Gary Peterson, PSI, (l) is awarded the 2010 Good Fellow Award
by Phil Epperson.
TEMECULA, Calif.—The California Optical Laboratory Association (COLA) held its annual member meeting here earlier this Spring, which included networking, educational sessions and the presentation of the annual Good Fellow Award to Practical Systems Inc.’s (PSI) Gary Peterson.

Twenty independent and manufacturer-owned labs were represented among the 80 total attendees, making it one of the best-attended COLA meetings in recent years, according to event organizer, Terry Yoneda of Younger Optics.

Following a half-day golf event, members attended a reception and dinner where incoming president, Stephen Mori-Prange, Prestige Lens Lab, was given the gavel by outgoing president, Tim Steffey, Sunstar Optical. Gary Peterson, PSI, was pronounced “a good fellow” by his peers during the Good Fellow Award Ceremony.

On day two, COLA members attended a series of educational classes, which were presented on: lab strategies, creating a Web site, and insurance industry updates. The afternoon concluded with a lively panel discussion on mergers and acquisitions with representatives from Carl Zeiss Optical, Essilor, Hoya Vision Care, and VSP.


Helping to pass the gavel are (l to r) Phil Epperson, incoming COLA
president; Stephen Mori-Prange, Prestige Lens Lab; outgoing COLA
president, Tim Steffey, Sunstar Optical; and Terry Yoneda,
Younger Optics.

Brought together to answer questions on mergers and acquisitions were
(l to r) Jeff DeRose, Vision Service Plan; Brad Reinhart, Essilor; Tom
Puckett, HPC Puckett & Co.; Matt Bishop, Carl Zeiss Vision; Don Dakin,
Hoya Vision Care; and Beverly Marquez, Essilor Laboratories of America.




















— Christie Walker