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September 4, 2019September 4, 2019

2019 American Academy of Optometry Student Travel Fellowship Recipients Announced

The American Academy of Optometry announces the recipients of the 2019 Student Travel Fellowship Awards.

Among the Student Travel Fellowships winners is Lacey Haines, University of Waterloo. These travel fellowships will allow students to attend Academy 2019 Orlando and 3^rd World Congress of Optometry, October 23-27, 2019. Resident Travel Fellowship recipients will be announced at a later time.

The 2019 Student Travel Fellowship recipients are:

Frank W. Weymouth Student Travel Fellowship

Rebecca Deffler, OD, MS, The Ohio State University

Augustine Nti, OD, University of Houston

Irvin M. Borish Student Travel Fellowship

Nahida Akter, University of New South Wales

Abdulla Alamri, State University of New York

Brazelton Low Vision Student Travel Fellowship

Wai Fung, University of California Berkeley

Edward I. Goodlaw Student Travel Fellowship

Joanna Toner, University of California Berkeley

Robert D. Newcomb Student Travel Fellowship Award for Leadership

Alison Jensen, University of California Berkeley

Michael G. Harris Student Travel Fellowship Award for Leadership

Bibin Cherian, Northeastern State University of Oklahoma

American Academy of Optometry Student Travel Fellowships

Deborah Awisi-Gyua, Indiana University

Lacey Haines, University of Waterloo

Neeraj Singh, Indiana University

Sandra Wagner, Eberhard Karls University

Tiong Peng Yap, OD, University of New South Wales

Funded by an educational grant from Johnson and Johnson Vision

Nicole Adam, New England College of Optometry

Michelle Antonucci, University of California Berkeley

Akosua Asare, OD, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Khob Bhandari, University of Houston

Jaime Etterling, The Ohio State University

Raymond Farmer, State University of New York

Hannah Gregory, University of Houston

Brian Helmetag, Midwestern University Chicago College of Optometry

Chuan Hu, OD, University of Houston

Parthasarathi Kalaiselvan, University of New South Wales

WeiHau Law, University of Houston

Taylor Norris, The Ohio State University

Sudan Puri, University of Houston

Casey Ramirez Cortes, The Ohio State University

Noor Haziq Saliman, The University of Manchester

Divya Senthilkumar, SRM Institute of Science and Technology

Jennyffer Smith, OD, University of Houston

Emma Stewart-Bates, The Ohio State University

Kelsey Trast, University of Houston

Kent Uehara, State University of New York

Yen-Chiao Wang, MD, Indiana University

Recipients will be honored at the Student and Resident Awards Lunch on Thursday, October 24.

Click HERE for the full press release.

September 2, 2019August 30, 2019

Maximize Your Practice: Become an Essilor Elite

Essilor Canada has created a holistic partnership program, Essilor Elite, to give independent eye care professionals an edge in today’s marketplace. Using a series of innovative marketing, advertising, and digital tools, in addition to regional events and on-going training and development, Essilor is helping ECPs strengthen their business and build profits.

“Essilor Canada recognises the need to excel in our support for the independent customer. Despite independent ECPs conducting over 60% of eye exams, only 42% of eyeglass wearers report purchasing their eyeglasses from independents. This is a major independent business need that this partnership program is designed to address,” explained Matt Pope, Director of Marketing.

Essilor Canada has developed Essilor Elite to be a best-in-class support partnership for long-term sustainable growth, rather than a short-term promotional program. It is designed to complement services available through existing professional networks and alliances.

Participants will gain 1) exclusive advertising benefits designed to drive new patients to their practices, 2) exclusive regional events beginning in November, 2019, for networking and training supporting better in-office results, and 3) increased hands-on consulting with business assessments designed to help practice owners and managers more effectively manage their businesses.

Click HERE for the full press release.

August 30, 2019August 30, 2019

Vision Expo West Event to Offer Guidance to New Business Owners

Vision Expo West introduces The Next Generation of Retailers – Speed Dating event at this year’s Show. For the first time ever, new and potential business owners will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with some of the industry’s most successful independent retailers to learn the ins and outs of business ownership.

New and potential business owners interested in participating can submit their application online.

Hosted by Erinn Morgan, editor-in-chief of Eyecare Business Magazine, and James Spina, editor-in-chief of 20/20 Magazine, the event will take place Thursday, Sept. 19 in The OPTImum Lounge (Booth #18130) from 3 p.m.–4p.m.

Participating retailers include:

Edward Beiner, owner of Edward Beiner Eyewear
Siobhán Burns, owner of The Eyeglass Lass
Julia Gogosha, owner of Gogosha Optique
Tanya Gill, OD and owner of Oakland Vision Center
Stephanie Haenes, COO and owner of Art of Optiks
Utenzi Miller, owner of Elegant Eyes
Nate Ogura, owner of Eyes on Fremont
Todd Rogers, owner of Todd Rogers Eyewear
Selima Salaun, owner of Selima Optique
Wendy Salle, owner of Salle Opticians

Following the event, a sangria reception hosted by Etnia Barcelona will be open to all Vision Expo West attendees.

“Etnia Barcelona is extremely excited to sponsor The Next Generation of Retailers – Speed Dating event,” said Pablo Cobian, U.S. general manager for Etnia Barcelona. “All the panel members are independent and unique in their own way, matching perfectly with the Etnia Barcelona core values. As the optical industry is expanding and growing, Etnia Barcelona is in a great position to partner with Vision Expo West to bring a fun new form of networking to the independent optician that helps build relationships across the industry.”

To register for Vision Expo West 2019, visit visionexpowest.com and be sure to follow along on all of Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

August 30, 2019August 30, 2019

Safilo and HUGO BOSS Renew Eyewear License Agreement

Safilo Group and HUGO BOSS announce the renewal of the license agreement for BOSS and HUGO optical and sunglass collections until 31 December 2025.

Angelo Trocchia, CEO of Safilo Group, commented: “This renewal builds on the strength of a trustful and long-lasting business partnership. The BOSS and HUGO collections further reinforce our premium fashion proposition, giving us the opportunity to accelerate this segment’s expansion by offering to our customers two powerful brands with extremely clear and relevant positionings aimed at differing consumer targets and geographies, with products that translate the quality and style of the BOSS and HUGO brands.”

“We are delighted to continue our partnership in the eyewear category with Safilo. Over the years, Safilo has demonstrated that they understand our brand DNA perfectly, translating our values into a product which truly represents us,” says CBO Ingo Wilts. “Safilo has the scale and the capabilities to implement our strategic vision to continually add value to our brands also through product categories such as eyewear, both optical and sun, which continue to gain importance as a fashion accessory especially in the digital world where we can count on our very engaged, digital-savvy global community.”

Source: Safilo

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019

Transitions Optical Forms Canadian Pro Forum and Announces Members

Transitions Optical has announced the formation of an advisory Pro Forum in Canada. The group consists of Canadian eye care professionals and is intended to provide insights on a variety of industry topics, issues and trends, as well as feedback for the company on product recommendations, advertising, patient communication, demonstration tools and trade programs to meet patient needs. The group met for its inaugural meeting August 15-18 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, alongside the successful U.S. Pro Forum group, which was formed in 2012.

“Our Pro Forum has been invaluable to us as we seek to provide the best possible products for the widest group of patients, and the most effective tools and resources for the optical industry,” said Patience Cook, director, North America marketing, Transitions Optical. “The Pro Forum’s insights have consistently helped us learn and improve and adding the experience of this diverse and talented group of Canadian eyecare professionals will help us further meet patient needs.”

The Pro Forum meets formally twice a year, during Transitions Academy and again each summer. Eyecare professionals from Canada who interested in joining the group can contact Transitions Customer Service at 1-877-254-2590 to inquire about additional slots.

Meet the Canada Pro Forum Members for 2019:

Trisha Beal, O.D. – Brant Family Eyecare, Brantford, Ontario
Christine Paré-Denis, O.D. – Le Lunetier Blainville, Blainville Québec
Raouf Hakim, Optician – Lopticien.ca, Laval, Québec
Rachel Hill, Optician – Personal Optical, St. Catharines, Ontario
Eddy Kam Hong Hung, Optician – Eye Station Optical, Richmond, British Columbia
Trevor Miranda, O.D. – Cowichan Eyecare, Cobble Hill, British Columbia (not pictured)
Diana Monea, O.D. – Eye Health Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan
Marie Trudel, Optician – Ma Vue – Marie Trudel Opticienne, Québec City, Québec
Wael Yassein, Optician – The Eye Shoppe, Oshawa, Ontario