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Market Trends and Association Business on Agenda at The Vision Council Exec Summit Meeting

January 30, 2012 12:27 AM


Author Adam Hartung talks about overcoming "lock in" and meeting
market needs.
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla.—Business strategies, economic trends and the rise of digital media and e-commerce were among the topics on the agenda for the more than 250 optical industry senior executives and professional association guests attending The Vision Council's Executive Summit meeting held here Jan. 25-27 last week.

Author and Forbes' contributor, Adam Hartung, pointed out the dangers of "locked in" thinking as a barrier to growth in the new business economy in one of the keynote sessions on the program. Economist, author and market trend analyst, Brian Beaulieu, of the Institute for Trend Research, shared insights about the economic indicators and the outlook for the vision care market. And a special panel of industry executives, moderated by Vision Council Summit program chair, REM Eyewear's Mike Hundert, shared diverse perspectives on fast-changing developments in the online, optical e-commerce space.

As reported by VMail on Jan. 26, the meeting marked the official merger of the Optical Laboratories Association (OLA) into The Vision Council, the culmination of years of discussion following a letter of intent signed in 2010. The OLA will now be the Optical Lab Division of the organization.

In addition, the Vision Council's various committees and divisions held meetings to review various programs and task force progress. And, the membership elected its 2012 roster of officers and board of directors. The Vision Council officers include: Chairman, Jamie Shyer, Zyloware Eyewear; Vice-Chairman, Raanan Naftalovich, Shamir Insight; Secretary/Treasurer, Martin Bassett, Walman Optical, and Immediate Past Chairman, Michael Daley, Essilor Lens.

The organization's current board of directors includes: Ken Bradley, Eschenbach Optik of America; David Cole, Transitions Optical; Bob Colucci, Essilor Lens; Barney Dougher, Hoya; Mike Francesconi, Katz & Klein; John Fried, A&R Optical Machinery; Jeff Frumkin, EyeQ Eyewear; Andrea Gluck, Eyewear Designs, Ltd.; Claudio Gottardi, Marchon Eyewear; Doug Hepper, Vision-Ease Lens; Michael Hundert, REM Eyewear; Jon Jacobs, Superior Optical; Robert Liener, A&A Optical; Scott MacGuffie, Smith Optics; David Meisenheimer, DAC; Stephen Rappoport, L'Amy America; Dick Russo, Safilo USA; Gerard Santinelli, Santinelli International; David Vander Schaaf, StyleMark and Nancy Yamasaki, Younger Optics. Non Voting Ex-Officio Members include: Paul Michelson, MD, Chair of the BVI and Mike Cundiff, Kenmark, Chair of the Show Committee.

Exiting the board and honored by the group for his years of service to the organization is Don Howard of Kenmark.

Watch for additional stories about the Vision Council's topical speakers and sessions plus photos from the 2012 meeting, coming soon in VMail and on VisionMonday.com.
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