Latest News Jerry Lieblein, OD, Author and Co-Founder of OD Excellence, Dies at 82 By Staff Friday, February 17, 2017 12:24 AM Jerry Lieblein, OD. HEALDSBURG, Calif.—Services and a celebration of his life and contributions were held here earlier this month for Jerry Lieblein, OD, a well-known optometric practitioner, author, mentor and co-founder of OD Excellence, an optometric alliance group. Lieblein, 82, passed away on Jan. 28 after a long illness. Lieblein and Dr. Jerry Sude launched the OD Excellence alliance in 2008. The company has grown to over 350 locations in 28 states. He was passionate about his work there and, Dr. Sude told VMail, he and the Board of Directors and the staff "will continue to work hard to keep Lieblein's legacy going strong." Lieblein was also executive director and facilitator of the American Society of Eye Care Specialists, a collaborative vision care business group. Previously, he was a senior partner in a California private practice. Lieblein was a past president of the International Association of State Boards, past chairman of the Contact Lens Division of the American Optometric Association, and past president of the California Optometric Association. He was the Eye Doctor of the Year for California in 1989, and was elected to be one of 100 Doctors in the U.S. to sit on a National Health panel called "National Association of Practitioners." He continued to lecture and educate new and upcoming ODs along with seasoned practitioners by offering special consulting and advice to them. He was author of over 90 published articles. He studied at UCLA and USC where he graduated from optometry school. Dr. Lieblein was chosen by the State Department to be part of an American team of doctors to travel to China during the 1980s to help educate Chinese doctors about the eyecare field. Lieblein is survived by his wife, Johanna and five grown children, 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. According to his family, he enjoyed living in the heart of the wine country and loved to travel, entertain with food and wine pairings and host special event parties for friends and family. Lieblein supported the American Cancer Society, his family noted.