IRIS the Visual Group announces the partnership of Elena Klotz, Optician and the merger of her optical store, Edge Opticians, into the downtown Guelph location in Ontario.

Edge Opticians, a family business, was founded seven years ago by Elena Klotz in the nearby Shoppes at Old Quebec Street. The IRIS location in downtown Guelph #832 is the result of an acquisition of the longstanding Scott Coburn Optical store by IRIS in 2021. The combined business will operate in the existing IRIS location.

“The IRIS vision of providing high-quality products to patients/clients is what most appealed to me. Having a support network while still maintaining the flavour of my individual practice was also appealing.” said Elena.

Elena Klotz is a third-generation eye care professional; her father was an Optometrist and mother an Optician. She has been an Optician for over 25 years having trained at Georgian College. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Guelph.

The new IRIS partnership consists of ownership of shares in an Ontario registered corporation that holds the assets of the downtown Guelph location only.  Elena Klotz will receive dividends based on the profit of this individual location and participate in the appreciation of value of that specific practice as it grows. Elena will also receive a salary as the location’s Managing Optician.

“Partnership gives me a vested interest in the well-being of the practice. As a lifelong entrepreneur, partnership with IRIS meant I would still feel that I was an important part of the growing business,” Elena explained. “IRIS shares the exact same values of respect and high-quality care I have provided and will continue to provide to my loyal clientele in the community.”

Click HERE for the full press release.

Wood is making a comeback at Öga and can be found in a unique collection, of which model OG10167O is a part. This frame, made of stainless steel, has a retro look that has been updated by the addition of a wooden circle, protected by a clear coating. Wood being a noble and living material, this frame will forge a unique character over time!

Distributed by Morel Canada: morel-france.com

Safilo Group has appointed Francesco Rinaldi Ceroni as the President & Chief Commercial Officer for the North American market, effective from June 1, 2022, following the retirement of Steve Wright.

Rinaldi Ceroni, having also served as VP, International Strategy & Business Development at Costa Del Mar during a significant period of expansion, joined Safilo in June 2020 as Global General Manager of Smith Optics, today Safilo’s biggest brand in the portfolio.

Francesco will retain responsibility for Smith as President of Smith Optics, while Mark Phares, currently Director of Global Wholesale Channel for Smith, has been promoted to General Manager for Smith Optics, reporting to Francesco.

“North America has a central role in Safilo’s strategy and business growth. I thank Steve for his countless contributions to the Group and extend my best wishes for his retirement. Francesco has driven the implementation of key transformational projects for the Smith division over the past two years, fully embracing the digital acceleration and innovative responsibility that sets Safilo Group apart in the marketplace. I’m very excited about where Safilo is today and the next chapter for North America, and I wish all the best to Francesco in his new role”, said Angelo Trocchia, CEO of Safilo Group.

Click HERE for the full press release.

After serving the Opticianry profession for nearly 21 years, 11 years as President from 2001 -2012, and 10 years as the Executive Director, Lorne Kashin’s tenure with the Ontario Opticians Association (OOA)  was celebrated on April 9^th in Toronto with an event marking the occasion of his retirement.  

Lorne also served concurrently as the President of the Optician’s Association of Canada from 2005 to 2008. During Lorne’s tenure with the OOA, membership has grown by over 400% and the Association’s showcase event, Inside Optics, has grown to be the largest optician’s event in Canada.

At a cocktail reception sponsored by the OOA, Lorne was presented with a plaque by the College of Opticians of Ontario, presentations were made by Robert Dalton, CEO of the Opticians Association of Canada, and by Ruth Priebe, Director of Operations of The Optical Group. 

The OOA presented a gift basket of assorted activity passes that will help Lorne fill up some of his newfound time during retirement.

A Passion for 47 years!
Lorne became a Licensed Optician in 1977 as a graduate of the Ryerson Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Program and owned and operated an independent optical store, the Eyeglass Factory in Thornhill, Ontario since 1977. The management of the store has been passed along to the family.

In his capacity as an OOA board member, Lorne worked closely on legislative and regulatory matters with the Ministry of Health (MOHLTC), the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC), the College of Opticians of Ontario (COO), the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) and the Opticians Council of Canada (OCC). Lorne was also a member of the Eye Health Council of Ontario (EHCO).

As a passionate professional, Lorne has been a consummate mentor and trainer of younger Opticians in advanced specialty practice areas, including refraction and specialty contact lens fitting.

Lorne will remain with the Association in a part-time capacity, lending his experience as an Education Coordinator. He will be supporting Executive Director, Martin Lebeau in sourcing speakers and accredited courses for members.

Congratulations Lorne! Enjoy the Next. 

Vision Expo East 2022 concluded on Sunday, April 3. The four-day event, which took place March 31-April 3 at the Javits Center, marked Vision Expo’s first Show in New York City since 2019.  

Vision Expo East featured more than 360 exhibiting companies across several distinct neighborhoods and offered leading continuing education as well as engaging programming. Presented under the banner of VisionEd, Vision Expo’s education program offered more than 230 hours of education. Returning to the Show, OptiCon®@Vision Expo offered an unmatched education program and exhibit hall experience for opticians, contact lens practitioners and ophthalmic allied professionals.

“It was incredible to bring the vision care community together again in New York City for the first time since 2019. The Show Floor was buzzing with activity and the energy, especially on day one, was palpable as motivated attendees and exhibitors reconnected with their peers, conducted business and engaged with the education offerings,” said Fran Pennella, Vice President, Vision Expo, at RX, co-organizer of Vision Expo.

The Bridge, Vision Expo East’s main stage destination, featured the EYE2EYE Series, an educational series of panels on topics ranging from fashion trend forecasts to the metaverse and cryptocurrency, and headlined by fashion innovator and author, Dapper Dan. The Bridge also housed the Innovation Stage, the Show Floor destination dedicated to groundbreaking content and state-of-the-art products and services revolutionizing the industry.

The Career Zone-Student Lounge, a destination for students to connect with optical companies that are actively recruiting and explore career resources, also returned to Vision Expo East on Saturday, April 2.

Additionally, the winner of the OPTImum Retail Award – Black Optical – was announced and celebrated during a reception at Vision Expo East.  The award celebrates independent retailers and showcases their products, stores, visions and stories. 

The Vision Choice Award, which recognizes the best new product at Vision Expo East, was awarded to ZEISS for the company’s PhotoFusion® X Lenses. 

NOW by Vision Expo, a new eyewear trends showcase, also made its debut at the Show, spotlighting curated selections of eyewear from more than 80 exhibiting companies. 

Vision Expo West 2022 will take place at The Venetian Convention Center & Expo in Las Vegas from September 14-17, 2022. The Show’s educational program, together with OptiCon®@Vision Expo, will open Wednesday, September 14, and the Exhibit Hall will Thursday, September 15. 

Click HERE for the full press release.