LensCrafters has announced the continuation of its Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign into 2026, highlighting professionals whose expertise, innovation, and commitment help define their respective fields. The omnichannel campaign, which launched in spring 2025, is featured across LensCrafters stores, digital platforms, and marketing channels, combining storytelling with an overview of the brand’s eye care services and retail experience.
For the 2026 campaign, LensCrafters is collaborating with Dr. Anisha Haji, an independent optometrist affiliated with the brand. Dr. Haji is the founder of Atlanta Eye Group, which operates within six LensCrafters locations in the Atlanta area. Her practice has received multiple recognitions as Best in Georgia and Best Optometry Office, reflecting a strong emphasis on patient care and clinical excellence.
Dr. Haji earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta and completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Her clinical interests include ocular disease management and specialty contact lens fittings.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Haji is active in professional leadership. She currently serves as President of the Greater Atlanta Optometric Association and holds leadership roles with both the Georgia Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. She is also involved in community outreach through her family’s nonprofit organization, the Gillani Volunteer Association, which supports hunger relief and underserved populations.
According to LensCrafters, the Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign is designed to spotlight professionals whose work reflects trust, expertise, and service, while also showcasing the LensCrafters approach to comprehensive eye exams, advanced technology, and premium prescription lenses.
Previous campaign participants have included individuals from a range of sectors, including winemaking, culinary arts, nonprofit leadership, and environmental advocacy. LensCrafters says the initiative will continue to evolve in 2026, with new stories and digital experiences planned throughout the year.
As the leading trade association for the optical industry, The Vision Council is closing 2025 with a year of measurable progress across research, government relations, industry standards, Foundation initiatives, and Vision Expo events. In a year marked by change and complexity, the organization provided the insight, advocacy, and industry leadership needed to serve its members and advance its mission of better vision for better lives.
“This year was defined by real momentum and a shared commitment to the industry we serve,” said Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council. “As our members navigated tariffs and economic uncertainty, The Vision Council served as a steady resource to deliver the research, advocacy, and leadership the industry needed. Everything we’ve accomplished this year, from sharing relevant data insights to meeting with decisionmakers on Capitol Hill, will help our members continue to provide the highest-quality products and services to their customers and the communities they serve.”
2025 Highlights and Accomplishments
• Advancing Data-Driven Insights for the Optical Industry – The Vision Council’s inSights Research program continued to expand its impact in 2025, providing members with timely, accessible, and actionable intelligence to better understand consumer behavior and market dynamics. Reports and supplements include quarterly consumer and market updates, eyecare provider surveys, product-specific data tables, optical retail location lists, and the highly regarded annual Market inSights report—reinforcing inSights as a trusted resource for strategic decision-making.
• Strengthening Advocacy and Trade Leadership – As global trade discussions and tariff developments created uncertainty across the industry, The Vision Council played a critical role in keeping members informed and prepared. The organization delivered practical resources, including an exclusive Tariff Dashboard, a real-time tariff developments webpage, and a series of educational webinars, while also engaging directly with officials at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to communicate the real-world impact of tariffs on the optical industry.
• Leading the Development of Industry Standards – The Vision Council continued its long-standing leadership in the development and maintenance of industry standards, supporting innovation while safeguarding product quality and consumer confidence. These efforts remain foundational to the industry’s continued growth, consistency, and integrity.
• Expanding Access to Vision Care and Education – Through its Foundation, The Vision Council expanded access to vision care and education through strategic partnerships and community-focused initiatives. Highlights included National Sunglasses Day celebrations with AccuWeather in New York City and giveaways at Fenway Park, vision screenings through 20/20 Onsite, and educational resources about eye health and optical careers in collaboration with EyeMed.
• Convening the Global Optical Marketplace – Vision Expo, the largest optical trade show in the Americas, successfully brought together the global vision community in Orlando and Las Vegas in 2025, ahead of its transition to one annual event in 2026. The shows once again served as a hub for innovation, connection, and professional growth, offering attendees more than 200 hours of accredited continuing education and the latest advancements shaping the future of eyecare and eyewear through showcases from 300+ exhibiting brands.
• Building Connection and Leadership Across the Industry – The Vision Council’s accomplishments throughout the year reflect the strength of its membership and the value of collaboration across the optical community. Through member-focused events such as the Executive Summit and Lab Leadership Forum, The Vision Council continued to foster dialogue, alignment, and leadership at every level of the industry.
Together, these efforts underscore The Vision Council’s role as the unifying voice of the optical industry. As The Vision Council prepares for the year ahead, it remains focused on delivering meaningful value to its members and cultivating collaboration that will shape the future of vision care.
VSP Vision™ announced it has completed the acquisition of Marcolin from PAI Partners and other minority shareholders.
“The acquisition of Marcolin marks another important milestone in our 70-year history of providing VSP members, clients, network doctors, owned retail locations and key customers with more value and choice,” said VSP Vision President and CEO Michael Guyette. “Marcolin’s portfolio of globally renowned brands, manufacturing expertise, and geographic presence greatly complement Marchon Eyewear’s brand portfolio and capabilities, further strengthening our ability to meet evolving customer needs throughout the world.”
Both Marcolin and Marchon will continue to operate as they do today.
Marcolin’s portfolio of luxury and lifestyle brands include Tom Ford, Zegna, Christian Louboutin, ic! berlin, Max Mara, Guess, and many more. Founded in Northern Italy in 1961, Marcolin distributes its eyewear collections in more than 125 countries.
CapM Advisors acted as the exclusive financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins acted as the legal advisor to the shareholders of Marcolin. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Chiomenti acted as legal advisors to VSP.
Independent optometry is at a pivotal moment. While marketing remains essential, many practice owners are discovering that their biggest challenges extend well beyond patient acquisition. Leadership, people management, operational systems, long-term planning, and burnout are increasingly shaping the future of independent practices.
Kevin Wilhelm, co-founder and CEO of Marketing4ECPs
That reality anchors the latest episode of Eye on the Industry, where hosts Isabelle Tremblay and Christine Zeggil sit down with Kevin Wilhelm, co-founder and CEO of Marketing4ECPs and the new owner of Cleinman Performance Partners. The conversation explores why sustainable growth now requires more than tactics, and why mindset, coaching, and operational discipline are becoming critical tools for eye care professionals.
Wilhelm explains that the decision to acquire Cleinman Performance Partners was driven by years of close collaboration with practice owners. While Marketing4ECPs was originally engaged to support marketing and growth, client conversations increasingly shifted toward deeper business concerns. Staffing challenges, leadership fatigue, unclear financial performance, and uncertainty about long-term direction were often top of mind.
Marketing, Wilhelm notes, can bring patients through the door, but it cannot fix broken systems, unclear roles, or exhausted owners. Left unaddressed, those issues ultimately cap growth, regardless of how effective marketing efforts may be. The acquisition was a strategic move to help practices address performance holistically.
Cleinman Performance Partners has long been respected for its work in benchmarking and practice consulting. Wilhelm’s longstanding relationship with founder Al Cleinman, grounded in shared values and mutual respect, created a natural alignment. Rather than reinventing the model, the goal was to preserve Cleinman’s legacy while expanding its reach and integrating it with modern marketing insight.
At the centre of this integration is the Cleinman Operating System, a structured framework designed to help owners step back and gain clarity. Practices begin by defining where they want to be in three, five, or ten years. From there, the focus shifts to aligning people in the right roles, identifying obstacles to growth, and connecting leadership, accountability, and marketing into a sustainable operating model.
Wilhelm outlines four core service pillars now available to independent practices: strategic consulting with ongoing accountability, peer-to-peer wisdom groups that reduce owner isolation, strategic HR services supporting people management and compliance, and M&A and succession planning that guides owners through transitions from start to finish.
Burnout emerges as a central theme throughout the discussion. Many owners find themselves working in the practice all day and on the practice at night. Wilhelm argues that with the right systems and support, owners can regain control, reduce dependency on themselves, and create options, whether that means scaling, transitioning ownership, or simply restoring balance.
The episode balances strategic insight with warmth and real-world perspective, reminding listeners that practice growth is ultimately about people, sustainability, and thoughtful leadership.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of Eye on the Industry to hear Kevin Wilhelm’s perspective on where independent optometry is heading and how practice owners can position themselves for long-term success.
It’s not every day you sit down with an iconic eyewear designer who embodies true independence.
I was invited to conduct our interview at the head office of Lanctôt Optical in Montreal. There, I was greeted by the owners, whose affinity for business development, style and class set the tone. Upon meeting Frédéric, I was immediately struck by his generous smile and humble nature. Running both his FB Studio and Frédéric Beausoleil collections, he pays homage to vintage and unique design.
A Creative Journey Begins:
Frédéric Beausoleil perfectly encapsulates the meaning of icon. His journey began as a young man, inspired by his mother and shaped by a lifelong respect for architecture, design, fashion, elegance, and eyewear.
Born in 1960 into a family of optometry, Frédéric’s path was deeply influenced by his trailblazing mother. She founded two of the very first French boutiques dedicated to independent eyewear designers, a rarity at the time, particularly for a woman in optometry. By championing visionaries such as Alain Mikli, Jean-François Rey, and Lafont, she cultivated an elite clientele of discerning customers. Beyond her profession, she was also an accomplished violinist and sculptor, instilling in her son a deep appreciation for culture, artistry, and refinement.
Crafted by Hand: Sculpture to Opticianry
Growing up in such an environment, Frederic first imagined a career in sculpture and aspired to attend art school, but his mother urged him to pursue a “real” degree. He ultimately followed her advice and enrolled in Paris’s leading opticianry school. In his final year, he designed his first frame, a gift for his American girlfriend.
To bring his designs to life, he sought out a small Parisian workshop specializing in buffalo horn and tortoiseshell frames. The atelier, just 24 square meters in size, was lined with 40 years of prototypes and became his classroom. There, he apprenticed, learning to craft frames entirely by hand, inspired by 18th-century methods.
Forging a Brand with Elegance
With early success and a clear vision, he trademarked the name Frederic Beausoleil and established his own brand. His career became a seamless blend of heritage, craft, and creativity: the legacy of his mother’s pioneering spirit united with his own passion for design. “She became my muse,” he reflects. Though she had hoped he would succeed her in business, she ultimately supported his independent path, offering expertise that helped him grow into one of the world’s finest optical designers.
When asked about his inspiration for men’s frames, Frédéric is clear: always design with elegance. He focused on sustainability, craftsmanship, and creating refined products made with care. Eyewear, he believes, should complement the natural harmony of the face, never impose or overpower. In men’s eyewear design, he notes, cultural codes play a role: the cat-eye, for example, long rejected in Europe and America, found acceptance in Asia. His goal has always been to incorporate pure lines, balanced proportions, refined thicknesses, ecological materials, and subtle vintage references, all expressed through seamless design. Each individual is unique, and by respecting individuality, he consistently returns to simplicity as his guiding principle.
Material Innovations Come to Life
Faithful to his purist ideals, Frédéric has long worked with authentic acetate derived from cotton flower cellulose. He explored combinations with mother-of-pearl dust, carbon fiber, linen, wood, and even cocoa, recognizing its design potential through cellulose. He has created more than 100 exclusive colours in collaboration with Mazzucchelli.
To fully realize his vision, he built his own factory 35 years ago, pioneering exclusive acetate production in-house. He became the first eyewear maker in the world to produce acetates independently. His designs also incorporate titanium, surgical stainless steel, recycled steel, and even repurposed materials such as dishes. By blending these elements, he created high-fashion frames that answered the growing demand for the unique and extraordinary.
He designed for Cartier for five years and joined Louis Vuitton for another five. His styles remain undeniably authentic and original, much like his spirit. When asked which designers most inspired him, Frederic reverts to his early influences, his mother, Lafont, J.F Rey, Oliver Peoples, and Alain Mikli. As for lenses, he has recently embraced Transitions, now offered in vibrant colours, including ruby red, green, and blue.
A Family Grounded in Creativity and Unity
Beyond his career, Frédéric is a devoted family man. His wife was the artistic director of Marie Claire in Paris for 25 years before launching her own design and marketing agency. Together, they raised two sons in an entrepreneurial household. Early on, they agreed never to travel at the same time, recognizing the importance of family and mutual support.
For Frédéric, family values are as significant as professional success. The harmony of love and business has sustained the couple for 40 years, their respect and affection undeniable. Passing on to their children the values needed to succeed in life has been his greatest achievement, the foundation of a most wondrous life.
About the Author:
Suzanne Sendel
Suzanne Sendel is an optical distributor who left the world of interior design and architectural sales management by falling in love with a pair of hand painted glasses, 11 years ago. Through her travels, Suzanne has inspired many with her independent collections, and her passion for optical fashion, and in sharing her stories and the many sales teams of “Road Warriors”, who have inspired the optical industry. Through her lens, Suzanne will share their journey and what has made them an integral part of the success of our industry. Reach her at suzannesendel@gmail.com.
Want to see more articles like this? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazine and newsletters!
LensCrafters is continuing its Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign into 2026, featuring independent optometrist Dr. Anisha Haji and highlighting leadership, patient care, and innovation in optometry.
As the leading trade association for the optical industry, The Vision Council closes 2025 with measurable progress in research, advocacy, industry standards, Foundation initiatives, and Vision Expo events, reinforcing its role as the unifying voice of the optical sector.
In Episode 7 of Eye on the Industry, Kevin Wilhelm discusses mindset, marketing, coaching, and the acquisition of Cleinman Performance Partners—revealing a new growth model for independent optometry practices.
A conversation with iconic eyewear designer Frédéric Beausoleil reveals a life shaped by independence, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage. Beausoleil’s journey blends elegance, sustainability, and timeless design into a deeply personal creative legacy.
Meet the winners of Optik’s Proudly Canadian Contest — sharing inspiring reflections from Canadian ECPs across the country. Bilingual entries featured.
LensCrafters is continuing its Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign into 2026, featuring independent optometrist Dr. Anisha Haji and highlighting leadership, patient care, and innovation in optometry.
As the leading trade association for the optical industry, The Vision Council closes 2025 with measurable progress in research, advocacy, industry standards, Foundation initiatives, and Vision Expo events, reinforcing its role as the unifying voice of the optical sector.
In Episode 7 of Eye on the Industry, Kevin Wilhelm discusses mindset, marketing, coaching, and the acquisition of Cleinman Performance Partners—revealing a new growth model for independent optometry practices.
A conversation with iconic eyewear designer Frédéric Beausoleil reveals a life shaped by independence, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage. Beausoleil’s journey blends elegance, sustainability, and timeless design into a deeply personal creative legacy.
Meet the winners of Optik’s Proudly Canadian Contest — sharing inspiring reflections from Canadian ECPs across the country. Bilingual entries featured.
LensCrafters is continuing its Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign into 2026, featuring independent optometrist Dr. Anisha Haji and highlighting leadership, patient care, and innovation in optometry.
As the leading trade association for the optical industry, The Vision Council closes 2025 with measurable progress in research, advocacy, industry standards, Foundation initiatives, and Vision Expo events, reinforcing its role as the unifying voice of the optical sector.
In Episode 7 of Eye on the Industry, Kevin Wilhelm discusses mindset, marketing, coaching, and the acquisition of Cleinman Performance Partners—revealing a new growth model for independent optometry practices.
A conversation with iconic eyewear designer Frédéric Beausoleil reveals a life shaped by independence, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage. Beausoleil’s journey blends elegance, sustainability, and timeless design into a deeply personal creative legacy.
Meet the winners of Optik’s Proudly Canadian Contest — sharing inspiring reflections from Canadian ECPs across the country. Bilingual entries featured.
LensCrafters is continuing its Dedicated to Everyday Excellence campaign into 2026, featuring independent optometrist Dr. Anisha Haji and highlighting leadership, patient care, and innovation in optometry.
As the leading trade association for the optical industry, The Vision Council closes 2025 with measurable progress in research, advocacy, industry standards, Foundation initiatives, and Vision Expo events, reinforcing its role as the unifying voice of the optical sector.
In Episode 7 of Eye on the Industry, Kevin Wilhelm discusses mindset, marketing, coaching, and the acquisition of Cleinman Performance Partners—revealing a new growth model for independent optometry practices.
A conversation with iconic eyewear designer Frédéric Beausoleil reveals a life shaped by independence, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage. Beausoleil’s journey blends elegance, sustainability, and timeless design into a deeply personal creative legacy.
Meet the winners of Optik’s Proudly Canadian Contest — sharing inspiring reflections from Canadian ECPs across the country. Bilingual entries featured.
