Latest News Hilco Vision Acquires Croakies Inc. By Staff Tuesday, January 24, 2017 7:20 AM PLAINVILLE, Mass.—Hilco Vision announced today the acquisition of Croakies, Inc., the Wyoming-based originator of eyewear retainers and associated outdoor lifestyle accessories. Details of the transaction, which took place earlier this month, were undisclosed. "Hilco Vision strives to lead the industry in the optical accessories category through product innovation and brand authenticity. Croakies is synonymous with eyewear retention and has built an incredibly loyal customer base through its focus on comfort, design and functionality over the past 40 years,” explained Ross Brownlee, CEO of Hilco Vision. “We are very enthusiastic to build on this tradition of innovation and invest in the continued global growth of the Croakies brand.”“Croakies has its origins on the slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and has at its core the desire to meet the needs of the everyday adventurer,” added John Krisik, president of Croakies Inc. “We were attracted to Hilco Vision due to their focus on quality, innovation, service and sustainable development, all things important to Croakies’ bright future.”Hilco Vision said it is committed to ensuring Croakies maintains its strong footprint within the mountains of the American West, through the company’s Bozeman-based manufacturing facility. Krisik, Croakies’ lifelong president and owner, will be retiring at the end of the month.Since 1956, Hilco Vision has been an industry leading global eyewear/eyecare company delivering comprehensive solutions to customers, built on a platform of innovation and operational excellence. It has direct subsidiaries in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, Australia, China and the Netherlands. The company’s product portfolio is concentrated on five primary product categories: professional tools, vision protection, consumer accessories, lenscare and eyecare.“Often imitated but never duplicated,” the original Croakies were invented in 1977 by a local ski patrolman from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. Today, Croakies is still proudly headquartered in the mountains of the American West, with most of its production in Bozeman, Montana. With Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks as a backyard, the brand’s inspiration remains unchanged: “to create best-in-class retention products that inspire everyday adventure and provide comfort, style, durability and functionality to active people of all ages.”