Lukas Ruecker.
MILAN, Italy and CINCINNATI, Ohio— Luxottica Group S.p.A. (MTA: LUX; NYSE: LUX), announced that Lukas Ruecker has been named president of EyeMed Vision Care, a division of the company, and the U.S.’ second largest vision benefits company.

In the role, Ruecker succeeds Liz DiGiandomenico, president and general manager at EyeMed for almost 10 years, who will take on a new role within Luxottica’s global business development team.

The company’s announcement said, “Under Liz’s leadership, EyeMed experienced extraordinary growth, increasing the member base from six million to almost 36 million Americans in funded vision plans. In addition, DiGiandomenico was instrumental in creating EyeMed’s partnership network with the largest managed care organizations in the nation. Luxottica is grateful to Liz for her tenure at EyeMed and her contribution to building it into a primary player in its industry.”

“EyeMed is at a critical juncture in its evolution, and it’s the fastest-growing vision benefits company in the U.S.,” said Andrea Guerra, CEO of Luxottica Group. “We are ready to move forward and believe that Lukas has the right experience and mindset to lead EyeMed into a new stage of growth in collaboration with Luxottica other divisions. Lukas’ creativity, energy and drive have always produced impressive results at Luxottica.”

Added Ruecker, “I am proud to be at Luxottica and to lead EyeMed because I believe in the company’s potential to become the nation’s first choice for vision benefits and to reshape the expectations of benefit buyers and members. EyeMed is well positioned to grow membership and better serve its members, clients and providers through innovation and quick adaptation to new channels.”

Ruecker, an M.I.T. graduate who spent the first part of his career as management consultant with McKinsey & Company, joined Luxottica in 2009 from Staples where he was vice president of strategy, new channels and emerging markets. In his first four years at Luxottica, as senior vice president of strategy, Ruecker led business development, corporate marketing and e-commerce, contributing to major innovations and key partnerships in many parts of the organization, as well as involvement in OneSight, according to the company.