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Safilo and Rebecca Minkoff announce their new licensing agreement for the design, manufacturing, and distribution of the Rebecca Minkoff collections of sunglasses and optical frames. The agreement will run through Dec. 31, 2024, and the scope will be worldwide.

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Former leaders of the California Optometric Association (COA) were honored by the Great Western Council of Optometry: former COA president Harue Marsden, O.D., was posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement award, and former COA president Robert M. Theaker, O.D., was named the group's 2017 O.D. of the Year.

Essilor announced the following role changes: former vice president–global head of mergers and acquisitions, Hilary Halper has been appointed as chief financial officer, and former mission communications director Laura Viscovich has been appointed vice president of corporate communications.

ic! berlin has named Jörg Reinhold as CEO. The move comes after ic! berlin founder Ralph Anderl sold the majority of his shares and took on a new role as an advisory board member. PREMIUM Equity Partners has taken over the majority of shares in the company.

SPY made adjustments to its leadership team: Charlie Ninegar has been appointed to the newly created position of vice president of revenue–wholesale, while Curtis Ellis will now shift into the position of brand director, and John Gilson assumes the newly created role of vice president of revenue–digital.

WestGroupe announces the following personnel developments: Heidi Orlando is the new Northeast regional sales director, bringing more than 20 years of sales management experience, and Shaleen Ratansi takes over as marketing director, a role to which she brings more than 15 years of experience.

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Italia Independent and Rossignol will produce and distribute a co-branded eyewear collection, slated to be unveiled at the MIDO Eyewear Show in 2018.

l.a.Eyeworks has a new distribution partnership with Sydney-based ProOptics. ProOptics will oversee promotion, sales, and distribution of the l.a.Eyeworks collections for Australia and New Zealand.

Safilo Group recently hosted more than 200 guests to celebrate the grand opening of its new North American wholesale headquarters in Secaucus, NJ. The headquarters will also house Safilo’s new global license office for American brands.

Super Optical International has completed another FastGrind shipment to the U.S. military this year. The company’s FastGrind all-in-one edging system is utilized around the world by the U.S. military to produce eyewear for troops as well as for humanitarian purposes.

{AWARDS}

Modern Optical International received a MarCom gold award for its 2017 frame collection catalog.

VSP Global and the American Academy Optometric Foundation announced the 2017 Practice Excellence Scholarship recipients. Nearly $200,000 will be distributed among 44 top-performing fourth-year optometry students in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. The scholarships are funded by VSP Global’s Eyes of Hope Global Charitable Fund program in collaboration with FYi Doctors in Canada.

SAVE THE DATE!

opti Munich kicks off the new year with its international trade show for optics and design on Jan. 12-14 at the Fairground Munich. Get involved on social media with the #opti2018 hashtag. For more information: opti.de/en .

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

Giovanni Zoppas, formerly CEO and general manager of Marcolin Group, has been appointed executive vice chairman, and has been nominated CEO of the joint venture between Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH) and Marcolin Group that was announced in January. Marcolin Group’s CEO role will be covered by Massimo Renon, formerly the worldwide commercial general manager.

The Vision Council announces that OptiCon, the industry’s premier opticianry and contact lens fitter’s education program, has joined forces with Vision Expo. OptiCon’s education tracks and programs will debut at Vision Expo East 2018, held March 15-18 in New York. For info: east.visionexpo.com

For these and other news stories, visit eyecarebusiness.com/news .