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Hot List: April 2008 SAVVY Show

Trade shows can be exhausting and overwhelming if you don't arrive with some sort of a game plan. Here are some pointers on getting the most from your visit from trade show expert Susan Friedmann, author of the Secrets to Successful Exhibiting book series.

1
1 Make an "A list" and a "B list" of exhibitors you want to see. Make appointments with exhibitors you're certain you want to meet.

2 Set a time limit to spend at each exhibitor booth so that you don't lose too much time on any one vendor.

3 Map out a route that gives top priority to exhibitors you want to visit the most.

4 Decide before the show which workshops and seminars you want to attend.

5 Network. Introduce yourself to people (including other attendees) and give them your business card. In addition to getting invited to exhibitors' receptions, make contacts with colleagues at mealtimes.

2 Show Stats
Average time spent at trade shows in 2006:
8.4 hours over 2.3 days

Trade show attendees who…
… have the power to recommend or make final purchasing decisions:
84%

… plan to make a purchase within 12 months of a show:
52%

… had prior contact with exhibiting companies before the show:
22%

3 PACKING LIST
Take: ■ Plenty of business cards so you don't have to keep filling out forms ■ A pad and pen to write down notes (or use a mini tape recorder) Leave: ■ Your coat and heavy bags. Check them instead of carrying them around the show

Firm plans FOR THE FUTURE

Luxottica recently released a long-term business plan detailing the impact the Oakley brand will have on sales. It has an objective: to create an innovative business model with advantages for consumers, employees, and shareholders of Luxottica Group. The plan is based on the combination of Luxottica's vertical model, its brand portfolio, and its capacity to reach across the globe.

Luxottica Group expects to exceed €6.1 billion in consolidated sales for fiscal year 2009. The Group estimates that operating synergies between the two companies will deliver yearly benefits worth €100 million by 2010.

"The combination of Luxottica and Oakley changes the future of our industry," said Andrea Guerra, Luxottica Group CEO, on presenting the plan. "Today is the start of a new Luxottica Group, of three to five years of development, new projects, and the exploration of new segments. Our common work began last summer. Since then, the top 80 Oakley and Luxottica managers have been working together and we are now in the execution phase."

The plan also includes other projects: to strengthen retail coverage of the luxury segment in North America; to appropriately position brands such as REVO and Arnette; to develop traditional sports brands, and to strengthen global operating infrastructure for Oliver Peoples.

Safilo expands international retail
Safilo Group recently announced its acquisition of two retail chains: Sunglass Island in Mexico and Just Spectacles in Australia. Sunglass Island includes 38 Sunglass Island stores and seven Island Optica stores. Safilo has acquired 60 percent of the company. Just Spectacles, headquartered in Perth, has 44 stores. Safilo has purchased 100 percent of the chain. The company reports that these acquisitions create a foundation for further growth in its high-end eyewear retail business. The company previously launched the Solstice chain in the U.S. and Loop Vision in Spain. This represents a natural step, notes Safilo chairman Vittorio Tabacchi. "Together with Solstice and Loop Vision, [these purchases] represent a fundamental stage of our strategy which aims at creating a direct distribution network which enhances the quality and image of our products and service."

Safilo expands international retail

Safilo Group recently announced its acquisition of two retail chains: Sunglass Island in Mexico and Just Spectacles in Australia.
Sunglass Island includes 38 Sunglass Island stores and seven Island Optica stores. Safilo has acquired 60 percent of the company.
Just Spectacles, headquartered in Perth, has 44 stores. Safilo has purchased 100 percent of the chain. The company reports that these acquisitions create a foundation for further growth in its high-end eyewear retail business. The company previously launched the Solstice chain in the U.S. and Loop Vision in Spain.
This represents a natural step, notes Safilo chairman Vittorio Tabacchi. "Together with Solstice and Loop Vision, [these purchases] represent a fundamental stage of our strategy which aims at creating a direct distribution network which enhances the quality and image of our products and service."

CHANGES FOR OLA
The Optical Laboratories Association has voted in several changes to its bylaws and dues structure. The change was made to "give OLA a sound, contemporary basis to chart the future of the organization," says OLA president Barney Dougher. As a result of the re-engineering, all Rx manufacturing optical lab companies are now in one category of membership regardless of ownership or market level, and all lab member companies are equally eligible to hold positions in the OLA leadership. Additionally, all lab member companies are assessed dues on the same basis: the volume of Rx eyewear production. Spearheaded by bylaws committee chairman Steve Sutherlin with a focus group of industry leaders from the OLA's Member Advisory Board and OLA itself, the changes were voted by OLA membership and passed with an 84 percent approval. That membership now includes four new laboratory members and three new associate (supplier) members. New lab members are Capitol Optical, Olympia, Wash.; Value Eyecare Network, Inc., Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; Kaban Optical, Inc., Palm Springs, Calif.; and PixelOptics, Inc., Roanoke, Va. New associate members include IODA S.r.l., Padova, Italy; R & R Solutions, Gravette, Ark.; and Yamamoto—Kogaku Co, Ltd., Osaka, Japan.

CHANGES FOR OLA

The Optical Laboratories Association has voted in several changes to its bylaws and dues structure. The change was made to "give OLA a sound, contemporary basis to chart the future of the organization," says OLA president Barney Dougher.
As a result of the re-engineering, all Rx manufacturing optical lab companies are now in one category of membership regardless of ownership or market level, and all lab member companies are equally eligible to hold positions in the OLA leadership. Additionally, all lab member companies are assessed dues on the same basis: the volume of Rx eyewear production.
Spearheaded by bylaws committee chairman Steve Sutherlin with a focus group of industry leaders from the OLA's Member Advisory Board and OLA itself, the changes were voted by OLA membership and passed with an 84 percent approval.
That membership now includes four new laboratory members and three new associate (supplier) members.
New lab members are Capitol Optical, Olympia, Wash.; Value Eyecare Network, Inc., Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; Kaban Optical, Inc., Palm Springs, Calif.; and PixelOptics, Inc., Roanoke, Va.
New associate members include IODA S.r.l., Padova, Italy; R & R Solutions, Gravette, Ark.; and Yamamoto—Kogaku Co, Ltd., Osaka, Japan.

Vision Council Holds Executive Summit

Naples, Fla., was the site of this year's annual Vision Council (VCA) executive summit. Representatives from 150 member companies participated in three days of sessions that included division meetings, general sessions, social gatherings, and sporting events. Speakers included Jeffrey Rayport, founder of Marketspace LLC, who discussed reinventing the way we interact with customers and markets, and Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard, who is also a best-selling business author.

New Vision Council officers, directors, and division chairs were also elected at the summit. Guiding the organization in 2008 are: Chairman Larry Clarke, from Satisloh; Essilor's Mike Daley, vice chairman; Shamir's Raanan Naftalovich as secretary/treasurer; and immediate past president Andrea Gluck, from Eyewear Designs.

Four new Board members—REM's Mike Hundert, Dave Cole from Transitions, L'Amy's Steve Rappaport, and Fred Howard from Carl Zeiss—joined five board members who are currently in the middle of their three-year terms. They are: Pierre Fay, Luxottica; Don Howard, Kenmark; Dick Russo, Safilo; Gerard Santinelli, Santinelli; and Marty Bassett, Walman.

VCA's next Executive Summit is scheduled for Jan. 28 to 30, 2009, at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.

Guests enjoyed a mix of day and evening events.

Seen here are:

REM's Mike Hundert with Pierre Fay of Luxottica.
Vision Council's Eve Zartman-Ball chats with Don Howard of Kenmark.
Shamir's Raanan Naftalovich poses with Corinne McCormack of Corinne McCormack, Inc.
Vision Council's Deborah Malakoff and Greg Chavez toast the Sunglass Association's new affiliation with the Council.
Vision Council CEO Ed Greene welcoming the Sunglass Association of America to the Vision Council.
Augen's Dick Kapash (l) with John and Denise Potocny.

Service School
Silhouette Optical, the distribution subsidiary of Silhouette International, has broken ground on a learning center that will test new ways to provide a unique yet comprehensive experience to eyewear consumers. The facility, located in Colonie, N.Y., will be a working retail and eyecare center. Concepts will be tested there before being introduced to Silhouette's optical and retail partners throughout the 100 countries in which its products are sold. "The independent professionals who sell our products are always looking for new ways to enhance their customers' experiences," said Silhouette Optical president Chris Juergens. "In the competitive environment in which our industry exists, we want to do what we can to help them continue to be successful." The new center is located near Silhouette Optical's distribution headquarters in Green Island, N.Y., allowing for close observation and operational review of the center.

Service School

Silhouette Optical, the distribution subsidiary of Silhouette International, has broken ground on a learning center that will test new ways to provide a unique yet comprehensive experience to eyewear consumers.
The facility, located in Colonie, N.Y., will be a working retail and eyecare center. Concepts will be tested there before being introduced to Silhouette's optical and retail partners throughout the 100 countries in which its products are sold.
"The independent professionals who sell our products are always looking for new ways to enhance their customers' experiences," said Silhouette Optical president Chris Juergens. "In the competitive environment in which our industry exists, we want to do what we can to help them continue to be successful."
The new center is located near Silhouette Optical's distribution headquarters in Green Island, N.Y., allowing for close observation and operational review of the center.

Essilor MAKES ACQUISITIONS

Essilor is pursuing its external growth strategy with three new acquisitions.

The company is stepping up its development in Eastern Europe by setting up operations in Bulgaria.

Its new subsidiary, Essilor Bulgaria Eood, has acquired Optymal Ood, which currently distributes Essilor lenses and instruments there. The acquisition will enable Essilor to enhance its competitive position in the fast growing corrective lens market, especially the progressive lens segment.

Separately, Essilor International's subsidiary Essilor Canada has acquired a majority stake in Westlab Optical, Inc., a prescription laboratory located in Montreal. The partnership focuses primarily on developing the company's portfolio of combined lens/frame packages.

Lastly, Essilor is strengthening its presence in Puerto Rico by acquiring Rainbow Optical Labs, Inc.

License Lineup
Dean and Dan Caten, designers of the brand Dsquared2, the Marcolin Group, and Staff International Spa, licensee of the brand Dsquared2, announced a licensing agreement for the production and worldwide distribution of sunglasses and prescription frames under the Dsquared2 brand. The five-year licensing agreement, renewable for another five years, is consistent with Marcolin's Fashion & Luxury division portfolio. Once established, it is projected to generate a turnover of approximately 20 million euros. This agreement marks Dsquared2's debut in the eyewear market. The launch of the first sunglass collection is planned for the first half of 2009 and will be followed by prescription frames soon after. Luxottica Group S.p.A. announced the signing of the new partnership agreement for eyewear collections under the Chanel brand. Leonardo Del Vecchio, chairman of Luxottica Group, noted that the recently set renewal agreement "marks the further extension of an already long-term relationship between our two companies, which started in 1999 with the launch of Chanel's first-ever eyewear collections."

License Lineup

Dean and Dan Caten, designers of the brand Dsquared2, the Marcolin Group, and Staff International Spa, licensee of the brand Dsquared2, announced a licensing agreement for the production and worldwide distribution of sunglasses and prescription frames under the Dsquared2 brand.
The five-year licensing agreement, renewable for another five years, is consistent with Marcolin's Fashion & Luxury division portfolio. Once established, it is projected to generate a turnover of approximately 20 million euros. This agreement marks Dsquared2's debut in the eyewear market. The launch of the first sunglass collection is planned for the first half of 2009 and will be followed by prescription frames soon after.
Luxottica Group S.p.A. announced the signing of the new partnership agreement for eyewear collections under the Chanel brand.
Leonardo Del Vecchio, chairman of Luxottica Group, noted that the recently set renewal agreement "marks the further extension of an already long-term relationship between our two companies, which started in 1999 with the launch of Chanel's first-ever eyewear collections."

On the town

Recently, Plainview, N.Y.-based Davis Vision held a free vision-screening clinic near Boston, providing check-ups for 124 children aged six to 18 (pictured above, images shown top to bottom). Those who needed further evaluation were given a voucher for free follow-up eyecare. The event, co-sponsored by the New England Patriots and the Jordan Boys and Girls Club in Chelsea, Mass., had fun giveaways, including sunglasses and a raffle for an autographed New England Patriots jersey.

Continuing its partnership with the Susan G. Komen for a Cure Foundation, A&A Optical announced that it is guaranteeing a donation of $15,000 throughout 2008. Shown with a donation check (l to r): Jamie Anderson, Susan G. Komen Foundation; Robert Liener, A&A Optical president and CEO; and Carrie Glasscock, Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Robertson Optical is celebrating 50 years of following its vision to provide eyecare professionals and their patients with the utmost quality in lenses, eyewear, craftsmanship, and service. In addition to filling hundreds of thousands of lens prescriptions and selling a multitude of eyeglass frames and contact lenses, Robertson Optical is noted for developing the first one-step fining pad for grinding plastic lenses, and starting a separate company that designed and sold jumbo lens trays and Frame-o-Flex frame drawer dividers.

Associates at Santinelli International collected items for several oversize care packages to send to our troops overseas. The team felt especially inspired to show their support because the husband of one of the company's associates is a U.S. Army Captain currently stationed in Iraq. The packages, which included home-baked goods in addition to non-perishable foods, toiletries, magazines, and DVDs, were shipped to the captain's unit.

Shamir NAMES NEW CHIEF

Shamir Optical Industry Ltd., parent company of Shamir Insight, has appointed Eyal Hayardeny as president and CEO.

He replaces Giora Ben-Ze'ev, who continues with the company as vice chairman of the board of directors and director of strategic projects.

"Eyal's intimate knowledge of Shamir will help support our continuing efforts to expand our footprint worldwide," comments Uzi Tzur, chairman of Shamir's board of directors.

Hayardeny joined Shamir as an executive vice president and vice president of business development in 2005. He holds a BA degree in accounting and economics and an MBA degree from Bar-Ilan University.

Test Your Mettle!
Take a crack at these questions for ODs from a previous Varilux Optometry Super Bowl and for opticians from a National Federation of Opticianry Schools College Bowl. OPTOMETRY Q Name at least four of the bones which make up the orbit. OPTICIANRY Q Aqueous humor drains out of the anterior chamber of the eye through the___?

Test Your Mettle ANSWERS
Thanks to Essilor and the NFOS for providing this month's questions and answers. Optometry Answer: Frontal, zygomatic, maxillary, lacrimal, palatine, ethmoid, sphenoid Opticianry Answer: Canal of Schlemm

SPORTS STYLE
Athletes on the professional circuit are wearing performance sunwear specially designed to meet their needs for durability, glare reduction, impact protection, and climate control–all while looking stylish. Wiley X Eyewear introduced its own Wiley X Pro Bass Team, featuring elite anglers such as Skeet Reese, shown below in Street Series Skyee, and Tanya Kreuzer, wearing Street Series Revolver. Wiley X is also sponsoring Team Semper Fi for the 2008 Primal Quest Eco-Challenge (formerly known as the Eco-Challenge). The company is providing the team with durable eyewear suitable to extreme athletes.

SPORTS STYLE

Athletes on the professional circuit are wearing performance sunwear specially designed to meet their needs for durability, glare reduction, impact protection, and climate control–all while looking stylish.
Wiley X Eyewear introduced its own Wiley X Pro Bass Team, featuring elite anglers such as Skeet Reese, shown below in Street Series Skyee, and Tanya Kreuzer, wearing Street Series Revolver.
Wiley X is also sponsoring Team Semper Fi for the 2008 Primal Quest Eco-Challenge (formerly known as the Eco-Challenge). The company is providing the team with durable eyewear suitable to extreme athletes.

NEW CEO JOINS CIBA

At SECO International, The Novartis Consumer Health Division announced the appointment of Andrea Saia as CEO of CIBA Vision.

Saia has a 25-year track record of building businesses with multiple companies. Joining CIBA Vision in April 2002 as the global head of marketing, she was soon promoted to president of CIBA Vision's global lens business. In January 2005 she became the head of CIBA Vision's Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Prior to her appointment as CEO, Saia was COO of CIBA Vision. Before joining CIBA Vision, she worked at Revlon and Unilever/Helene Curtis.

Firm representatives note she succeeds Michael Kehoe, who has decided to pursue outside career opportunities.

ARBO Shifts Standards
The Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry has developed new standards for commercial support of COPE-approved continuing education. The proposed standards will supplement existing guidelines for COPE-approved administrators and speakers, plus add requirements to manage corporate support for COPE-approved CE that is free of commercial bias. "These standards are a proactive approach to managing our profession," says Christina Sorenson, OD, ARBO's president. "Our responsibility is to provide and implement the standards necessary for establishing and protecting the integrity of optometric CE." Final guidelines will be released during the AOA Congress in Seattle in June 2008, with formal implementation anticipated by January 1, 2009.

ARBO Shifts Standards

The Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry has developed new standards for commercial support of COPE-approved continuing education.
The proposed standards will supplement existing guidelines for COPE-approved administrators and speakers, plus add requirements to manage corporate support for COPE-approved CE that is free of commercial bias.
"These standards are a proactive approach to managing our profession," says Christina Sorenson, OD, ARBO's president. "Our responsibility is to provide and implement the standards necessary for establishing and protecting the integrity of optometric CE."
Final guidelines will be released during the AOA Congress in Seattle in June 2008, with formal implementation anticipated by January 1, 2009.

ACUVUE Goes to the Prom

CosmoGIRL! magazine has celebrated its first virtual prom event in the new CosmoGIRL! Village, located in the 3D social virtual world, There.com. The magazine's partners for the event included ABC Family and ACUVUE® brand contact lenses.

In November 2007, Makena Technologies, creator of There.com, partnered with CosmoGIRL! to extend its brand into the virtual world category. At the CosmoGIRL! Village, members can participate in dance parties, fashion shows, spa makeovers, photo booths, and virtual and real-world shopping.

CosmoGIRL!'s first ever virtual prom event allowed members to download free software and create avatars. Some of the activities included:

• Avatar makeovers with colored contact lenses from ACUVUE.

• The hottest prom after-party to hit the virtual world at the ACUVUE OASYS™ Lounge.

STAR Gazers
1. Oscar winner (best actress, "La Vie en Rose") Marion Cotillard's first major U.S. movie was Tim Burton's fantasy "Big Fish" in 2003. Since her award-winning turn as French singer Edith Piaf, the Parisian native and Greenpeace spokesperson has been on a glamorous circuit and most recently sported Emilio Pucci style EP1055 from Marchon during a visit to the United States for the Academy Awards. 2. Linda Evangelistais best known as one of the original supermodels, but she's also involved in humanitarian efforts to raise AIDS and breast cancer awareness. Her style quotient is still as high as her profile: She was recently spotted taking a stroll in New York City wearing Christian Roth style 14267 from Charmant. 3. New Jersey native Laura Prepon gained fame playing Donna Pinciottti on "That 70s Show" and currently stars on ABC's "October Road." Prepon shows off Dolce & Gabbana DG4025 from the Ilori suite by Luxottica at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. 4. "Brothers and Sisters" star Rob Lowe started acting at the tender age of eight in a community theater in Ohio. In high school he appeared in movies made by two famous classmates, Charlie Sheen and Sean Penn. Here, Lowe wears Cole Haan CH674 from ClearVision. 5-6. Oklahoma-born actor Brad Pitt has added movie producing to his repertoire—he served as a producer for A Mighty Heart in 2007 and The Departed in 2006. Juggling motherhood, goodwill work, and acting, Mrs. Pitt, Angelina Jolie, is no slacker either. These days they are so in sync that they sometimes wear the same style eyewear. Both were seen sporting Rolf Goldline Grad by Mykita.

STAR Gazers

1. Oscar winner (best actress, "La Vie en Rose") Marion Cotillard's first major U.S. movie was Tim Burton's fantasy "Big Fish" in 2003. Since her award-winning turn as French singer Edith Piaf, the Parisian native and Greenpeace spokesperson has been on a glamorous circuit and most recently sported Emilio Pucci style EP1055 from Marchon during a visit to the United States for the Academy Awards.
2. Linda Evangelistais best known as one of the original supermodels, but she's also involved in humanitarian efforts to raise AIDS and breast cancer awareness. Her style quotient is still as high as her profile: She was recently spotted taking a stroll in New York City wearing Christian Roth style 14267 from Charmant.
3. New Jersey native Laura Prepon gained fame playing Donna Pinciottti on "That 70s Show" and currently stars on ABC's "October Road." Prepon shows off Dolce & Gabbana DG4025 from the Ilori suite by Luxottica at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
4. "Brothers and Sisters" star Rob Lowe started acting at the tender age of eight in a community theater in Ohio. In high school he appeared in movies made by two famous classmates, Charlie Sheen and Sean Penn. Here, Lowe wears Cole Haan CH674 from ClearVision.
5-6. Oklahoma-born actor Brad Pitt has added movie producing to his repertoire—he served as a producer for A Mighty Heart in 2007 and The Departed in 2006. Juggling motherhood, goodwill work, and acting, Mrs. Pitt, Angelina Jolie, is no slacker either. These days they are so in sync that they sometimes wear the same style eyewear. Both were seen sporting Rolf Goldline Grad by Mykita.

SECO "Raises the Bar" for Education, Events

The 85th SECO International, held February 27 through March 2 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, challenged attendees to "Raise the Bar" by expanding their skills to exceed expectations.

The meeting itself provided 18 new optometry educational tracks and 13 new allied ophthalmic professional (AOP) tracks, totaling over 150 educational hours for ODs and over 200 hours of AOP education. More joint OD and AOP sessions than ever before, over 40 hands-on workshops, and 50 multimedia posters rounded out the educational offerings.

The exhibit hall, Optometry's Marketplace, featured nearly 300 companies. Two free lunches and participation in the See the World on SECO contest—with a grand prize of two $10,000 vouchers good for airfare, hotel accommodations, and travel expenses, along with daily prizes—enriched the attendee experience.

Seventy social and networking events included the Opening Ceremonies Reception at the Omni Hotel's Atrium Terrace, the Atlantic Station Triathlon to listen to the Bad Habits playing at the Fox Sports Grill, and the Closing Ceremonies Celebration at the new World of Coca-Cola, featuring the band America.

Twenty-eight OD's were recognized for successfully completing the SECO Scholar Program, a two-year, in-depth program focusing on ocular disease.

Next year's SECO International is planned for the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, running March 4 through March 8, 2009. For more information, visit www.seco2009.com.

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