Essilor International

Essilor International has announced that its chief executive officer, Hubert Sagnieres, has appointed two chief operating officers from within its executive committee. Paul du Saillant will be in charge of research and development as well as quality. In addition, du Saillant will take on responsibility for global operations starting in the first half of 2011. Du Saillant worked at Air Liquide for nearly 20 years before joining Lhoist as Chief Operating Officer and moving on to Essilor in 2008.

Laurent Vacherot will oversee corporate finance and will also head Essilor’s information systems & technology and investor relations departments. Vacherot will also supervise the Latin America region and will assume responsibility for Essilor’s equipment and instrument divisions. Vacherot joined Essilor in 1991 as a corporate senior vice president and headed Essilor’s operations in North America before taking on the role of CFO in 2007.

Rodenstock

Oliver Kastalio

German lens manufacturer Rodenstock has named two experienced global brand managers, Oliver Kastalio and Peter Körfer-Schün to top management positions.  Kastalio, who was appointed chief executive officer, has held executive positions with Procter & Gamble for 19 years in the areas of product development, brand management, marketing, M&A, finance and sales. Most recently, he was general manager and vice president of the Global Prestige Products division.

Körfer-Schün

Körfer-Schün, who was appointed to Rodenstock’s supervisory board, served as CEO of Grohe AG until 2004. Under his leadership, the medium-size bathroom fittings manufacturer from Hemer in Sauerland developed into a complete provider of sanitary products and systems and a global brand for bathroom fittings.

Eye Care Centers of America

George Gebhardt

George Gebhardt, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Eye Care Centers of America (ECCA), retired last month. Gebhardt, a long-time optical industry retail executive, had been active in the buying, marketing and merchandising arena for many years. He joined ECCA as executive vice president of merchandising in September 1996, when ECCA acquired his former employer, Visionworks. He assumed the responsibilities of ECCA's managed vision care operation in December 2004, and resumed marketing responsibilities in May 2006.

VSP Global

Yasmin R. Seyal

VSP Global has named Yasmin R. Seyal as vice president, global treasurer. Seyal will oversee the company’s various treasury functions, and direct global tax strategy and compliance, reporting to VSP Global CFO Donald J. Ball. Most recently, Seyal served as senior vice president and CFO for GenCorp Inc., a Northern California-based technology manufacturing company that specializes in aerospace and defense, as well as real estate. Prior to GenCorp Inc., Seyal held numerous positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Bausch + Lomb

Charl van Zyl

Bausch + Lomb has named Charl van Zyl as corporate vice president and commercial leader, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Mr. van Zyl will lead the company’s cross-functional, multi-market EMEA operations team. He will also have direct commercial responsibility for B+L’s emerging markets in the region. Mr. van Zyl joined Bausch + Lomb in 2009, serving as vice president, EMEA, for the company’s Pharmaceuticals business.

 HOYA Vision Care

Brad Main

HOYA Vision Care of North America has announced the promotion of Brad Main, FNAO to the positions of Director of Training and Technical Resources. Brad joined Hoya in 2001 as a Territory Sales Manager in Virginia and Washington, DC. He has also held the positions of Northeast Region Training Manager and has been National Training Manager at Hoya since 2007.

Davis Vision

James Knox

Davis Vision, Inc. has named James Knox to its national business development team as senior account executive of strategic sales-north. Based in Louisville, Ky., Knox will focus on sales and third-party accounts in the northern part of the country. Prior to joining Davis Vision, Knox worked with Citizen Security Life and Humana. Knox has over 30 years of experience in the group health insurance industry including senior sales positions with major U.S group benefits companies and sales management of large and small group markets.

Eye Designs

Patricia Bobilin

Eye Designs has named Patricia Bobilin as Managing Director, Southern Region. She will be responsible for managing accounts in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Patricia brings 21 of years of experience in the eyewear industry having previously served as District Manager, Key Account Consultant, and Brand Specialist for Marchon Eyewear.

Harry Stone

Eye Designs has also named Harry Stone as Managing Director, Northern California and Pacific Northwest. He will be responsible for managing accounts in the states of Northern California, Northern Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Harry brings 21 of years of experience in the eyewear industry having previously served as District Manager for Marchon Eyewear.

Macular Degeneration Association

Diana Schechtman

The Macular Degeneration Association announced that Diana Schechtman, OD, has joined the organization’s Medical Advisory Board. An associate professor of optometry at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, Schechtman also serves as an attending optometric physician at the Eye Institute and Diabetic/ Macula Clinic. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and the Optometric Retinal Society.

Moscot Optical
Moscot Optical has promoted Wendy Simmons to the position of executive vice president. Simmons, who previouly served as vice president of marketing for Moscot, has overseen public relations for the company since 2005. Simmons’ promotion is the second top management change Moscot has made since the death of its president, Kenny Moscot, last month. Moscot’s brother, Dr. Harvey Moscot, OD, who had been vice president of Moscot Eyecare, has expanded his role to president.