news

Hot List: April 2009

3 April Windfalls

People expecting tax refunds filed earlier this year—by the end of February—according to NRF's Tax Returns Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Among consumers surveyed:

68.4% expect a refund

48% will use their refund to pay debts

38.9% plan to save their refund money

11% intend to make a major purchase

26.7% say they will use the refund to pay for everyday expenses

Santinelli

OAA Relocates HQ's, Hires New Executive Director

The Opticians Association of America has relocated its corporate headquarters to Lakeland, Tenn., a suburb of Memphis.

"OAA is making this strategic move to take advantage of a central location with a cost-effective environment for the organization to grow," commented Tom Hicks, OAA president. "The move will allow more opticians to have better access to our numerous services and benefits."

The organization has also named Chris Allen executive director. Allen has over 12 years of public relations experience, fundraising, government affairs, executive leadership, and general business administration. His previous roles include a position on the staff of former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), executive director of the Hardwood Forest Foundation and the Hardwood Federation, and executive director of MPACT Memphis.

The OAA's new address is: 4064 E. Fir Hill Drive, Lakeland, Tenn., 38002. Telephone is 901-388-2423.

Essilor Alliance and Acquisitions

Essilor International and Nikon Corporation have formed a strategic alliance in research by forming a 50/50 joint venture, Nikon and Essilor International Joint Research Center Co., Ltd., located in Kanagawa, Japan.

The Research Center extends the partnership already established through Nikon-Essilor Co., Ltd. The new venture will conduct research and development mainly in materials, optics, and ophthalmic areas.

In acquisition news, during the fourth quarter of 2008, Essilor acquired at least a majority interest in seven U.S. wholesale labs. Acquisitions include Varilux distributors Pech Optical Corp. in Iowa, SouthWest Lens Corp. in Texas, and Collard Rose Optical Laboratory in California. Essilor also acquired all outstanding shares of Next Generation Ophthalmics, Inc., a majority stake in Dependable Optics, Inc., and the assets of Hi-Tech Optical, Inc., and Pinnacle LLC.

PIO 2009 to Focus on Finance

Primary Eyecare Network (PEN) will present the fourth in its series of programs focused on Preserving Independent Optometry, PIO 2009. Focusing on financials and marketing, PIO 2009 will take place at the Claremont Resort & Spa in Berkeley Hills, Calif., May 16 to 17.

For more information, call PEN at 800-444-9230 or visit PEN's website at www.PrimaryEye.net.

Perfect Optics and Expert Optics to Produce Zeiss Lenses

Perfect Optics of Vista, Calif., and Expert Optics of Shorewood, Ill., are now certified to produce Zeiss Individual, Zeiss GT2 3D, Zeiss GT2 3D Short, and the rest of the manufacturer's line of customized PALs.

"Carl Zeiss Vision's customized lenses employ proprietary real-time calculation engines and a patented back surface production process," says Claude Labeeuw, the company's vice president for business development. "This new technology requires a unique certification process to assure the highest level of quality."

Perfect Optics was founded in 2006. In addition to Carl Zeiss, the lab's other corporate partner is VSP. Expert Optics has offered a full range of lab services for 30 years.

Blake Kuwahara Launches

Design Collective

Award-winning eyewear designer Blake Kuwahara is launching a new collaborative design collective, Focus Group West, a multi-disciplinary company designed to service various segments of the optical industry.

Kuwahara recently resigned from his position as vice president, creative director for REM Eyewear and Base Curve, a position he held for five and a half years.

Focus Group West will specialize in product development and branding for eyewear markets and beyond. "We believe there is a void in the marketplace for a creative resource that can provide design and branding services for not only wholesalers and fashion houses, but to independent optometrists and retailers as well," Kuwahara said.

"Focus Group West will serve as a hub for the interaction between product, graphic, and interior designers, architects, and public relations specialists to design, develop, and promote product, interior spaces, and create brand identity for eyewear and fashion companies."

Kuwahara will be joined by former REM colleague Thomas Ferguson, who will be serving as key eyewear designer.

In addition, architect John Lum, who gained notoriety for his now iconic Urban Eyes dispensary design, will offer architectural services to all Focus Group West clients.

Niki Ostin of PR Lab, who handled the launch of Carolina Herrera Eyewear and John Varvatos Eyewear, and who works with top accessory, fashion, and entertainment brands, will be overseeing public relations campaigns for clients of Focus Group West.

Focus Group West is currently discussing potential projects with clients both within and outside the eyewear industry.

"The launch of Focus Group West comes at a time when retailers and wholesalers need to sharpen their game to bring to market product that will resonate with consumers and speak to the essence of the brand," Ferguson said.

VSP's

Sight for Students Hits Milestone

VSP's charitable Sight for Students program announced it helped the 500,000th child since its inception in 1997. The program has funded almost $100 million in free eyecare and eyewear for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured children.

VSP's Sight for Students program offers qualified families with vouchers to visit one of their 25,000 network doctors who provide comprehensive eye exams, identify vision issues, and prescribe glasses during their visit. "This is a significant milestone for us because investing in the community is at the heart of VSP's mission as a company," said VSP president and CEO Rob Lynch.

According to a recent nationwide study, more than 76 percent of American children under the age of five have never received a comprehensive eye exam, and one in four kids in every classroom has vision problems.

VSP works with nonprofit community organizations to deliver Sight for Students eyecare including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Communities in Schools, Head Start, National Association of School Nurses, and Prevent Blindness America. "Sight for Students exemplifies the kind of impactful work that our 275 Alliance partners engage in every day to improve the lives of children and youth in this country," said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America's Promise Alliance.

Web World

The Paraoptometric Section of the American Optometric Association (AOA) has a new Online Paraoptometric Training-Navigator (OPT-N) program that provides online training for paraoptometric staff through the AOA website. The new program is offered for the first six months of 2009 free of charge to AOA Paraoptometric Section members.

The OPT-N program is a skills-focused training format for those new to paraoptometry. The program aims to increase the knowledge base for new support staff before they receive on-the-job training from the optometrist. For more information, visit the AOA website, located at www.aoa.org/OPT-N.xml.

VISTAKON, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., has launched ACUMINDER In-Office, the latest version of the company's free online ACUMINDER contact lens compliance and reminder service.

ACUMINDER In-Office lets eyecare professionals sign up patients for regular reminders to help them remember when to change their contact lenses, purchase new lenses, and schedule an eye exam. To register your practice for ACUMINDER In-Office, visit the website www.acuminder.com/doctor.

VSP® Vision Care has launched a wellness program, GetFIT, for members, clients, and visitors to vsp.com. The new program was modeled after a successful internal wellness program that VSP currently offers to its own employees.

The GetFIT section of the Eyecare Discovery Center on vsp.com contains many tools and resources to help visitors on their path to a healthier lifestyle. Participants can use a variety of interactive forms to track progress, establish goals, and stay motivated.

PIXEL Partners with Transitions

PixelOptics and Transitions Optical have forged a partnership to offer Transitions lenses in PixelOptics' composite lens designs. "Our company has always strived not only to improve the eyesight of our customers, but to constantly develop innovative products that will enhance their vision experience as a whole," commented Ronald Blum, OD, president and CEO of PixelOptics.

Added Transitions' Brian Hauser, director, lens manufacturer and trade channel sales, "With this partnership, labs and ECPs can now offer consumers the comfort and convenience of Transitions lenses in the latest lens design technology."

ON THE TOWN

ClearVision's National Sales Meeting (photos shown top to bottom) took place January 16 to 19 at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Fla. The hands-on training experience gave each ClearVision sales consultant face time with an expert panel of industry specialists.

The official inauguration ceremony of the "Guglielmo Tabacchi" Gallery took place at the Padua headquarters of Safilo Group following a major renovation and extension project. The event also included the main celebration of the company's 75th birthday. The Guglielmo Tabacchi Gallery is one of the largest, most comprehensive private collection of spectacles and artifacts linked to the optical sector.

Carl Zeiss Vision–Florida, formerly Tri-City Optical, unveiled its new, high-tech look to eyecare professionals in a grand reopening held on February 5. The open house was hosted by Richard Hoerbelt, lab manager; Don Oakley, VSP's president for ophthalmic operations; and Fred Howard, Carl Zeiss Vision's president Americas–Pacific.

In addition, Carl Zeiss Vision has opened a full-service, VSP-approved laboratory colocated within the Legends VSP laboratory based in Lewisville, Texas.