{LICENSE LINEUP}

Marcolin Group and Diesel announced the early renewal of the license agreement for the design, production, and worldwide distribution of Diesel Eyewear sunglasses and optical frames. The collaboration between the two groups, which began in 2010, now goes until 2023.

{PEOPLE}

ABB Optical Group has named Angela Moore as director of marketing for insights and communications and Lisa Patterson as manager of content and digital marketing.

De Rigo REM announced that Jim Sepanek has been hired as vice president of sales and marketing. Sepanek was REM’s vice president of brand and product development from 1998-2008. He has nearly 25 years of expertise in the optical market, and was most recently executive vice president at SPY Optic.

Pramaor, the company that manufactures Blackfin eyewear, has announced the appointment of Ivo Benvegnù as chief operations officer, reporting directly to CEO Nicola Del Din.

Safilo Group has appointed Filippo Pustetto as country manager for Italy. Pustetto joined the company in 2002, and has served as sales director Safilo Spain as well as commercial strategy & planning manager.

{BUSINESS UPDATES}

Citing rapid growth, eyeOs, Inc., the producer of eyeOs Premium Readers, has relocated its office and distribution headquarters to Southborough, MA.

Hilco Vision has acquired the cases and accessories division of LBI Eyewear. LBI’s Las Vegas case and accessories operations will remain in place, and former owner Chett Lehrer will stay on.

Online lens startup Lensabl has secured new funding, led by Amplify.LA and Luma Launch, along with angel investor JJ List. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Marcolin Group has signed a joint venture agreement with Rivoli Group, one of the largest luxury retailers in the Middle East. The joint venture, named Marcolin Middle East, is 51% owned by Marcolin Group and will distribute Marcolin’s brand portfolio from its Dubai headquarters.

Optometric alliance group Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) held its ninth annual meeting on May 18-20 in Nashville, TN. The event hosted more than 600 members, vendors, and guests.

VISION SOURCE ROCKS THE MUSIC CITY

Vision Source, North America’s largest independent optometric alliance, hosted its annual member meeting in May, with more than 4,500 people in attendance. The event, dubbed The Exchange, took place at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN. Highlights included keynote addresses from former Dallas Cowboys and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and “Shark Tank” investor Barbara Corcoran.

“As we continue to break registration records at this year’s annual meeting, I am reminded of our mission and commitment to provide our members with solutions-based tools for success,” says Glenn Ellisor, O.D., founder and executive chairman of Vision Source.

{AWARDS}

adidas Sport eyewear from Silhouette received Red Dot Design Awards for its zonyk pro, zonyk aero pro, and progressor splite models. The progressor splite was also a winner of the ISPO Award in the ski segment.

Digital Eye Lab, a division of ABB Optical Group, has been named VSP Optics Group’s Unity Independent Lab of the Year for 2016.

Prevent Blindness has announced that John E. Crews, DPA, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health. He is currently the health scientist for the Vision Health Initiative within the Division of Diabetes Translation at the CDC.

SeikoVision’s blue light awareness infographic won its creator, Mojo Media Labs, a Marketer of the Year Award from the American Marketing Association’s Dallas-Fort Worth chapter. The infographic was downloadable for ECPs to print or share on social media.

Brent Crandon, O.D., of Crandon & Crandon Optometry received a Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) award and was inducted into the Franklin Harms Society for making 10 trips with VOSH.

Are You 50?
Join SILMO’s party

SILMO Paris is having a 50th anniversary celebration during this year’s optical trade fair, scheduled for Oct. 6-9 at the Paris Nord Villepinte—and it’s honoring everyone who turns 50 this year as well.

Dubbed the Xtrashow, the celebration invites optical professionals with a birthday between Oct. 6 and 9 and/or those celebrating their 50th birthday anytime in 2017 to “blow out candles” with SILMO and join in the fun in the informal business environment of the birthday-themed four-day show.

Attendees are encouraged to get involved on social media with hashtags #SILMO50 and #XTRASHOW.

SILMO was founded in 1967 in Oyonnax, France, with “just a handful of pioneers.” Today, the Mondial de l’optique, or World Optical Fair, hosts thousands of visitors—nearly 34,000 visitors from 122 countries attended SILMO 2016.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: EN.SILMOPARIS.COM .