ATLANTA—Now in its 90th year, SECO 2013 was held in Atlanta, Feb. 27 to March 3, with the theme, “Celebration in Education.” Representing the Education portion of the theme, the event featured more than 240 continuing education courses and over 100 world-renowned speakers.

SECO’s ongoing collaboration with the U.K.’s Association of Optometrists (AOP) was evidenced by 132 AOP continuing education courses and the joint announcement by current SECO president Ronald Foreman, OD, and AOP chairman David Shannon, OD, FAAO, MCOptom, that the two organizations would collaborate on an event to be held in London, Oct. 6 to 8, 2013. In addition, SECO also hosted its Fifth Annual AOP Reception and Student Party on Friday night during the event.

SECO 2013’s exhibition hall, known as “Optometry’s Marketplace,” hosted almost 300 companies showcasing technologies, products and services. The event attracted well over 8,000 optometrists, opticians, certified ophthalmic technicians, paraoptometric and other eyecare professionals. Saturday night’s President’s Celebration at Atlanta’s Tabernacle balanced out the event’s theme with a performance by the band Better than Ezra, and Louisiana-themed appetizers and libations in honor of the location of incoming president Darby Chiasson, OD, in Cut Off, La.

The youngest SECO president ever, Chiasson told VMail that his three primary goals for 2013 are: 1) to encourage the success of SECO’s collaborative event with AOP, known as “London 2013 Education Destination,” 2) to determine the effectiveness of the organization’s educational programs through pre-CE testing and post-CE surveys, and 3) to institute more practice management education. For SECO 2014, Chiasson also hinted at “big changes planned for our social events and exhibits as well.”