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Hot List: July 2008

1 Class Action

According to a recent survey by Pew Research Center, half of Americans say they're middle class. Here's the breakdown of where U.S. citizens see themselves on the social ladder:

Upper …2%
Upper-middle …19%
Middle …53%
Lower-middle …19%
Lower …6%

3 Out of Focus

A survey by Harris Interactive for The Vision Care Institute™ of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care found that vision care knowledge and practice varies widely among different cultures. The common theme, however, is that many people aren't seeking proper vision care.

African Americans:
72%
percent strongly agreed that maintaining proper vision is important, but 21 percent reported that they do not have a regular eyecare professional

Hispanics:
43%
said they haven't seen an eyecare professional in the past year, although 27 percent said they're concerned about their vision worsening

Asian Americans:
94%
said that maintaining proper vision is important, but 36 percent said they don't need an eye exam unless they're having a vision problem

Caucasians:
71%
said people should get their eyes examined at least once a year, but 25 percent reported that they haven't seen an eyecare professional in the past two years

ProPartnership

Transitions Optical, Inc., and the PGA Tour have announced a four-year official title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Tampa Bay, Fla.

"This is a big step for our company and our brand," said Brett Craig, Transitions' president. "The tournament makes an important contribution to our local community, and the sponsorship presents tremendous opportunity to educate consumers about the importance of healthy sight."

"Transitions technology is a natural product to market on this platform," added Tim Finchem, PGA Tour commissioner. "As a hometown company with a broad international reach and global brand, Transitions Optical will be a great partner and, through its sponsorship, both help showcase the area and raise millions of dollars for Tampa-based charities that the tournament supports."

Several trade programs are expected to be announced in 2009, which will enable Transitions' partners to leverage the sponsorship in their own patient outreach and marketing efforts.

The Transitions Championship for Healthy Sight event will be held on March 16 through 22, 2009, at Innisbrook's Copperhead course.

Carl Zeiss expands network

Carl Zeiss Vision has announced the addition of Tri-City Optical to its network of U.S. laboratories. The company acquired the Clearwater, Fla., wholesale lab in partnership with VSP Vision Care, with Carl Zeiss Vision as the majority shareholder.

"This will enhance our ability to support Florida eyecare professionals with outstanding laboratory services and advanced products," said Fred Howard, president of Carl Zeiss Vision.

Key Metrics Report Presented

The Management & Business Academy™ (MBA), a professional education program sponsored by CIBA VISION and Essilor of America, has published the 2008 update of Key Metrics of Optometric Practice. The 36-page publication is a compilation of performance benchmarks for private optometrists, gathered from more than 800 U.S. practices since 2005.

Key Metrics provides statistically reliable benchmarks for 38 variables useful in diagnosing practice performance. Included are productivity measures of gross revenue per exam, exams per OD hour, inventory turn, product usage ratios, and many other useful metrics. These metrics are reported for different sized practices. The report also presents practice expense and net income ratios and professional fee ranges.

To download a copy of Key Metrics, go to www.mba-ce.com.

On the TOWN

REM Eyewear CEO and president Mike Hundert (images shown top to bottom) with football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly at the Hunter's Hope Charity Golf Tournament. REM Eyewear was a co-sponsor of the event benefiting the Hunter's Hope Foundation, named after Jim and Jill Kelly's infant son, Hunter. The event was hosted by REM's Rod Scott, a sales representative in Southern California, and his wife Kathleen. Both the Kellys and Scotts lost children to Krabbe disease. Monies raised help promote early screening for this disease, an infliction that, if caught at birth, can be cured.

Peter Bacotti, president, and Art Rose, treasurer, of The Opticians Alliance of New York (OANY) presented a donation to Interfaith Nutrition Network's Idania Aponte and Associates to continue their good work. OANY is an independent, not-for-profit organization, established to promote continuing competency and betterment of the optical health professional and to provide a standard of excellence in the optical health care for the consumer.

Vision Care seniors at George Westinghouse High School were the recipients of graduation awards from OPTICS Council members. Pictured (left to right) are: Nicole Abellard, Eleanor Bumpurs, Ethel Donkor, instructor Guillermo Hernandez, Alia Adams, Abe Zami, Mayra Puma, and Bianca Celiare.

Kaenon Polarized partnered with optical retailer l.a.Eyeworks to put on a trunk show highlighting Kaenon's 2008 Collection. Seattle Mariners players Raul Ibanez and Ryan Rowland-Smith attended the event, and Kaenon Polarized owner Steve Rosenberg was on hand to educate about SR-91 lenses.

Charmant USA awarded its 2007 top sales performers to a trip to the group's headquarters in Fukui, Japan. The award-winning sales people were Francesca Ilaria, Paul Saccone, and Barry Mazel. Along with their spouses, they visited Charmant head-quarters, a manufacturing facility, Kyoto, and Tokyo.

At the 35th Best On Long Island Advertising Awards, sponsored by the Long Island Advertising Club, ClearVision Optical won three BOLI Awards, two for the Izod PerformX, 3-D lenticular poster and one for the Cole Haan Eyewear launch sales promotion campaign. ClearVision also won four gold, one silver, and six bronze awards.

STAR Gazers

1. Beach Volleyball pro Misty May-Treaner will be representing the United States at the Beijing Olympic Games this summer. Her playing preference is to stare down her rivals. She opts for Bolle's Rottler style from the Snakes collection. 2. Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson were both spotted in Ray-Ban Wayfarer style RB 2140 by Luxottica while filming the upcoming movie New York, I Love You. Currently two of Hollywood's hottest young stars, Christensen made his acting debut at the tender age of eight in a Pringles commercial, while former The O.C. star Bilson appeared in commercials for Subway and Doritos in 2003. 3. America Ferrera, Emmy and Golden Globe winner and star of the series Ugly Betty, has become a household name thanks to the ABC show, but this actress isn't new to the business—she made her film debut back in 2002 in the indie comedy Real Women have Curves. Here, Ferrera shows off her true beauty in FENDI FS445 by Marchon. 4. Academy Award Winner Forest Whitaker entered show biz by way of college football and opera—he had college scholarships for football and music and trained as an operatic tenor before he turned to acting. The star was originally cast in the role of "Sawyer" on Lost but opted out because his film First Daughter got the green light. Whitaker was seen wearing John Varvatos style V717 by REM Eyewear at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Linking Together Luxury: LOH's Quest Continues with Au Courant

Chain Link

The Las Vegas-based Luxury Optical Holdings has further expanded its high-end store lineup with the recent acquisition of Au Courant, which has three locations (Princeton, N.J., Bal Harbor, Fla., and Troy, Mich.) This move brings the LOH luxury store count to 52. EB checked in with Pierre Kaiser, LOH's CEO, and Nancy di Cosmo, Au Courant's president, to hear about this acquisition and what the future holds.

EB: Why was Au Courant attractive to LOH?

Pierre Kaiser: For us, it completely fits within the family of our stores. We carry the same brands, target the same demographics, and have the same philosophy.

EB: Will the Au Courant name be changed to one of your three store concepts (Scene, Optica, or Morgenthal-Frederics)?

Kaiser: That is being evaluated because some of these stores have been there for 35 years. Ultimately, our goal is to group our brand under one of our three names.

EB: What is next for LOH in 2009?

Kaiser: We have four stores under construction and other acquisitions in the works. We have no number in our head for next year; if I had to guess, I'd say we could grow by another 20 stores.

EB: What does the future hold for LOH?

Kaiser: We are very selective and are focusing on key markets. We want to remain a luxury concept and that puts restrictions on what we can do. You cannot be luxury with 500 stores. In the end, we'll probably have about 150.

EB: Why was LOH the right buyer for Au Courant?

Nancy di Cosmo: Dr. Bennett and I flew out there and found that Pierre is running LOH exactly like he needs to; they have a POS system, training rooms, and people in the warehouse receiving packages and inspecting the product for any defects. He also really understands luxury and this level of dispensing and opticianry—they have a hands-on approach with the customers. This is something Dr. Bennett has preached for years.

EB: What is next for you?

Di Cosmo: I am gonna go fishing. It is my 39th year with Au Courant and Dr. Bennett has been in it 50-some years. We're talking about doing some consulting down the line. We're not fading off in the sunset yet.