Hilaire van der Veen, the co-founder and former president of the ophthalmic lens company Shamir Insight, passed away on Feb. 26, following a prolonged illness. He was 71 years old and resided in Safed, a historic city in Galilee, Israel.

Born and raised in South Africa, van der Veen started his career with Israel-based Shamir Optical Industry as the company’s South African distributor. After moving to Israel in the 1990s, he had the idea to open a U.S. marketing and distribution arm of the company. In 1997, he and another Shamir executive, Raanan Naftalovich, moved to the U.S. and started the company, Shamir Insight, in San Diego.

Van der Veen was instrumental in building Shamir Insight’s sales force. He also forged deep, meaningful relationships with major lab partners and eyecare professionals. His strengths were in business development, customer education, and new technology.

Van der Veen championed Shamir’s Freeform Technology, a proprietary method for designing and producing personalized lenses that was one of the first on the market. Together with Naftalovich, he made Shamir Insight an influential force in the North American lens market.

After leaving Shamir Insight in 2012, van der Veen returned to Israel and served as Shamir Optical Industry’s vice president of business development. After 22 years with Shamir, he left in 2015 to pursue other projects, including Clara Optics, a California startup that has developed a novel method for producing custom-fitted eyewear.

Reflecting on van der Veen’s accomplishments, Yagen Moshe, CEO of Shamir Optical Industry, remarked, “Hilaire was a visionary with an unwavering commitment to innovation. His efforts were key in the launch of InoTime, a game-changing concept that enables optical labs to produce premium prescription lenses in as little as three hours. Hilaire’s leadership in the development of this concept has left a lasting impact on the optical industry.”

Known for his energy, laughter, and vibrant spirit, van der Veen was well-liked by many Shamir customers and industry colleagues. “Hilaire lived life to the fullest, embracing every moment with passion and enthusiasm. As I grieve the loss, I will also celebrate the profound impact he had on this company and within the industry. Through his love of learning and teaching, he was able to build lasting relationships with our partners, colleagues, and friends, which helped grow Shamir to what it is today,” said Raanan Naftalovich, president of Shamir North America. “I am very thankful to have known him as my business partner, mentor, and friend.”

Van der Veen is survived by his wife, Simone, daughters Hayley and Lauren, and six grandchildren.