BUSINESS: Retailers The Sphere Of Influence Of Award By Staff Monday, September 19, 2011 12:06 AM RELATED CONTENT Announcing VM's Most Daring! The Shop It Like It’s Hot Award The Seeing Green Award The Resistance Is Futile Award The Lead, Follow Or Get Out Of The Web Award The “We The People” Reader Vote Award The Judges (10 or fewer LOCATIONS) St. Charles Vision New Orleans, La. www.stcharlesvision.com Owner: Charles Glaser Submission Essay… “St. Charles Vision has undertaken an initiative to highlight community leaders who have met some of New Orleans’ toughest post-Katrina challenges, for the betterment of all who love New Orleans. St. Charles Vision links the community to these leaders and their organizations through their website and shares the community leaders’ idea of vision and how it applies to the Crescent City. The first three people honored include: • Jazz musician Terence Blanchard—the artistic director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, which he helped move from Los Angeles to New Orleans on the campus of Loyola University in order to attract top young jazz musicians from around the world. • Architect Allen Eskew—the founding principal of architecture firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and is leading the “Reinventing the Crescent Riverfront Development Plan.” • Social entrepreneur Andrea Chen—the executive director and co-founder of Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans, a local nonprofit that supports creative problem solvers advancing great ideas for social change. This project embodies St. Charles Vision’s commitment to healthy eyes and a healthy community.” Daring because… “Our optometric offices are innovative in the way we constantly strive to offer the most high-tech, thorough and enjoyable experience for our patients. We are not afraid to take chances, as our ‘Look Forward/Innovator’ campaign clearly demonstrates. With all the great minds and spirits playing leadership roles around us in New Orleans, we wanted to use a significant portion of our media buy this year to put some focus on the forward thinking individuals making a difference in our community. We share these peoples' passion for change and innovation, and they inspire us to serve and provide for the city of New Orleans,” said Charles G. Glaser, OD, owner of St. Charles Vision. “Our goal is to not just satisfy our patients, but to surprise and impress them every chance we have. Optometric practices that choose to be daring in today's business environment are not just serving their patients, they are empowering them.” (50+ LOCATIONS or online only) Eye Care Centers of America/Davis Vision San Antonio, Texas www.ecca.com CEO: David Holmberg www.Davisvision.com Submission Essay… “Eye Care Centers of America (ECCA) retail associates closely partner with Davis Vision to support Davis Vision’s outreach initiatives including Focus on America. Davis Vision’s worldwide community outreach efforts provide much needed vision care services to those who may not otherwise receive it. Over $21 million in products and services have been provided through Davis Vision’s outreach initiatives. Davis Vision has 52 outreach events scheduled in 2011 and ECCA’s dedicated team of volunteers—spread across the 39 states—will support over 80 percent of these events by providing vision screenings and vision care education to the attendees, including many students and parents. The participation doesn’t stop there. Those who require additional vision care receive vouchers for a free follow-up exam and eyewear. When the recipients of these vouchers visit the ECCA locations to redeem their vouchers, the retail associate gets the opportunity to assist the recipients through the process of getting their eye exam and selecting a new pair of eyeglasses. They also share in the excitement of delivering a new pair of eyeglasses to an individual who might not have had any eyewear at all. What we hear from the ECCA volunteers is that they appreciate the opportunity to connect with their community. They thoroughly enjoy the smiles they receive from hundreds of children and the relief in the parents’ voice when they find out that a much needed pair of eyeglasses will be provided. We have also heard wonderful stories from recipients as well. These individuals feel like the support they receive from Davis Vision and the ECCA retail associates makes a big difference in their life.” Daring because… “The HVHC family of companies which includes Eye Care Centers of America, Davis Vision and Viva International Group dares to be a good corporate citizen every day. Since 2009, our “Focus on America” initiative has allowed us to give back to those who are most vulnerable in the communities we serve. As a result of the good work our associates do in the community each day, we are able to differentiate ourselves among others and earn our reputation of being a family of companies that truly cares about those communities where we live, work, play and do business,” said David Holmberg, CEO of HVHC, Inc. “The integrated delivery model we have with our HVHC family of companies enables us to be innovative and daring each day. By identifying those who are most vulnerable in the communities we serve – the uninsured and underinsured – our associates to have a direct impact on enhancing the overall health, well-being and quality of life for those who may not otherwise receive the vision care services they need. These individuals feel like the support they received from Davis Vision and the Eye Care Centers of America retail associates has made a big difference in their lives,” added Steve Holden, president, Davis Vision Inc.