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What, specifically, are the challenges and opportunities for Rx Sunwear business given our current economic climate and what is predicted for the economy going forward?

High-end sunwear is going to become a more difficult sell, along with all higher end products. We aren't as concerned about how to sell our products in this economic environment as we are about the well being of our accounts. Maui Jim has built its business on relationships, and those relationships will set the path and create opportunity. The consumer still requires sunwear protection, and that won't change. Good business sense always suggests quality eyewear.

What should ECPs keep in mind about your company’s involvement in/dedication to Rx sunwear?

Maui Jim is very dedicated to providing its patented technology in Rx. We recognized early on that there is a loyal segment of customers that required something other than plano sunwear for active outdoor use. So, we built our full service 25,000 square ft. Rx facility to duplicate the cosmetics, performance, and quality of our patented plano product. Today, Maui Jim offers the latest FreeForm technology in both Single Vision and Progressive lens styles in a high-base wrap design.

Which specific categories of Rx Sun lens products – polarized, high-base wraps, PALs, single-vision, mirror coatings – or others you’d like to mention – do you feel offer the biggest ‘upside’ business opportunity for optical retailers and ECPs this year? Why?

Our offering of a fully digital backside SV and Progressive design, called MauiPassport, provides the biggest upside to the ECP in sunwear. Digital technology allows for more opportunity to fit patients into the larger wrap designs. It also improves visual acuity and width of field unmatched by traditional or conventional lens styles. And since we provide protective higher-base wraps, our technology corrects for the effects of panoramic angle and pantoscopic tilt. The MauiPassport virtually eliminates non-adapts based on swim or distortion providing immediate customer satisfaction.

In which of your company’s specific product lines are you putting the most sales and marketing support during 2009? Which products and programs are ongoing from 2008 and which will be new?

Our new MauiPassport digital lens design will receive a lot of support in 2009, of course. But that's not all, we've recently released a new polarized lens color, called Maui HT (High Transmission). The HT lens is a 25% transmission lens with 99.9% polarized efficiency available in plano and Rx, including MauiPassport.

What can you review with ECPs/optical retailers about how you are managing your 2009 Maui Jim RX Sun programs?

Maui Jim has always looked to technology to remain at the forefront of the polarized sun business. Our new MauiPassport lens is another sign of our commitment to not only stay abreast of the industry, but to also provide our customers with the best quality and protection possible in a sunwear design.