Luxottica Retail

Valerio Giacobbi Kerry Bradley Fabio d'Angelantonio Luxottica has made some organizational changes in its senior management structure for Luxottica Retail. Valerio Giacobbi, executive vice president of Luxottica Group, has returned to Italy to lead the group’s global business development. During his seven years leading the North America Retail Division, the organization acquired Cole National, created the optical manufacturing division, and developed new synergies with Oakley. Kerry Bradley, chief operating officer, becomes president, Luxottica Retail North America, to lead the optical retail, managed vision care, manufacturing divisions and shared services. In his new role, Bradley will focus on further developing opportunities between optical retail, manufacturing, managed vision care, and eyecare services.  For Sunglass Hut, which has become a global retail brand in the past few years, and Ilori, the company’s luxury retail initiative, Luxottica’s Fabio d’Angelantonio has been appointed to lead this effort, with regional leaders now partnering with him to manage and develop Luxottica Group’s sun and luxury retail business.

REM Eyewear

Steve Horowitz Blake Kuwahara

REM Eyewear announced a series of organizational changes at the 55-year-old Los Angeles-area-based eyewear provider. Industry veteran Steve Horowitz has been named president of REM. Horowitz, 56, has been REM’s executive vice president since joining the company in 1995 after many years in sales leadership at Wilshire Designs, Styl-Rite, and Rosin Optical.  Blake Kuwahara is stepping down as the company’s creative director, but will continue to lead the design of key licensed brands in REM’s portfolio, including Converse and the company’s luxury brand, John Varvatos, which resides in the company’s Base Curve division. Kuwahara will do so under contract with the new design firm he is creating, called The Focus Group.

Marchon

Nicola Zotta

Marchon Eyewear announced the appointment of Nicola Zotta as vice president and managing director of EMEA region. He will be responsible for the company's sales and marketing, along with operations within Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A native of Italy, Zotta received a degree in Economics and Business from the University of Trento in Italy, and an Executive MBA from Essec Business School in Paris. He is based in Amsterdam.

ECCA

David Holmberg

David Holmberg, chairman and chief executive officer of the Eye Care Centers of America (ECCA) chain and president and CEO of ECCA's parent, HVHC, was elected to the additional position of president of ECCA by the company's board of directors last month. Holmberg, whose prior experience includes three years as president of the former Cole Vision's licensed brands operation, has been CEO of ECCA since Jan, 2008 and was elected chairman of the chain last July.

Vision Web

C. Thomas Crooks III

C. Thomas Crooks III, OD, a former president of the American Optometric Association, recently joined industry Internet portal VisionWeb as professional relations advisor, to serve as VisionWeb’s primary liaison to ECPs and professional organizations. Crooks has more than 30 years of private-practice experience, including founding and serving as CEO of EyeCare Associates, a long-time VisionWeb customer in Alabama with 19 locations and 33 providers.

FGX International

Alfred J. Verrecchia

FGX International have announced that Alfred J. Verrecchia has been appointed to its board of directors for a term ending at the 2009 annual meeting of stockholders. Verrecchia is currently chairman of the board of Hasbro, Inc. From 2003 until his retirement in May 2008, he was president and CEO of Hasbro. Prior to 2003 he was Hasbro’s president and COO with his career at Hasbro spanning over 40 years.

Doral Vision

Carl Moroff

Carl Moroff, OD, a managed vision care veteran with more than 35 years' experience in the eyecare field, was recently named chief vision officer of Doral Vision, a division of Doral USA. In his new role, Moroff will oversee the company's vision care program operations, quality assurance, brand management and marketing, and new business development. Moroff, who has served as a consultant to DentaQuest for the past year, spent more than 25 years with Davis Vision in senior management positions.

Innereactive Media

Kristin Giles

Innereactive Media has added Kristin Giles to their team of optical marketing specialists. Based in San Diego, Calif., Giles has over 11 years of experience in the optical industry managing an optical office, as well as outside sales. As marketing coordinator, Giles specializes in helping optical professionals identify their competitive niche and communicate it to their target audience.

HOYA Vision Care

HOYA Vision Care, North America, has named Michael Ness director of new product development. Ness has almost 20 years of experience in the optical industry. Most recently he served as vice president of sales and marketing for Vision Ease Lens. Prior to VEL, Ness was the vice president of marketing and sales for Briggs Corporation and vice president of strategic marketing for Essilor of America and Essilor International.

Will Be Missed...

Roger Bullock

Lawrence Roger Bullock, 53, of Stedman, North Carolina, passed away on March 8, 2009. Mr. Bullock was the owner and operator of Professional Opticians since 1979. He had been in the optical business for over 35 years and operated his practice with his daughter Crystal. Mr. Bullock is survived by his wife Marilyn, daughters Shelley and Crystal, brothers Roy and Ray, mother Margaret, and father and stepmother Lawrence and Sandra. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideons International Fayetteville East Camp, P.O. Box 782, Fayetteville, NC 28302; or to Stedman Pentecostal Holiness Church Building Fund, 432 Hillsboro St., Stedman, NC 28391. Services entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home of Fayetteville.