Healthy Eyes for Life Foundation

Michael Daley

The Healthy Eyes for Life Foundation, a newly created organization, has named optical industry veteran Michael Daley as its president. Daley will be responsible for working with the foundation’s marketing committee to formulate the vision health care message and to develop strategies to create public awareness for the need for vision health care. He will also collaborate with the funding committee to develop and execute a fundraising strategy.  Daley began his career in the optical industry over 40 years ago. He was president and COO of Essilor of America’s United States Lens Division, known as Essilor Lenses and retired in 2008. He currently serves on numerous boards and councils, including The Vision Council, Prevent Blindness America and the American Optometric Association Ophthalmic Council.

Bausch & Lomb

Fred Hassan

Bausch & Lomb has announced that Fred Hassan has been elected to its Board of Directors. Mr. Hassan was chairman and CEO of Schering-Plough Corporation from 2003 until its acquisition by Merck last month. Before joining Schering-Plough, he served as CEO (from 2000 to 2001) and as chairman and CEO (from 2001 to 2003) of Pharmacia Corporation until the company was acquired by Pfizer Inc. in 2003. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Hassan was CEO of Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc., which merged with Monsanto Company in 2000 to become Pharmacia Corporation.

Mohinder Merchea

In other news, B&L Vision Care recently named Mohinder Merchea, OD, the new director of medical affairs–North America, Vision Care. Mohinder continues to report to Joe Barr, OD, vice president of global clinical and medical affairs and professional services, and adds a direct reporting relationship to Steven Robins, president of vision care–North America, as part of that business segment’s leadership team. Mohinder, who has more than 12 years’ experience in medical device clinical research, joined B&L in 2002 as manager of clinical research in refractive technologies.

Transitions Optical, Inc

Manuel Solis

Transitions Optical has promoted Manuel Solis to the position of multicultural marketing manager, North America. In his new role, Solis will continue to expand Transitions Optical’s successful Hispanic and multicultural initiatives through the development of new marketing strategies, programs and resources to further drive business growth. Solis joined Transitions in 2005, and most recently held the position of regional sales manager for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Optical Laboratories Association

Brian Barns

The Optical Laboratories Association has named eight honorees to be inducted into the OLA Hall of Fame for 2009. The eight industry veterans will be honored at the 10th annual OLA Hall of Fame banquet, which will be held in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 3, 2009. The 2009 Hall of Fame Honorees are Edward A. Dietz, III, James W. Drain, Morley Gwirtzman, Don Rahn, Henry Shyer, Ralph L. Woythaler, Brian Barns and Mike DiSanto. The latter two are being honored posthumously.

Michael DiSanto

The OLA Hall of Fame began as The Optical Pioneers in 2000, for the purpose of “recognizing the contributions of those who participated in the establishment of the wholesale optical industry in its founding years.” Over time, the recognition has progressed to persons from any era and any part of the optical lab industry, and the name was changed to the Hall of Fame.

Allison S.p.A

Giuseppe  La Boria

Allison S.p.A has named Giuseppe La Boria as their new senior vice president of worldwide sales. With this appointment, La Boria also joins the company’s board of directors with powers over worldwide sales. The 51 years-old La Boria most recently worked for Luxottica Group’s wholesale division and before that was the Italian sales manager for the SÃ filo Group, where he helped implement the worldwide launch of Diesel Eyewear with responsibility over both trade and marketing aspects.

Switch Vision

Al Gleek

Al Gleek, President of AG Vision Consulting LLC, has joined Switch Vision™ in an advisory capacity to assist in the advancement of the Switch Vision™ Prescription Sun program. Gleek is a seasoned veteran in the optical industry, with over 35 years experience working with the world’s leading ophthalmic and sunglass brands, lens manufacturers, optical retailers, and industry organizations. He is a pioneer in prescription sunglasses and wrap lens technology and developer of proprietary sunglass lens tints.

European Sunglasses Association
Francesco Pellegrini has been named the new president of the European Sunglasses Association (ESA). Pellegrini expressed his aim to improve the ESA’s reach by supporting the growth and development of the European sunglass sector and protecting the European sunglass industry. With an active involvement in such topics as European and International standards for sunglasses, ESA will continue to assist members and all interested groups with professional and objective information on all sunglass related matters. Pellegrini is global sales and marketing director for sunlenses at Intercast Europe, part of the PPG Group. 


Carl Zeiss Meditec
Jack Regan has been promoted to vice president of USA ophthalmic sales for Carl Zeiss Meditec. Regan, formerly senior regional sales director, succeeds Bob Padula, who will continue to work closely with Carl Zeiss Meditec as founder of a new company, Eye Care Alliance, which will sell certified pre-owned Zeiss equipment. Regan joined the company in November 1988 as a regional sales manager from Abbott Laboratories-Diagnostics Division. 


OptiCare Managed Vision
David Lavely, OD, became president and chief executive officer of OptiCare Managed Vision earlier last month. Lavely succeeded Jason Harrold, who was promoted to senior vice president of the specialty business unit of Centene Corp., OptiCare’s parent company. Harrold had been president of OptiCare Managed Vision for nearly 10 years. Lavely is a 15-year veteran with OptiCare; he was most recently the company’s senior vice president of business development.

Essilor Vision Foundation Honored
The Essilor Vision Foundation has received the Excellence in Mission Achievement Award for organizations with operating budgets under $1 million by the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas. The foundation was recognized for its success in its efforts to eliminate poor vision and its lifelong consequences at the “A Night of Light” annual awards dinner, held in Dallas on Nov. 12. 

The Excellence in Mission Achievement $5,000 award honors an organization that has developed and implemented a program, project or technique clearly focused on advancing its mission. The program or process must be tied to an articulated mission statement addressing a critical community need. 

AOA Paraoptometric Section Seeks Nominees
The America Optometric Association’s paraoptometric section is now seeking nominees for its annual Paraoptometric of the Year Award, to be presented at next year’s Optometry’s Meeting on June 24. The award, funded by CIBA Vision, will go to the optometric assistant or technician judged to have made “the most outstanding and worthwhile contributions to the profession of optometry, paraoptometry and the general public, according to the AOA. 

Nominations must be received by the AOA on or before Feb. 1. For more information, contact the AOA paraoptometric section at 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63141; call (800) 365-2219, ext. 4222; or email JVMurphy@aoa.org.