHESTER, NY—Long-time
Zyloware Eyewear employee and optician Frank Albhon died Oct. 13, Zyloware announced. Albhon, who was 64, was an integral part of Zyloware’s Quality Assurance team.
By Staff
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 12:24 AM
GOLDEN, Colo.—Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has established a new Board of Directors to oversee the organization, according to an announcement. Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon, president of CooperVision’s Specialty Eye Care Division, is the president of the new board. He previously served as Optometry Giving Sight’s chair of their Advisory Council U.S.A. and the Global Board for several years. Joining Dr. Aragón on the board are: Dr. Howard Purcell, president and CEO of the New England College of Optometry; Yvette Waddell, CEO of Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation; Dr. Susan Cooper, former president of the World Council of Optometry; and Dr. Earl Smith, former Dean of the University of Houston College of Optometry.
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By Staff
Friday, October 18, 2019 12:15 AM
ATLANTA—Craig Johnson has joined contact lens maker
Visioneering Technologies Inc.(VTI) in the role of quality specialist, based in their Alpharetta, Ga. headquarters. Johnson will be responsible for ongoing management of field quality activities including materials copy review administration and tracking, label inspection and control, sales team training, complaint handling and customer feedback. “Craig’s background makes him an ideal match for our company,” said Brian Lane, chief financial officer. “He brings significant knowledge of the quality role which is critical to VTI’s growth in the near future. We are happy to have him as a part of our team.”
By Staff
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 12:15 AM
BALTIMORE, Md.—David Hall, former CEO of managed vision care vision care company
Spectera/United HealthCare Vision, passed away at home on September 6, following a brief illness. He was 67 years old. Hall had led the growth of Baltimore-based Spectera from a small, regional vision care plan into one of the nation’s largest plans with over $450 million in revenue at the time of his retirement in 2007. Hall also fostered the sale of Spectera to health care giant United Health Group in 2001 and continued as CEO of UHG’s United HealthCare vision care and dental divisions until his retirement.
By Staff
Monday, September 30, 2019 12:18 AM
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Last week, The
Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, International (NORA) announced the six winners of their awards for contributions to the area of neuro optometric rehabilitation. The winners—five individuals and one organization—were recognized at NORA’s 28th Annual Conference, which took place in Scottsdale, Arizona. This year’s winner for NORA’s awards for contributions to the area of neuro optometric rehabilitation are Eric Singman, MD, Ph.D. and Patrick Quaid, Optometrist, FCOVD, Ph.D.; the Concussion Legacy Foundation; DeAnn Fitzgerald, OD; Curt Baxstrom, OD FCOVD, FAAO; and Gary Esterow.
By Staff
Tuesday, September 24, 2019 12:18 AM
STEVENSON, Md.—The
Maryland Optometric Association (MOA) has announced its full list of award winners for 2019. This year’s winners will be honored during the MOA’s two-day Annual Convention, which will take place from Nov. 2-3, 2019, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. More than 400 doctors of optometry from throughout the state are registered to attend this year’s MOA Annual Convention, which the Association says is a “historic, sell out crowd.”
By Staff
Tuesday, September 24, 2019 12:15 AM
BOSTON—
New England College of Optometry (NECO) has announced that Morris Berman, OD, MS has joined the school faculty as adjunct professor. Dr. Berman received his optometric education in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Then, he earned his Doctor of Optometry and Master of Science in Physiological Optics degrees at the University of Houston, College of Optometry and completed a residency at the Optometric Center of New York in 1968. Before joining NECO, Dr. Berman served as the dean of the School of Optometry at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester, Massachusetts.
By Staff
Thursday, September 19, 2019 12:15 AM
CHICAGO—
Prevent Blindness, the nation's oldest eye health and safety non-profit organization, announced that the
2020 Persons of Vision Award will go to
VSP Global and its president and CEO Michael Guyette. The event will take place on March 26, 2020, at 583 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y., in conjunction with
Vision Expo East. All proceeds from the event will go to support the sight-saving programs of Prevent Blindness.
By Staff
Friday, September 6, 2019 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—
SUNY Optometry has announced that Deborah Amster, OD, will join the school as the new chief of pediatric service. She will head the implementation of the University’s new Center for Pediatric Eye Care, which is set to open in early 2020 and will offer expanded services to children and their families. Dr. Amster previously spent 16 years teaching and conducting research, which included participating in national multi-center studies like PDIG (Pediatric Eye Disease Group) and CITT (Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial) at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) ’s College of Optometry. In addition, she is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Amster completed her residency in pediatrics and binocular vision at NSU after graduating from the New England College of Optometry in 2001.