WHAT'S NEW - Fyi
By Kim Aubrey-Larcinese
PEOPLE
INDO Lens U.S. has hired James Hatton as northeast sales manager to develop sales of the new Superfin lens. Hatton has experience working for a major lens laboratory as well as instrument manufacturers. He will work with INDO Superfin labs in the Northeast--along with the ECPs whom these labs service--from his office in western Pennsylvania.
Barney Dougher has been promoted to executive vice president and COO of HOYA Vision Care, North America, bringing his 25 years of experience with him to the position. Dougher co-founded Advance Lens laboratory, which is now Hoya Cleveland, and led the acquisition of Central States Optical, now Hoya Chicago. Most recently, he was VP of sales with HOYA.
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Dani La Gace, senior product manager, Bushnell Optics |
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James Hatton, INDO Lens U.S., northeast sales manager | |
VSP Ohio's lab director Dave Heglund |
Bollé and Serengeti eyewear, subsidiaries of Bushnell Optics, have added Dani La Gace to their eyewear team as senior product manager for eyewear. She will oversee product development and launches as well as strategic partnerships. La Gace most recently worked for Sola International as director of product development, and was also VP and director of product development for Gargoyles, Inc.
Dave Heglund has been appointed laboratory director of VSP's Ohio optical lab. With the company since 1998, Heglund previously worked as director of production at the Sacramento, Calif., VSP lab. He brings 30 years of optical industry experience with him to his new position.
Dr. Scott M. Whitcup has been appointed executive vice president of research and development at Allergan. Whitcup came to Allergan as a vice president in 2000 and was promoted to senior vice president last year. Prior to joining Allergan, Whitcup worked with the National Eye Institute.
Robert Henshillwood has been appointed business development manager of L'AMY America. Henshillwood came to L'AMY with a decade of optical industry experience, most recently with Logo of the Americas where he was regional sales manager, as well as Renais-sance Eyewear where he was district sales manager.
Chrisann Furciato has been named the director of licensing for Tommy Bahama, reporting directly to president and CEO Tony Margolis. Previously, she was vice president of global licensing for Polo Ralph Lauren.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Seven new members have been added to the Vision Council of America. BBH Eyewear, Inc., Cinzia Designs, and Windsor Eyes have joined the frame division; Fedon America, Inc., Global Optics, Inc., and Olivetti Consulting are now part of the supplier division; and Tokuyama America is in the lens division. This brings the total number of companies added last year to 56.
BUSINESS UPDATES
Optical Connection, Inc., recently opened a new facility in San Diego that will be the manufacturing center for its soon-to-be-launched soft contact lenses. The new facility will also allow for expansion of its customer service and product offerings in California. The company already has offices in San Jose, Calif., as well as a facility in Europe.
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Transitions' employees and Healthy Change winners, from l.: Jim and Andrea Zellmer, FutureOptics Lab; Mr. & Mrs. William Smith; Roni Rohrbacher, Eye Health; Barbara Robinson, Eye Health; Dr. Liebetreu, Eye Health; Shannon Hunt, Transitions; Jon Harris, Transitions |
WINNER'S CIRCLE
When faced with the challenge of choosing a sales rep to honor, Kaenon Polarized decided to choose two. Ryan Schopen and Jack Griffith have been chosen Co-Sales Reps of the Year for 2004. Schopen serves northern California, while Griffith is the rep for Arizona and southern Nevada. Reps were judged on revenue, as well as number of accounts serviced. Both men will receive a cash bonus in recognition of their accomplishments.
Transitions Optical has awarded the final grand prizes in the Healthy Change Sweepstakes. Eye Health, an eyecare practice in Fort Myers, Fla., and patient William Smith of Cape Coral, Fla., each received a $25,000 prize in the final drawing. Nearly 9,000 ECPs participated in the sweepstakes, which ran from Feb. 1 to Sept. 30 in 2004.
SAVE THE DATE |
The American Optometric Association will hold regional examinations for
CPO, CPOA, and CPOT on several dates in many cities this year. The exams will be held on Feb. 12, April 16, Aug. 20, and Dec. 3. For a list of locations, visit
www.aoa.org/students/para-dates.asp. Feb. 23 to 27, SECO International, Georgia World Conference Center, Atlanta. The pre-registration deadline may have passed, but you can still get registered at the show. Also, visit www.secointernational1.com/seco2005/index.cfm to download course handouts before you go. Call 770-451-8206 for more information. March 11 to 13, International Vision Expo East, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York. The East Coast rocks with the biggest optical show in the United States. Visit www.visionexpoeast.com, or contact inquiry@visionexpoeast.com, for information on exhibitors as well as discounts on hotels and travel. March 31 to April 2, OptoWest (California Optometric Association) Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif. Contact Jennifer Root at 800-877-5738 or visit www.optowest.com. May 6 to 9, Mido Show and Conference, Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy. More than just a trade show, Mido has evolved into an opportunity for education and networking as well. To register, call 011-23-2-3267-3673, or E-mail infomido@mido.it. To learn more about the show, visit www.mido.it. IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD - ROCKY MOUNTAINS March 2 to 6, Montana Optometric Association, Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont. Contact Sue Weingartner by phone at 406-443-1160 or E-mail suew@mteyes.com. March 18 to 19, Vision Canada West, Calgary, Alberta. Contact Pat Dobbyn, coordinator, at 204-982-6060, or E-mail convention@vision-canada.ca. Visit them on the Web at www.vision-canada.ca.
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