Ashley Mills Greg Chavez
The Vision Council Appoints Ashley Mills as CEO, Promotes Greg Chavez
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council has appointed Ashley Mills as its new CEO following the retirement of industry veteran Mike Daley.

Mills brings over 20 years of progressive trade association management, marketing and leadership experience to the position. She joined The Vision Council as the vice president of trade shows and meetings in January of this year after serving as the director of communications for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Prior to that, she held marketing positions with The Council on Foundations and Seenery Productions, and served as The Vision Council’s director of marketing and shows from 2003 to 2006.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead The Vision Council forward,” said Mills. “Thanks to Mike Daley’s careful stewardship of the association, the great work of the team of professionals who serve our membership, and the commitment and high level of engagement among our volunteer leadership, the organization is poised to be even more effective and impactful in delivering on our mission to grow the marketplace and ensure the success of our members.”

Mills officially began her role as CEO on Nov. 1. Daley will continue his work with The Vision Council through Dec. 1, providing a transition for the organization and membership.

In related news, The Vision Council has promoted Greg Chavez to executive vice president, Operations and Membership. Chavez has been with The Vision Council for 13 years, joining as the director of member services in 2003 before taking on the role of vice president of member services in 2006.

“Greg has worked tirelessly on behalf of The Vision Council’s members over the past 13 years, ensuring that our organization listens to the needs of the industry and responds with the best resources for member companies,” said Mills.

Since joining The Vision Council, Chavez has facilitated the organization’s growth from 80 member companies to more than 750. He has overseen the membership integration of six separate organizational mergers increasing both the size of The Vision Council as well as the scope of issues for the organization, including the Low Vision Council, AR Council, Sunglass Association of America, Optical Laboratories Association, California Optical Laboratories Association and the European Sunglass Association.


Mony Iyer
OneSight Appoints Mony Iyer as New Executive Director
CINCINNATI—OneSight has announced the appointment of the organization’s new executive director, Mony Iyer. He previously led global strategic planning for OneSight and was responsible for the design and launch of OneSight’s growing portfolio of sustainable development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the U.S.

Before his role with OneSight, Iyer worked in corporate strategy at Luxottica, leading projects in North and South America. Additionally, Iyer previously worked in international strategy and sales for the Hershey Company, covering the Asian and Latin American markets. He began his career with the Boston Consulting Group, a strategy consulting firm, and Motorola Semiconductor.


Steven C. Schallhorn, MD
Carl Zeiss Meditec Appoints Steven C. Schallhorn, MD as Chief Medical Officer
JENA, Germany and DUBLIN, Calif.—Carl Zeiss Meditec has appointed Steven C. Schallhorn, MD, as chief medical officer for global ophthalmic devices consisting of refractive lasers, surgical ophthalmology and ophthalmic diagnostics.

As the leading medical advisor for the organization, Dr. Schallhorn will serve on the executive leadership team providing strategic direction for the business and medical guidance on the clinical use of Zeiss’ broad portfolio of ophthalmic diagnostic and surgical technologies. He will collaborate with key opinion leaders and academic institutions on research initiatives and the development of best practices for improving clinical outcomes, practice efficiency and cost effectiveness, the company said.

“Dr. Schallhorn’s medical expertise is pivotal to our clinical and medical affairs strategy and our partnership with doctors, clinical advisors, academia and ophthalmic associations,” said Jim Mazzo, global president ophthalmic devices.

Dr. Schallhorn has led many clinical studies focused on the safety and effectiveness of eye surgery as well as the quality of vision. He has presented to the U.S. FDA numerous times and was instrumental in the approval of many ophthalmic devices and the NASA approval of LASIK.


Keri West
Blanchard Contact Lenses Names New Team Member
MANCHESTER, N.H.—Blanchard Contact Lenses, a leading scleral and gas permeable lens designer, has named Keri West an “expert consultant” for the company. West brings to Blanchard 21 years of experience in the eyecare industry, including vast expertise in fitting scleral and GP lenses.

She has worked in a specialized contact lens clinic for the University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology, known as Dean A. McGee Eye Institute, since 1997. In this role, West trains ophthalmology residents, technicians and clinicians to evaluate and fit contact lenses to maximize visual potential and ocular health for many pathologies.