Rebecca Giefer

NEW YORK—Following a 15-year tenure at the company, Rebecca Giefer has been appointed as CEO of Modo Americas, effective Sept. 1. “I am very proud with this announcement of Rebecca being made CEO of MODO Americas," said Alessandro Lanaro, Modo's founder and main shareholder. He added, "Many years ago, I jokingly told Rebecca that I should watch my chair, and sure enough she did it. Naming Rebecca CEO of Modo Americas was for me a very natural decision.

“I personally have never met a person that is so committed and has such an incredible work ethic. Together with Giovanni Lo Faro, CEO of Modo International and Tara Montanari, director of M Factory, we form a formidable team that is so well-aligned to create the opportunities of our constant growth."

Lanaro went on to say, "I will assume the newly created position of global CEO of our Group that consists of several companies. On behalf of the entire global Modo family I want to congratulate Rebecca in reaching this prestigious and challenging position.”

Giefer commented, “I'm thankful for Alessandro’s vision and leadership and I’m thankful to have such an amazing team in New York and throughout the Americas. This step in my career at Modo is a very special one and I hope that my story will be an inspiration to members of the team. Last but not least, I’m thankful for the customers that have been on this journey with us. Being an independent eyewear company in the U.S. requires us to constantly reorient ourselves to the ever-changing landscape of the industry.”

Giefer started at Modo in 2004 as a customer service representative and quickly rose through the ranks, achieving the position of COO five years ago. Over the past five years, she has overseen significant growth for the company across various sales channels, the announcement noted. Last year, she was awarded equity in Modo, the company noted, "as a reward for her incredible work ethic and contributions to Modo’s outstanding results and achievements."

Within the industry, Giefer has also spread her influence, speaking on various panels and participating in different groups within The Vision Council, where she is a current board member. Giefer was honored in 2016 as one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in the Executive Suite category.

Giefe , a native of Mahtomedi, Minn., moved to New York City to attend New York University where she also played on the varsity soccer team. As an avid runner, she has participated in at least 30 marathons, including two famed 150k Sultan Marathons in the desert of Morocco. She lives in the borough of Brooklyn with her husband, David, and 3-year-old son, Owen.