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Five Questions for…

Raanan Naftalovich, CEO of Shamir Insight since 2005, was recently named chairman of The Vision Council. He spoke with EB about The Vision Council’s goals and what’s in store for the optical industry.

EB What do you hope to bring from your experience with Shamir to The Vision Council?

RN One of my major jobs will involve looking for ways to grow the industry. We need to determine how we are going to grow and how we will measure success. My previous experience in both of these areas will allow me to contribute to the overall growth of the industry.

EB What is your agenda with The Vision Council?

RN In 2013, the Board of Directors will focus on activities to bolster growth for the industry. Externally, this means keeping track of relevant government and regulatory affairs issues, innovative technologies, and economic and market trends. Internally, we need to examine four key industry influences: consumer campaigns, International Vision Expos, professional relations, and domestic and international partnerships.

EB The Vision Council is focusing on consumer outreach as well as member services and industry research. Are there other areas of expansion to come?

RN Yes. We are excited about the opportunity to involve vision industry leaders in a new campaign that will make a difference in the overall eye health of the public. A national public awareness initiative, Think About Your Eyes, focuses on increasing the importance of overall vision health in the second half of this year. We still plan to raise awareness through television, print, online advertising, and social media, and are eager to add a new level of engagement and support from the eyecare community.

EB What should ECPs know about The Vision Council that they probably don’t?

RN The Vision Council is dedicated to improving the optical industry as a whole, which includes helping eyecare providers to educate their communities and grow their practice. Throughout the year, we work alongside industry experts to develop a variety of tools for the eyecare community, from online continuing education to industry research to complimentary marketing materials.

EB What is one of the biggest challenges facing the optical industry today?

RN There are two. The first is that the industry is not growing at the rate it could be. We are stable, but have the potential to be better. Part of this has to do with the economy. The second challenge is that we don’t know what our industry will look like in 2014 with Health Care Reform. It is becoming increasingly important for us to be in tune with what is happening in terms of Health Care Reform and its potential impacts to our industry. The Vision Council has done an excellent job working with key government and regulatory affairs agencies and partners to tackle the issues that matter most in our industry, but there’s still more work to be done. EB