PEOPLE People By Staff Monday, September 14, 2015 12:00 AM Michele Andrews, OD CooperVision Names Andrews, OD, Director of Professional Affairs, North America PLEASANTON, Calif.—CooperVision, Inc. has named Michele Andrews, OD, as director of professional affairs for North America. In this new position, Andrews will work closely with ECPs in the U.S. and Canada, and her responsibilities will include providing technical support for new and existing products as well as representing CooperVison at key industry and professional meetings throughout North America. Andrews is the latest addition to CooperVision’s team of optometrists which is led by Gary Orsborn, OD, MS, FAAO, FBCLA, vice president, global professional and clinical affairs. “At CooperVision, one of our core values is ‘Partner,’” said Orsborn. “While we are proud to provide the broadest portfolio of contact lenses available, we are more than one of the world’s largest soft contact lens manufacturers. It is only through a deep understanding of what is most important to our customers that we can better serve them, anticipating and meeting their patients’ and practices’ needs as together we help improve the way people see each day. Michele brings extensive practice and industry experience to our team, and perspectives that can help build and maintain meaningful relationships with the optometric community.” Before joining CooperVision, Andrews most recently served as the executive vice president of professional services at For Eyes Optical Company, where she developed and implemented the organization’s strategy for its affiliated Doctors of Optometry. Prior to that, she was the senior director of provider relations and clinical services at EyeMed Vision Care, and early in her career she spent more than 10 years with LensCrafters, supporting hundreds of optometric practitioners. In addition to this, Andrews has significant patient care experience in multi-unit ophthalmology, lasik and private practice settings. Andrews received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Illinois Optometric Association. Jay Raftery Live Eyewear Appoints Raftery VP of Business Development SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—Live Eyewear has appointed Jay Raftery to the position of vice president of business development. In this newly created role, Raftery will manage a completely new segment of the company’s business which has yet to be announced, according to the company, and report directly to Kieran Hardy, Live’s CEO. “Jay’s signing comes during the final chapter of four years of product research and development,” said Hardy. “The resources, time and money we directed into the project have been considerable, but the final result is a product that has a tremendous upside not just for our customers and our company, but the entire optical industry. I’m thrilled that something that started out as an ‘impossibility’ is now going to market. I couldn’t think of anyone more suited to guide its success than Jay.” Raftery will have operations, sales and marketing responsibility for the new division. “There are so many positive aspects to this project,” he explained. “From the outset I knew that if the product could be made, the advantages we’d deliver to eyecare professionals would be landmark. The fact that its ‘Made in the USA’ is a true testament to the continued evolution and progress of U.S. based manufacturing.” The company will launch the new division at Vision Expo East in New York City in April 2016. “There is a lot of work to do before New York,” said Raftery, “but it doesn’t end there. Once the line is unveiled, we have a succession of optical industry trade shows and release events across five continents..” Raftery rejoins Live Eyewear after two years with Beach, Cowdrey and Owen LLP. “Jay is very familiar with Live Eyewear as he previously served as the company’s in-house General Counsel from 2010 to 2013. We’re all pleased to welcome him back,” concluded Hardy. Amy Chow Beth Innarelli Blanchard Appoints Two Managers SHERBROOKE, Quebec—Blanchard Contact Lenses, which designs and manufactures scleral and other gas permeable lenses, has added two new members to their team. Amy Chow has been appointed account manager of Ontario and Beth Innarelli will be providing sales and marketing support for the company in the U.S. and Canada. Chow is an eyecare professional who received her diploma in opticianry from Seneca College, as well as a degree in science and broadcast journalism from the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University, respectively. Before joining Blanchard, she worked as a licensed dispensing optician at Dr. Edward Chow & Associates, a practice owned and operated by her family in Toronto. She is particularly interested in specialty contact lenses, with a distinct interest in orthokeratology and RGP/sclerals lens fittings. Innarelli, who has 13 years of marketing experience, will oversee Blanchard’s marketing efforts, enhance relationships with current customers and facilitate new business. Prior to Blanchard, she was a public relations and event manager at m5 Marketing Communications and the New Hampshire Bank.