Tim Mayhew.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.—The board of directors of Keplr Vision, one of the 10 largest optical retail companies in the U.S., announced today that Tim Mayhew has been named chief executive officer, effective August 22, 2022. Mayhew takes over the position from Nick Williams, who has served as CEO since the company’s inception in 2017. The move was announced to customers and employees in an internal memo obtained by VMAIL and confirmed by Keplr Vision. Mayhew has over 15 years of experience within the optical industry.

He previously served as CEO of Luxury Optical Holdings, one of the largest independent optical retailers in the premium eyewear segment in North America.

“We are excited for Tim to take Keplr to the next level,” said Justin MacCormack, chairman of Keplr Vision and managing partner at Imperial Capital, the Toronto-based private equity firm that backs Keplr Vision. “Tim has demonstrated his depth of management, branding experience and talent development throughout his career. His forward-looking leadership will be a perfect fit and could not be more relevant to Keplr’s success at this moment in time and in the years ahead.”

MacCormack added, “We want to thank Nick for his leadership over the past five years in transforming Keplr into an innovative organization through a period of significant growth. Nick will remain a shareholder of Keplr and is excited to witness Keplr’s continued evolution. We congratulate Nick for accomplishing his mandate to grow the company and thank him for his unique and meaningful contributions to Keplr.”

Nick Williams said, "I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished at Keplr Vision over these last five years. The team of professionals we have assembled is amazing, and deserves a significant amount of recognition for what has been accomplished. I was happy to have been a part of the selection process for my successor Tim Mayhew, and I strongly feel that the company is being delivered into good hands."

Mayhew commented, “Keplr is first and foremost a company focused on providing the best and most professional eyecare to its patients and I am therefore grateful for the opportunity to join the leading optometrists in the country. Eyecare is more important now than ever and we look forward to continuing to differentiate Keplr on the basis of excellence in medical optometry.”

Kepler Vision was recently ranked #10 in Vision Monday’s 2022 Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers Report last May with sales of $521 million and 286 offices in calendar year 2021. Keplr Vision added 95 net new locations (102 overall) during the year and finished 2021 with 286 eyecare offices.

The company was formed in July 2019 when two portfolio companies of Imperial Capital of Canada—Total ECP and Visionary Eye Partners—merged to operate as a combined entity under the Keplr Vision name.