Scene & Heard Around Vision Expo West

LAS VEGAS—From Pop Up Talks to Live streaming events to panels examining the future of optometry and the state of the optical industry, Vision Expo West was a bustling and vibrant place to be in mid September. For a look at what was going on in the classrooms, on the show floor and in meeting rooms, take a look at this slideshow brought to you courtesy of Vision Monday’s editors who were on the scene.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

The Lab Division of The Vision Council celebrated the industry veterans who were recognized during the Directors’ Choice Award and 18th Annual Lab Division Hall of Fame held in conjunction with the Lab Division Meeting at Expo. The Division named Marty Bassett, president and CEO of Walman Optical Company as the 2017 recipient of the Directors’ Choice Award. Eight other Lab Division Hall of Fame inductees were honored at the banquet including John Art, Interstate Optical; Lorinda Fraboni, Walman; Jim Goerges, Precision Tool Technologies, Inc.; William Heffner, FEA Industries, Inc.; Laurence Lahr, Eye Kraft Optical; Mark Mattison-Shupnick, Jobson Medical Information; Drake McLean, Dietz-McLean Optical Company; and Joe Vitale, Essilor of America IDD.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Marty Bassett addressed the audience before accepting his award.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Jobson’s Mark Mattison-Shupnick reminisced about his long career in optical.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R)Honoree Drake McLean, Dietz-McLean Optical; Kevin Cross, Schneider Optical Machines; Rick Tinson, Hoya Vision Care; Ashley Mills, The Vision Council; and Steve Sutherlin, The Vision Council and Sutherlin Optical.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Lorinda Fraboni (fourth from left) celebrated her star power with friends and family prior to the festivities.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Jim Goerges accepts his award from The Vision Council’s Steve Sutherlin.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R) Doug Hagen and John Keane, DVI with honoree Mark Mattison-Shupnick of Jobson Optical Group and MMS Consulting and DVI’s Gordon Keane.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

William Heffner accepts his award from Steve Sutherlin.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Lawrence Lahr’s son (c) accepts his award from Hoya Vision Care’s Bruce Scott (l) and Steve Sutherlin.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R) Director’s Choice Award winner Marty Bassett, Walman Optical with Sid Sidhu, Younger Optics and Katie Bassett.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

John Art was all smiles as he spoke to the crowd.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R) Hoya Vision Care’s Bruce Scott, Drake McLean’s son, Drake McLean and Steve Sutherlin.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

Joe Vitale visits with his “star” before the festivities began.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R) Doug Schlauderaff, Walman Optical with Dave Eichelberger and Casey Cloonan, both of Eyenavision/Chemistrie.

Lab Division Celebrates Hall of Fame Inductees

(L to R) Jim Goerges, Mark Mattison-Shupnick, John Art, William Heffner, Marty Bassett, Lorinda Fraboni, Lawrence Lahr’s son, Drake McLean and Joe Vitale pose for a group shot.

Corporate Optometry Reports Meeting Examines State of Optical Industry

With industry growth indicators pointing up and a growing pool of optometrists entering the work force, there are positive vibes in the corporate optometry business sector, according to a panel of speakers at the Corporate Optometry Reports (COR) Meeting held at Expo. Above, Alcon’s Carl Spear, OD, led the COR panel. Alcon, along with the tech firm VisionWeb, sponsored the COR session.

Corporate Optometry Reports Meeting Examines State of Optical Industry

(L to R) Linda Chous, OD, UnitedHealthcare, Wally Lovejoy, Lovejoy Eyecare Consulting and Joe Neville National Association of Optometrists & Opticians at the Corporate Optometry Reports (COR) Meeting,

Corporate Optometry Reports Meeting Examines State of Optical Industry

(L to R) Enjoying lunch at the COR Meeting Alcon’s Brent Watson, Maurice Wilson, OD, Energeyes, Alcon’s Steve Rubin, Alcon Vision Care’s Sally Welch, and David Morgan and Dwayne Dixon both of Alcon.

Corporate Optometry Reports Meeting Examines State of Optical Industry

Luxottica’s Thomas Kremer with Costco’s Denise Mogil at the COR Meeting.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

(L to R) Presenters at the VM LIVE Minding the Store held Wednesday afternoon included included Doug Barnes, Jr., Eyemart Express; Ed King, co-founder of High Street, a Retail Experience Collective; Vision Monday’s Marge Axelrad and Andrew Karp; and David Moore, OD, of Clear Eye Associates and Moore Eye Center.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

(L to R) Jean-Philippe Sayag, ACEP/ABS, Jobson’s Marc Ferrara and Kevin Hundert, Ditto Technologies, await the start of VM LIVE.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

Scot Shapiro, Europa Eyewear and Jason Stanley, State Optical.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

Attendees listened intently to the presentations.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

(L to R) Presenters onstage during the VM LIVE panel session included Vision Monday’s Marge Axelrad; Doug Barnes, Jr., Eyemart Express; David Moore, OD, of Clear Eye Associates and Moore Eye Center; Ed King, co-founder of High Street, a Retail Experience Collective; and Vision Monday’s Andrew Karp.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

(L to R) Doug Meeks, Meeks Consulting; Gary Tillman, Speqson; Seth McLaughlin, Springfield Advisors; Reade Fahs, National Vision; and Victoria Hallberg, Lahb, Inc.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

New Look Vision Group’s Antoine Amiel and Mario Pageau.

VM LIVE Presents 'Minding the Store'

John Bonizio, Metro Optics Eyewear and Matthew Vulich, Luneau Technology USA.

VM Pop Up Talk: CHECK.OUT: Trunk Shows and Beyond

Vision Monday hosted a Pop Up Talk about the importance of inventory with Brooklyn Spectacles Jenny Ma and Bruce Eyewear’s Nada Vuksic.

VM Pop Up Talk: CHECK.OUT: Trunk Shows and Beyond

(L to R) Vision Monday’s Stephanie Sengwe and Jamie Wilson celebrate their Pop Up Talk with Brooklyn Spectacles Jenny Ma and Bruce Eyewear’s Nada Vuksic.

20/20 Pop Up Talk: What’s YOUR Selling Story

20/20 Magazine’s James Spina (l), leads the “What’s YOUR Selling Story?” Pop Up Talk in the Vision Expo Content Studio. Panelists included (seated l to r) De Rigo REM’s Nico Roseiller, Larry Sands, Paradis Collection and Tom Kramer, Teka Eyewear.

20/20 Pop Up Talk: What’s YOUR Selling Story

20/20’s James Spina discusses the “Selling Seen” with an attendee.

Jobson and Essilor Present ‘Defining the Future of Optometry’

The ‘Defining the Future of Optometry’ symposium was presented by Jobson and Essilor. (L to R) Jobson’s Marc Ferrara, Essilor’s Holly Gillentine, Michael Kling, OD, Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, Gina Wesley, OD, FAAO, Richard Edlow, OD, and Essilor’s Howard Purcell, OD.

Jobson and Essilor Present ‘Defining the Future of Optometry’

The symposium, a data-based analysis of forces shaping the profession, featured a panel discussion followed by a Q&A. (L to R) Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, Professional Editor, Review of Optometric Business; Jobson’s Marc Ferrara; Richard Edlow, OD, The Eyeconomist; Gina Wesley, OD, FAAO; and Michael Kling, OD.

Jobson and Essilor Present ‘Defining the Future of Optometry’

Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, Professional Editor, Review of Optometric Business, was a presenter at the symposium.

2020 Panel: ‘She Embraces Independents’

20/20 Magazine’s James Spina moderated a panel titled “She Embraces Independents” which examined how to enrich the relationship of Independent Eyewear.

2020 Panel: ‘She Embraces Independents’

(L to R) 20/20 Magazine’s James Spina; Leigh Berberan, Todd Rogers Eyewear; Mona Sood, OD, Village Eye Care; Kristen McLaughlin, Silhouette; Micki Lorelli, Optician, Juno Beach Optical; Jill Burrowes, Europa Eyewear; and Tanya Gill, OD, Oakland Vision Center.

Women’s Wear Daily Live Streaming Panel

Women’s Wear Daily studios editor, Brandy Joy Smith (r) moderated a live streaming panel titled “The Eyewear Effect” with panelists Mike Hundert, De Rigo REM; Scott Shapiro, State Optical and WestGroupe’s Beverly Sultineau.

Women’s Wear Daily and Transitions With Coco and Breezy

Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) and Transitions Optical teamed up for a fashion panel, featuring style icons and eyewear designers Coco and Breezy (c), Transitions Optical’s Patience Cook (l) and Brandy Joy Smith, WWD Studios Editor (r). The discussion was streamed live on the WWD Facebook Page.

OWA Connection Series Focuses on Emotional Intelligence

The Optical Women’s Association presented a panel discussion based on the OWA book selection, Emotional Intelligence 2.0. Essilor of America’s Deborah Shute shared her HR expertise.

OWA Connection Series Focuses on Emotional Intelligence

ABB Optical Group’s Nan Meehan brought her more than 25 years of sales, marketing and management experience to the OWA Connection Series panel.

De Rigo REM Showcases Redesigned Booth

Partially inspired by Doug Aitken’s “Mirage” house created for Coachella Valley’s Desert X, De Rigo REM’s creative director, Nico Roseillier created the company’s booth at Vision Expo West using panels of Mylar, a material that has never been used for architectural purposes before. “The idea was that you see reflection and distortion as you get closer and see movement as you step out,” Roseillier stated.

De Rigo REM Showcases Redesigned Booth

Complementing the eye-catching design, the entrance featured an innovative installation of 300 Jonathan Adler nose displays showcasing the latest eyewear collections.

De Rigo REM Showcases Redesigned Booth

Roseillier’s goal was not to create a traditional booth, but an art installation with an interchangeable design that will be different for each show—to add an element of excitement and surprise. The overall aesthetic was inspired by mirrored, reflective surfaces.