OLA Members Vote “Yes” – by 84% - to Make Changes to 114-Year-Old Organization 

OLA Members have completed voting on changes to the Bylaws of their organization, and the result was 84% approval of the new Bylaws. 

“I want to thank the OLA Membership for voting for the new foundation to define the membership, leadership, operating procedures, and dues structure for the organization,” said OLA president Barney Dougher. “These changes give OLA a sound, contemporary basis to chart the future direction of the association.” 

Bylaws Committee chairman Steve Sutherlin spearheaded the effort to re-engineer the OLA organization. “Two years ago, the OLA Board recognized that the Bylaws and dues structure reflected our industry at the time they were written – more than 30 years ago – and not our industry today. We formed a focus group of industry leaders, from OLA’s Member Advisory Board, and from many members of our association,” said Sutherlin. 

The results of that effort redefined the basic OLA structure – all Rx manufacturing optical lab companies are now in one category of membership regardless of ownership or market level. All lab member companies are equally eligible to hold positions in the OLA leadership. All lab member companies are assessed dues on the same basis – the volume of Rx eyewear production. 

“For 114 years, OLA and its predecessor organizations have represented Rx manufacturing optical labs – the businesses that make the world’s finest eyewear,” said Sutherlin. “With this overwhelming vote for approval, the OLA membership has reaffirmed their intention that OLA is, has been, and should continue to be, the ‘Voice of the Rx Manufacturing Optical Laboratory’ – the businesses whose mission is to fabricate the highest quality eyewear.” 

In announcing the results of the vote to OLA Members, Dougher and Sutherlin noted that “the voting for Approval was remarkably uniform across all of the previous member categories” - Wholesale Lab Members - 84%; Retail Lab Members - 89%; Vision Plan Lab Members - 66%; International Lab Members - 100%; Associate Members - 84%.