TEMECULA, Calif.—The California Optical Laboratory Association (COLA) held its annual meeting here for California optical labs and their vendors, bringing in experts in regulatory affairs, social media, customer service and ocular pathological conditions. COLA was founded in 1957 as a networking and educational event and last year became part of The Vision Council’s lab division.

At the opening reception, two awards were presented. The first award was delivered by COLA director, Lori Treadwell to Terry Yoneda of Younger Optics in appreciation of his 10 years of service as the COLA director. It was also announced that one of the annual student scholarships was to be named after Yoneda.

The award will now be called The Vision Council/COLA Terry Yoneda Excellence in Ophthalmic Optics Award. The scholarship is given annually to an optometry student from one of three optometry schools: Ketchum University, Fullerton; Western University, Pomona; or UC Berkeley, Berkeley.

The annual Goodfellow Award, presented alternately to an optical lab/vendor COLA member for being a really “good fellow,” went to Satisloh’s Steele Young.

Day two of the COLA meeting was filled with educational sessions including: a panel on government regulatory affairs with experts Jeff Endres and Jason McElvaney of The Vision Council, and attorney Rick Van Arnam; a presentation by Dean Browell, PhD on Using Social Media’s Powers for Good; Mike Karlsrud’s discussion of Customer Service to Customer Experience, managing the Moment of Truth; and ending with a special presentation by Peter Shaw-McMinn, OD on how to be a better resource for your doctor by offering the latest technologies for ocular pathological conditions.

cwalker@jobson.com

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(L to R) Mike Daley, The Vision Council; Joe Donahoe, Michael Bunch, and Joe Caperton, Carl Zeiss Vision; and Gary Peterson, PSI connect at the California Optical Laboratories Association meeting put on by The Vision Council.

Terry Yoneda, Younger Optics, was presented with an award of appreciation for his 10 years of service as COLA director by current COLA director, Lori Treadwell.

Steele Young, Satisloh, was awarded the annual Goodfellow award.

A panel discussion on regulations and laws affecting optical labs doing business in California was presented by speakers (l to r) Rick Van Arnam, Esq. and Jason McElvaney, The Vision Council.

Dean Browell, PhD, provided useful information to labs on how to use social media in their marketing campaigns.