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Alicia Isenberg

AWARDS

Prevent Blindness America has named Real Kids Shades as one of the recipients of the Star Pupils Inaugural Partner Award. Other honorees include The Abbott Fund, Transitions, Healthy Sight for Life Fund, and VisionDirect.com.

Prevent Blindness America honored Real Kids Shades with the Star Pupils Inaugural Partner Award

VSP Vision Care has been named a Gold Award Winner as the Top Rated Vision Care Company by TopTenREVIEWS.com. The company received an excellent overall rating and was ranked highest in the categories of products and services and help and support.

CooperVision announced the second round of winners of the Gear Up Grant funding: AL Stanback Girls Volleyball Team, Hillsborough, N.C.; Club Olympia Judo, Fond du Lac, Wis.; Crested Butte Junior Nordic Ski Team, Crested Butte, Colo.; Grandview High School Swim Team, Columbus, Ohio; Glades Day School Football Team, Belle Glade, Fla.; La Porte Midget Cheer Team, LaPorte, Ind.; Millennium High School Baseball Team, Tracy, Calif.; Renaissance Magnet High School Weightlifting Program for Self-Esteem, Meridian, Idaho; Rock Hill High School Boys Basketball Team, Catawba, S.C.; and Whitewater Alberta Slalom Canoe/Kayak Team, Calgary, Alberta.

Each team will receive $2,500 in grant funds and each athlete on the team in need of corrective lenses will receive a one-year supply of CooperVision contact lenses.

GOOD DEEDS

FGX International has donated approximately $5.7 million in reading glasses to support charitable causes both in America and worldwide. Most recently, FGX donated 47,000 pairs of reading glasses, half to CURE centers in Haiti and Africa and half toward medical missions to other third-world countries in need.

Essilor and Transitions Optical, Inc., recently sponsored the Brothers' Optical Disney Giveaway Cruise for Brothers' Optical Laboratories, Inc., and 75 of their top accounts as a thank you for their participation in a recent Disney Giveaway promotion.

Believing in the power of tradition, ClearVision Optical currently hosts Toastmasters Club meetings at its Hauppauge headquarters. Twice a month, new and experienced speakers meet to learn to become more effective communicators and receive encouraging and honest feedback on presentations from their peers in a supportive environment.

BUSINESS UPDATES

Eyewear by ROI, the Arizona-based manufacturer and distributor, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in business.

Eyewear by ROI celebrates its milestone anniversary

Orgreen's Skyline Edition of frames and chairs has been selected to be exhibited at the world famous 10 Corso Como concept store in Milan, Italy.

Orgreen's Sklyline Edition on display at 10 Corso Como in Milan

Oakley, Inc., is the official apparel sponsor for Rory McIlroy. The pro golfer will exclusively use Oakley's golf apparel and eyewear as he competes on the PGA tour.

Pro golfer Rory McIlroy has pledged his allegiance to Oakley brand products

Arnette has added an elite snowboard team in support of the 2011 re-launch of its snow goggle program. Joining the team as captain is Devon Walsh. Other members of the Arnette global team include Zac Marben, Dustin Craven, and Sage Kotsenburg.

Arnette introduces its elite global snowboard team

As part of its National Focus on America community outreach program, Davis Vision has partnered with the New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority (NMPSIA) for a vision health initiative that will provide free vision care services to thousands of underserved children.

The American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators has expanded the Optical Dispensing track at its annual meeting, which will be held in San Diego from March 25 through 30.

PEOPLE
Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., has named Cristina M. Schnider, OD, MBA, FAAO, senior director, medical affairs. Schnider will provide strategic direction and leadership for medical affairs in the area of contact lens products.	Cristina M. Schnider, OD, MBA, FAAO, Vistakon
Christopher Allen will spearhead REM Eyewear's new accessories division as director of sunwear and accessories. Allen will lead the charge for building a diversified sales channel for REM outside of the optical arena. REM has also promoted Julie Chi to assistant designer within the product development division. In addition to her responsibilities as product development manager, Chi will drive the Lucky Brand Spectacles and Lucky Kid design.	Christopher Allen, REM Eyewear
Contact lens pioneer and ABB CONCISE consultant Robert B. Mandell, OD, PhD, has retired after a 37-year career in the optical industry. Dr. Mandell taught many optical courses at the University of California, Berkeley, and developed the first one-piece bifocal contact lens without image jump for ABB CONCISE more than 30 years ago. His innovations include research and development on standards for contact lens edges, minus lenticular designs, prism principles, toric designs, and many other aspects of contact lens manufacturing.	Robert B. Mandell, OD, PhD, ABB Concise
Sebastian Copeland, renowned polar explorer and global warming advocate, has joined the Revo brand ambassador team. He joins global water advocate and founder of Blue Legacy International Alexandra Cousteau, world-renowned photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin, and veteran surf legend Wayne Lynch. Marchon Eyewear has appointed Iso Sides as vice president and managing director of Marchon Canada. Sides will replace Rene Levy, who announced his retirement in December of last year. The company also named Iso's son, Felix Sides, vice president of retail and key accounts in Canada. A licensed optician, Felix previously opened the Safilo Canada offices in 1990 and solely managed the Ontario offices during his 16-year stint with the Safilo Group.